life in christ

JOBITIS

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , , , , ,

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil…this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.” JOB 1:1-3

job 2

Woe is me! You are welcome to come to my self-pity party. No one understands me. Life stinks. Why doesn’t God hear my prayers? I quit. These are words that I and many others have said someplace, somewhere, sometime in our journey through life. Especially when circumstances didn’t meet our expectations.

At times like this, I like to reread the Book of Job in the Old Testament. Theologians believe this is the first book written in the Bible. It is a story of a very successful businessman, family man, and philanthropist who ran into destructive circumstances beyond his control. God even stated that Job was blameless in his walk with Him.

Yet in a manner of days, he lost everything; all his wealth, his entire family except for his wife who even doubted him, and his physical health. His friends came to comfort him only to bombard him with religious formula’s and concepts blaming him for his downfall. Most remarkably though, through the entire ordeal he remained blameless before God. His main request through this painful trial was the desire to have a conference with God so he could debate his position. And God did grant him his request. In the end of his story, God confronted him and began to question Job. It was then that Job realized his insignificance before God, acknowledged His authority, and appreciated coming to know Him more intimately than ever before.

Being human, we all suffer at times with what I call “JOB-I-TIS.” A condition where our entire world seems to fall apart. Where we stand totally naked in mind, heart, and will before God. Where everything is beyond our capacity to manage or change. What good can come out of all this? How does one grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ? How does our relationship with the Triune God becomes more intimate?

Is it not the more challenging times when our world is collapsing that we draw closer to God? Isn’t this the moment of truth when we find out where we stand before God? If our expectations are not met, we either turn away from God and return to our own ways, or we trust God that He will bring about a better solution. It is at moments like this where we are stretched beyond our self-imposed capacity. If we hang in there long enough, we are reminded that God is doing a wonderful work in us. He is creating a new you in Christ. It isn’t easy. Yet it is highly eternally rewarding. Our reward may not come at this time or in this life (many martyrs of the faith have displayed this fact). Yet our reward now is a more intimate, growing relationship with God as a byproduct through the trials and tests that life produces. To have a mutual relationship with the Creator God is more joy than one can ever imagine. And yes, even our faith is strengthen when God pulls us through the trial through the other end.

So the next time you experience that JOBITIS condition, remember Job’s story. Yes he suffered through a painful event. Yet in the end, he came out more blessed than ever before. That is the hand of God who is always with you and for you as we walk through the trials and tests of this life.

 

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.

Let Your Work Worship God

Dr. Mike Business & Faith , , ,

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…” Hebrews 12:28 ESV

worship 1

When or where did today’s church make a distorted turn when it comes to worship? The message that we hear so often every week is to assemble for worship. It’s like the reason we assemble is to make it possible for you to worship. The implied message (though not intentionally meant) is that worship is something that is done only in church through music. Again, we are instructed to gather together and praise our Lord. This is a good thing. The problem though is when we limit worship to only a church service and music. When we do, we put God into a tiny box.

The Hebrew word used throughout the Bible for Worship is closely related and sometimes interchangeable with the word Work. If you take the time to study, you will find that the Hebrew Scriptures associate worship and work as bedfellows.

I sometimes think we in the western world conduct ourselves in Church the opposite of God’s original intentions. We generally follow the world’s systems until we discover God’s ways. Take for example the Sabbath. The Hebrews kept the seventh day as a day of rest. They worked six days and rested on the seventh day. A part of their rest was attending a local synagogue. In our post-modern Christian world, we attend a church service where we are bombarded in the opposite way. We are typically encased with a Broadway-type staged music performance that is played so loud that one cannot hear themselves sing out of key. At times it brings back memories of attending a rock concert. It makes one wonder whether or not many of us expose ourselves to strong worship/work during services and then find our peaceful rest during the remaining week. Hopefully I’m the only person who sees it that way and the majority have their act together better than I.

Meanwhile, imagine a life where your work is your worship to God. Where your motive and intentions are to glorify God. What level of quality would you display in your work for God’s glory? How would you relate with your fellow employees if your work was to glorify God? How would you tackle that difficult customer if your work was to glorify God? If you are fortunate (or unfortunate) to own the business, does your brand, service, product, and culture emulate God’s glory? If your work is your worship to God, how does that show up in your business?

Tough questions. Yet when one discovers how Christ makes everyday work and business about Him and his Kingdom, the path opens quickly and the motivation is unceasing. To worship God through all you do is the most rewarding journey this life offers. Seize it. Ride it. Enjoy the life we have in Christ as we worship Him and serve others through the work we do every day.

 

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.

Freedom

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,

“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” 2 Peter 2:19

chocolate 1

I am a reformed chocoholic. There was a time when I would eat pounds of chocolate each day simply to comfort myself through the stress of everyday life. This went on for many years until one day at a grocery checkout counter I was shocked how I couldn’t say no in the purchase of a chocolate bar. The reality sunk in that I was addicted to chocolate. I was a slave to my yearnings and desire for chocolate. I couldn’t say no. I had lost my freedom of choice. Instead of choosing whether or not I wanted chocolate, the choice was already made. I was a slave to my desire for comfort and the satisfaction that chocolate gave me. The price I paid was my freedom.

Many of you may laugh, but for a highly disciplined person (I thought) this was serious. I realized like the scripture above stated, I was enslaved to something else rather than to Christ. The problem wasn’t the chocolate. Like most things in this physical world, we use physical means to satisfy some inner spiritual hole. For me, that hole was the inability to cope with the everyday stress of work and life. Chocolate, with its built-in nutritional values seem to satisfy that inner me. Yet was there something deeper?

In analyzing the process, I realized that chocolate was the byproduct of stress caused by the challenges of work. What had to change for me to forgo my chocolate addiction? Jesus spoke about worry and stress as recorded in Scripture (Matt. 6:24-34). The bottom-line is having a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ at work. When I repented of my lack of faithfulness on the job, things began to change. I quit chocolate and discovered Spirit fruit. I learn to worry less and lean more on Him.

The more God’s Spirit empowers us, the less physical things are needed to be satisfied in this life. Today, I don’t miss the chocolate. I stay away from it because I would rather depend on Jesus. The more we lean on Christ and His finished work, the less enslaved we become to sin and outside cravings. The more He lives in us, the more freedom we have to live a fully, expressive life with the gifts and opportunities he bestows upon us. Now whenever anything comes between Him and me, it is quickly thrown away. For we now know that real freedom is experienced when we surrender our lives to the King.

 

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.