Bible

Lord, Help Us Follow Your Lead

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

holy spirit lead

Who do you depend on in times of trouble?  Who do you turn to when you are unsure of a pending decision?  Who always proves faithful to you in good times and bad?  The theoretical answer is the Holy Spirit.  But is that your truthful answer?  Are you honestly following the lead of the Holy Spirit through life, or do you just think you are?  Have you totally surrendered your personal agenda and are willing to follow the lead of the Counselor of God?  If you are like most of us, the honest answer is no.  We probably have failed miserably.  Yes, He is always reliable.  Yes, He is always faithful.  Yes, He is always dependable.  But, we are not.

We may want to follow His lead in our life.  We, like many of our brothers, seek through prayer and meditation and in the Word for direction in our life, but slowly end-up pursuing the dreams and desires of our heart that we think are good for us.  And of course, over time we discover that we are off the trail again and need help to refocus in the direction that is best for us.

Our Guide is reliable, but we are not.  Our Guide is dependable, but we are not.  Our Guide is faithful, but we are not.  Our problem is to learn how to focus on His lead in our life every single moment.  It’s to be walking with Him in a single line following the path that He is making.  It’s to listen to His instructions and commands.  When you hire yourself a guide to lead you through the jungles of Africa, you seek out the best.  After you find the best, you place your trust in that person to lead you through the appropriate paths.  You don’t deviate off the paths because you have been warned of the dangerous animals and terrain that could severely harm you.  You stay close to your guide and follow all his advice.  Isn’t it the same with the jungle of life?  Our Guide is there to help us make it through the jungle of life.  He has proven Himself over time in assisting many people.  We have now learned to pray regularly, asking help to follow the Counselor’s lead in our life; help to focus on His route; help to be a real disciple of His.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 8

Our Heavenly Dad and Holy Spirit, thank you for giving us a Counselor, Guide, and Trainer in your Spirit.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, for making yourself available to us in leading us to Jesus and to the things of God.  Thank you for being patient with us and for having our needs in good hands.

Help us to learn how to follow your lead in our life.  Help us to see your work in our life.  Help us to submit to your lead in all we do, in all we seek, in all we think.  Help us to surrender our life to you and always to ask you to fill us with the seeds of your character.  Let us abound with your abundance.  Let us live as your servant and as your ambassador.  Show us how you communicate with us and help us to listen to your nudges.  Give us the faith to act on your instructions.  Help us in our unbelief.  Reaffirm your direction in our life in mercy and in compassion.

Let this life be your success story.  Thank you, Jesus, for caring.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Speaker

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

Grace and Performance…

Dr. Mike Jesus Apprentice , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

“For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.”   

 Luke 11:10

 

Becoming 2.

The journey in Christ is a constant relearning of the basics of the Kingdom of God.

Take for example the concept of grace and performance. We live in a performance-oriented society. Whether we are working or playing, performance becomes the standard of measurement. We don’t normally give positive rewards, promotions, or recognition for finishing last.  Yet the Kingdom of God is built on grace and not performance.  Grace extended is how the Triune God relates to us. Grace is the foundation of who God is. Jesus knows our fragility, weaknesses, and the internal strife of sin always knocking at our door.  So how do we express the Kingdom of God in our life when the world around us operates in a politically charged environment that clamors for winners?

Maybe the problem isn’t society around us, but the internal desires of our heart that competes with God. Can we truly say that we desire to truly please Him in everything we do? Or do we want God to bless us with everything we want because we deserve it?

Someone once told me to pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on me. I don’t buy that anymore. Instead, I acknowledge that God owns it all, has the capability to bring everything I need to my door, and has promise to provide. So now I ask, seek, and knock. I ask him diligently knowing he is the owner and provider of everything. I seek diligently and expectantly the answer to my prayers; always pursuing all opportunities that come my way no matter how large or small; constantly seeking confirmation. And when a door presents itself to me, I don’t force it open. Instead, I gently turn the knob and allow it to open from the outside-in. I have found out when I force the door open, it is only me still pursuing what I want. Instead, I allow the Spirit to move the door. Whenever I did this, the domino effect occurs; like the tumblers of a safe all falling into place. The door opens easily and the ride toward the goal is like canoeing down the rapids with very little effort on my path. I simply steer the canoe and enjoy the ride.

Yes, learning how to live a grace-based life instead of a performance-based life is a life time journey. Yet, isn’t what this life is? Are we all not being prepared for leadership and service with others as we walk this adventurous journey of transformation in Christ?

 

Dr. Mike

 

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

 

 

Faith in What?

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

Whenever someone says that they have faith, the question arises, “faith in what or whom?”

If you probe enough in a person’s narrative, you will find the worldview that the person builds their reality from.  Is their foundation for “faith” in happen-chance? a “faith” in self? a “faith” in another person? a “faith” in “big brother?” or a “faith” in “karma?” Wherever the faith is focused toward reveals the person’s source of life and their reality.

In political slogans, we are asked to have faith. In business circles, we are asked to have faith. In relationships, we are asked to have faith. Faith is one of those words that has become a generic, abused child. However, when faith is properly employed, reality becomes more real in a person’s life. When faith is built on a true, solid foundation than kingdom reality becomes a life-giving source that makes oneself and those around him/her to flourish.

If someone is looking for a Biblical definition of faith, check out chapter eleven of Hebrews. If you want a another practical definition, substitute the words belief and trust in the work of the Triune God every time you come across the faith word. It will give you a more precise meaning of the word faith as used in scripture. But for those whose basis is not scripture, faith is only an empty cliché to distort the power and grace of God. Yet be not surprised, Biblical words and concepts have slowly eroded over time to become a water down version of its original meaning. That is why we all need to become practicing theologians to some degree.

faith

My belief and trust is in Jesus Christ. He allows us to take part with Him in His story which is restoring creation back to God’s original intent. He has my back. My belief and trust is built on His faith, His work of salvation, His plans for humanity, and His ability to make it all happen for  His goodness and the goodness of all under His dominion.

So the next time you hear someone mention faith, be sure you both have the same definition of faith in mind. Otherwise, who is being radical and missing out in the enjoyment of life in Christ?

Dr. Mike