How Are You Wired?

Dr. Mike 2022 , , , ,

Romans 12:6-8 (NLT)

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So, if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

The Apostle Paul identifies here in the Book of Romans certain aspects of our human makeup which we were born with and therefore have a natural inclination for its manifestation in our life. He refers to them as abilities. Some theologians call them motivational gifts. They result in acts of prophesying, servicing, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and being kind. Which one or more of these come natural for you?

One of the challenges we face early in life is to determine what are our natural talents that we can use as the foundation for building our skill-sets. Life is much easier and more satisfying when we employ God’s gifts of human endeavor into our work and play.

Yet, if you haven’t done so, you may want to try some of the online tests which allow you to gain insight into your natural and spiritual gifts. One spiritual test you can use is under the God, You & Work tab on this platform. There are many others – some more detail than others, but each may help you identify your natural strength and makeup.

Sometimes you may have to ask those around you for confirmation. Your parents, teachers, and coaches who have witnessed your growth over the years may shed some light. Also, those you meet at your workplace or socialize over similar interests could likewise clarify your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be shy to ask. Many want to know but few are willing to face the embarrassment of admitting they aren’t sure.

When I was in my twenties, I had the desire for business. Didn’t know specifically the career, industry, or direction to take. So, I tried every opportunity that came my way. Failure is a great teacher, but a costly one of time and resources. In hindsight, I would have been better off asking for directions instead of trying to do it myself. Looking back though, God used that time to draw me closer to HIM and led me to the people and community which opened the door for a full and satisfying career and life.

I was helped by mentors from the marketplace and church community; along with organizations like Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation which help me identify my strongest natural abilities in comparison with other professionals in their field.  In addition, I read books and articles on faith, work, and business; and developed relationship with other Christ-followers who likewise had the desire to serve God and others through their work in the marketplace.

Looking back, one more easily can see the dots arranged in an orderly sequence from the young man leaning on the Incarnate God and having his steps directed toward one challenge after another into a life worth living.

Discover your God-given natural ability. Develop a skill-set upon them. Keep your mind on God’s macro plan for humanity which includes you and everyone else. And ask HIM to lead and direct you in your work, play, and relationships while you manage the challenges of life’s ups and downs, pains and pleasures, and failures and successes; everything at the end of your life will happen better than your early expectations.

God is good. He has wired you for good work. But you need to exercise some judgement and motivation to experience what HE has laid out for your life. The potential is there, and you begin by first knowing HIM and allowing HIM to lead you to discover how HE has wired you.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & 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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Morality     

Dr. Mike 2022 , , ,

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.  If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them,I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Morality is the glue that allows humanity to function in freedom, to flourish, and find fulfillment in life. But morals built on human preferences rather than Godly character destroys lives and causes destruction between people and tribes and nations.

Morality is built upon values. When values become distorted and are rearranged in priority for a few elitists, harm falls upon the majority of remaining people. Healthy values are God-given and are objective for all people to adhere too.

The most life changing values ever expressed are found in the Bible. Initially the Old Testament reveals the Ten Commandments. These 10 values prioritize the boundaries and conditions of how people can best live independently and collectively for the sake of all. When one of these values are broken, people suffer. The sufferer may be an individual, a couple, a group, or a large community, but someone is always hurt when one of these values are ignored.

In the New Testament, Jesus expanded on these Ten with an emphasis on the attitude and spirit rather than just on the outer behavior.    

In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses wrote how keeping these Ten along with the policies and principles built from these Ten, one could successfully live within a culture and prosper as a family, tribe, and nation. Though this promise was to Israel when they were about to enter the promise land after 400 years of slavery, the same words apply today. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Whether you are a Gentile or Jew from birth, Jesus Christ has united us into one race – the human-to-become-eternal race.   

Let’s learn from the historical Biblical records of yesterday rather than repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Ignorance isn’t bliss when reality hits you in the face. The Biblical nation of Israel has a long history of demonstrating what policies work and don’t work to have a successful life. Maybe you and I can learn some of them to integrate into our lives to make this journey more productive and significant than it is today.

When you make God the central foundation of your life and follow HIS decrees, and your neighbor does likewise, you and they are going to enjoy life the way HE originally intended humanity to experience. God’s way allows each person to experience personal and collective freedom by mutually respecting each other’s boundaries. By building a foundation on the Triune God, and trusting HIS plan for humanity, you and I are now given the privilege to experience HIS same divine grace today.

So, why not put HIM to the test? Or what are you afraid to discover about yourself, others, or HIM?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & 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!

Life-Giver 

Dr. Mike 2022, Jesus Christ , , ,

1 Timothy 6:13

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things…

What business is God in? That question arose recently by a student of the marketplace. How would you have answered?

When you consider everything that the Triune God has done, is doing, and yet will do, how would you summarize HIS role from a business perspective?

I would start-out by asking what is the one thing only HE can do? The answer: create life.

Therefore, in my book HE is in the business of bringing life to others. And life comes in different forms. There is physical life of animals and plants along with amoebas and other under the microscope critters. Of course, the greatest of all his life-giving creations is humanity. He created them male and female after HIS image is how the Book of Genesis factually states the obvious.

But not only does HE create life, HE also sustains it. He created a Big Bang which produced multiple galaxies with solar systems and chose one large rock from the sun to reform into a life-setting for humanity to reside on. This planet is a living science project with its own specific measurements all synchronized for humans to live-out their purpose.

Of course, HIS purpose for creating life is more than for his entertainment. HIS strategic plan from the beginning is procreate a family of “little Christs” who would spend eternity with HIM working in HIS business which the Bible calls the Kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul writes that from the foundation of the world GOD intentionally plan to morph humans into spiritual beings after the likeness of Jesus Christ. The apostle John wrote in Revelations that God is preparing kings and priests who will govern and serve the people in the millennium and beyond.

God is our Life-Giver. Through Jesus Christ, HE has demonstrated what and how life is to be lived, plus secured the means for entrance into HIS royal chamber. He has given us written policies and procedures outlined throughout the Bible which when followed and practiced leads to real freedom, flourishment, and fulfillment in this season of life; and more importantly, will lead to eternal life where all we learn and experience now will be put into practice working under HIS government.

Below are a few Scriptures that emphasize God’s life-giving attributes. You may want to conduct your own study. You may find it reassuring and uplifting to know you are included in God’s macro plan of sharing life with others today as HE shares HIS life with you now and into the eternal future.

 Deuteronomy 30:19

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

John 6:35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

John 20:31

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 Corinthians 15:45

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

God is a Life-Giver. And HE wants you to have the full impact of experiencing life the way HE does. So HE gave us HIS Spirit to live in us. Learn to walk and dance with HIM, and you will come to know what a great and precious gift life is in HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & 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!