faith

Faith Plunges Ahead

Dr. Mike 2023 , ,

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

We all have faith. The question before us though, where and how is your faith exercised?

For example, if you are like me, you have faith in yourself. Faith in your spouse. Faith the sun will rise tomorrow. Faith the driver next to you will properly maneuver their vehicle. Faith to jump through all the hurdles of earning a college degree. Faith you will complete your work assignment on time. Your list is probably longer than mine.

What this shows is your faith being exercised and expressed each day. But what about your faith in Christ?

Do you recall the first time you met Jesus? Did HE confront you? Did He make you feel uncomfortable? Did you simply ignored Him? Or did He challenge you? Made you question your values? Your morals? Your purpose?

Whether you ran away from Him or accepted His challenge, you eventually realize He requires a decision. You either have too accept He is who He claims to be or not.

If your choice was to deny Him, than how has your life been? But, if like me, you accepted his challenge, are you experiencing the romantic and adventurous journey of life in Christ?   

When my faith first met Jesus I was not sure what I have gotten myself into. But I plunged ahead.

When I first met the woman who became my wife, I likewise recognized she was the answer to my prayers. So I plunged ahead.

When I chose a career in commercial real estate, I was unsure. I did not really recognized how my natural abilities aligned with the opportunities ahead. But I plunged ahead.

Every time when confronted with a life changing situation, I plunged ahead.

When unsure of the social consequences, I plunged ahead.

When challenged by uncomfortable circumstances, I plunged ahead.

But the best plunge was when my little faith met Jesus.

When your faith meets Jesus, and you follow through on His invitation, your life becomes like a Hollywood blockbuster movie. You become one of the supporting characters. You are included in the romantic scenes. You also share in the high adventures which make your skin stand on edges. Yet you come through it all standing next to the main character – Jesus Christ.

He gladly shares the victories and good times with you. He also is with you through the pain and low periods of your life.

The longer you walk with Him, the more you realize how much He cares for you and others. He is your Lord and Savior. Over time, He also becomes your hero and friend.

Those who have placed their trust in Him understand where I am coming from. But others who have not taken up His invite are still trying to do it the sole hard way. Whatever encouragement we can give you to take the plunge is our prayer. For when one meets Jesus and takes the plunge, life becomes an adventurous journey of transformation. Your world will never be the same.

When you allow Him to live in you, you experience life the way He originally created you to be.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Evidence of Faith

Dr. Mike 2021 , , ,

Acts 1:3

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Some people have the false idea that faith is a blind conviction. That Christianity is a Way of life built upon illusion and unproven facts. But when one becomes a Christ-follower, if they did their homework, know their decision is based on forensic and empirical evidence.

When one studies the historical evidence of the resurrection and life of Jesus Christ and those who were his immediate disciples, one walks away from following all the facts with a colossal choice to be made. Either accept Jesus was and is who he claims to be or deny Him.

The foundation of Christianity is built upon the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. If HE did not rise, there would be no Christianity. Yet over 500 eye witnesses saw him over a forty-day period after his death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6). This was recorded by the apostle Paul some 20 years after the event. If he was exaggerating, we would have written accounts from the other side stating so. But no one in this time period has come out to deny these events did occur.

If we looked at the Bible like any other historical text book, we would agree its authenticity and marvel at its content. But because of the carnal enmity against the Triune God, some have the tenancy to deny or accept such claims.

I always wonder why some accept the gospel message quicker than others. Yet as I get older, I am beginning to wonder how much one’s pride blinds themself from seeing clearly the facts and evidence before them.

If you want to do your own research on the subject, I advocate two books written by an investigative journalist, Mr. Lee Strobel. They are: The Case for Christ and The Case for the Resurrection. Both books walk you through the evidence and confronts the excuses. I recommend both for your study to equip you with the evidence of your faith.

In regards to empirical evidence, you have the combination of yours and others with answered prayers and internal changes of attitude and heart. When you start to pursue the Triune God, you find your prayers being answered in ways that will dumbfound you. As others share similar stories with you, you begin to realize these outcomes are more than just coincidences. The writing of the saints from yesterday and your experiences today all point to a God who cares and is involved in your life.

These results along with the forensic evidence strengthen your confidence and trust in the Almighty God. At times you think you are only imagining these things. But over time, these events repeat themselves so often, you develop the holy swagger of a saint. You know God loves you and cares for you and is preparing you for an eternal home.

Meanwhile as you humbly learn to walk in His presence, sharing your life with HIM as HE shares HIS life with you, your faith is strengthened and you become a living billboard for HIS Kingdom as you live out your life serving HIM and others. 

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Author of e-Books

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Saved by Grace Not by Faith

Dr. Mike grace , ,

Ephesians 2:5 ,8

…even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Prosperity gospel preachers love to emphasize the need of faith to obtain all of God’s blessings. They constantly imply that faith is the cause of whatever you desire. And when you don’t get what you desire, the problem is because “your faith isn’t strong enough – you need more faith.” A misunderstanding of faith, your belief, has caused the harm of many disciples within the Church over the ages. 

First, your faith doesn’t save you. You are saved by the finish work of Jesus Christ. Before you even knew Him, before you even asked for forgiveness, and yes even before you realized what His life and death and resurrection meant to you and humanity, your relationship with God was already restored. You were just ignorant of the event.

Faith is the pathway to the promise land; the escalator to God. Grace is God’s unmerited favor upon you. God so loved you and me He orchestrated world events to restore mankind’s direct access to Him. Faith opens our eyes to become more aware of HIS work in our lives. Jesus Christ is faith personified.

Through Jesus Christ we have direct access with His God. When Father God looks at you and me, He is looking through the prism of Jesus Christ. This is why He considers you and me as righteous; because He is looking at you and me through the righteousness of Jesus.

When people ask me when was I saved. I tell them about 2,000 years ago when Jesus completed his human mission on earth. However, I didn’t start to accept that truth until my 17th birthday when I began to follow Him. Jesus restored humanity’s relationship with God 2,000 years ago and I didn’t become His apprentice until my late teen years. His grace and faith saved me. When my head and heart came to the realization of this truth, I began to walkout through faith His way of life – the Bible calls it “being saved.”

Yes, we all “been saved” by the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And we are “being saved” as we follow Him and allow the Holy Spirit transform our hearts and minds into His image. And we shall “yet be saved” when our bodies are resurrected and changed into eternal souls.

So, remember you have been saved apart from faith; faith doesn’t save you. You and I have been saved by God’s unmerited favor upon us. However, faith is the pathway to see, understand, and experience the richness of God’s salvation now and into eternity.     

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved