Symptom or Problem?

20182018 Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms, Life Tools, Shaped By The WORD

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. NASB.

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Many in the Church today focus on outward behavior rather than the matter of the heart. By heart, we mean the emotional, thinking, value-center operating system which makes you, you.

We point to Adam and Eve who committed the first earthly sin. For most people that sin was disobedience toward God. Yet, my argument is the sin was committed even before then. For the outward behavior of sin is really the result of a deeper inner problem.

The real sin was separating oneself from God. Instead of leaning on Him and partnering with Him, Eve began developing a relationship with the Serpent. It was the Serpent who came between God and Eve. He came to divide and lead one astray from the Center of Life. He does the same today.

Sin occurs even before the behavioral act is displayed. Jesus himself throughout the Gospel books emphasized the heart of the matter rather than the physical act itself. The outward act is only the symptom of an inner problem. The problem is a heart empty of God’s presence.

For it is from the Holy Spirit living within you that strengthens you, coaches you, and leads you away from destructive behavior. Jesus was born by and with the Holy Spirit from the beginning of his earthly life. For the rest of us, we allow the Spirit to enter into our inner self only after we have accepted His authority in our life. The Bible identifies this as being born again.

Jesus also refers to the Kingdom of God beginning from within you. When the Spirit is married with your spirit and you learn to cooperate together, you will find the inner attitude and confidence to handle any temptation with the same faith Jesus employed against Satan in his wilderness temptation.

You will also begin to experience life dancing with the Almighty through your daily routines. Life becomes more than judging each other’s outer performance. Instead, it becomes life in the Spirit preparing you for eternity while training you to be more effective each day glorifying Him through your work, relationships, and struggles.

So, don’t focus on the symptom. Rather identify the problem and you will quickly arrive at a solution to move you toward your objectives.

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

Love and Respect

20182018 Dr. Mike Business & Faith, Kingdom Paradigms, Life Tools

Romans 12:10 (CJB)

Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect.

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There are relationship principles taught throughout the Bible when practiced makes the Kingdom of God come alive. One such principle is the relationship between leaders and followers. This would apply in business, government, and yes even the little-league baseball game.

This principle is built around the godly concept of love and respect. Both attributes are necessary for the relationship between two parties to be fully engaged. In summary, the follower is to respect the authority of the leader and the leader is to love the follower. What does this look like in a practical setting?

In the home, the Bible teaches that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church (Eph 5:25). Which means he is willing to sacrifice his life (time, money, possessions, goals, body, etc.) for her. On the other side, the wife is to respect (show honor) for her husband. Both sides are to mutually submit one to another (Eph. 5:21).

In the workplace, bosses are to care for their employees as unto the Lord (Col.4:1) The employees are to serve their leaders as serving Jesus Christ (Eph.6:5). Love and respect show up again.

In government, we are instructed to honor the emperor (I Pt.2:17). The king is to operate from a position of steadfast love and faithfulness (Proverb 20:28). Again, love and respect show their power.

What if the other side doesn’t cooperate in the relationship? Simple answer: You do your part and let the Lord do His. We pray and ask our heavenly Father to shower His grace upon them. Since He has shared His grace upon us, don’t we want all to experience the same joy? I’m sure we don’t have to be selfish with him. He has so much more to share with others; and isn’t it exciting to watch how He gently invades the lives of others? You will find during your life travels that much grace is going to be handed out toward others who may not fully understand the ways of God. You just may be the prayer warrior who introduces our Rabbi to them. So, let love and respect find their way into your relationships and see how the kingdom of God comes alive in your world.

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

God’s Will

20182018 Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms

Psalm 103:19 (NASB)

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.

What is God’s Will for your life?

A simply process to follow without getting into heavy theology is to understand how the Bible presents His Will. In summary format, you could classify His Will into three dimensions: Providential, Moral, and Personal.

Providential is God’s overall hand leading history as He desires. A good example is the prophecy and fulfillment of Israel and Jesus Christ. From the beginning of time God had specific plans which he foretold and worked out through various people, tribes, and nations.

God’s Moral Will is the basis of how we relate with one another. Overall, His Will is a byproduct of His character. The ten commandments and all the other principles explained throughout Scripture are the outward focus of God’s love. Jesus himself stated that to love God with our entire being and caring for our neighbor is the fulfillment of His love. As we practice His love, we are in His Will.

Lastly, God’s Will for you personally is the one we most likely mean when we seek His Will for our life. This is simply aligning yourself with the talents and gifts he empowered you with along with discovering your place in the Body of Christ. It is having a personal relationship with our Creator. It is knowing the Triune God and making Him known before others.

So, what is God’s Will for your life?

For most of us, God’s Will is not a global ministry but a personal crusade. God may choose you for a specific long-term mission, but for most of us they are short term assignments. It is to know Him and make Him and His ways known. As we live in His Presence, He shares His life with us and we share His life with others, we are in His Will.

So, when we come to a fork in life’s journey and we seek direction, most of us get stuck thinking there is only one solution or one direction that is God’s way and everything else is not. Eventually we may learn the fork in the road is to exercise the wisdom He has bestowed upon us. It is to seek wise counsel from those who may have been there before. It is to pray and seek insight from the Lord who knows your talents, skills, and the real opportunities before you.

When you realize your God is always with you no matter which road you choose, you can walk in confidence that the outcome will be OK. In hindsight it may not have been the best decision, but if you could have none differently, you would have. But based on the information you collected, you made the best choice you knew.

God’s Will is wider and deeper and more opportunistic then many of us allow. We place limited boundaries upon God who does the impossible and upon ourselves whose faith is yet maturing.

So, don’t limit yourself. God is for you. His Will for you is simply to know Him, make Him known to others, and build an intimate relationship with one another as you both mutually share your life with each other.

Rooting For You in Christ!