Enjoy Life in God’s Presence

Dr. Mike Jesus Apprentice , ,

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NASB

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.

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Ever notice when you find yourself involved in an enjoyable project, time seems to move quicker. Whether you find yourself playing a video game, or watching a fast action, intense movie, you are surprisingly astonished of how quickly the time past by.

If you are blessed with an occupation that exercises your gifts, values, and passion, the eight-hour day flies by and rather than being exhausted at the end of the day, you feel refresh and can’t wait for tomorrow to start the work again. These activities are God’s gift to you.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes states, whether you are a believer or not, God has given people the gift of enjoyment. In fact, in our everyday life, He even includes our job. The sad outcome though is many people turn their work into their savior and lose out on all of God’s blessings. This is why one needs to find enjoy with God’s creation plus always act and behave living in God’s presence.

The joy of living life in God’s presence is waking tomorrow without any regrets or penalties. There is great freedom and liberty when one learns to enjoy the natural everyday gifts God has bestowed upon us while allowing Him to share His life with us and us with Him.

When life passes you by quickly and the next thing you know you are in the final season of your time on earth, you can thank God for occupying your heart with joy in all your work, play, and relationships. It’s a nice place to be.

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 2013-2018 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Discover God in Your Brokenness

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,

Psalm 34:18 NASB

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

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The one place many of us discover the real God comes through our brokenness. When we find ourselves at the end of our rope hanging on for dear life; when we are on the bottom of the barrel with nowhere else to go; when we just suffered a great financial or relationship loss and we don’t know what to do next; God gracefully and timely (not always my way) answers our prayer. It is from these experiences we learn ASAP – always stop and pray.

In my own walk, God became real and faith came alive during those unpleasant times of unemployment. It was in between jobs where I didn’t know how we were going to make the mortgage payment and put food on the table. It was these times when the answer from our prayer for daily bread became real. Thereafter, it became a family adventure to pray and watch how God was going to help us get out of this mess and other difficult situations.

When you read many of the classics of yesterday, you read about saints who expressed their joy of discovering more about God and His gracefulness during the difficult times of their lives. It seems most of us are too busy when times are good to see God’s presence in a situation. However, when times are bad and we have exhausted all our resources so there is nothing else we can physically turn to, God makes His appearance. (Though He is always already there).

It is typically during these broken times we discover who God is and come to appreciate knowing He truly cares for us. So, the next time you find yourself busted, broken, and beaten, stop and don’t rush through the process. Instead take the time to better develop the most important relationship you can have on planet earth. He will reveal Himself to you when you seek Him. And when we are broken, there are not too many distractions to prevent us from getting to know Him better.

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 2013-2018 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

#1 Sinner

Dr. Mike Life in Christ

1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

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When we foolishly compare ourselves with our neighbors and think we are better then they, beware the blindness! It is always much easier to see the speck in our neighbor’s eye rather than the plank that is sticking through ours (Matt.7:5).

Yes, we need to recognize sin and its ugly consequences. But when we approach our neighbors from a self-righteous attitude like we are better than them, we are only setting ourselves up for a humpty-dumpty fall.

The apostle Paul kept himself grounded by truly realizing and knowing he was and is the worst sinner of everyone. Yes, he no longer went about persecuting those who didn’t believe as he did. But like the reformed alcoholic, he knew he was one drink away from being led down the path of unwavering slavery to its addiction.

His answers always pointed to Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus fulfilled HIS plan of redemption for humanity, Paul realized his changed attitude and behavior was the result of the Spirit’s work in him. Paul didn’t take the accolades but gave them to whom it belong too – Jesus Christ. He was Christ’s workmanship. The good works, the letters, the words, and the final product was only because of God’s patience and mercy toward him and others.

So, just like how D. T. Niles stated “evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread,” relationships are likewise built by one sinner telling another sinner where to find a real, long term solution.

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 2013-2018 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved