Believe

Dr. Mike 2021, Business & Faith, Kingdom Paradigms, Life in Christ , ,

John 17:8,20-21

“For I (Jesus) have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me…I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Yes, I believe. I believe Jesus Christ is who HE claims HE IS: The Incarnate Son of God, King of Heaven and Earth, and Humanity’s Savior. I believe the Bible is a recorded narrative of God’s relationship with mankind and written for our sake. We can choose to believe or not.

I didn’t believe all this at the beginning of my faith journey. All I knew was if there was a God, he needs to intervene or this young man’s life was not going to make it through his teen years. And HE did.

Every journey begins with a set of beliefs. Our actions, decisions, and choices are based on these deeply held perceived truths. The more we exercise them, and the results come true, the more confident we become in our beliefs. However, whenever our actions repeatedly fail, we eventually evaluate our belief system and discard the unreliable “truth” for another.

Over a life time, certain beliefs become our anchor – we have proven their fundamental truths over and over again with similar favorable results. Other beliefs are still being evaluated. How many of us though purposely select and choose our beliefs?   

Our initial beliefs are indoctrinated into our souls through family, friends, and teachers. In our early lives, we are typically ignorant of our surroundings and the makeup of our soul. Even as adults, the social and news media bombard us with the latest fads and the current fear factors which we subconsciously allow into our belief safe. 

However, one day (could be late teens or now-a-days even late fifties) we start struggling with our interval belief system. We start questioning everything we have been told. When reality sets in and the realization we have been lied too, manipulated by others for their sake, and then in those extreme cases, thrown out with the bathwater, we most often find ourselves angry and hurt.

Unless we are grounded on a bedrock of fundamental beliefs proven over eons of time, the majority of us will substantially modify our belief system. The transition though is most often costly of time, relationships, and money. The best prevention is having a healthy family upbringing by parents who are grounded in solid values and beliefs. Where does healthy values and beliefs come from?

The number one bestselling book of all time is still the Bible. There is a reason. Within its pages contains valuable principles and truths which have been proven over time to work. The Book also points to the importance of having a relationship with the living God. When one walks with HIM, one slowly becomes more and more like HIM.

Per Jesus’ prayer in John 17, we become one with our Father God and Jesus Christ. When we do, we learn the foundational truths of life; gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to manage everyday life; and find assurance and purpose for living.

Yes, beliefs allow us to focus and put structure into our world. If we don’t believe in the Triune God, we will never seek out what HE has for us. On the other hand, for those of us who believe, our focus is to seek HIM out in every day life situations. When we do, we begin to witness answers to prayer, reoccurring solutions from an invisible hand, and broken people healed from inside-out. Like the wind, which we may not see but only witness its impact, we likewise witness the effect when God’s Spirit is engaged with others.

In summary, in regards to the Triune God, to believe opens the window of opportunity to discover HIM and the truth; but not to believe, only closes the window of ever really coming to know HIM and a life built upon lasting truth.

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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Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

God’s Government

Dr. Mike 2021, Kingdom Paradigms , ,

Hebrews 8:10

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The prime message Jesus preached during his short stay on earth pertains to His Kingdom. The Bible identifies His government as the Kingdom of God. Jesus is King and we are His ambassadors of His domain.

The central core of His government is built upon His law of Love. He demonstrated His Love through acts of selflessness and humility without delineating from truth, mercy, and justice.   

The motivating intent of service for others comes from the centralized heart of a person. Either the person is serving for their personal gain without concern for the other guy or they are concern for the other person as well as their own.

Every person struggles with the battle between their carnal desires and God’s divine nature. With the soul acting as the governing agency, God’s Spirit influences our spirit. When we yield and marry our spirit with HIS, we become more like HIM in character and attitude. God’s Kingdom is managed through His Spirit influencing our spirit.

As we study HIS ways and teachings, our minds become more transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Our morals, values, and attitude become more like HIS. Instead of having ten thousand laws on the books to decipher and adhere too, we exercise HIS wisdom and insight to discern an appropriate response built upon the foundation of HIS love and justice. 

The message of God’s government is as important today as it was in HIS time two thousand years ago. Throughout history, people in power have abused their authority for personal gain at the expense of others. All the written laws cannot change a person’s heart. Only God through HIS Spirit living in you has the power to change you into the person you were meant to become.

No matter your political affiliation, the only thing which will unite people, limit governmental abuse, and usher governance that allows all people to flourish, is God’s Kingdom. Meanwhile, the result of a smaller role the Triune God is allowed in people’s life, produces mammoth government, less freedom, and more financial hardships. History demonstrates the best governed are the least governed when morality is the central hub all believe and follow. But when carnal desires lead, corruption, violence, and pain is the norm.

God’s government is available for everyone who wants too experience life to the fullest for themselves and others. Yet they must first personally surrender to King Jesus. When you yield to his authority in your life, you begin the process of relearning what is important and of value. Relationships are restored. People trust and cooperate with one another. You begin to view life through the eyes of God who created you for HIS good pleasure.

And HIS pleasure is to watch you grow and mature and succeed in HIS family business. And yes, HIS family business includes HIS government which is limited in structure but highly effective. And includes your business, family, and community.

Imagine a world without poverty, people fully engaged in uplifting their fellow beings, and one centralized government built upon God’s love. Yes, maybe you can now better understand why I believe mankind’s answer to their governmental problems starts and ends with Jesus Christ.

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!

Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Morality Unplugged

Dr. Mike 2021, Think About That... , ,

Judges 10:6

The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.

Throughout history, every tribe and nation had gods who they worshiped. Besides the Biblical God who revealed Himself to Abraham and his seed after him, the people, tribes, and nations of the Bible, recycled different deities depending on their needs at the moment. When the Book of Judges was being written, Baal (god of the weather who could bring good harvests which was wealth at the time) and Ashtaroth (god of love and sex) are mentioned as two predominant figures within the religious circuit. Even during Jeremiah’s time (Jeremiah 19:3-5), Baal is mentioned as the god people would sacrifice their children at the altar for his attention.

We in the 21st century may laugh at their superstition, but yet mainstream culture continues to worship the same (wealth, sex, abortion, etc.) gods but have replaced their names with intellectual snobbery.

When one studies history, one quickly recognizes there is nothing new under the sun except maybe fashion and technology. Human nature remains the same. Instead of acknowledging one God who continually reveals himself through the pages of the Bible and creation, we intellectually disregard historical records because of our prideful intellect and knowledge gained through the sciences.

We have forgotten the lessons of yesterday. And by forgetting them, we shall again repeat the same mistakes. But this time, the greater the climb will result in a greater fall.

Many nations have come and gone. Many large businesses have come and gone. Many marriages have come and gone. A common theme among many of these disappearing outcomes was the breakdown of morals. When people downplayed the importance of conduct between each other, division and destruction followed. Morality became unplugged from the Source.

When God revealed Himself to Moses, led the people out of bondage from Egypt to a land of freedom, and gave the Ten Commandments as a standard of behavior, the goal was to allow people to continue to flourish and live-in freedom. As long as the people kept these standards, the people lived free. But when they rebelled and chose other values to pursue, they only brought suffering and pain to themselves and their nation.

When objective morality is replaced by subjective individualization, division and conflict abound. Peace is found only at funerals instead of everyday living. 

The drifting away from a with-God centered relationship generally happens slowly until we find ourselves knee deep in problems. Then we realize the need for a Savior. Yet will our pride keep us from admitting such a need or will we keep relying on our vain intellect and abilities? The Bible calls it repentance – changing how we think. Instead of us being the self-righteous center of the universe, we acknowledge our limitations and need to learn from the feet of a divine Being who knows better. HIS worldview is the one we all need. 

Israel is a 3,500-year history of a nation who falls away, repents, and is restored under his grace. Ever nation could learn from them rather than repeat their errors.

Again, human nature hasn’t changed over the last 3,500 years. Fashion and technology may have improved our lot in life. Yet, without allowing God’s Spirit to influence one’s life, human nature keeps repeating its self-centered ways thinking their ways are the moral high road. But as history reveals, when mankind is plugged into the Triune God, society and nations reap the benefits of a godly life.

As a fellow believer, we are given the mission of being a living proof as a witness for others by exhibiting a Christ-like attitude and behavior in everything we do. So, when we speak from a position of love based on a foundation of truth and our actions follow suit, you and I are demonstrating the life and riches of living under the domain of God’s Kingdom. Morality plugged into the Triune God with Jesus Christ as our reference point is our reply to anyone who asks what makes us different. And the doors are open for everyone to share in this Way.

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!

Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved