The Best Vice is a Dead Vice

Dr. Mike Kingdom Actions, Life Tools , ,

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24-25

What is your secret sin? The one vice you keep hidden in the secret chambers of your heart. The one act or thought you continue to practice that if anyone ever discovered would bring shame and dishonor to you and your family.

Name your preferred poison. Is it alcohol? Drugs? Pornography? Adultery? Fornication? Workaholic? Anger? Gluttony? Laziness? Envy? Lust? Greed? Lying? Pride? Apathy? Boasting? Vulgarity? Ignorance? Anxiety? Fear? Etc., etc., etc.

The list is long and not new for humanity. Since the beginning of the Bible, carnal desires have been expressed with its harmful consequences. Whichever way we turn, sin unfolds its poisonous venom.

Who is without sin? Who does not walk surrounded by sin? As ugly as sin is though, it is not the problem, only the symptom. The real problem is living outside the Will of God instead of being solidly centered in an abiding relationship within Christ. And we all have been there and even now occasionally find ourselves taking detours into these construction areas of pain and sorrow.

But Who will deliver us?

The author of Romans emphasizes how Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection has changed the outcome for mankind. Death is no longer a permanent state of being. Life apart of Sin is now a reality through Jesus Christ. He has overcome Sin on behalf of all humanity. And this includes you and me.

Yet physical death awaits us all. Pain from the consequences of sin still remains. Sin, which is the outcome of living outside the Heart of God, still haunts us. How do we reconcile the grace-filled life from the sin-filled life?

Grace is greater than sin. As Paul writes in Romans, the more we sin, the more God’s grace is poured out upon us. Yet sin’s consequences have a price to be paid. Jesus paid the ultimate price for all of us. But every sin we commit now, though paid for in advance, still has it repercussions. Sin typically destroys relationships and the quality of life for the individual.

Like a smoker who sneaks outside for a quick one, those around us can smell your breath and the stench on your cloths. Sin is the same way. You think you are being smart in hiding your vice. Yet those around you sense something. When you come to realize the cost of sin, the consequences of living a sinful life, and taste the graceful richness of God’s love, you will want to run away from sin’s pull.

Whatever your secret sin, it isn’t worth hiding. Expose it; seek help; confess to another, change your thinking on it, and surrender to the God who made you. Our time on earth is short; why destroy yourself before you realize your potential?

Remember, the best Vice is a dead Vice.

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

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

Being Fully Human

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
An Easter Message: Reprint from Feb 2015

In the Book of Genesis, we discover that God made man in His image after His likeness (Gen.1:26). In Psalm 8:4, King David asked the question “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” The writer of Hebrews in 2:6 likewise refers to the same question and adds more thought behind the remark. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes that life in Christ makes us a new creation.

What does this all mean for you and me?

There are times when I look at our culture, I cry. My heart hurts for the people who don’t really understand what Jesus means in their everyday life. For example, people may know about Him, the Cross and Resurrection, but not realize the importance of the Ascension.

The fact is Jesus ascended into Heaven not only as a divine being but also as a resurrected human. As a human, he experienced the same emotional, psychological, and physical stress that every person deals with on a daily basis. More so, hanging on the cross the sins of every person past, present, and future was transported into his inner humanity. He knows what it means to be human. He experienced the pain of sin without ever committing sin himself (Heb.4:15).

Our connection with Father God is through Jesus Christ. Jesus’ union with Father God is because of his divinity. His union with humanity is because of his bodily life. Mankind has union with Jesus because of His humanity. When we pray to our Father God, Jesus intercedes on our behalf. When we pray not knowing how and what to say, His Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-7). He is our High Priest.

He is more involved in yours and my life than you and I may ever realize. He cares about you in ways you haven’t even considered yet. He wants what is best for you. He knows what it means to be human. He is our standard for what it means to be human.

He wants you to experience the same love, joy, and hope he carried with him when he walked the earth. He wants you to grow and experience the same thrills he does. Jesus wants to hang-out with you.

When Father/Son/Spirit created the world, earth, and mankind, he said it was “very good.” He wants us to experience the same sense of accomplishment through our work. When Jesus healed the sick, he experienced the power of God changing people’s lives. He wants us to experience the same when we serve others. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he became the first fruit of a new creation. The merger of humanity with divinity. The physical merging with the spiritual. The future new heaven and new earth being lived in the present. Heaven on earth.

Being fully human is really living and experiencing everyday life in Christ.

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