life in christ

Boasting

Dr. Mike Life in Christ , ,
“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV

boast 2

Like Jeremiah before him, the apostle Paul boasted not in his accomplishments, achievements, or personal attributes. Instead he boasted in Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 1:31). He even wrote in chapter 13 that boasting is one of the attributes not consider an act of love.

In 2nd Corinthians 11:30, Paul writes that if he must boast about himself, he will boast about his weaknesses. For as he explains in 2 Corinthians 12:9, he will gladly boast about his weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon him.

If you see a person who loves to boast about himself, you can quickly identify who is his god. Whenever a person bows down before himself, he places himself as a godhead. History proves how dangerous such a person may become. Eventually, (s)he may learn when the end of this life comes that self delusional human gods also come to an end. Meanwhile, many a person will have suffered in the hands of a boastful fool. For only a person void of the Spirit boasts about himself (Jude 1:16,19).

There is only one God. Worship Him. For without Him, we are only dead men walking. Like Jude writes, focus on your relationship with Jesus Christ. Boast about Him. He will present you blameless before him with great joy. Let humility cloth you. Let Jesus praise you.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
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

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Stop It!

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , , , ,
“O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent.” Jeremiah 5:3 ESV.

stop it 2

Click Here To Watch Video

Mr. Bob Newhart is a standup comedian and actor noted for his deadpan delivery. One memorable,  humorous routine involved him playing a psychologist providing services for $5 a session. His one-line response after listening to the patient’s problem was always the same: “stop it.” No matter the problem, the solution was simply for you to stop doing it. A simple reply that in many ways is funny because we humans like to make our personal problems seem larger and more difficult than the challenges of others.

Yet Bob Newhart’s response is actually the best advice we can implement. (This of course does not apply to conditions caused by physical or mental structural damages.) When the problem is caused by harmful behavioral or attitudinal responses, something needs to change. As long as we continue to respond in the same routine fashion, how do we realistically expect the results to be any different?

The challenging circumstances we face each day is the opportunity to lean more on the Triune God. As we lean more on God, we witness his grace in action. The process slowly changes our heart as we develop a trust walk with the Almighty. This change of heart the Bible denotes as repentance. It is changing how we think and respond to the world around us. Instead of centering the pain on our shoulders, or throwing the pain in the face of others, we learn to give the pain over to Jesus who helps carry us through the ordeal via the Holy Spirit.

So the next time to find yourself experiencing a negative outcome, review the process that got you there, and ask God for the strength to change it. In other words, stop responding in your old way and ask God to show you how you can respond differently. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him for more love and patience. Ask Him for whatever you need. Like a caring Father, He will gladly provide you with the help you need. Otherwise, if you don’t change, who are you going to become?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
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

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

A Blessed Life

Dr. Mike Life in Christ ,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”…Ephesians 1:3 ESV

blessed 1

Whenever you hear or read the word blessed, how do you understand it?

Some like to think it means happy. Others think it means prosperous. Than others think it means holy. But how does Jesus define it?

For starters, the Greek word translated into the English “blessed” is “makarios.” The word means more than just happy or blissful. It literally means to have a self-contained happiness.
As a believer, a child of God, and a physical temple for the Holy Spirit who resides in us, it takes on more meaning than many people realize.

To be blessed is to be covered by the divine, unmerited grace of God.

Blessed is a state of being. A condition of eternal bliss. A mind and heart that experiences the fruit of God’s revelation and divine nature. One doesn’t work or earn to taste the blessed life. One simply yields in God’s presence and allow Him to express Himself through you.

The blessed life is acting and believing in a state of surrender to King Jesus. It seeks actions and behavior that are godlike. Why? Because to walk with God who lives in you, one needs to practice mutually submittal with each other. As we submit to God’s divine character, He openly shares His attributes with us. The two of us learn to walk together. He is the master; we are the student.

The blessed life is God bestowing upon us His divine unmerited favor. He showers us with His riches. He places His love, joy, and peace within us. He tests us. He challenges us. He renews us. We walk with confidence in Him because of the trust he has built with us over the years.

The blessed life is not about me. What I do or not do. The blessed life is what He does. He showers us with His riches. At the end of day, one enjoys His presence more than His gifts. When one comes to intimately know Him, than one comes to the place where one truly appreciates and lives a blessed life.

So if you want to experience the blessed life, simply let God’s Spirit fully express himself in you!

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
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

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!