Even in Silence Our Walk Is Loud

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If you are like most responsible parents, you find yourself providing advice, teaching about life, and answering questions whenever you are with your children.  Sometimes, or some children would say most of the time, when you get started it’s hard for you to keep it short and to the point.  Most children remind us that we are not preaching a sermon but only answering a simple question.

If you are like most parents, you’ve made your share of mistakes and want to prevent your children from making the same, if at all possible.  Of course, like most young people, they take what they hear and assimilate it with what they see. They will focus on people who walk the talk.  Like most of our youngsters, they are aware that there is a lot of people who talk a good story but their actions reveal their true intentions.

Like most responsible parents, we probably try to walk the talk.  Sometimes though, we spend more time talking then walking.  Other times, we simply walk.  Whether we are talking or walking, we’ve come to realize that we are being observed, studied, and scrutinized.  Yet, with nothing to hide, our glass house is always open with our character being watched by family, friends, and co-workers every single day.

One characteristic being observed is our faith.  It is a faith that doesn’t know how to shut up showcasing itself through actions every day and every week.  A faith that whispers between friends and shouts among neighbors; a faith shining brightly on some days but cloudy on others.  A faith revealed in a simple life; a faith capable of moving mountains, but settles for picking up stones; a faith yearning to hear the word, live the word, and preach the word.  A faith that shouts even in silence – it would speak through the pores of our skin if we didn’t have a mouth.  A faith built on the foundation of Jesus, the universal Church, His word, and the Holy Spirit.  A bold faith built with human limitations.  Who needs to talk when faith is speaking?

Yet, God created us with the ability to speak., to communicate our feelings, emotions, understandings, and thoughts.  We are able to share our faith with each other; to encourage and buildup each other in the faith.  We are disciples learning to live the faith, preach the faith, teach the faith, and buildup the faith.  Even if we were incapable of communicating with the word, our actions would shout the faith of our Lord and Savior.  He is living His life in us.  He is our faith.

OUR PRAYER

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Our Faithful Dad, how your silence deafen us.  When we pray and don’t receive immediate answers, we only wait with greater patience.  When we seek and do not find, we only search deeper.  When we knock and you do not answer, we just keep ringing the bell.

You are always with us and that we know.  But at times we feel alone.  Then we pray and recall all the times you have intervened on our behalf.  Thank you.  Then we recall all the former answers to our prayers.  Thank you.  Then we think of all the ways you are capable of answering our requests.  Thank you.

You don’t need to speak. We see your answers all around us.  Thank you.  We see you in Jesus.  Thank you.  We hear you in our mind ears after we read your Book.  Thank you.  We feel you in our heart after we have communed together through prayer.  Thank you.  You are ever with us. before us, behind us, in us and around us.  Everywhere we go you are there.  We thank you Jesus for intervening in our prayer.  We shall seek expectantly.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

What is Your Commitment Level?

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What other pragmatic choices are there that make more sense?  If eternity is a one out of one hundred chance probability, would you still hang in there?  Everything in this life is temporary.  You came into the world naked and you might as well leave naked because you can’t take anything with you.  Is there a better life with a greater promise?  As his disciple, we put our faith in the man who claims He is God.  If He isn’t God, then He put on the greatest acting performance of any person who ever lived.  It would be the greatest lie of all history.  But, He made it possible to prove He is who He said He is.  Where else is there to go’?

Martin Luther King, Jr. made the statement once that if you haven’t found something worth dying for than you haven’t found something worth living for.  If being a disciple is only for outward appearance, than you might as well give up now. If being a disciple is only to keep peace in the house, than you might as well give up now.  If being a disciple is only a socially cultural acceptable position of life, than you might as well give up today.  Why?  Because you are not going to practice the discipline it takes to finish the race.

It takes character to keep Christ the center of one’s life.  What gain is it to run only 95 yards of a 100-yard race?  What gain is it to play only one inning of a nine-inning baseball game?  What gain is it to read only two-thirds through a mystery book and never finish it?  Why even begin a project if you don’t plan to finish it?

As a disciple of His, we have started a journey along a path with many choices.  The road is narrow at times.  The environment is difficult.  But the rewards are monetarily priceless.  After you have tasted the joy of living in the spirit-filled life, what else is there? Everything else seems cheap in comparison.  Everything else is either artificial or empty of substance.  It is only living in harmony with our Creator that we experience the inner life of real godliness.  We are not speaking of an outward appearance of godliness that many people could easily duplicate its behavior for a time.  But an inner joy, peace, and love that comes from the Creator in the presence of the Holy Spirit that lives in you.

It is this life that lives in you no matter what the outer world is experiencing.  This is what Paul spoke about when his world was being torn apart yet he found joy living.  This is the same spirit that is found in many Christ-followers today who may be physically challenged, or confronting cancer, or financial hardship, yet they are internally at peace.  It is not something they do, but it is a Special Spirit living in them.  To give up all that Christ makes available just doesn’t make sense.

Everything Christ makes available to us is what mankind seeks daily in their pursuit of vanity.  The only difference is He gives us this gift now and the rest of mankind is working to earn it.  Mankind wants peace, but doesn’t know how to attain it.  Mankind wants love in their life, but doesn’t know how to attain it.  Mankind wants joy in their life, hut doesn’t know where to find it.  Jesus has made it all possible for every single person to have everything mankind has been seeking since the beginning of dawn.  Why give up something so precious and valuable?  Let’s realize what we really have in our possession and live our life enjoying salvation accordingly as His Disciple.

OUR PRAYER

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Our Faithful Dad, your ways are the joys in our life.  Help us to live fully for you.  Help us to start with enthusiasm and finish with greater enthusiasm in everything we do for you.  Let nothing come between us.

Help us to keep  focused on what is always important each and every day.  Let each day begin and end with you.  Let everything sandwiched in between be lived with your approval.  Let us be true to you and honest with self in our pursuit of your kingdom.  Let your glory live in us forever!  Thank you Jesus.  Amen.

Yours In Christ,

Dr. Mike

Coach, Consultant, and Encourager

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

 

In Pursuit of Spiritual Excellence

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Have you ever noticed how most people would like to experience the thrill of excellence without paying the personal price? Yes, if the price is money that we possess, than there is no problem. However, if the price is personal sacrifice, than we put reins on ourselves. It amaze us how some people dedicate their life for a political cause, or even a personal hobby with such intensity that nothing but the best outcome matters. Yet, when it comes to following Christ, they are satisfied with unfruitful results.

Paul described this way of life as a spiritual, Olympic race that we should all run seeking the prize. Again, he describes this life as warfare that we should pursue with only victory in mind. We don’t know about you, but this kid knows that when it comes to running with the intention of winning takes sacrifice, time, and intense focus. It doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes regular practice. It takes training in every area of the total person. It takes disciplining the mind, the body, proper eating, rest, and the list goes on. It just doesn’t happen.

One has to wonder if most people are satisfied with mediocrity in their spiritual walk because they don’t know what spiritual excellence looks like. Or maybe they believe one could never be like the saints we read about or hear about? Or maybe, they believe it takes some personal, innate abilities rather than the power of God to change them. Whatever the reason, now is the time to change and accept nothing else but the best. If we are a disciple of His, don’t we want to be the best in Christ eyes?

How many of His children have been lied to over the ages and have grown up believing lies to be true? In our society, we are bombarded with so many lies that we develop a defensive wall to protect us from the poison darts that are thrown our way. As children, we accept everything as the truth. But as we grow up, we discover that our parents have lied to us. Our teachers have lied to us, our coaches have lied to us, our political leaders have lied to us, our bosses have lied to us, advertisers have lied to us, and the list is as long as you want to make it. The point is even our church leaders have lied to us.

We have been deceived to accept mediocrity as the high standard of faith. Because the majority of church members are spiritual powerless, biblically ignorant, and culturally influenced, we accept that as the standard of faith. We believe that the people of the Bible are the example of the few and most of us will never attain such a spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Dad, so we don’t even try. We are a people who have lost, or maybe never even caught, the vision of the Kingdom.

Have you ever noticed a struggling student discover a worthwhile goal in life to pursue? All of a sudden he is more able to see how the pursuit of excellence in his studies will help him accomplish his plans. The level of motivation jumps to the top of the chart. Nothing seems to matter anymore but the attainment of his goal. Everything he does is a part of that passion. He becomes enthusiastic. He becomes purposeful. He becomes contagious. He is not satisfied with just getting by any longer. Now he wants to know everything there is to know. He wants to be in the center of it all. And in the process, he soon begins to excel in everything he pursues. Life has meaning and purpose.

Likewise, when a disciple discovers the Triune God’s plan and how he is a part of that plan, his motivation grows. With the best Teacher and the best Coach in the entire universe working with him to prepare for the accomplishment of that plan, life takes on a new purpose and meaning. The everyday frustrations that trap most people are nothing more but building blocks towards the attainment of the goal in our life.  We no longer accept other people’s standards of spiritual success. Our standard is Jesus Christ. Our goal is the Kingdom of God. Our passion is to be the best for the glory of God. We want all people to succeed. We want all people to have a deep, personal relationship with our Creator Dad. We will only settle for second best if our Heavenly Dad desires it. Otherwise, we are running the race for the prize.  We are fighting the war to win. We will give it our all because Jesus gave it His all.

OUR PRAYER

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Our Great, Awesome, Wonderful Dad, Help us to capture your vision and plan for mankind. Motivate us to pursue with a passion the goals you believe are ours to attain. Let nothing prevent us from living this life in full glory of you. Let us be and do our best for you.  Thank you Jesus. Amen.