Have you ever found yourself in a discussion with a visiting minister when the question arose what you did for a living? When this happened to a friend, he instantly replied that he was a full time disciple of Jesus but moonlight (then) as a financial officer for a company to earn a living. The minister chuckled; for he knew where our friend was coming from.

As a disciple of His, we are apprentices in training. One day as revelation 12:5 states, disciples will become full time rulers and ministers in the world tomorrow. There will be no longer separation of church and state. But each person will be a statesman for God and country. Everything we do today is but only preparing us for eternity.

As we look at the various church programs in our country, the one that seems to be missing the most is a basic, fundamental approach to discipleship. We have programs for everything else but the prime reason why we are called today. John writes that it’s the Father that calls us to Jesus. It’s our Heavenly Dad that opens our mind to understand the miracle of Christ. It was Jesus that sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truth. And it was Jesus who gave us the command to make disciples of all nations. We may go out with the intention of planting and watering a church, but it is our Dad that gives the growth. We can persuade people to Christ, but unless our Heavenly Dad opens their mind to understand and the Holy Spirit enters into their life, they will eventually fade away.

Our nation doesn’t need more leaders; it doesn’t need more educated people; it doesn’t need more programs to help the poor.  What it needs is a simple, basic approach to real discipleship. Our churches need to emphasize one and only one program: real discipleship 101. Everything else will fall into place. But discipleship is preparing a person for leadership and ministry. It’s not only educating the mind, but also feeding the soul. It is not only exercising the body, but training the soul. It is emphasizing discipleship before leadership. It’s pulling discipleship first of all the priorities that a church runs on. Give me a church that makes discipleship first and you have a church that is growing in spiritual maturity. It may have only a few members, but its membership makes a larger difference in the lives of others than most churches with ten times the members.

We would rather be a disciple of Jesus than anything else that this world has to offer. Our thankfulness and appreciation goes to an Eternal God making this life possible.  He is creating a Spiritual masterpiece and has allowed us to be a part of it. Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

OUR PRAYER

Oh Heavenly Dad, thank you for life’s greatest challenge and calling. Thank you for giving us purpose and meaning to our life. Thank you for giving us all that we need to live a fruitful and fulfilling life.

Just help us always to remember our first calling. Help us to be fully committed to discipleship. Help us to be a full time student of Jesus Christ each and every day.  Let nothing come before it. Help us each day to learn something new. Help us each day to pass the tests that come our way. Help us each and every day to succeed in serving you. Help us each and every day to yield ourselves into your hands.  Everything we want and desire is with you. Help us learn from you so we can become like you.  Thank you, Jesus for being our teacher and making all this possible for us. We pray all this in your name. Amen.

Consultant & Coach for Christ-Centered
Business Owners & Executives

Dr. Mike

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

How much is enough? How much is too much? How much is not enough?  One of the strongest inner struggles we (those of us living in America) have to deal with is living in this rich country while our brothers and sisters of less developed nations are dealing with starvation, homelessness, and national strife. Yes, we live in America; where six percent of the world’s population indulge themselves with almost 40 percent of the world’s resources. Yes, we live in America; where the favorite past time is not service activities, cultural events, or family togetherness, but shopping. Not for necessity per say, but only to maintain the latest fashion, or that extra electronic device that has come out and everyone owns it except us. We are a nation with so much wealth that the majority of us have taken it for granted and have forgotten the less fortunate. Our world is a commercial Disney Land. We spend on ourselves to gratify ourselves. We indulge ourselves and accept it as normal behavior. We seek out different ways to entertain ourselves because what we did yesterday is no longer fulfilling. We may not say it but our actions speak louder than words. Money is the answer to all our problems. We believe that if only we had more, than all our problems would be gone. If only we had more, than we would be truly happy. If only we had more, than we would be contented. Oh how foolish we have become?

Wealth is great as long as you are its master and not its servant.  Many of us would like to believe we are masters of our wealth. But are we? If you truly want to know whether you are a master of your wealth, ask yourself, “Could I give it all away unconditionally and live accordingly?  Would you be at peace with yourself without the large house, ·without a  car; no economic friends, no restaurant meals, no theater. no movies, nor annual vacations? Whatever it is that you “enjoy doing” that takes money but now you no longer choose to do it, could you survive peacefully? We are not talking for a few days, months, or even years, but for the rest of your life? The sad fact is many of us being honest  with ourselves would find it very difficult.

The rich, young man during Christ’s time asked Him what is it he must do to have eternal life. He kept all the commandments from his youth. He probably even gave some of his wealth to those less fortunate. What did Christ reply to him but to give all his wealth away and come follow Him. Was Christ  against  people being wealthy? No. Was Christ statement a direct message to us that we should sell all we have and follow Him? No. But, the message is clear that we need to disown all our wealth from our inner self and surrender it to Jesus. We need to follow Jesus first. Our Master is to be God, not wealth. Our actions and behavior must agree with our priority.

Prosperity for prosperity sake is a waste of time, energy, and resources. To accumulate or buy without self-restraint is the behavior of a spoiled child. We as caring parents do not want our children to grow up being spoiled brats. Neither does our heavenly Dad. King Solomon lived a life that only a few could relate to until now in America. Today, the majority of us in this country live like “little king Solomon’s.” We have the means and capital to pursue our hearts desire. We pursue higher education. We pursue real estate holdings and business ventures. We pursue hobbies and entertainment. We pursue the other sex. We pursue, pursue, and pursue in search of meaning to life. We search everywhere but to the original Source. For the majority of us, God is an illusion figure that may exist. And because He may exist, we live our life with one foot walking with Him and the other foot walking in a capitalistic religion. Some of us even feel that capitalism is Christianity and have difficulty separating the two. For those who may have forgotten their basic economics, Capitalism is built on man’s inner selfish desire of greed and money; Christianity is built on service and Jesus. Both of them are a faith belief system. Both of them are in conflict with priorities. You cannot serve both of them. Again, you cannot serve God and Mammon. Only one can be your master.

As a disciple of His, He has shown us that real fulfillment is not found in material prosperity. But that real, meaningful fulfillment is found living a spirit filled life in Christ for the glory of God. Everything that prosperity promises is only temporary pleasure. After you have satisfied one lust or desire, another one is waiting. And they will continue to come until you have no more control over it. The way to remove that desire is to surrender your will to the real Jesus. He is the one who is alive and living in His Church today. When we surrendered our will to Him, He gave us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is developing within His Body, the Church. He opened our heart to His presence and His fruit that abides forever. He gives Gifts that money or prosperity cannot purchase. He generously shares Himself to those who surrender their will in obedience to that original Source of everything: our Heavenly Dad.

OUR PRAYER

Our Supremely Wealthy Dad, all Power, Wealth, and Success are yours! Glory and Honor and Magnificence are yours! Everything that our heart desires is yours!

We thank you that you own everything and manage everything in your supreme wisdom. Thank you for freeing us from the power of sin and giving us freedom in your Spirit.

Help us to live our freedom in you without the chains of capitalism around us. Help us to focus our service in giving and sharing your values, wisdom, and life with others without profit or reward. Let your riches overflow in our life abundantly. Let us be a blessing to others as you are a blessing to us. Create in us a heart of generosity, philanthropy, and altruism. Help us to share all that you have given us with others. Make us your outlet of giving. Bless those who use us with a blessing of time and service. Let your greatness abound in their lives as it does in ours. Let your glory shine in use, through us, and around us. Let your glory always abound. Amen.

Your Consultant & Coach for Christ-Centered
Business Owners & Executives

Dr. Mike

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God