Jesus Christ

Being Aware of Our Need for Jesus Christ

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , , , , ,

There are two categories that we can place everyone on the planet into: those who are aware of their need for Jesus Christ and those who are not aware of their need for Jesus Christ.  For many of us who have already made a rational decision to follow Jesus, we likewise may fall into either camp. For those who haven’t yet made a decision for Christ, you may also fall into either camp. For what separates a person from one camp or the other isn’t a “decision” but living a life that is solely “aware of our need” for Jesus Christ 24/7.

What do I mean by being aware of our need? And why Jesus Christ?

Most people view Christianity from the outside-in without any knowledge of its roots, core, or vision. They simply disavow its importance in their life. They are typically satisfied with their lot in life and feel they need nothing. They are like the people described in the Book of Revelations, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,”(Rev 3:17). They typically believe themselves to be self-sufficient and believe they have everything under control.  For those raised in a “Christian culture” their battle is simply being overly familiar with Christianity or maybe having a poor demonstration of an actual, practical living example of how the disciple truly lives. Whatever the situation, the real answer typically arises only when we are confronted with a personal problem that requires a “miracle.” That miracle many times leads us to become more fully aware of our need for Jesus Christ.

Typically only when a person comes to the end of themselves are they open to start seeking answers to life’s Big Bang questions. For some it may be survival (ever became lost at sea in the middle of a storm?); for others it may be financial loss (bank accounts empty and no source of income); for others it may be health issues ( cancer before age thirty typically starts one to ask questions of life); the death of a love one (facing mortality raises many questions); or a breakup of a close, meaningful relationship ( divorce or a trusted friend robbing you of your emotional investment). Somewhere life’s unpleasant, broken events stop us to ask those important questions: Is there a God? Who are you God? What do you want from me? Is this all that there is? What is the purpose of life? We begin to ask these questions as we realize that there is a hole within our inner being that needs to be satisfied and there seems to be nothing that we have found on this planet that fulfills it. Or we realize that life is much bigger than ourselves and we cannot control every facet of it. Could it be possible that we were designed to have our inner cup filled through a meaningful relationship with the Creator? Is it possible that we were designed not to control life’s situation but to participate in life with the one who is in Control?

Why Jesus Christ?

Like many writers, authors, marketplace leaders, husbands, fathers, and brothers before me, Jesus Christ and His gospel logically explains life’s most important questions. The answers are not always what we want to hear, but they are answers that explain history and reveal God’s purpose. Though many of the details are still a blank page, the overall plan and spiritual fruit demonstrates its authenticity in the home, marketplace, and community – when allowed to flourish.

When one studies the life of Jesus Christ and His message, one either accepts His claim or denies it. There is no middle ground. Either Jesus is the divine being who help create the universe, chose himself to become human, died and was resurrected to fulfill scripture, and plans on returning as King of Kings, or he is either a liar or a lunatic as C.S. Lewis explained.  Either He is the mediator between heaven and earth, the one person both the Old and New Testaments point too, and the core reason why everything was created, ordered, and glorified for His namesake, or again, he is either a liar or a lunatic.  When one realizes who He is, one cannot accept anything less but realize how far we fall short of his Magnificence and acknowledge His authority, reign, and purpose in our lives. With the Holy Spirit given to us as assurance, we grow and become a trusted believer that eventually acknowledges that Jesus Christ is neither a liar nor a lunatic. He is who He claims to Be.

How aware are you of your need for Jesus Christ in your life?

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 4

Magnificence Father, Son, and Spirit: thank you for revealing yourself to us through your Word and via your Spirit. Help us to become totally aware of our need for you. Help us to live our life resting in you. Help us to live our life glorifying you. Help us to live our life witnesses to others about you. You are with me each and every day. Help us live this life faithfully for you and totally aware of our need for you. You are our savior, king, teacher, brother, hero, and friend.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Consultant, Coach, Encourager
Author of Great Business Emulates A Good God

If You Are Seeking a Devotional Study, Check Out My New Book Be Radical…Follow Christ.

Who Do You Trust?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , , ,

Trust is built within relationships. Without relationships, trust wouldn’t matter. Trust is important because it brings two or more parties together toward a mutual destination.
If you ever been on a team, or served in the armed forces, than you know the importance of building trust among others. If you are in a serious relationship, husband/wife, parent/child, or employer/employee, than you also have tasted the fruit of trust. The fruit may have tasted sour or spoiled at times, yet in between we have also tasted the sweetness of a trustful relationship. Most likely there is or was one person in your life that allowed you to experience the savory joy of trusting another. However, during that time there were probably many others that caused you to distrust and keep others at an arm’s distance away from the heart.
For most of us, learning to trust our Triune God is a time investment that requires commitment and obedience without focusing on immediate results. The Book of Hebrews (Chpt. 11) summarizes many people of the faith journey who held on in trust of God without receiving a reward in this bodily life. In fact, many of them lost everything including their life in a hideous manner. Yet they trusted God to the very end.
When someone asks me today how do I measure success in this life, my reply is one word: Trust. Real success is not how much toys one accumulates in this life; it is not how famous or important one becomes in the eye of others; it is not experiencing life’s good things like a blessed marriage, career, or meaningful relationships. At the end of our life, Jesus is going to review our relationship with Him. Our life is either going to exemplify trust in our self or in Him. He is simply going to evaluate through the trails, tests, and moments of truth how much we trusted Him, sought Him, and followed Him. He will accordingly reward us. He is also going to measure how well we submitted to the Holy Spirit’s lead in our life, and likewise reward us. Yes we are saved by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. However, the Bible also teaches that we are rewarded by how much we maturely grow in our daily interaction with each other and with Christ.
So the next time someone asks you how do you measure success in life, let your answer always humbly remain the same: Trust in Jesus Christ.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 8

Our Heavenly Father, Son, and Spirit: thank you for committing yourself to our redemption. Help us to partner with you in following you in your work and in your plan to restore creation back to your original intent. Help us in our vain attempt to trust you. Shower upon us your steadfast love so we may experience and build a deep, trusting relationship with you. Help us to invest the day with you in everything we do. From arising, breakfast, commuting, work, lunch, gym, school, dinner, and playtime, help me to live in your presence and look for what you are doing in our little world.
Help us to help others in learning to trust you in everything we do. Amen. Amen.

How Do Idols Hurt You?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , , , ,

When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses He gave specific instructions that would benefit humanity. One of those instructions was to refrain from worshiping idols; or as the Bible emphatically states “You shall have no other gods before me”[Deuteronomy 5:6-8].

Now some of us may think that God is a jealous Being who does not tolerate us worshiping someone more than Him. Some may look at that commandment from a religious aspect which means it is what I have to do to receive blessings from God. Others may look at it strictly from an obedience view which emphasizes we only do it without contemplating the impact toward others. We even search the Bible which demonstrates what happens to a people when these instructions are ignored. In other circles, God is believed to be an ego centrist Being that wants total domination over His creation along with total adherence to all the rules so He may better control us.

The plain truth of the matter is that God realizes if we don’t have a direct relationship with Him, we are then living and pursuing a lie that eventually hurts ourselves and the people around us. Instead of dealing with reality, idols drown us to live in a fantasy that will boomerang and hit us on the side of the head when we least expect it. Typically, it is a false, short term substitute.

For the record, idols are basically anything that comes between you and God. It is what we believe we want now and cannot wait for God’s timetable. It becomes our main focus, drive, and passion that we worship and adore it instead of the living God. Typically it is the false illusion of temporary satisfying our inner desires. It is something that has a hold of our heart and doesn’t allow the Triune God to lead the way. The end result leads to treading outside of His Will. When we live outside of His Will, we are on our own. Yes it may work out for the short term; and yes you may even blossom from it for the short term. But eventually the sour taste of sin and godliness will emerge. The outcome will not be as fully rich and abundant for all stakeholders as you initially thought.

Many of us eventually learn that idols are a poor substitution for the Triune God. We come to the place that the more we seek to walk with the real God, the stronger our faith becomes and the less we need idols in our life to provide the temporary pleasures and escapes that we seek. We become like the Thessalonians that Paul writes about in Chapter 1:9 “… and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Like these Thessalonians, when one places the true God as the center and priority in everything we do, idols lose their luster and sway. The sooner one learns which idols are hurting the self, the sooner one discovers the intimate and enriching personal relationship one has with the Triune God.

So, what idols are preventing you from walking in step with the Spirit? What are you going to do about it?

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 8

Holy Father, Holy Lord, and Holy Spirit: Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Thank you for pursuing us until we caught you. Thank you for opening our minds to understand the riches of your ways. Thank you for everything you do.

Help us to always aim our heart, mind, body, and soul toward you, your church, and your Kingdom. Help us to identify the idols in our lives and eradicate them out of our life. If possible, help us simply to place you ahead of our gods and submit our gods into your hands for your cleansing. You know what brings joy into our life. Bless us with your favor. Bless us for your name’s sake.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Consultant, Coach, Encourager
Author of Great Business Emulates A Good God

If You Are Seeking a Devotional Study, Check Out My New Book Be Radical…Follow Christ.