Is God For You?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions

 

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

god is for you 1

 

One challenge many new believers have to deal with is overcoming the lack of assurance that God truly wants what is best for them.

Paul begins to address this issue in Romans when he boldly states that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. That God cares for you more than you care for yourself. Yet because we don’t have a meaningful relationship with our Triune God, we walk from a position of untested head knowledge instead of personal heart knowledge.

Then there are those days when we believe we know what is best for us. We have standards of expectations higher than God’s. We believe we are entitled with certain rights and if God doesn’t meet them, then we accuse him of not caring. In many cases, we simply haven’t had enough of ourselves. We approach God as our genie. We give him our wishes and if he doesn’t deliver, we seek out other gods. Our allegiance goes to the god that satisfies our inner desires because we live under the presumption that we know what is good for ourselves. Yet just like Christ knocking on the church door asking to come in (Rev. 3:17), the people inside are spiritually blind even though they think of themselves as wealthy. The same is true for many today.

The longer we walk with our Lord, the more we come to realize that some of the best answers to our prayers was the “absolutely not” reply. In hindsight, if God had granted me every request, my life would be more upside down than ever before. The real answers come when we place our trust in Him and watch how He rearranges circumstances, changes people’s hearts, and organically produces an outcome that one never fathom the possibilities. Like Ephesians 3:20-21 states, He works through the Church (You & I) to produce more than we can ever imagine.

Yes God is for you. He wants what is best for you. Give him time. He is working with the impossible – You and me. Yet all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. As the Spirit continues the work of transforming us into the image of Jesus, let us not lose heart. Instead, take the time to review all God has done for you since your birth. You may be pleasantly surprised by the outlay of events.

More so, God doesn’t abandon us even though we may temporarily abandon Him. He has been pursuing humanity since the day he created them. He has an eternal project that he is working through. You and I are included in that plan. And what I have seen in my short life is the fact he hasn’t abandon any of us who cling to Jesus. We have His promise that all that follow Jesus will be with him at the end of the age.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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What Do We Gain By Prayer?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ Job 21:15

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A better question is not what you gain, but what are you losing out on? If you are satisfied with your current experience in life, why want more? Though if you are tired and feel beaten, maybe it’s because you are trying too hard.

Ever notice when learning a new skill, the many ups and downs you may experience until you slowly become steady in your performance. When you finally arrive at the place where you are a master of your craft, only then do you realize the difference between being an amateur and a professional.

Ever notice how today’s luxury become tomorrow’s necessity? One of my first cars didn’t have air conditioning nor a radio. Yet today both are common items found in each vehicle. Before smart phones, we managed to communicate and survive. Yet after becoming proficient with the I-phone, we couldn’t live without it.

The same is true with prayer.

Imagine a married couple that rarely communicated. How would you rate such a marriage? When you compare such a marriage with one where both mates continue to share ideas and experiences, which would you prefer? In most cases, we would want the one where the relationship was strong; where there is mutual respect, love, and submittal. The relationship would build upon each other and help each side to grow and taste the best of the human experience. There is a great joy when two people become one new entity.

Isn’t that true with our heavenly Dad? Isn’t prayer simply the means for us to communicate with our heavenly Father? To strengthen the bond between each of us? To share life’s experience with one another? Until we realize that prayer is simply relating with God, we may never come to the place where God wants us to be. Whether we have a prayer closet, a prayer chair, or a prayer bike, the location is not as important as we talk and listen to our Creator. For when we do, his character, attributes, and favor oozes out of the relationship to the point where one wonders how come we didn’t start talking to our heavenly mate much earlier in life.

So quit making new year resolutions to pray more. Instead just pray wherever, whenever, for whatever. Like a marriage improves when two people spend more time communicating with each, so it is with our Triune God. There is so much more to gain when one loses oneself in pray with our heavenly Dad.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Born To Die?

Dr. Mike Bible Life Questions
What man can live and never see death? Psalm 89:48 ESV.

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No one leaves this planet alive. From the day we are born, it is a matter of time before our life will come to an end. The question is “what then?”

The fact remains, if there is no accountability or purpose for living, then anything goes. As Paul wrote in I Corinthians’ 15:32, “if the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” For if there is no divine reason for our existence, and our final breath leads us to the grave, then we might as well pursue every pleasure and selfish desire without the fear of any moral consequences. However, if there is a God, who created life with a greater purpose and will hold us accountable for our choices, then what does he expect from us?

The answer comes from not looking at life from a humanistic worldview, but from a greater perspective. That perspective is through the eyes of the Triune God himself. And we have been blessed by the same Creator with a Book that reveals God’s intent and purpose for humanity.

The Bible written by 40 different authors over a 1,500 year period leaves us with a vision that no Hollywood movie could ever duplicate. Starting with Jesus Christ, who is the central figure of all mankind, retracing history back to the beginning with the first couple, and moving forward with a climatic establishment of the merger of eternity with earth, we capture a small glimpse of God’s divine purpose.

This life isn’t about accumulating more toys than the next person. It is not about the achievement of our happiness or goals. It is not even about living the perfect moral life. God in his all encompassing love is simply enlarging his family.

Through and in Jesus Christ you and I have been adopted into the divine family. Though we have not yet been fully birth, we are residing in the spiritual embryonic stage. We are matrimonially engaged to Jesus Christ. We are being molded and prepared for eternity to serve in the Family Business. Our marketplace is now limited to the planet earth. In the new age, the entire universe will be our playground.

Our purpose today is simply to learn to abide in Christ. To learn to trust the Triune God in our daily affairs. To walk through the challenges of everyday life in step with the Spirit. To allow Father-Son-Spirit to reproduce Himself in us. To become transformed into the image of Jesus Christ through His workmanship is the goal of this life. To strengthen the relationship bond between God and yourself is the end result.

This He does as we lean on Him. This He does as we walk with Him. This He does as we serve Him through our relationships, through our work, and through all our efforts.

Yes we shall all die to the flesh which we all once proud fully displayed. Yet we shall all be resurrected. A new body that combines the best of heaven and earth. That is the hope of glory Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians’ Chapter 15. Read it. Then reread it. Than infuse yourself into God’s work. Enjoy His creation. He made it to share with you. And yes, while you live life slowly physically dying, know that you are being held in the arms of a Fatherly God who loves you more than you will ever realize. That experience will only make you want more of Him as He prepares you for the next chapter into eternity.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage your Friends…Share Today’s Message!