Jesus

Underestimating Jesus

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , ,

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  I John 4:4


 

What are some ways we may limit Jesus in our lives?

The other day I spent some time with an associate struggling with a whole set of issues. He is a 21st century Biblical Job. Just like Job lost everything important to him, so has he.

His health is battered. He is battling addiction from pharmaceutical drugs. He is financially broke and unemployed. He struggles against strong demonic influences. His family is ready to commit him into a mental ward.

He questions his belief in God. He holds HIM responsible for his poor condition. Yet his prayers are deeply sincere asking God for help and direction.

He has been a faithful Christian his entire life. But now wonders why God has abandon HIM. He has lost all hope and meaning for his life. Every hiccup, muscle sprain, and one less hour of sleep each night brings him into the mindset his days are short.

He is crying out for help but at the same time wallowing in a victim mindset. As I listen to him, my heart hurts. I pray along with him asking for wisdom in the situation. My focus is trying to see what the Holy Spirit is doing. How can I best participate with our Lord in this situation. For now, I only sit and listen. I ask questions trying to help him see things more clearly. God is the cure-giver, not I. For we both will learn patience waiting on HIM.

It is times like this we discover how strong our faith in Jesus actually is. Is HE bigger than any problem we are dealing with? Do I really have a strong relationship with HIM or is HE just someone I know? Have I been true and supportive of HIM my entire life? Or have I just played church with HIM? Does HE really have last say on this matter? Can HE be trusted?

Is HE really the solution for my problems or the cause? Isn’t HE supposed to protect me from harm? From my stupid choices? Does HE practice safe-zone behavior or will HE allow the situation to enter the high-risk area?

Why am I truly following him anyway? These are only a few of the questions that may arise when we struggle with life’s darkest moments.

When Jesus is your central-core of living, bad things are still going to happen. The difference being HE is always with you. HE will lead you through the mess. In the process, you will learn to better govern yourself and others. His purpose is not to make you happy and successful in this life. HE wants to prepare you for eternity to rule with HIM serving others. Everything we go through in this life trains us to know HIM better. To enjoy life with HIM in greater degrees, and prepare us for greater service of others.

We can choose to limit Jesus or allow HIM access to lead us with HIM as HE navigates us through the jungles of life. We can let HIM live in us and through us or just reside. As we allow HIM to live HIS life through us, HE accomplishes HIS macro-plans. We also achieve our micro-ones. Everything else are the small details that we deal with along the way.

Walking with HIM doesn’t eliminate the problems. But helps us focus on the solutions. We limit Jesus when we don’t allow HIM to live in us and through us. One step at a time. One day at a time. One person at a time. For HE is always with us. You especially notice when family, friends, and community surround you with HIS love and care in your darkest moments. Yes, HE is always 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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Top Ten for 2024

Dr. Mike 2024 , , ,

“…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” 1 John 1:3-4

As always, MUCH THANKS for visiting this site. Your continual support encourages me to share the love and joy of Jesus Christ via this blog. The weekly scribbling of how we integrate faith within everyday life is definitely therapy for the soul. Hopefully through these pages, you likewise find encouragement and insight to equip you in your walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.

This past year, the top ten pages with the most views were:

  1. Where is God’s Domain 
  2. Managing Body-Soul-Spirit  
  3. Don’t Lose Your Crown
  4. What is Your View of God? 
  5. Uncommon Grace
  6. What New Creation
  7. Jesus is Our Reference Point
  8. A Man’s Man – Jesus
  9. How is it with Your Soul
  10. Through Faith or By Faith

This past year, I have also taken time again to update several eBooks. We cleaned up the grammar and rolled them out via print versions. The latest, Power Up With Jesus, is a five-book collection series of earlier blogs bundled together for an easier read. So if you are looking for a devotional paperback rather than the digital eBook, you now have a choice.

As always, my primary prayer for you and your love ones is for you to truly live-out and experience the radical, blessed and grace-paced life found in the relational love of the Incarnate Triune God, and come to know HIM as HE truly IS!!!

Always remember, God Loves YOU and wants YOU to share in HIS family life. Engage HIM and experience the life HE created YOU to live and enjoy.

Always 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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The Tough Jesus

Dr. Mike 2023 , ,

1 JOHN 2:5 (EXB)

But if someone ·obeys [keeps] ·God’s teaching [L his word], then in that person ·God’s love [or love for God] has ·truly reached its goal [been fulfilled/perfected/completed]. This is how we can be sure we are ·living in God [L in him].

We all easily agree with Jesus when HE speaks about compassion, service, and justice. But what about those hard sayings?

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48) is a challenging goal. How does that compare with your standard of righteousness?

How about forgiveness? How many times are we to forgive those who hurt us? Peter thought seven times is a good standard before you put the person in your unforgiveness tent. But what did Jesus say?  “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Mt. 18:22). Now 490 times raises the forgiveness bar to an all-new time high. You might as well say indefinitely. (I don’t know any person who keeps count of such times unless they are working hard towards 491 to put the person in their personal unforgiveness prison.)

What about seeking to become great in something? Where you are #1 in your field. Looked up and praise by your fellow peers. How does Jesus expect you to achieve that goal? His disciples had similar desires. Jesus replied to them and to us with these words: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mk.9:25). His way isn’t about manipulation, power plays, and putting spin on one’s viewpoint. If you want to be a leader in your field, learn to serve those around you from a humble perspective. Be a servant and help them achieve their desires. There is no glory in being a servant, but servant-hood is God’s way of leadership.

Where does evil come from? Jesus would often repeat what makes a person good or evil comes from the heart.  “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? (Mt. 9:4).
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander (Mt. 15:19).
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45). So how does one replace the evilness found in one’s soul?  It begins with God’s Word and is strengthen through HIS Spirit. When God’s values are planted and allowed to bloom in a person’s heart, the fruit of righteousness and joy of living are expressed in everyday life.

Repentance is about changing your current worldview. When you replace your mental inputs with God’s knowledge of life, you begin to view the world from HIS perspective. You begin to better understand your potential and shortcomings. You acknowledge your need for a Savior. You gratefully surrender your soul and support the King of Kings. As you mature in the faith, you grow in grace and knowledge of your Lord. You become a servant within HIS kingdom. You learn to govern and serve others from HIS perspective. You realize the importance of living life mutually submitting yourself with others. You find life becomes more of a romantic adventure. Yes, life is hard. There are trials and sufferings. Yet, you want others to experience the awesome joy and peace you have within yourself even through these tough times. For you know all good things come from your heavenly Father. And you want everyone to know what you know about HIM, HIS Son, and HIS Spirit.

Yes Jesus comes across as tough at times. But HIS purpose is for us to reach out to HIM. To accept HIS authority in our life. To follow HIS ways. To reach out to HIM as HE as already reached out to us. For HE is the reason you live. He wants you to know your are included in HIS story. HE knows your potential. HE is preparing you for an eternal role in HIS family business: the government of God. For today HE may be tough on us. But HIS plans for you and I are greater than anything we can even imagine.   

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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