Time & Chance

Dr. Mike Life Tools

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. ESV.

Sorry to disappoint you if you haven’t yet discovered the fact that you are not in total control of your life. Yes you can control your response to life, but you cannot always control the outcome. Many have tried and not one has succeeded from beginning to end.

You did not choose the time and place nor parents of your birth. You most likely will not choose how and when you will exit this world. You may think suicide is your ability to control the outcome of when and where, but again not all who attempt succeed. Other people do have a say of what you do.

Professional sports is a good example. We look at the stats and determine who is the better team. Yet great teams have bad days and mediocre teams over-achieve. This is why we play the game. Everyday life is the same.

You may have a plan for life, but is everyone on board with it? Will the government cooperate and make it easy for you? Will the piano being thrown out of the 10th floor skyscraper window unbeknownst to you find its mark on top of your head? Will lightning strike the dry underbrush of your backyard preserve and burn 10,000 acres around you before being extinguished? Will the speeding car driven by an unknown drunk driver fail to stop at the intersection and meet you in your blind spot even though you are an excellent defensive driver?

Things happen in life that are unpredictable. You and I cannot control every event. Your odds of being struck by lightning are better than the odds of winning the Power Ball lottery. Yet will either ever occur in your lifetime? Yes it could happen. But is it something you can plan and control to happen?

The earlier you learn what you can control and what you cannot will make your life more enjoyable in the process. Yes you need to plan but also have alternative routes when events don’t work out as you anticipated. Yes you need to control your response to a situation. That is what maturity is all about. And yes you can choose which relationships you will nourish and which ones you will extend more grace toward. But more importantly, you could choose to follow the Rabbi’s Rabbi – Jesus Christ. He wants to share his life with you as you share yourself with him. It definitely makes the journey more adventurous, more enjoyable, and more favorable while we deal with the circumstances and unpredictable events life throws our way.

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

Walk It Out With Jesus Christ

Dr. Mike Jesus Apprentice , ,
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ESV.

When you come to the place in your life where you truly realize that our heavenly Father wants what is best for you and wants to bless you more than you will ever realize, then no matter what happens, you will place your trust in Him and walk through the situation with a swagger that even your enemies will admire.

Your walk is built upon the fact that you seek His purpose in your life. You constantly watch how the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of those around you. Your prayer is for those around you to truly experience the love of God in their life. Over time you learn through the ups and downs of everyday life that He is with you. You acknowledge His favor. You celebrate His grace. You seek out His purpose each and every day.

When you serve others you learn to serve with Jesus rather than for Jesus. You first ask Him how you can best serve your brothers and sisters. You read His Word to discover more of His ways. You are His disciple and therefore want to act, think, and live out your life like Him. And like Him, you seek His Father’s Will.

In placing your daily trust in Him, you have the assurance that no matter how ugly the current situation is, it is temporary, and God will produce good from it. Not just for your sake, but for those around you, and for His purpose. In the end, God is glorified and His Goodness is shared with others.

It all begins when we learn to walk out our plans, hopes, and dreams with Jesus; not for Him, nor solely for your sake, but with 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 2013-2018 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

The Benefit of Capitalism

Dr. Mike Business & Faith , ,
Isaiah 48:17 ESV.
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.

Capitalism is simply an economic system that allows people who own something to trade with others without outside interference. The decision whether to buy or sell is between both parties. Each party owns something and exchanges the item at a price mutually acceptable by the other. There are no outside influences who have final say of the matter.

Today’s garage sale is a good example of a capitalistic system in action. The homeowner owns used clothes, toys, and tools that they no longer need. However, the items may still be valuable to someone else. Therefore,  they advertise in the weekly paper and hold an one day sales event selling their wares at the best price. In many cases, people negotiate a price acceptable for both sides.

Pure capitalism is rare. Most places where capitalism thrives, the government creates laws to allow it and the moral fiber of the people police it. The freedom it allows creates an environment for opportunity to be rewarded but also the naive and innocent to be harmed. The fruit of capitalism is generally a byproduct of the heart of its people.

With capitalism someone owns property or an idea and has the right to convert it into monetary results in exchange for services or products for the benefit of others. When people generally oppose capitalism, they most often are blaming the heart and moral fiber of a person rather than the system. The same issue arises with violence and guns, overdoses and drugs, and a host of other harmful acts conducted by people against themselves or others.

In a free economy astute people understand that labor leads to savings, savings builds capital, capital allows investment into businesses and ideas, and businesses and ideas produce wealth. Everyone in a free economy has the opportunity to work, save, and invest for a wealthy lifestyle. However, many choose to bypass the savings/investment and jump into debt so they may experience the “good life” now. The result is slavery to a lender, one’s possessions, and a bleak future.

What needs to change for a people to flourish is a matter of the heart. This is a subject politicians avoid, greedy business people exploit, and religious hypocrites deny the real solution. When the hard heart of a person melts in the hands of their Creator, capitalism becomes the ideal human method to bring about human flourishing for all parties – rich, poor, male, female, educated and uneducated. When capitalism is built upon the solid foundation of God’s Grace and Truth, the person grows, the family is provided, and the community experiences the richness of our Creator’s wealth. A capitalistic system just makes it easier for you and your neighbor to enjoy more of the fruits of your labor.

So don’t blame capitalism for our problems and think a better system would be socialism or another ism. Instead, focus on the Source who made every good and profitable system in the universe today. Connect with Him and allow your roots to be fed and nourished through Him. You will come to experience the richness and Shalom of life within Him and through 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 2013-2018 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved