Kingdom of God

Turning The World Upside Down

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , ,
“This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” Acts 17:3-7 ESV

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Have you ever noticed that to become truly successful in today’s world, there are many times you have to go opposite of the norm? One eventually learns that success measured by worldly standards enslaves one to passions that are self-defeating. Real, long-lasting success however, produces freedom, flourishing, and virtuous growth for the self and others. For many people without a Triune God worldview, the Christ-centered life is simply the opposite of how they have been educated through the world’s systems. Therefore, when the world looks at Kingdom living, they focus on what they are going to personally lose rather than what they and others will gain.

The world’s educational, governmental, judicial, commercial, and scientific institutions are generally built upon humanistic principles. To espouse that Jesus is King of all these entities would be ludicrous in the eyes of many of its leaders. Yet, the early church didn’t mince words. They stated profusely that Jesus is King. Not just King of heaven, or the Jews, but King of all the heavens and earth! A bold statement then and still a bold statement today.

When one acknowledges that Jesus is King, one’s world begins to turn upside down. However, overtime one realizes that what is truly upside down is today’s world. That the Messiah came to restore humanity onto a path that eventually will birth universally upon the whole earth at the consummation of all things. Today his children are gaining experiences and knowledge of what it means to live the abundant life in Christ. We capture a glimpse of the vision and a small taste of Kingdom living now.

Yes in the eyes of others who may not truly realize their homeland, priest, and king is Jesus, the Christ-follower is someone who is strange. Yet in the eyes of God, who gives Christ-followers His Spirit to transform us, His domain to encircle us, and His faithfulness to encourage us, we are His living examples. We demonstrate and witness to others what it means to live under Kingdom freedom, Kingdom economics, and Kingdom growth.

So if you think we are turning the world upside down, think again. Could it be we are just following Christ as He turns the world right-side up?

 

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
* Great Business Emulates a Good God
* Be Radical…Follow Christ!
* Simply The Messenger
* Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.

 

Who Are You?

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , , , ,

“…you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:6-7 (ESV)

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Whenever we meet someone new, the conversation eventually reaches the question, “what do you do?” Typically the reply is the job we have or the number #1 responsibility currently in our life like being a full time mom or a volunteer for a nonprofit. From this reply we quickly summarize a person’s identity and whether or not we have something in common to discuss. Yet what we do and who we are may not fit into the standard cultural box of the time. That sometimes leads to an awkward conversation with the new person in our world.

One of the challenges that many people face travelling through time and space is separating the roles in their life from their identity. We typically see this with people who identify themselves though their roles. If they have a great day at work, they feel good about themselves. If they have a bad day at work, they feel less worthy. If the current fad is to be a celebrity or entrepreneur , they will pursue it as the answer for their life. The struggle is realizing that the roles we choose will only temporarily fill our identity cup but will never sustain it.

One of life’s big questions is to answer “who am I?” What are my strengths, weaknesses? What is my purpose in life? Where do I fit in this world? The answer, as you may already be aware, is Jesus Christ. He is life’s reason. He is the central character of the Bible. All of life is built around Him. When we come to that realization, than and only then, will we discover our identity.

We will realize that He is the beginning of a new creation; a creation that includes you. You have an identity that is permanently engraved in heaven and in your heart through the Holy Spirit. No role can match it. Nothing in this world will complete you and fulfill you like He will.

Whatever role you may pursue is simply something you do, not who you are. In your role you can learn new skills and improve your performance. Who you are is not measured by performance, but by the grace of God. Who you be is expressed by who you follow and serve.

Performances may measure outcome, but grace identifies the heart. Both are needed to survive in today’s world. Yet, who you be will always survive your roles. Your role as a husband, wife, father, mother, executive, teacher, scientist, musician, athlete, actor, or whatever, will come to an end. However, who you are and be, will continue into eternity. God is more concern of who you are than the role you perform. His purpose is to prepare you for eternity, not necessarily for you to climb the corporate ladder, win the super bowl, or marry your childhood sweetheart.

Let’s not confuse our roles in life with our identity. It only leads to more frustration and heartache. However, when you accept and live life in Christ nothing will take away your identity. You are already included in the work Christ has accomplished. Therefore, enjoy your life in Christ and be thankful for the various roles you are able to perform for the glory of God.

 

Remember, we are always rooting for you!

 

Yours in Christ,

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
* Great Business Emulates a Good God
* Be Radical…Follow Christ!
* Simply The Messenger
* Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.

 

 

Jesus is King

Dr. Mike Jesus Christ , , , , , ,

“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Revelations 17:14.

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The theme of the first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, is about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. When you read each book through its entirety, you quickly realize that the four gospel accounts emphasize Jesus’ triumphant victory over Satan, sin, and death. The story is about God becoming man and being crowned King of Heaven and Earth.

From the angel Gabriel’s visitation to Mary (Luke 1:32-33) and announcing that she was going to give birth to Jesus who was to become the King of all Israel forever, to the shepherds (Luke 2:11) and Magi (Matt. 2:2) at his birth who came to witness and worship the Messiah and King, Jesus’ birth, life, and death highlights his office as King, Messiah, and Lord.

Through the Epistles and ending in the Book of Revelations, we are also reminded that Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings. He is King over all the earth and heaven.

I write this as a reminder. Like the parable that Jesus gave about the King coming and then leaving stewards to run his operations while he is temporarily away (Luke 19:11), we need to realize the same. The Kingdom of God is operating in today’s world. It is being managed by stewards appointed through the Holy Spirit. Those who recognize Jesus as the King of the earth live under His domain. Whether in business, government, education, or family affairs, His Kingdom is actively alive through his universal Church. Yes, there is conflict between His Kingdom and the kingdoms of this world. With dual citizenship between heaven and earth, many of us learn to take advantage of both domains. As subjects to the King, we have the freedom to choose whether we continue to serve our King first and foremost, or rebel and sell our soul to the dark side. Whenever the world’s government conforms to our Lord’s Kingdom, we faithfully serve accordingly. Whenever the world’s government rebels against our King’s mandate, we pray and seek solutions that will glorify our King.

Many of us in this county don’t understand the authority of a King. We place our individual rights based on law. However, when one realizes that a King is the law, then one learns about healthy fear. Thankfully, we serve a King who has proven himself through life and has a heart that properly balances justice with mercy.

I am thankful to serve Jesus Christ as my King. How about you?

 

We are also rooting for you!

 

Yours in Christ,

Dr. Mike

Executive Chair, Consultant, Encourager
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
* Great Business Emulates a Good God
* Be Radical…Follow Christ!
* Simply The Messenger
* Unequally Married

Learn. Integrate. Grow.