life in christ

What is the Message of Jesus? (a belated reprint)

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , ,

KINGDOM 5

Preach what?  Whom?  How?  Where?  When?  Why?  Many of us struggle with the commercial culture of Christmas with the message of Jesus Christ.  A time when the world is reminded that God visited earth as a human with the distinct mission of sacrificing Himself and adopting all people everywhere so they may have the opportunity to live eternally without pain with the Creator.  A time that reminds us that earth’s King came and lived a life meandering with people of all types while teaching us about the government of God.  A time that reveals to us how the love of God is expressed in human form.

Also at this time there is great conflict with the commercialism of the season: a greater focus on gifts than on the Man; when we decorate our homes with festive lights and green leaves; a time when we celebrate everything but the real meaning of His message.  Countries break one day from war in the name of peace in honor of our King, but resume the killing for the rest of the year.  Somewhere, someplace, somehow, the Truth doesn’t equal reality.

Living in America you would think that everyone has heard about the gospel of Jesus.  Wrong.  We have heard something about Jesus, but have we really grasped the significance of His life.  Who He is?  What He accomplished?  What His plans include?  How we all fit in?  We find discussions with people who were raised Christian yet understand very little of the message of Jesus.  They repeat those cute bedtime stories that they were told as children, yet when it comes to integrating the stories, teachings, principles, commandments, and life of Jesus into a lifestyle of everyday living and relating with a living God, they look at us as some type of religious freak.

To live life with a passion and infatuation of God is unreal with most people.  To desire a living, loving, legacy with our Creator and Eternal Dad seems ridiculous with most people.  Yet, when people begin to see real disciples in action, they realize there is something different about that person.  There is a spirit of love, joy, and peace within that person no matter what the circumstances are in their life.  The person’s outlook and attitude in positive living reinforces the message of Jesus that the Kingdom of God now exists among people who are now called to be a part of the universal church of the living God.  Who has an ear to hear, let him hear.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 9

Our Heavenly Dad, how thankful we are that your graciousness and mercy has touched our life.  Everything we enjoy, partake, and experience is only because of your awesome plan of salvation and redemption.

Help us Great God to live the life of Christ. Help us to share His message with those who are hurting, those who are without real freedom, and those who are searching for real meaning and purpose for life.  Help us to live the life of Christ.

Help us to live as you have initially created life to be lived.  Let us experience the real joy, love, and peace that abides with you.  Leave nothing out from our relationship.  Help us to be true to you and you to us.  Let your kingdom dominate our life.  Let Jesus be our focus in everything we do.  For it is in Jesus name we make this request. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

We Are More Than His Student

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , , ,

Disciple 101

We have been purchased by the blood of Christ.  When we heard our Father’s calling and acknowledged Jesus as our Savior, we became one with Him.  We are now adopted children of God and brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus.  Jesus is our King and we are His royal citizens.  Jesus is our Teacher and we are His students.  Jesus is our Savior and we are His saints.  Jesus is our High Priest and we are His priesthood.  Jesus is our Friend and we are His.

Scripture reveals that it’s the Father who calls us to Jesus, after which, Jesus accepts us into the Family and promises to complete the task at hand.  That task is to prepare us for eternity.  It is Jesus who sent us the Holy Spirit into our lives.  It is Jesus who has made every eternal gift possible for us.  It is Jesus who sacrificed His life for us.

Jesus is our good shepherd.  He is not in the business for profit.  Instead, He is leading us because He cares.  Like the parable of the lost sheep, if one of us strays from the fold, He will go looking for its return.  In our current culture, we would do the opposite.  We would sacrifice the one for the sake of the majority, but not Jesus.

Jesus stated that His own hear His Word and respond to Him.  For those of us that slide into complacency, or lukewarmness as described in the Book of Revelation, He is knocking at our door.  He promised not to leave us but always be with us until the end of the age.  He cares for each and every single one of us.

We, like Paul, are bondservants of Jesus: a very high calling in the kingdom of God.  As a bondservant, we acknowledge Jesus is our Master.  We acknowledge His rulership and authority in our life.

We likewise accept His involvement in our life.  In exchange, we realize that our life is in very good hands.  We have a Boss that rules the universe.  Our Boss owns everything.  Our Boss is Boss of All.  What better opportunity or position could a person seek?  As His servant, we gladly follow His instructions and commands with the work that He gives us to do.  We may not be faithful all the time, but He is always faithful.  We may require discipline at times, so He is faithful and will discipline us for our good.  He cares for us.  We gladly accept Jesus as our Lord, Savior, Teacher, and Friend.  We are overjoyed that He accepts us as one of His own.  We can’t think of a better family we would rather belong with than the children of God.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 4

Almighty Dad, thank you for leading us to Jesus.  Thank you for bringing Him into our life.  Thank you for opening our mind to hear and understand your calling and purpose in life.  Thank you for reconciling us to you through Jesus.

Help us always to walk with you.  Help us to have a close relationship with you.  Help us to know you, to learn from you, and to become like you.

Thank you for the opportunity to live life with you each and every day.  Help us always to be true to you and to our self.  Cleanse us from our sinful thoughts and actions.  Make our heart pure.  Let your Holiness abide in us forever.  Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

 

The Answer Always Comes Back to Jesus

Dr. Mike Journey in Christ , , , , , , , , ,

jesus answer 3

The last command Jesus gave to His disciples prior to His ascension was to go and make disciples of all nations. How?  By baptizing them into the God Family and teaching them to obey His commandments. As a disciple of His in the twenty-first century, we have the same mission.  (You would think that after all these years we would have it figured out) Likewise, He assured us that He is always with us even until His physical return at the end of this age. Therefore, our instructions and mission is simple to go and do the same.

The question of course is how do we best perform this task? We may feel that a full time minister called to pastor a local congregation has an easier job of fulfilling this function than us who have to work a “real job” to support our livelihood. Or the full time missionary in Africa or India has a better opportunity than ourselves. The truth is we have our own small world where we make a influential difference for the kingdom of God. And it is in our personal world that we best fulfill our mission. We do not necessary have to switch careers or neighborhoods. We only have to open our eyes and ask our Lord to lead us to where the harvest is ready for labors.

We believe that the United States of America is in great need of missionary work. Though many people state a belief in God, how many lives truly have produced a transformed life that walking with God generates? As Americans, we may say we trust in God on our dollar bills, but our actions put more trust in our capitalistic and democratic system than a living God. Even the simple Truths of the Bible are misunderstood or disagreed among the majority of Christians. We have become a nation providing lip service to our Lord and a love service to our desires. We of all people on the planet earth should be most humbled and thankful for the blessing we receive for living in this great country. But are we?

Many of us grew up thinking that is was not our responsibility to make disciples of others. It was the “church” responsibility, not ours. Since then, many of us have repented and are awkwardly learning to express the love, life, and teachings of Jesus to anyone who has a moment to listen in need. Sooner or later, we all come to realize our need for a Savior, a Lord, a Teacher, and a Friend. Sooner or later, we all come to the place where we understand that the Answer is the living Jesus Christ. It’s only a question of time.

OUR PRAYER

PRAY 4

Our Gracious Dad, thank you for giving us Jesus, your Son. Thank you for giving us Jesus, the Word. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Savior. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Lord. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Teacher. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Friend.

It is in Jesus that you have come alive in our life. Through His life on earth, we have come to know more of what you are like. You have revealed yourself through Him. You have answered all of life’s important questions through Him. Help us always be ready with an answer when others ask. Help us always be a faithful ambassador of your Kingdom with others. Help us always point people to Christ so they may come to know you. You have given everything to Jesus. We thank you.

Help us to share all that we have come to know and learn with others. Help us to share you with others.  Let others also share you with us.  Thank you Jesus as we pray in your name. Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God