Stupidity

Dr. Mike Think About That...

Proverbs 19:3

People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed? (Message)

We all have done stupid. Sometimes its planned stupidity, most often it is a quick, temporary, brain damaging decision with painful, down-the-road consequences. The mature person however will accept personal responsibility for their decisions and actions. The immature though will find someone else to blame. If they can’t find a human person close to the situation to blame, then they will look for the next best one. That one is usually God.

Some people hold a theological belief that God causes everything to happen – good and bad. That if the student receives a poor grade, it must be God who didn’t intervene and change the grade for the better. If a person is fired from a job for continuous tardiness, it must be God’s fault for not giving him special favor with his supervisor. If you are involved in an accident, it must be God’s fault for not protecting you as you race 20 miles above the speed limit weaving in and out of traffic. The list is endless.

When one realizes that we are in control of our responses in all circumstances, and we have no one to blame but ourselves, that is when stupidity dies. Albert Einstein is given credit for saying “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So, if life keeps giving you lemons because of your stupidity, do you think it may be time to change something?

God is not out to destroy you. In fact, he wants you to live up to the potential He created you for. He knows who you are. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He doesn’t expect you to be anything else but you.

So rather than continue to blame others, take a time out, and look at the fruit of your life. What area of your life are you happy?  What area are you disappointed? Then take time to pray and thank God for the happy areas. For those areas you are unhappy with, ask Him to lead you toward fulfilling your potential as His child. But don’t ask if you are not willing to change and go places you have never gone before. Ask, Seek, and Knock.

As you ask Him, begin to seek his answers. It may take some sacrifice, hard work, and long hours of commitment, but with God walking with you it is only a matter of time before you will come to know Him better and see His work in your life.

But it all starts by accepting personal responsibility for the outcomes in your life. We have no one to blame but ourselves when stupidity strikes. However, God’s grace is sufficient to carry us through the brain damaging, ugly behavior that we all have a propensity to make happen. Focus on Him and He will lead you covered with His Grace.

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

Born Again

Dr. Mike Think About That... , , , ,

John 3:3

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Sometimes I wonder and speculate whether or not Jesus and Nicodemus were actually comparing the spiritual new birth with being physically pregnant. There are some Biblical scholars who believe the Greek word translated into “born” would be better translated as “begotten.” Again, I wonder.

To be born again implies more than the sperm and egg connecting within a Mother’s womb. As the fetus grows, an ultrasound would show the head, legs and arms of a child taken shape early in the pregnancy. Approximately eight weeks into the new life a heart beat is heard. Science will acknowledge that the child is alive at this time but dependent on their mother for nourishment. The process from the initial marriage of sperm and egg until the child’s birth into the world is approximately nine months.

What keeps the child alive is the umbilical cord connected to the Mother where the child’s nourishment is received. During these nine months the child is being formed and prepared for life outside their mother’s womb. The child isn’t considered “born” until the day they are birth into the world.

So, when Jesus said we must be born again, was he speaking about the sperm and egg becoming one or was he illustrating the resurrection when our bodies will be morph into a spiritual casing?

Again, I wonder. Isn’t “being born again” more like a child in the womb of a mother than the mature Christian we like to thing we are? As a child of God in the womb of the Church, am I not being slowly shaped into the image of Jesus Christ? Then one day, we will be raised with Christ and see Him as He truly is because we will be like him (I John 3:2)? 

Again, I wonder. Just like a child is protected within the Mother’s womb, are we also not protected within the arms of our God?

Again, I wonder. Like the umbilical cord connects and feeds the child in the womb, doesn’t Christ’s faith feed us through His Word?

Scripture doesn’t give us all the words spoken between Nicodemus and Jesus, but just the most important need to know phrases. But I do wonder and speculate at times…

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

Managing Body-Soul-Spirit

Dr. Mike Life Tools , ,

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As Scriptures indicate, we have all been born with a body, soul, and spirit. Each of us is a mini-trinity. My observation over the years is most of us totally fail to effectively manage the relationship between our body, soul, and spirit. This world emphasizes the body and doing everything for it. The soul and spirit are after thoughts. For many of us, we gain this understanding later in life and then begin the process of totally aligning the three spheres of human autonomy.

For most of us, the concept of body-soul-spirit has never been fully explained and therefore never entered our mind. Like most things, what we don’t know, we cannot do effectively.

A modern example of how the body-soul-spirit work together is to compare the human being with today’s computer. Like all examples, it has its limitations, but overall it provides a good glimpse of how the three work together.

The computer consists of three parts: casing, operating system, and applications. The casing relates to the body; the operating system is the soul; and the applications are the fruit of spirit. The casing comes in multiple sizes, shapes, and colors – like people. Marketers may emphasize the outer casing to attract certain people, but the real geeks know it’s the operating system that makes the computer standout. (I currently use Windows 10 on this computer). The operating system contains the memory (mind), a customizable font, look, and feel (personality/emotions), and operating boundaries (Will). The operating system is the soul of a computer.

However, without any software applications, the computer would be an empty box. Depending on your purpose, you will download various software so your computer will become a performance tool in your hands to serve a purpose. I have Word, Excel, Firefox, and a host of other applications which allows me to fully maximize the computer’s capacity.

The soul is your operating system. From your soul, decisions are made and activity spring forth (Mt.15:18). A healthy operating system allows all the applications to fully function. A healthy soul allows God’s Spirit to fully function within you. A healthy operating system is protected by security features which prevents damaging viruses to steal or destroy your work. Likewise, a healthy soul uses the empowering Word to protect you from destruction.

Just like there are multiple applications for a computer, there are multiple spirits for the soul. However, not every spirit builds up. There are many spirits whose purpose is to steal, lie, and destroy. The bible identifies them as demons. The Spirit that empowers and offers wise consul is the one you want fully operating to enjoy and live out your full potential as a person: The Holy Spirit.

This example is only to introduce you to better understand the workings between spirit-soul-body. As you walk out your faith with Christ, the various parts will become more noticeable. You will begin to take a more proactive, intentional role in managing what impregnates your soul, which spirit you allow entrance into your soul, and how to better steward your body’s workings with your soul.

When your soul is healthy, your body will follow and demonstrate through a more confident sureness and attitude which comes through via the Spirit that lives in you. Focus on developing a healthy soul and your soul will unleash the richness of God’s character residing within 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

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved