Culture is Not Your Friend

Dr. Mike 2023 , ,

James 4:4

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Culture is a collection of norms, values, and ideas. Their byproduct are the attitudes, behavior, and beliefs of human thought. Every social group consisting of two or more people produces a cultural impact. Families, organizations, and communities all share in the development of the culture you live in.

Typically, cultures are largely shaped by those with the most influential platforms. In the middle-ages churches and Kings carried the most weight. Today, governments and media play the largest role in influencing the culture around you. Governments influence society through their policies. Business, news outlets, and social platforms distribute images and words to capture your attention.

Their purpose is to persuade you. To make you think the way they want you too. Their intent is to increase monetary gain, political power, or influence over you to assist them in their bidding. They are most often not interested in helping you to succeed in life.

Culture is not you friend. But the noise machine to distract you from living your God-given potential. The sooner you realize this, the better off you will be.

Your best Friend is Jesus. Whether you have accepted and reciprocated His Friendship, or not. He has already demonstrated He cares for you by His life, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. His macro-purpose for you is to prepare you for eternity. In the process, He will let you taste eternal food now and share a way of life which deep inside you want.

The culture around you sells you the facade. The image. Jesus gives you the substance behind the image. The real thing.

When His Spirit enters you, you experience life the way He intended humanity to live from day one. But us humans are more influenced by the shining fruit on the outside rather than the inner character that leads to the abundant life. That is what culture sells you. The shining image without the character substance. God provides you with the character to lead a with-God life.

He gives you a life of romance and adventure that us humans seek. The walk is with Him. Culture distracts you from Him. Culture allows you to destroy yourself by pursuing their gods. Culture is interested only what you have to give it. Jesus wants to share His life with you and you share your life with Him. He wants to dance with you around the earth. He wants you to learn His ways. He wants you to live within the culture of His Kingdom. When He is the central core of your life, the world’s culture is one loud noise machine.

His culture gives you peace and grace. You experience real love and joy. He isn’t looking to rob you of anything. But cloth you with the abundant life He knows what is best for you.

So turn off the culture monitor. Then take time to look and listen at the #1 Influencer of ALL time – Jesus Christ. Grow in His knowledge and grace. He will become your best Friend on planet earth. Your only wish thereafter is why didn’t you get started earlier.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Faith Plunges Ahead

Dr. Mike 2023 , ,

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

We all have faith. The question before us though, where and how is your faith exercised?

For example, if you are like me, you have faith in yourself. Faith in your spouse. Faith the sun will rise tomorrow. Faith the driver next to you will properly maneuver their vehicle. Faith to jump through all the hurdles of earning a college degree. Faith you will complete your work assignment on time. Your list is probably longer than mine.

What this shows is your faith being exercised and expressed each day. But what about your faith in Christ?

Do you recall the first time you met Jesus? Did HE confront you? Did He make you feel uncomfortable? Did you simply ignored Him? Or did He challenge you? Made you question your values? Your morals? Your purpose?

Whether you ran away from Him or accepted His challenge, you eventually realize He requires a decision. You either have too accept He is who He claims to be or not.

If your choice was to deny Him, than how has your life been? But, if like me, you accepted his challenge, are you experiencing the romantic and adventurous journey of life in Christ?   

When my faith first met Jesus I was not sure what I have gotten myself into. But I plunged ahead.

When I first met the woman who became my wife, I likewise recognized she was the answer to my prayers. So I plunged ahead.

When I chose a career in commercial real estate, I was unsure. I did not really recognized how my natural abilities aligned with the opportunities ahead. But I plunged ahead.

Every time when confronted with a life changing situation, I plunged ahead.

When unsure of the social consequences, I plunged ahead.

When challenged by uncomfortable circumstances, I plunged ahead.

But the best plunge was when my little faith met Jesus.

When your faith meets Jesus, and you follow through on His invitation, your life becomes like a Hollywood blockbuster movie. You become one of the supporting characters. You are included in the romantic scenes. You also share in the high adventures which make your skin stand on edges. Yet you come through it all standing next to the main character – Jesus Christ.

He gladly shares the victories and good times with you. He also is with you through the pain and low periods of your life.

The longer you walk with Him, the more you realize how much He cares for you and others. He is your Lord and Savior. Over time, He also becomes your hero and friend.

Those who have placed their trust in Him understand where I am coming from. But others who have not taken up His invite are still trying to do it the sole hard way. Whatever encouragement we can give you to take the plunge is our prayer. For when one meets Jesus and takes the plunge, life becomes an adventurous journey of transformation. Your world will never be the same.

When you allow Him to live in you, you experience life the way He originally created you to be.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Books By Dr. Mike:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Control Freak

Dr. Mike 2023 , , ,

1 Corinthians 9:25

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Psalm 143:10

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Do you focus on the things you cannot control?

Do you have a strong desire to control the people and environment around you rather than your emotions?

When working on a team, do you have to dictate everyone’s behavior?

Do you believe you know what is best for everyone and make people act a certain way?

Do you focus your time and energy on preventing bad things to happen because of your hidden doubt to manage difficult situations?

Do you find it difficult to delegate tasks? If you do, than do you insist on micromanaging every step of the way?

If you answer yes to any of these, you may be a control freak. As a reformed control addict, I know. I’ve been there. Done it. And have the scars to show.

In my early twenties, still single, and the world my play-box, I struggled to relate with people in the workplace. I was very task-oriented. People were the means to the end. In other words, my self-centered approach was to use people for the things I wanted to do. I egotistically knew best. If you worked for me, it was my way or the highway. It wasn’t pretty.

But, through the grace of God, HE opened my eyes. I repented from the sinful approach of being a dictator of others. Instead, I learn to trust God and His Spirit. I learn to delegate without strings attached. The end result was learning to lead people and manage systems.

How does one learn to best lead others?

The best way is to learn from others. We start first with your relationship with the Triune God. How does He lead you? When He delegates an assignment to you? Does He generally give you specific details in how to carry it out? Or does He simple nudge you in a certain way and allow you to express your personality and skill set? Does He force you to comply? Or does He allow you to choose?

When you have a working relationship with the living God, you learn from Him. You experience the fruit of mutual submission. You learn the importance of self-control over controlling others. You learn to give space for others to reflect God’s character in them. You allow people to become who God created them to be. You take part with Him and others in their adventurous journey of transformation in Christ.

Yes, being a control freak reduces your potential as a person. You rob yourself from fully experiencing the power of trusting God. You weaken your relationship with Him. Faith becomes only a word. You isolate yourself from allowing God’s Spirit to fully transform you into His image. You end up fighting against Him. You hurt yourself in the process. You also hurt those whom you love.

When you force people to submit to your whims, you also rob God the opportunity to fully express His character through them. You play god. You become an idol. You are stealing from Him. You are preventing people around you to become the person God created them to be.

I also had the opportunity to work for two gentlemen who taught me the godly way of balancing relationships with business outcomes. They exercised integrity and character in all their relationships. God knew what I needed at the time and provided the environment and means to change my ways.

Yes, we are all broken. Some more than others. But broken still. So when God’s Spirit opens your eyes to see yourself in the mirror of Jesus, don’t hesitate. Repent. Ask Him to show you and empower you to become more like Him. This includes admitting our sins, weaknesses, and shortcomings. It hurts the pride meter. But this is good. When you allow His Spirit full entrance into your heart and mind, you will begin to experience more of God’s fruit. Yes, there will be stumbles. There will be short-term failure. But the road leads to Him.

With Him, you become less of a control freak and more of a trusting comrade working with Him to extend His Kingdom. You will more fully grasp the love of God. You will work along with the Holy Spirit. You will align His purpose with your micro plans to live a full, abiding life in Christ. And you will enrich the lives of others along the way.     

Yes, when I became a Jesus freak, I waved goodbye being a control freak.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Books By Dr. Mike:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved