Family

Faith. Family. Freedom.

Dr. Mike 2026 , , ,

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4

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Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

If you were raised in mid-America during the 1960’s, your life was built on the pillar of three important values. It didn’t matter which side of the tracks you were born on. It didn’t matter the color of your skin. It didn’t matter what religion you practiced. Faith, Family, and Freedom were ingrain within you the day you were born.

Faith was an expression of everyday life. Going to church on a weekly basis was the norm. The church service wasn’t a rock concert for Jesus. But the opportunity to meet others, listen to a man speak about God, and share time together in community.

Family get-together were a regular occurrence. Grandparents, their children, and their children would gather together for at least once a month potluck. Aunts and uncles would see one another. Cousins would play together. Family life was the norm.

Freedom was taken for granted. Children roamed the countryside and alleys until the street lights went on or the sun set over the horizon. Any government interference in the daily routine of life was frown upon. People in the community knew who you could trust and who you had to be extra careful in your dealings. Police were respected. The law was followed. If there was a policy that the community didn’t find practical, the council leaders would meet and quickly make changes for the betterment of society.

Faith, Family, and Freedom are all godly virtues held in high priority with Jesus. When you read the Scriptures, you find HIS words and actions to uphold these values.

HE lived HIS faith. HE expressed the importance of doing God’s Will. HE revealed HIS Father God to the world.

Family was the bedrock of HIS culture. Even if one didn’t have a parent, sibling, or child, HE would remind the lonely that those who do God’s Will are included in HIS family.

HIS life demonstrated the freedom one has within the Will of God. Real freedom comes from a relationship with the living God; not through rituals and rules. With God, one has the license to pursue many venues. Yet one realizes there are consequences from thoughts and actions. Real freedom comes with responsibility to serve others and glorify God through one’s choices. 

Over the years, we have witnessed the destruction of faith, family, and freedom around us. The result has shown an increased in mental health problems. The alienation of families. The overreach of governmental powers. The hostility of people between each other. The slow destruction of a healthy culture is happening before our eyes.

Yet, those who have continued to practice the importance of faith, family, and freedom show a different outcome. Ask any rural American today living in a small community what has changed. The world around them has. But their community is still practicing the old-fashion ways. Faith, family, and freedom are still the core values that all within their community practice and share.

Maybe there is a lesson we all can take from them.      

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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Oneness

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

 “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”   John 17:21-23

Someone once asked me if I was either a fan or follower of Jesus? My reply shocked him. “I am inclusively neither. Yes once I was only a fan and later a follower. But today I strive to walk in oneness with Father-Son-Spirit.”

Jesus is still my hero and I am definitely one of his most favorite fans. But winning or losing when the times get hard does not make me switch allegiance like a fan. Fans are fickle. They cover their heads in brown bags when their team is losing. But they wear the latest clothing gear and can’t say enough positive things when they are winning. The same could be said about some people who are only fans of Jesus.

Jesus is still my rabbi. I look to HIM for guidance and wisdom in dealing with people and situations. He is my Lord and teacher. Not just for spiritual guidance, but in every area of life. But that relationship has grown over time. Like a student who has graduated and is now teaching others, we share similar interests. He remains more knowledgeable of the subjects than me. But we still tackle certain subjects together exchanging lessons learned through the process. But the relationship is now deeper than before.

Today there is more of a oneness between Jesus, Father-God, and Holy Spirit with myself. In every area of life, we now seek a mutual oneness. I am more and more trying to align and focus myself with the Triune God. For example, in negotiating transactions, I now seek to make all sides win. In relationships, how can I best support you and God and myself. In establishing priorities, how can I best rearrange schedules for all parties.

It is no longer simply about me. It is also not about you. But it involves you, me, and the Triune God. This oneness grows through surrender, sacrifice, and service for the sake of others. It is centered around God. This allows us to produce fruit in our life without sinful desires being resurrected. God knows what I need and others need. Now the goal is to learn how to align what God desires with others and the self.

Oneness is a nice place to be. You are in the center of God’s presence. You are in the center of HIS will. You are in the center of reality. A solid foundation from where to view the world and operate. Do I fail at times to capture the moment? Yep. Do I often misjudge what God is doing at the moment? Yep. But God’s grace is more than enough to keep me going.

Bottomline: Thank you Jesus for praying to allow us to be one with you and Papa God and Holy Spirit. Help us always walk in oneness with you.

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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Born to Reign

Dr. Mike 2024 , , , , ,

 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”    Gn. 1:28

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For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.   Romans 5:17

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 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.   Revelations 20:6

Dallas Willard often spoke about Christ-followers being trained to reign. He would refer to the top two Scriptures. I added the third. All three take into account that humans are responsible to manage earth’s resources. This includes the environment as well as the inhabitants. The biggest challenge is us humans. Dallas loved to remind us that each of us has a kingdom. The question is whether our kingdom will surrender to Jesus’ Kingdom.

God’s vision to share HIS universe with each of us having a leadership role is breathtaking. HE is preparing a people to rule in HIS government HIS way. We start by surrendering our will in allegiance to HIS. We submit our willpower under HIS. We accept HIS authority in our life. As HIS subject, we become ambassadors of HIS Kingdom. We learn to serve others HIS way. We learn to integrate our faith with our personality into work which glorifies HIM. And HIS ways also benefits those around us.

We welcome HIS Spirit into ours. We become more like HIM in character and attitude. Yet we add our uniqueness into HIS story. Jesus always remains the main character. We support HIM and HIS government in the process. HE gives us greater meaning and purpose for our daily routines. As more and more people capture the vision and partake in HIS story, the more HIS Spirit emanates around us.

Our daily activities are training us to reign. As Christ-followers, we first learn to follow our Rabbi. As HIS apprentice, we learn to govern ourselves. We build boundaries and habits of Christlike leadership. As spouses, we learn to submit with one another like the Trinity does. As parents, we learn to govern our family. We practice the dictates of HIS Kingdom to prepare our children for adulthood. In the marketplace, we accept responsibility and accountability for the work we do. Our mutual mission is to work with others toward satisfying customer desires. We do so from a Christlike perspective. We serve them. We add value in their life. Those with organizational leadership skills may take on greater responsibilities. They may learn to govern the entire organization. Again, we learn to govern like Jesus. We are being prepared to reign with HIM for eternity.

Our desire today is to become more and more like HIM. Wherever we are placed, we teach the Jesus Way. We get to evangelize without speaking a word. Our actions align with God’s Kingdom.

This is the practical side of Christianity. Learning to lead like Jesus. Learning to govern one self and others like Jesus. As we do our regular every day work, HE is preparing you and I for greater service in HIS Kingdom. To govern today and forever.

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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