Stop It!

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , ,
“O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent.” Jeremiah 5:3 ESV.

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Mr. Bob Newhart is a standup comedian and actor noted for his deadpan delivery. One memorable,  humorous routine involved him playing a psychologist providing services for $5 a session. His one-line response after listening to the patient’s problem was always the same: “stop it.” No matter the problem, the solution was simply for you to stop doing it. A simple reply that in many ways is funny because we humans like to make our personal problems seem larger and more difficult than the challenges of others.

Yet Bob Newhart’s response is actually the best advice we can implement. (This of course does not apply to conditions caused by physical or mental structural damages.) When the problem is caused by harmful behavioral or attitudinal responses, something needs to change. As long as we continue to respond in the same routine fashion, how do we realistically expect the results to be any different?

The challenging circumstances we face each day is the opportunity to lean more on the Triune God. As we lean more on God, we witness his grace in action. The process slowly changes our heart as we develop a trust walk with the Almighty. This change of heart the Bible denotes as repentance. It is changing how we think and respond to the world around us. Instead of centering the pain on our shoulders, or throwing the pain in the face of others, we learn to give the pain over to Jesus who helps carry us through the ordeal via the Holy Spirit.

So the next time to find yourself experiencing a negative outcome, review the process that got you there, and ask God for the strength to change it. In other words, stop responding in your old way and ask God to show you how you can respond differently. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him for more love and patience. Ask Him for whatever you need. Like a caring Father, He will gladly provide you with the help you need. Otherwise, if you don’t change, who are you going to become?

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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Taking Credit For God’s Grace

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 ESV

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In a survey conducted with CEO’s from Fortune 500 companies, 80% acknowledge they were in the right place at the right time when the leadership office became available. Many stated that they were not the smartest of their peers nor the best qualified. However, the board of directors saw something that gave them the right of passage into the senior role.

The Book of Ecclesiastes (Chpt. 9:11) states “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.” From our human perspective, we don’t control all the events in our life. Time and chance happens. Some of you may still think you can controll all the outcomes in your life, but eventually life teaches otherwise. However, there is One who does have last say of the matter.

Looking back over the last forty years of business, family, and service to others, I have to admit for taking undeserving credit for certain accomplishments and achievements. In hindsight, I now recognize God’s favor upon this life. From creating solutions to business problems, marrying my soulmate, and having the resources to serve others is and was the byproduct of the blessing received by his grace. Yes I may have made the effort, but without God’s grace none of the outcome would have been possible.

At the end of day, we are simply stewards of what he has given us. Whether the ability to throw and catch a football, the skills built upon the indwelling gifts given to us at birth, or the mental capacity to analyze and move through the maze of life, everything good within our being came from Him. In addition, the resources from the world around us that we may use and re-use for good (or evil), were placed there by One awesome being. We are simply the stewards accountable and responsible to Him for how we employ them.

So the next time you feel like taking credit for gifts bestowed upon you by the Almighty, maybe instead you may take the time to give him the glory and appreciation for allowing you to share life with Him.

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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Love Has No Agenda

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , ,
“It(love) does not insist on its own way” I Corinthians 13:5 ESV

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Love is one of those words that has become cheaper through cultural opinion. Ask for a definition, and you will probably receive a multitude of answers. In today’s culture, it means different things for different folks.

For teenagers, it is the emotional tie that binds two people together until the feeling goes away. For newlyweds, it is the blindness that denies the imperfections of the other. For highly testosterone husbands, it is the words for a sexual encounter. For manipulative wives, it is the means to get what they may want.

Yet Paul writes that love is not something we get, but give.

Jesus gives us the perfect example of what love means in a very practical everyday way. To sacrifice the self for the sake of the other is love demonstrated. It is giving the self for the sake of others. It is not giving so others may agree with you. It is not giving so others do something for you. It is not giving so you may benefit from it at all. In fact, it may hurt to give. It may cost you your job. It may cost you a relationship. It may cost you your life.

Your response simply measures the love you have to give. It is what Jesus did for us. He set the example. He chose to empty his eternal habitat so he could walk among us. He gave himself as a sacrifice, so we can enter his eternal home.

We can either love accordingly or deny what it truly means from his context. So the next time you let someone know you love them, are you truly willing to sacrifice your time, money, and life for them without any expectations in return? Whatever your response, you now know what God knows about us. And even knowing this, He still unconditionally loves you and me.

He loves us whether or not we choose to follow him. Yes he wants us to respond to him in a favorable way. Yet if we do not, he still loves us. We may suffer the consequences of our rebellious attitude. Yet our response doesn’t stop Him from loving us. We may suffer from our stupidity. But He remains steadfast in His love for us. Isn’t that the Christ-like love we need to display?

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 a Friend…Share Today’s Message!