Life Tools

What Do You Worship?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Actions, Life Tools

Matthew 6:21††††††††††††††

Sometimes I question my personal value system.

There are days when I would rather have a pizza to cover the emotional pain, than take up the matter with our Lord. On other days, I would rather watch an evangelical preacher on TV then attend a worship service at our church. Then there are days I scream and shout and dance around a football game, but almost stand listless during a church praise session. What does this tell me about my heart at the moment?

I am human. As a human I am created after the image of the Creator God. Yet, many times I fail to live up to HIS standard of holiness. One minute I get a small taste of heaven. The next minute, I feel the pangs of hell. One day I am full with the Spirit of God experiencing the full measure of HIS presence. The next day, I am tired and empty and don’t care about anything or anyone. When I find something that grabs my attention, I am focused, disciplined, and persistent. Yet, there is also something in me that wants to take the easy way out. I may know what is the best solution, but execution of the goal becomes insurmountable. Instead of rolling up my sleeves and delving into the opportunity or challenge, I give into my inner desires and escape with a bag of potato chips.

Comfort food is my escape for the moment until the belt line presses against my favor pair of pants. Then it becomes a battle of starvation. Mentally I know a little hunger will not kill me, but why suffer a little pain. So, I grab a donut.

Satisfied for the moment, but the consequences add up. Instead of tasting the sweet aroma of victory, we again lose the battle. How many battles I have lost in this lifetime is any one’s guess. But I know it’s a lot. Yet someone keeps me going.

His name is Jesus Christ. His Spirit resides in me. And there is a war taking place between my desires and his vision. I’m disappointed at times because instead of surrendering the battle with HIM, my desires win the short-term struggle which means I lose momentum for the long-term vision HE has for me. Yet HIS Spirit doesn’t give up.

As I focus my attention on HIM, acknowledge HIS authority in my life, express my gratitude for everything HE has done for me, is doing for me, and will yet do for me, for HIS namesake, makes me want to praise and worship HIM even more and more. Every time I fail to live up to HIS expectations, HE pours out his grace unto me; undeservingly and generously. He is my Savior, Lord, Hero, Friend, and Brother. He is King of Kings.

As we walk through life’s journey, HE is repositioning our value system to match HIS. The stretching, uncomfortable pain, and disappointments we encounter are the processes of being HIS disciple. And as we are being morphed into HIS image, the more we praise HIM and lift HIM up to everyone we meet. HE has captured our heart and is our Treasure. WE worship HIM because of WHO HE IS rather than what he has done for us. Defeat is a temporary setback and doesn’t define us. Our God, through Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit identifies us and names us as HIS.

All glory, honor, and praise belong to HIM. Set your heart with HIM and let the treasures of HIS Kingdom always empower you.      

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

Empty Words

Dr. Mike Life Tools ,

Ephesians 5:6

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

You ever listen to a person speak for twenty-minutes and realize he didn’t say anything of substance? All you ever heard were many adjectives and action verbs with emotional tempos thrown between the lines.

Politicians are notorious for such gimmicks. Advertisers are a very close second. And you can throw in a few religious ministers who use the same worldly techniques. In fact, one career assessment guide includes all three personalities in the same classified box. The same skill sets are needed to be effective in each of these three roles.

Yet the Bible warns us not to be deceived by such people who may say much with great form but maintain no substance in the pudding. 

They tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to know.

They cover their words with strong emotional content so your mind becomes clouded with explosive nerve endings rather than a calm, logical reasoning conclusion.

They seek out your trigger points and use words to explode them rather than outline the cause and effect of their position.

They blind you from the best solution to move you down a path where they may best benefit themselves.

They flip-flop on positions or as the Bible calls it – being double-minded. It all depends who is their audience.

They may even change the definition of a word for their personal agenda.

They hide behind smoke screens of illusion; like magicians they have you focus in one area while they manipulate another toward their personal ambition.

Unless one is grounded in long-term, eternal values which outlasts all fads and temporary demands, one may quickly fall prey to their cunning deception. This is one strong reason to study the Bible and its historical significance as it relates to human affairs.

The Word expounds on values and principles which lead to more favorable outcomes in living. When one knows the truth, one quickly recognizes the lies and deception of the enemy. But unless one is grounded in the Truth, one may quickly fall prey to the cunning deception of the Evil One.

In most cases, when you come to know a person’s heart, and when you spend enough time with them to recognize that they actually walk the talk, it will take time to separate the facts from the illusions. But reading your Bible and knowing Him who the book points to, is one of the best tools to help us separate the truth from deception, form from substance, and real value from artificial imitation.

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

Mindfulness

Dr. Mike Kingdom Actions, Life Tools , , ,

Ephesians 4:23

…and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Mindfulness is one of those 21st century buzz words that recently came on the scene but its history is as old as mankind. Mindfulness is nothing more but focusing on the now rather than tomorrow or yesterday. It is capturing the moment; focusing your time and energy on what is in front of you today.

Many people are thinking about tomorrow and add worry emotions on their sleeve. Others live in anger and bitterness of events of yesterday. Both focusing on tomorrow or on yesterday makes one lose out on what is currently happening right now in your world in front of you.

How often do we commute to work and after our arrival don’t recall any of the events during our trip? Our minds were so deep in thought about something else that we missed everything we passed-by, the music and discussions on the radio/iPod, and even the aggressive drivers along the way.

How often are we so self-absorbed that we don’t recognize what is happening in the lives of people around us? Too add another dimension, how about what God is doing around you?

Our Triune God is always at work in the lives and circumstances around us. One of His characteristics is to invite people to assist Him in His endeavors.

The next time you find yourself speaking with someone, ask God to show you what He is doing in their life. In fact, instead of spreading your influence upon others, ask Him to help you to listen, watch, and observe what He is doing around you. After a while, you may pleasantly find your commute to and from work more enjoyable, entertaining, and eventful than you could ever imagine. You will find yourself praying in meetings asking God to lead you to better serve others. You will become more focused on what God is doing at the moment rather than living in your isolated world.

Don’t worry about tomorrow; you can’t change the past, but you can live to the full today.  It all begins by being more mindful on what is happening right in front of you at this very moment between God, you, and others.

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