Kingdom Paradigms

Working for The Lord

Dr. Mike Business & Faith, Kingdom Paradigms , , ,


Colossians 3:22-24 (ESV)
 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

When God is the center of your life, everything changes. From how you view strangers to the management of your family, from how you select your values, to choosing your priorities, and from how you invest your time in what you study to the career you select, somewhere you will come to realize how much HE loves you and wants to share HIS life with you and others. You become HIS ambassador of HIS Kingdom, living out HIS way of life with others for HIS glory.

For most of us we will spend one-third of our daily life in our vocation. Whether it is a temporary job, a professional career, or a life-long calling, most of our waking hours will be associating with others in the marketplace. How we view the time and prioritize our values will directly impact how God’s Kingdom materializes around us.

When you realize God wired you with specific talents and now is morphing you into the character of Jesus Christ, for your sake and for the sake of others, your perspective of life and work changes. When you truly come to know God cares about the quality and impact your work has in the lives of others, your motivation increases a few notches.

All believers hold dual citizenship. We serve our God and HIS Kingdom as well as the country we live in. Our allegiance is first to HIM who owns everything and has given steward responsibilities for us to fulfill. Though our paycheck may come from an organization or person, the overall initiator of wealth is God. He is concern that you are fed, clothed, and have shelter. He is concern for your physical and mental health. He designed you to flourish. The world of economics is for you and I to enjoy his creation.

To believe God only cares for spiritual truth and not physical matters denies who God IS. HE created everything for us to share with HIM. This is HIS physical world. HE knows we need to eat and therefore wired certain people to excel at farming. HE knows we need shelter and therefore designed certain people with the naturally talents to build houses and buildings for the enjoyment of others. HE knows we need clothing for protection, so HE designed people who excel at making clothes for the sake of others. Every vocation which builds up others to flourish within HIS boundaries is to be held in honor and respected.

So, whatever your job, career, or calling remember you are serving our Lord who gladly wants to share everything HE has with you for your sake and for the sake of others. We are all stewards of HIS. Some may currently deliberately rebel against HIM. Others may ignorantly refute HIS leadership in their life, but others will acknowledge HIS authority in their lives and know who they are truly serving. Be wise and serve your Lord.    

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

The Real Thing

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms, Life in Christ, Spirit Follower , , ,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Gal 5:22-25.

In my early walk with the Lord, I took upon myself to start a self-improvement program to develop the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Like the eastern religions, I subjected my body through discipline to become more godlike. At the time I didn’t understand the workings of the Spirit but only that I wanted to experience the riches of God’s Spirit.

Eventually (some ten years later) God opened my eyes to His awesome work in me through the Holy Spirit’s influence on my heart. In hindsight, the first ten years of being a disciple, I was led through humanism to make myself into the image of God through the mastery of self-discipline. Like I have said elsewhere, I did become more loving, kind, and joyful but nothing compared to now by allowing the Holy Spirit to have full access into our heart and mind.

Humanism works through habitual discipline to change exterior behavior. God works through His Spirit to change the interior emotional heart that leads to changed behavior.

When you read the above passage in Galatians, you note that the fruit is not from one’s human heart but from the Spirit. When we deny ourselves and submit to the Spirit’s influence in our life, the essence of God becomes more alive in us. God’s Spirit intermingles with our spirit influencing our soul. The Source is God. The recipient is us and those who we come into contact.

Humanism works from the outside-in. God works from the inside-out.

Humanism is like the imitation wedding ring made from glass. It may look like a diamond, but is made with inferior material. A real diamond can cut through glass; a fake diamond cannot.  

Humanism likes to look good from the outside. It acts like the real McCoy, but lacks the internal fortitude. In many cases, it is all form without any substance.

God’s Spirit is the real deal. As we submit to His Will and lean on Him, He resides in us and allows His presence to be made known through us. After you experience the real thing, you will more quickly notice the illusions and fakes around you. If you are tired of working hard to experience God’s presence in your life, maybe you are trying too hard. Maybe its time to rest in Christ and ask Him to position you to experience the real deal.

You only need to ask Him.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Learning to Govern

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , ,

Genesis 1:28 (NASB)

God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the; sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

One theme which moves through the Bible is God’s intention of what he wants humanity to learn while stationed on this planet at this age. From Genesis where God instructs man and woman to rule the earth’s infrastructure, to Revelation 5:10 where John writes about Jesus’ end game and recognizes the saints in this life are being made to lead and serve in God’s Kingdom. Could it be that one of God’s purpose for you and I in this life is to learn how to best govern?

He initially placed Adam and Eve in a garden to manage it. He built a family unit starting with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The family unit became a tribe and eventually the nation of Israel. During this time, he trained specific individuals for leadership position – Joseph, second in rank behind Pharaoh; Daniel, a president under the Babylonian system; David and Solomon, kings of Israel. There are many others – good leaders and bad rulers.

He designed the family unit where parents learn to govern their households; and children learn to follow and develop their personal governing skills. He led people to build institutions: business, education, medical, legal, entertainment, and yes governments. Each institution allows us to learn how to work with others to help a community to flourish. He also built the Church: a community of believers united within Himself.  

All these opportunities are simply a shadow to prepare you and I to govern within the Kingdom of God. God’s Kingdom is the Triune God’s family business. You and I as his children have been given the opportunity now to learn how to best govern the self and others for this purpose. We allow the Holy Spirit to work within us renovating our hearts to see and hear as our Triune God sees and hears. We govern with love and purpose allowing righteousness to flourish and evil to diminish. We serve our King bringing Him honor and respect and glory.

God has bigger plans for you and I than we will ever phantom on this side of heaven. For now, He gives us a small taste of His divine presence and fills our hearts with joy as we learn to govern His way for His people for His glory.

Life is a learning process preparing you and I for eternity. Run with it!!

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved