blessed

The Real Blessed Life

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8 ESV

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What is the blessed life? There are those who say that being wealthy, healthy, and wise makes a blessed life. Other say it’s more than these three amigos.

In the same concept, is the blessed life something we cause to happen? Or simply a response for something that has happened to us? Who is our model for the blessed life?

Whenever this discussion arises, I like to point toward examples of the blessed life by the people found in Scripture. The best example, of course, is Jesus Christ.

Can we say if there is any one person that walked on the earth who exemplified the blessed life, wouldn’t it be him? God in the flesh. The Author and Maker of the Blessed Life. Yet for many of us, he may be a stumbling block of what the blessed life truly looks like.

As a carpenter prior to his public ministry, there is no record that he became wealthy. In fact, during his ministry he depended on the support of women. It would be safe to say that He was not a self-made billionaire.

During His ministry, his family thought Him to be crazy. His religious peers saw him a radical. He was betrayed by a friend. His students with the exception of John deserted him at his trial. He was condemned by the government as a traitor. He was buried in another person’s grave. Does this look like a person who lived the blessed life?

Often times we have a limited view of the truth. Seeing only a portion of reality, we erroneously build an entire doctrine around it. This is what happens in the narrative of the American Blessed Life. If you expounded this version of the gospel to your brothers and sisters in the Middle East or Africa, would they recognize it? Sorry, but they would wonder what you have been smoking.

The real blessed life is simply our response to the love of God. To know God and to be known by God places one in the center of an awesome life. As our relationship develops with the Triune God, we begin to experience His divine blessings. He is the great cause of everything that is good. We are simply the recipient of His goodness. And like Jesus who was blessed by His Father for good works, we likewise response to God’s love by living a sacrificial life for the sake of others.

We are not the initiator of the blessed life. God is. We simply respond to His love, truth, and grace. Our response glorifies Him, uplifts others, and allows us to experience the fruit of His divine nature. The measurement is not wealth, health, or wisdom. The real measurement of a blessed life is the character and attributes of the divine life flowing through you. This relationship with the Triune God and the process of walking with Him is the real blessed life.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Inherit The Earth

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , , ,
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 ESV

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How in the world are the meek going to inherit the earth? In our current system of governments, isn’t it the strong and powerful that conquer other lands? If you put a meek person up against a strong man, what is our perception on who is going to win the fight? So how does the meek inherit the earth?

To better understand the how, one needs to know the goal of salvation. The objective of salvation isn’t just to receive a ticket for eternal life. It involves so much more. God’s objective now is to restore creation back to his original intent which eventually leads to the climatic achievement when heaven and earth is finally and totally merged together in one new creation (Revelation 21-22).  All of this proposed before the foundation of the world and implemented through the new birth of Jesus Christ via a resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus began the new birth of a new humanity. This new creation involves the merging of the physical and spiritual. As Jesus was 100% human and 100% divine, he paved the way for others to follow him.  When we accept His authority in our lives, he births  us with a new Spirit. This spirit is the Holy Spirit that opens the way for us to have an adopted relationship with the living God.

Now as children of God, with our hearts being soften by the Spirit, the fruit of that Spirit becomes our DNA. Included within that DNA is the spirit of gentleness which is likewise translated in some Bible versions as meekness. So when Jesus said that those who are meek shall inherit the earth, he is casting the vision of the end time. He is highlighting the reward for those who follow him. For as we are now being trained as kings and priests of his domain (Rev 1:6, 5:10, 20:6), our inheritance is stored in heaven until the culmination of all things (Eph 1:10).

So yes the meek shall inherit the earth. Not because of our strength, smarts, or spirituality. But only because of Jesus Christ.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.

Blessed How?

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , , , ,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV

 

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Last week the question arose in regards to my Blssdguy email address that I use for commercial non-solicitation purposes. Blessed in what way was the question?

After I gave one of my smirk smiles and before I could answer, he began to ask: blessed with good health? Money? Family? Work? How are you blessed?

My reply? I am blessed with a trustful relationship with the Triune God. Anything that comes from that relationship is secondary and frankly doesn’t rate as being known and knowing the Creator God.

What compares?

He is the source, the reason, and purpose behind life. Everything is known by Him. He shares his life with me and others. He lets us play in his worldwide sandbox. He wants us to explore, discover, and learn from Him. Through the challenges of life, He wants us to lean on Him and trust Him as He navigates us through the redemption maze.

To know Him and to be known by Him in a favorite light is the greatest blessing one can receive in this life. What would it take for you to realize the same?

Jesus is rooting for you!

 

Yours in Christ,

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
* Great Business Emulates a Good God
* Be Radical…Follow Christ!
* Simply The Messenger
* Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.