attributes of god

Joy of the Lord

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , , ,

“Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’” Nehemiah 8:10

Israel was a nation chosen by God for His purpose of ultimately adopting humanity into the Triune God circle. With Abraham, God began moving history towards His foreordained purpose. From the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we have the twelve tribes of Israel; that turned into the nation of Israel under Saul, David, and Solomon; that eventually led to the birth of Jesus Christ and the redemption of humanity. So whenever we look at the nation of Israel and are honest with ourselves, don’t we view our own life through a similar mirror? How often do we look at the nation of Israel and shake our heads in amazement of their disbelief and behavior in their walk with the Lord? Yet if we be honest with ourselves, are we any different?

Around 500 B.C. Nehemiah was a governmental leader and Ezra the high priest. After the nation came out of another painful stupor of being disciplined, they rediscovered the Torah and the Words of God written for them. So on this day, the 1st day of their 7 month, they celebrated the Feast of Booths, a celebration of their harvest season. The feast was a seven day event followed by one last great day. The first and last day of the feast were Sabbatical Holy days and the nation would assembly and worship their God. This day though the nation rediscovered the Words of God and celebrated by reconfirming disciplines that they had previously stopped conducting.
In the midst of their celebration, Nehemiah expressed the concept that “the joy of the Lord is our strength.” Not Israel’s joy. Not Nehemiah’s joy. Not anyone’s joy but the Lord’s. In fact, doesn’t this imply that our Lord has joy that he wants to share with others? Doesn’t this also imply that His joy is stronger and more effective than any joy we may experience apart from him? Also, doesn’t this imply that our Lord wants us to experience His joy?

A recent poll revealed that most parents want their children to grow up happy and successful. The poll didn’t ask the parents to define happy or successful, but that they wanted the best for their children. Yet many parents have difficulty in separating happiness from joy. Happiness as many of us old timers have discovered, is a byproduct of the surrounding circumstances and physical components in our life. The challenge is that many of the circumstances we desire and believe need to be happy are outside of one’s control and are dependent on physical stimulus or expectations that may or may not occur. In other words, happiness is a temporary condition that always seem slightly out-of-our-reach. Yet on the other hand, joy is the fruit of a Spirit that perpetually and naturally exudes real, in-depth rejoicing from the inside-out. It doesn’t rely on outside or physical stimulus to celebrate; it simply and naturally expresses itself because Joy is an attribute of the Triune God that lives in the soul of a believer.

So when we say our strength is in the joy of the Lord, we acknowledge that God’s Spirit resides in us, empowers us, and expresses His life through us. That our courage and backbone is found in Christ, celebrated with the Holy Spirit, and uplifted by the Creator’s own divine nature that passes in us, through us, and from us. As we desist, He increases. As we view life through His eyes, His plans, and His purposes, we rejoice with Him and He rejoices with us. We become one in Spirit and one in Purpose and one in Joy. And with such joy, wouldn’t that be a strong attribute that glorifies God and His people? Isn’t this the type of joy (and real happiness) we all truly want?

OUR PRAYER

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Our heavenly Joyous Father, Lord, and Spirit: thank you for expressing your life in us and through us and with us. Thank you for allowing us to experience your life in us and through us and with us. Thank you for sharing your life and especially your attribute of joy. Shower upon us you joy. Let your joy influence the people around us. Let your joy come alive and captivate the people we meet. Let your joy be contagious. Let others capture your joy and experience your love and peace along with it. Let everyone we meet; every place we go; every word we share; let it be sprinkled, covered, and saturated with your joy. Let your joy be our strength through calamities and trials and tests. Let everything we say, think, and do explode with your joy. Amen

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Consultant, Coach, Encourager
Author of Great Business Emulates A Good God

How Do You Measure Success?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , , , , , , ,

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In the business world, everything that is important and valued is monitored, measured, and evaluated for improvement.  But in our personal walk with the Triune God, how do we measure real success?  For example, when we view the world’s religious landscape, what do we notice?

There are those who place emphasis on keeping rules.
There are those who emphasize a specific denomination.
There are those who observe special days.
There are those who place trust in Jesus plus…(something else).
There are those who place trust in their ability to do good work.
There are those who place trust in their service toward others.
There are those who place trust in pursuing causes for social justice.
There are those who place trust in maintaining a loving relationship with others.
There are those who place trust in yoga, in karma, or in the cosmos.
There are those who place trust in their ability to recall scripture.
There are those who place trust in attending church services on a regular basis.
There are those who place trust in participating in local, Christian fellowship.
There are those who place trust in observing unique rituals.
There are those who place trust in their ability to pray.
There are those who place trust…(add your own observation)

The point is many of us place trust everywhere but in Jesus. Yet, trusting His claim as Savior, Lord, and King from our heart, head, and will in everyday life’s circumstances is all we really have to show.  A total, dependent trust that His life, death, and resurrection gives us birth unto a new life. A life that we can taste now. A hope that we can believe.

The real measure of spiritual success is simply our faith (trust) in Him.  No matter the trial; no matter the situation; no matter the challenge we face, our faith is constantly being tested and strengthen through the circumstances of life.  Though we may fail to live up to our expectations, He is committed to being faithful and will complete the task. We simply have to hang in there with Him.
The fact is Christ knows our human condition. Most of the time we are simply discovering where we really do stand before God, and it’s not pretty. I am one believer who is very thankful that Jesus is my Judge and jury and He includes us within His story. We are simply his servants enjoying the ride.

How goes your trust in Jesus? Jesus himself wondered whether or not there would be real, trusting faith in this world when he returns (Luke 18:8).  However, no matter where you stand, Jesus loves you and enjoys you just as you are. He only wants you to truly enjoy spending time with him as he invests heaven’s and earth’s resources for your journey with Him unto the promise land.

Our Prayer

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Our Holy Father, Holy Lord, and Holy Spirit – Thank you for opening our mind and heart to come to know you. To know your love, joy, and peace. To know that no matter the situation, the struggle, or event, you are always with us. Whatever we lack in trusting you, continue to shower us with your favor and grace as you sanctify and grow us to always trust you no matter the circumstance. Help us to glorify your name every time we trust you for your intervention in our life. Complete your work in us; help us to participate with you in your Story for mankind.  Amen

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Consultant, Coach, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

How Does Preaching Effect Us?

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Faith comes by hearing the Word. That is how God made it.  Preaching is a gift God bestows on certain people to expound the Word with more power than just plain teaching of the Word. Teaching explains the Word, but preaching personifies the Word.

To be preached up means that we have taken the Word to a personal level today. Personal means as it applies to us and not our neighbor, nor what we write in preparing a sermon or chapter in a book. Today means today. Not yesterday nor tomorrow, but today. Today, we have been filled with the Word till it is brimming over in our actions, thoughts, and deeds. Yesterday, we learned from life, and tomorrow we shall plan for life, but today we live life.

There are days when we only preach to our self. There are days when we listen to Christian music preaching His word in song. There are days when we walk with nature and just  listen to His creation. There are days when we are corrected by non-believers. There are days ministers of different denominations expound His word via the airwaves hammering home a specific truth that applies to us at that moment. And of course, there are days when just reading the Word in prayer that enlightens our mind and heart. But of all the ways, there is nothing like a good, old-fashion, Bible-believing, faith-building, spirit-filled sermon by a brother of the cross. There is something good about hearing God’s word from the mouth and heart of another believer. Maybe it just reassures that what is happening in us is not strange but happening in the lives of others. Or maybe, it just restores our faith in the universal church.  Either way, there are many ways to be preached up.

As a student of His we always want to be ready with an answer to those who ask. Sometimes we are not. There are moments when the words come out of our mouth that is proper for the time. Then there are times when nothing comes out. Even when we pray for a quick answer, nothing comes out. We hope and pray that the silence at that time is the answer. Like all His disciples, we want to be faithful stewards of His word. And in today’s highly, informational driven society, we need to be more effective than ever to expound His Word in a more personal and effective manner. It’s easier to preach the Word when we are preached up ourselves. When we are preached up, our cups are overflowing and we can’t help but preach the Word in season.  Lord, keep your Word coming!

OUR PRAYER

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Our Faithful Dad, thank you for your wonderful plan of salvation and allowing us to be a part of it. We also thank you for your Word, the Bible. We thank you for allowing us to come to understand its applications and Truths in our life. We thank you for Jesus, His life, His sacrifice, and His intervention in our life each and every moment. We also thank you Holy Spirit for being involved in our life each and every moment. You are one fascinating, heavenly Being.

Help us each day to focus on your teachings, principles, and Truths as it relates in our life. Let them be real to us. Let them be effective in our life. Let them come alive in everything we see, think, and do. Let your Word be a living example in our life.

Thank you Jesus as we pray in your name. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God