discipleship

Faith Moves Mountains

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , ,

Sight Observes It; Faith Moves It

faith

We live by faith, not by sight (IICorth5:7). Remember how in our youth when someone would make a statement and another person would reply “Prove it?” The more unbelievable the statement, the more we needed to see something factual to substantiate it. Well it doesn’t change when one becomes older unless you have received the faith to believe.

Think of all the invisible features of the physical world around you. Over time, it becomes easier to understand that there are forces and powers that are invisible to the eye but the effects are real. For example, the gravity of the earth cannot be seen but the effects are real. You drop a ball from the tall building and it will drop. You cannot see gravity but you do see how the ball is affected by it. Likewise, the wind is something that cannot be seen but the effects are real. The wind blows and you cannot see it but you may feel it or you may witness the top of the tree branches blowing about. The same is true about the invisible nature of God. You cannot see God, but you can witness to the effects of His life.

Why is it so difficult to see without sight? Maybe,because sight living doesn’t require faith. Sight living is based on trusting the five senses. The rational goes if one cannot see it,feel it, taste it, hear it, or smell it, it cannot be real. But the fact is our senses cannot be trusted. Science has already done testing showing that our perceptions are incorrect more times than we realize.

There was the time in our graduate marketing class where the professor brought in twenty different bottles of various brands of natural water. Each bottle had a label identifying its producer. The room was divided in half and each of us would taste the water from each bottle to determine which water tasted the best. The end result was the bottle with the most prestigious label at the time came on top. The reality however was that each bottle had the same water taken from the school’s drinking fountain. The conclusion of the matter was that our taste buds were blinded by our perceptions. How much truer it is with our spiritual life?

What we see with our eyes is limited; but what we see with faith is unlimited.

What we hear with our ears is limited; what we hear with faith is unlimited.

What we touch with our hands is limited; but what we touch with faith is unlimited.

What we taste with our mouth is limited; but what we taste with faith is unlimited. 

What we smell with our nose is limited; but what we smell with faith is unlimited.

Or to simplify it, with our sight we can only observe the mountain; but with our faith we can move the  mountain.

As a disciple of His, we are finished and done with walking by sight and appreciate learning the great joy of walking by faith. How do you see it?

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 9

Our Faithful Dad, help our unbelief. Help us to trust you.Help us to know you. Help us to see your work in our life.

You created everything and sustain everything, nothing is impossible for you.  You know our limitations and you know our potential. You know what it will take to convince us of your power and involvement in our life.Let us not doubt any longer. Please remove any limitations that we have imposed on ourselves. Open the door and help us see your awesome power in our life.

You are always faithful Dad.Help us have the same faith that Jesus had while He walked on earth.  Help us have the same faith that you have today. We thank you and make these requests known to you. Amen.

Dr. Mike – Consultant, Coach, Author of

Great Business Emulates a Good God 

Positional Security in What?

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , ,

ladder 8What is your motivation for seeking a higher position in life? Is it for the money, the status, or just the opportunity to serve?  Or is it to make you feel important?  To make you feel you finally arrived?  To make you feel worthwhile?

Today a position may be a job title, a political office, or a professional credential. It is the acceptable standard that the world places on us before recognizing our authority, or our ability.  But form doesn’t reveal substance.  We may play the role, like an actor, but not really have the knowledge nor skills to produce.  With Christ though, our position is secure.  There is no office, title, professional credential that even comes close to giving us the internal faith and authority we have in Christ.

We are disciples of His.  We are saints.  We are bond-servants of Jesus Christ.  What more does a person want?  If our desire for a greater position supersedes our desire to serve Him, than we wouldn’t be true to our Creator. Yes in our youth we may have pursued every position that our heart desired. We may have needed to develop a sense of self-worth because we didn’t find it at that time with Jesus.  Today, however, after tasting all the world’s solutions to self-esteem and personal development theories, we’ve come to see the blessings and value of seeking a spirit-filled life in Jesus.  Not for our glory, but for His. Not so we feel important, but so His importance may be manifested in our life.

As a fellow worker in the body of Christ, we feel privileged and thankful that God has revealed His work in our life and to so many others.  Who needs a position?  Through the power of prayer and service we accomplish more than we ever achieved in any office or with any professional credential.  Our position is found in Him.  That is one of the benefits of being a disciple of His.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 8

Our Heavenly Dad, let every saint come to know your secured blessings in Jesus.  Amen.

Dr. Mike – Consultant, Coach, Author of

Great Business Emulates a Good God 

Does God Make Sense?

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

When Job lost his family, and his earthly possessions were taken away, plus his health destroyed with boils, did he consider that time in life to make any sense? When Joseph was taken into slavery to Egypt and locked up in jail for over ten years, did he make sense of his current situation?  When the apostle Paul found himself left stoned to death, shipwrecked, beaten, pursued by his enemies of the cross. did he consider his current situation to make any sense?

When we stop and look at our present time, do we ever ask if it makes any sense?  Though most of us are not a Paul, Joseph, nor Job with no major specific mission in life; where history will not record our accomplishments to the masses. In fact, most of our lives are quite normal and most the time uneventful. And frankly, most of us enjoy it that way. But, does it make any sense?

We live in America, the Disney Country of the planet earth. We have the choice to live anywhere that is affordable for us. Wehave the opportunity to educate ourselves at any university if we apply our self. We could pursue whatever occupation interests us. We have the opportunity to select our own mate and have as many children as physically possible. We also have the opportunity to worship at the church of our choice. We probably have more than enough in physical comforts and may even begin to feel guilty whenever we acquire more. But does our present situation make sense?

If tomorrow we lost everything we own; if our world fell apart and we are taken into prison for something we didn’t do. If we are beaten and left .for dead, would our present situation make sense?

The answer of course is that as a disciple of His, everything makes sense. Nothing will separate us from the love of God. As His disciple, He is the center of our universe; the center of our life. He makes our situation make sense. No matter where we find ourselves, no matter what the situation, no matter what the outcome, He is in control. Our agreement with Him is to surrender all and He will make sense of it all.

He is creating a masterpiece in each one of us and collectively in His universal Church. In our almost forty years following Christ, no matter what ignorant decisions, actions, or events that have taken place, He has always been with me. When evil surrounds us or death knocks at our door, we may not have fully realized it at the time, but in hindsight, He is always around and in control. There is a great purpose being worked out here below and we are a part of it. Yes it takes faith. But isn’t that one part of the armor of a Christ­ follower? And shouldn’t a disciple of His be wearing that armor every day?

Does your present situation make sense? Or maybe the question really is, “Does God make sense?”  Only when we faithfully answer that question, will our present situation make sense.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 9

Dear Purposeful Dad, thank you for being in control. Thank you for taking care of the small details of life. But mostly, thank you for being involved in our life.

Help us to yield ourselves into your hands, to trust you in all of life’s circumstances and situations. Help us to see the circumstances that you present to us as opportunities to witness to your great power in our life. We pray, glorify your name by creating your masterpiece in us. Take the circumstances that we find ourselves in and change our heart to be like yours. Change the heart of those around us to be like yours. Change the circumstances if you believe that to be the best solution, but more importantly, take the present situation and reveal your Greatness through it. Let others see your magnificence. Let us see your magnificence. Let others know that you know us and care for us. Let your life abide in us and in you.

Let us not try to make sense of the situation we are in. We do not ask why. Instead we ask that you take our present situation and magnify yourself through it.

Let your glory abound. Let your Word abound. Let the Holy Spirit abound. Let your  Kingdom abound. Help us abound for your name’s sake.  In Jesus we ask. Amen.

Dr. Mike