What Else Is There?

20132022 Dr. Mike Journey in Christ apprentice of Jesus, Character, christ-follower, Christianity, christlike, DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, discipleship, KINGDOM REALITY, life in christ, radical in christ, transformation

How often in our life have we felt like just quitting? Just giving up whatever we were pursuing and calling it quits. In fact, maybe we even may have a bad habit of quitting whenever life just doesn’t work out the way we expect it to. Are we natural quitters? Or do we know when to quit?

We recall a friend who was taking his third class in graduate school when he decided to call it quits. At the time, he just needed a break from the academic routine and convince himself it was only going to be for the one semester. He didn’t return until ten years later.

Yet, when it comes to walking with our Lord, where does one go after one decides to quit? Turn back to where? Stop moving forward? In fact, turning back is worst then just quitting. When one quits, one just stops moving forward. When one turns back. one is walking away from their destination leaving a larger distance between oneself and one’s goal.

If one decides to turn back, where will they go? After one has tasted the fruit of the Spirit, what compares? After one experiences Grace and Freedom, does one revert to slavery? After building a relationship of Love and Trust with the Living Creator, is there anyone else who one could better depend on? After one’s eyes are open to understand God’s Plan for a new heaven and a new earth being occupied by eternal beings, who has the greater vision and power to accomplish it?

Satan believes his plan is better for mankind. Do we? The world’s systems believe their plan is better for us. Do we? At times, even our carnal nature temporarily convinces us that there is a better way. But do we really believe it afterwards?

After many of His disciples deserted Jesus because of His teachings (Jn 6:66), Jesus asked Peter if he likewise was turning back. But Peter replied where else is there to go; Jesus had the words of eternal life. Likewise, it is true today.

Of all the major religious movements that impacted mankind, only Christianity has a Founder that claimed to be God and offers Grace to the sinner. Truly unique. To be a follower of His is also truly unique. For in following Him, we acknowledge His lordship. His teachings, His authority, His government, and His involvement in our life until His return. Just like some people in His time thought He to be a crazy man possessed by demons, there are those today who think the same of us. So be it.

OUR PRAYER

Our Eternal Almighty Dad, thank you for remembering that we are just humans. We are temporary beings with eternal goals. Apart from you we will never accomplish eternity. It is you who has given it to us via Jesus Christ as a gift. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

There are those who ridicule us for what we believe and how we live. If we are bringing any shame to you and your eternal name, please let us know and help us change it. If we are not living up to your glory, let us know and help us to repent.

Everything we desire is in you. Let us live our life in your glory and honor. We may sometimes go overboard in our actions and preaching, but pray that you capture our results and words and plant them into the lives of others that need it. We all need you. Help us to live dependant on you. Help us to exercise the freedom you have given us for your glory. Let your freedom ring out loud for others to hear and experience.

Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

Our Power Is In Christ

20132022 Dr. Mike Journey in Christ Bible, christ-follower, Christianity, christlike, disciple, DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, Kingdom of God, life in christ, radical in christ

What price do you put on eternal life? What price do you put on having a relationship with the Almighty God? What price do you place on a righteous soul? What price do you place on freedom?

Every one of us has a price. We all have the tendency to place a monetary value on everything. Ask yourself, how much would you be willing to receive in exchange for committing a small sin? Not a “serious sin”, but a “small one.” What if someone would give you $10,000 immediately with no strings attached if you would only throw a brick through your neighbor’s large, living room window? You have no time to give him any warning, no time to negotiate with your neighbor, no time to exchange any information. You are not allowed to recompense him in any way. Just do it because you could profit from the situation. Now if $10,000 is not worth the inconvenience, how about $100,000, $500,000, $1,000,000, $100,000,000? You tell us at what price you place on righteousness and we will tell you how much value you place on godliness. We could easily justify the situation and convince ourselves that breaking a neighbor’s window is not a major crime. No person really was hurt. Unless, a person was sitting by the window when you threw the brick and the shattering glass stuck into the person’s body causing him to bleed profusely to his death. But, that would change the scenario around. Or would it?

We recall a story from a friend that occurred in his first year on the job. His company sold some real estate and money was being transferred all around the country. He had wire transferred several million dollars before the end of the day prior to leaving the country that evening on vacation. The next day he received a phone call from his boss informing him that the money was missing. They retraced the steps and were able to locate it in an account of one of the banks. The financial institution misread one of the digits on the wiring instructions and the money was sitting in someone else’s bank account. However, it didn’t dawn on him until he came back to work that his boss had a little thought that he had absconded with the money. They laughed about it afterwards. But it made him ask the question, how much? How much would we have to steal and leave the country to make it worth the crime?

What we all soon learn is what Jesus taught us. What does it profit if you could have the whole earth, but lose your soul? What is of greater value? In this world we are slaves to the greed around us and within us. But as disciples of His, we have His assurance that He is always with us to the end of this age. He will provide for our needs. There is no monetary price on godliness. Godliness is priceless, and so are we. How does that compare to your value system?

OUR PRAYER

Our Righteous Dad, thank you for revealing your truth to us. Thank you for sharing your godliness with us. Thank you for revealing the fruit of righteousness in our life. Great you are and greatly to be praised!

Help us in destroying our self-righteousness and replacing it with your righteousness. Help us to sprinkle your traits of godliness with all the people we meet. Let your godliness have its full empowerment within us. Help us to live a holy and righteous life. Let the joy of your salvation spring out lividly through your righteousness. Let godliness have its way with us.

Let Jesus also have His way with us. We ask all these things through Him and because of Him. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Recruit, Commit, Coach

20132022 Dr. Mike Journey in Christ apprentice of Jesus, Bible, christ-follower, Christianity, christlike, disciple, DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, Kingdom of God, life in christ, radical in christ, transformation

The general mission of the church is recorded in the last chapter of Matthew; to actively make disciples, to baptize them into the universal church, and to educate them in total surrender of Jesus’ teachings.

In addition to the main mission, we each have our personal ministry. Depending on the season of our life and God’s Plan, it may change over time. For most of us, our personal ministry is first with the immediate family and then to the building up of the church. The Church, of course, is not necessary the local faith community but the universal body of believers. It would include the people from the local church that we attend on a regular basis and also the other churches in our community. It would also include God’s work in the marketplace. Again, our mission is to make disciples and to buildup fellow saints of God.

Since most of us are only a little, baby toe in the body of Christ without a visible, publicly noticed ministry, our work is done only visibly to our Lord who we serve. This toe only touches the people who it comes into contact with. It doesn’t seek public recognition, but believes that privacy has its greatest benefits in serving the body of Christ.

Now some of our brethren believe their mission is to win souls to the Lord. We have a problem with that approach since the soul is a difficult portion of the body to evaluate. The making of disciples is an easier concept to manage. It is something that we have a greater control over to make happen than changing a person’s soul. We believe conversion and sanctification is God’s department. Our part is simply to recruit people who want to follow Jesus, coach them to acknowledge their commit to follow Christ, and then to teach them the Word. The process of regeneration and salvation is the Lord’s. That depends on the person’s relationship with God. It depends on a person’s personal commitment. We could recruit one hundred people who desire to become Christ-followers. That doesn’t mean that all one hundred are going to faithfully endure to the end. We are sure most will. But there are always a few that would rather surrender their soul to this temporary world and its leader than to the Lord of eternity.

We likewise have great difficulty believing that all those people who have lived the past six thousand years without hearing about the gospel of Jesus are doomed for eternity. That doesn’t sound like the loving God we have come to know. Because someone hasn’t been told, how can they be held accountable?

No, we believe the Son is the only way of salvation. However winning souls is our Heavenly Dad’s responsibility who calls us to a relationship with Jesus (Jn6: 44) and the Holy Spirit that works in us today. Our mission is clear: Recruit (Seek + Disciple), Commit (Baptize), and Coach (Teach).

OUR PRAYER

Dear Merciful Dad, your plan from the beginning of creation was to reconcile all people to you. You selected the nation of Israel as your initial people to work with and to reveal your ways. Eventually. you sent us Jesus to open the door for all people from any nation, culture, ethnic group to become one with you. Your plan is simple and straight forward. Help us to be a part of it.

Help us to share the gospel of Jesus with others. Help us to reveal you as we have come to know you. Help us to teach your ways of abundant living to others. Help us to direct others to a deep, personal relationship with you.

You are the source of our strength. You are the passion of our life. You are the desire of our dreams. You are the hope of our future. Let your life be revealed through our thoughts, actions, and deeds. Let all we do be done for your glory. Let others come to see your awesomeness as you have revealed yourself to us.

Everything is yours. Thank you for sharing everything with us. Help us share everything with others. In Jesus we thank you and always pray in His name and authority. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Speaker

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God