life in christ

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

turning the world 3

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.

 

Jesus, Merciful Judge

Dr. Mike Jesus Christ , , , , ,
 And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11 ESV

mercy 1

A woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Jesus. The people wanted Jesus to agree with the Law which stated that such a person should be stoned to death. Jesus refrained from speaking. Instead, he began to write on the ground. What he wrote we will not know this side of heaven. But as he wrote, each person from the eldest to the youngest ran away until no one was left to accuse the woman. Jesus likewise did not condemn the person. Instead he gave her a warning and a personal mission; freedom and encouragement to change her ways.

When I read the last several chapters of the Book of Revelation which showcases Jesus as the person who will judge us on our walk in this life, I am very thankful.  We have a judge that has proven himself to be very merciful.  And I need more mercy than most. Yet, I am also very apprehensive.  Though he lives in us, leads us, and encourages us on a daily basis, we don’t always respond to him as quickly or enthusiastically as one fully empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Each season in life, we discover another area of self that is imperfect compared to our Savior.

Yes, sin is very deceptive.  Most of our human difficulties are buried under the disguise of sin. We need food, clothing, and shelter to survive. So rather than trust our Maker with the solution and seek-out work that is beneficial for all stakeholders, we turn to crime, prostitution, or free loafing.  We want intimacy, respect, and recognition from others. So instead of having Christ fill our inner desires, we manipulate, control, and bend people toward our way of thinking and goals.

Jesus knows how strong the inner desires of an unconverted heart can become. He also knows the solution.  He allows trials and tests in this life so we may mature in virtue, godliness, and Kingdom living.  We can be thankful that He is our judge and jury. He knows our frame. He knows our inadequacies. He knows our fears and doubts. Yet He also knows what it is going to take to prepare us for eternity. To be a vessel that will glorify God and productive toward others.

We may be guilty for a ton of stuff that has enslaved us to this world. Yet Jesus showers us with his grace and opens the door for us to change and follow Him in His Kingdom. So like Paul before us, we don’t even judge ourselves (I Corinthians 4:3). We place our trust and faith in our Merciful Judge, Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How about you?

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.

Build Strengths, Compliment Weaknesses

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , , ,
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 ESV

strengths 5

Sometimes when performance doesn’t measure up to expectations, people have the tendency to focus on fixing their weaknesses rather than buildup one’s strengths.  Good coaches though help you to operate around your strengths and compliment your weaknesses.

We see this in sports. Take football as an example. We see how this year’s Cleveland Brown’s offensive coordinator has built a system around their quarterback’s strength.  The quarterback, Brian Hoyer’s strength is the mid-to-long ball arena. Therefore, the Cleveland team plays a horizontal game where Brian is constantly throwing down field rather than short routes. The short game is his weakness. The long game is his strength. Since implementing this strategy, Mr. Hoyer leads all quarterbacks in performance ratings for long throws down field. As a result, the Cleveland Brown’s are in serious contention for a playoff spot when no one gave them a chance in the beginning of the year.

The same is true in business. Almost every single successful business is built around the entrepreneur’s strengths. When the business owner starts to deviate away from their core strengths is typically when the business starts to falter. The process is usually slow because the owner is trying to save money by doing it herself.  The problem is it takes him twice as long to complete the job than someone else whose strength is a perfect match. We see this when a business is built on the sales skills of an owner. When he also tries to keep the company books he is travelling outside his area of expertise. Yes he may save a few dollars in the short term, but in the long term he is losing opportunities to sell which is how the company became successful in the first place.

This is also true in leadership. Abraham Lincoln is a good example of someone who understood this principle. When he was elected President. he surrounded himself with the best people knowledgeable in their field of specialty.  His cabinet consisted of “political enemies” and “self-seeking” businessmen.  He knew his strength was his gift of discernment and communications. Therefore, he exercised his primary strengths and complimented his weaknesses through the people around him. Most novice leaders surround themselves with like-minded people. President Lincoln was not a novice. He accepted the confrontations and egos knowing it provided him with the best support to effectively lead the country.

As disciples, we likewise need to learn to build our lives on our primary strengths. That means the foundation of Jesus Christ is firmly planted in our life. That we know His Word and follow His Spirit enthusiastically. We accept the natural gifts that God has bestowed upon us and find ways to express them for God’s glory and the sake of others. We realize our shortcomings and surround ourselves with people and boundaries that compliment us in our journey through life. As we lean on our primary Strength, the Triune God, we learn to integrate and grow God’s Kingdom through our work, family, and other pursuits.

Life in Christ is most enjoyable when our God-given strengths work together with others for advancing His plans. We experience what being fully human was originally intended when God created humankind. When God’s Spirit merges with our souls, God’s new creation becomes a reality in our world today: Build Strengths, Compliment Weaknesses. A proven principle that works!

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.