God’s Gift of Satisfying Work

Dr. Mike Business & Faith , , , ,

Ecclesiastes 3:13

…everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

Many of us take for granted what we have or don’t have as it relates to work. When you have a career that fulfills you, rewards you, and gives you meaning in life, you may realize one day how blessed you have been. Others may admire you for your success, but you know happen chance is also a friend of yours. For most of us end up working at an occupation which we didn’t originally plan from our youth.

In my life time, I personally only know two people who knew what they wanted to do in high school, and upon their retirement lived out their youthful goals. The majority of the rest of us fell into different occupations until one of them became our breadwinner.

I myself spent the first ten years after college attempting to find something rewarding and fulfilling. I knew business was my field of endeavor and enjoyed working plus reaping the financial reward it brings, but struggled to find a niche. In those early ten years, I took roles in accounting, supervision, and even sales. In between, I delivered door samples, drove trucks, and filled vending machines. I took every role as a learning session preparing me for something else. Meanwhile, it paid the bills.

Only when I met my wife to be did I take a more strategic method to my waywardness.  Someone introduced me to the Johnson O’Connor Research Center which helps you analyze your 21 natural aptitudes and compares them with other people successful in their professional careers. This is where the doors opened up for me to pursue a career in the real estate industry. The rest is history.

When you align your God-given natural abilities with a desire to serve others for their success along with your passion to acquire knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of your field of study, you will rarely work a day of your life. You find opportunities will present themselves to you and allow you to choose the door which brings you satisfaction from work.

God created the world and planned for you and I to have the freedom of choice. People may try to steal your choice or you may even surrender your choice into bondage. Some may try to enslave you or you may choose to become enslaved. But God has already given you and I the means to make everyday special by expressing the attributes HE shares with us through the work we do. This is HIS gift to you, me, and  mankind.

If you are not satisfied in your current situation, ask HIM (pray) for help to resolve your dilemma. Then be attentive to the opportunities HE presents to you in your everyday routine. When something occurs outside the norm, pay special attention. When God is involved, the solutions are most often outside your normal think-tank. Be prudent. Not every opportunity is a prize. Some are trap doors. But you have to knock on the door and turn the knob. If it opens easily without negative repercussions, you may have your answer. If you have to force the door open, forget it. It’s not the one.

Life will present you with many opportunities. Time, experience, and history will teach you which ones may be better than others. There are no guarantees; only uncertainty. The only certainty you can count on is Jesus Christ being with you. So, whatever you face, you can lean on him and he will strengthen you and help you through the unwanted mess you may find yourself in; and also, be there to celebrate the good times with you.

God wants you to enjoy the life HE has created. The earlier we come to realize that fact and join HIM in his narrative, the quicker one comes to experience the richness of HIS life and all of creation.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
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 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Be Wise

Dr. Mike Scriptures, Shaped By The WORD , , ,

James 3:13

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

The Book of Proverbs written over 2,500 years ago still speaks to us today. As a naïve, young man venturing into the business world, this Book provided me the fundamental knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of dealing with first time situations. I lacked practical experience at the time and this Book opened the door to the wisdom of the ages.

Wisdom generally comes from experience. Experience is either acquired by doing something yourself and learning from the process, observing others in similar situations and learning from their successes and mistakes, or studying history and analyzing the causes and effects while transferring the understanding into today’s culture. Overall, the Book of Proverbs has given many an added advantage to lead and shape a life that flourishes.

Sometimes rather than write and express my thoughts on a subject, I like to simply collect the words from the Bible and let them speak directly to you. This time I ran a concordance on the word “wise” from the Book of Proverbs. 

Proverbs 1:3

to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

  1. Proverbs 1:5

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

  1. Proverbs 1:6

to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

  1. Proverbs 3:7

Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

  1. Proverbs 3:35

The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.

  1. Proverbs 4:1

A Father’s Wise Instruction: Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

  1. Proverbs 6:6

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

  1. Proverbs 8:33

Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

  1. Proverbs 9:8

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

  1. Proverbs 9:9

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

  1. Proverbs 9:12

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

  1. Proverbs 10:1

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

  1. Proverbs 10:8

The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

  1. Proverbs 10:14

The wise lay-up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

  1. Proverbs 11:29

Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

  1. Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.

  1. Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

  1. Proverbs 12:18

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

  1. Proverbs 13:1

A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

  1. Proverbs 13:14

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

  1. Proverbs 13:20

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

  1. Proverbs 14:1

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.

  1. Proverbs 14:3

By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.

  1. Proverbs 14:16

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.

  1. Proverbs 14:24

The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.

  1. Proverbs 14:35

A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

  1. Proverbs 15:2

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

  1. Proverbs 15:7

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

  1. Proverbs 15:12

A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

  1. Proverbs 15:20

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

  1. Proverbs 15:31

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

  1. Proverbs 16:14

A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it.

  1. Proverbs 16:21

The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

  1. Proverbs 16:23

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

  1. Proverbs 17:2

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

  1. Proverbs 17:28

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

  1. Proverbs 18:15

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

  1. Proverbs 20:1

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

  1. Proverbs 20:18

Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.

  1. Proverbs 20:26

A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.

  1. Proverbs 21:11

When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

  1. Proverbs 21:20

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

  1. Proverbs 21:22

A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

  1. Proverbs 22:17

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

  1. Proverbs 23:15

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

  1. Proverbs 23:19

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

  1. Proverbs 23:24

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoices; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

  1. Proverbs 24:5

A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

  1. Proverbs 24:6

for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

  1. Proverbs 24:23

These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.

56. Proverbs 28:11

A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.

Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:

the ants are a people not strong,
    yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
    yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 the locusts have no king,
    yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
    yet it is in kings’ palaces.

In summary, better to be wise than not.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
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 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Freedom Requires Moral Discipline

Dr. Mike Life Tools , , ,

1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Moral discipline is the fuel for real freedom. Without moral discipline, freedom requires an overdose of law, attorneys, courts, large governments, and manpower for enforcement. As a nation accepts a lower level of moral discipline, justice becomes a historical relic of the past.

Moral discipline starts with an internal fortitude built upon a foundation of personal responsibility and acceptance of a higher Authority. The fact is nations whose governments are built upon Judaeo-Christian values experience a greater level of security, peace, and flourishment than others.

Real freedom is where people can speak their minds without fear of physical repercussion: a fruit of the people who appreciate and never take for granted the alternatives.

Real freedom is where people can choose their livelihood built upon their natural talents and abilities; these rights are quickly suppressed under nations whose governments dictate what is best for the people.

Real freedom is where people can worship the God of their choice without fear of penalty or job loss; again, a privilege which is typically forbidden under dictatorships and power elites.

Real freedom is where parents may have as large a family as they choose; another choice which  is lost amount countries whose governments plan the social structure of their nation.

To be free requires self-control and respect of others. The moral framework is developed through the teaching of parents and educators who understand the importance of character building and the instruction of best values. Ungodly people poo-poo the Bible. Yet the book shares experiences of multiple people throughout history and the choices and decisions they made. These outcomes highlight various values which allowed people to flourish and other values which destroyed nations. History repeats itself because human nature has the tenancy to do the same stupid behavior over and over again. The names and places may be different, but the outcome is always the same.

The constant battle to forgo our harmful behavior becomes greater when the people we hang around with are pulling us away from doing the good. You may think of yourself as a “good person.” But when you are around bad company, why do you end up regretting your actions or words? To develop and maintain a solid foundation of moral character and the exercise of it requires an extreme amount of self-control. Most of us fall far short of what it takes. The solution?

It starts with surrendering ourselves to a higher power. His name is Jesus Christ. Under His tutelage, you will gain knowledge, understanding, and wisdom which leads to a more productive and flourishing life. He will empower you with His Spirit. The same Spirit that is working to transform lives into the divine image of your Maker. The fruit of Him living in you will give you the self-control and other tools to live out a moral, disciplined life. As you walk it out with Him, you will find yourself experiencing life the way God created you to enjoy.

A good God with good friends will help you build good morals; and good morals will lead you toward a more fulfilling life with real freedom.  Yes, its that simple, but not easy. It all begins when God is the real center of your life.   

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
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 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved