new creation

Renewal

Dr. Mike 2021, Kingdom Paradigms, Shaped By The WORD , , ,

Titus 3:5

…he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Yes, when you allow the Holy Spirit full access into your inner chamber of your thoughts, values, and possessions, only then real transparent, quality living begins.

And this new you being morphed isn’t because you earned more bonus karma points with all the good actions you have performed through life, but simply because our Triune God loves you and me.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord, HE introduces us to Father God and Holy Spirit. As we accept HIS authority in our daily life, all Three move into your inner neighborhood. The weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:16-17) is God living in you and me. 

I remember a time in my early twenties when I found myself exercising patience. Though at that time the naturally inclination was to be overly active and wait for no one, but this time I found myself at peace and contented. Totally out of character. This was the first time I realize God was creating something new in me that wasn’t there before.

Over time, the fruit of HIS SPIRIT became more and more naturally inclusive within my everyday life. I didn’t’ discipline myself to behave this way. It wasn’t my prime focus. But slowly over time, God’s presence in my life became more and more visible through the actions being expressed with the people and situation I found myself around.

As I invested more time with other brothers and sisters in the Lord, they also shared their experiences which mimic mine. God is creating a new human which Jesus Christ was the first fruit. He paved the way and equips us with the same Spirit. He continues to share truths of life and more importantly the reassurance of HIS Father’s love for us.

As Christ-followers, we are HIS students. The work being performed within us isn’t for our glory, but God’s. We are being renewed for the opportunity to do good work now for His Kingdom by serving others as He also prepares us for greater work in the world tomorrow.    

We marvel at the work the Holy Spirit conducts in the lives of people. While many of us delusionally pat our own backs as if we are the cause of the change, HE continues to shape, counsel, and comfort us through the daily routine of life. Over time though, most likely when we are older and look back, we have to admit most of life’s best changes came about without our direct influence – God in HIS loving way keeps birthing HIS character into our inner chambers.

Thank you, Father-Son-Spirit; continue your work in us, and help us to continue doing good work serving others for your glory and Kingdom.

   

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Author of e-Books

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Copyright 2013-2021 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Undesirable Mike

Dr. Mike 2020, Life in Christ , ,

Romans 7:14-20

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

The Bible speaks about the old and new man which is a metaphor of the person before and after conversion. Paul writes here in Romans approximately twenty years after his surrender to Lord Jesus, the internal battle between the carnal magnet of human passion and our heavenly desires.

I personally like to identify myself before conversion as undesirable Mike. He is the one that metaphorically has died. He is the old self. Full of carnal desires, lustful eyes, and a whole lot of pride for living. Whenever he comes alive, the stench even overcomes me.

We live in a cultural that glorifies sin. Greed, pride, and self-promotion are just few of the carnal desires that are magnified as OK. Sex outside of marriage, manipulating others for personal gain, and a me first mentality are politically correct attitudes accepted by the majority of people.

The problem is not having the correct knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of sin and its solution. Many religious institutions seem to emphasize the problem and understate  the solution.

Sin is the antithesis of God’s heart. When people live within the confines of God’s heart, they flourish. When we live outside of His attitude and character, people suffer. Yes, you may find short-term pleasure at the moment, but the long-term negative impact will eventually hit you and those around you. Sin isn’t just a personal act or thought, but a community suffering another broken relationship.

The Ten Commandments outline behavior which is good for relationships between oneself and God, and oneself and neighbor. Trust, truth, and peace are byproducts of living within their boundaries. Yet the magnetic pull of Satan’s nature infiltrates our very being. We may come to know what is the best behavior in a situation, but the execution of what is good fails us. This is what Paul describes here.

The solution.

Jesus Christ open the doors for you and I to receive the Holy Spirit-God’s very own nature now lives within us. His presence and impact in our lives becomes more noticeable as we surrender ourselves to King Jesus. It is just not following his teachings, but acceptance of Him as your savior, lord, king, hero, friend, and brother. 

When you open your heart and head and soul to him, you begin a relationship that becomes the most important one in your life. You will place sin beneath your feet and God’s character becomes your banner lifted high above your head. Sin will not destroy His relationship with you, but its negative impact will rob you of a more fruitful, abundant life. Sin only blinds you from Him. He is always with you and only wants you to turn away from yourself to Him.

You discover the enemy is not primarily Satan, sin, nor the culture around you. Instead, you accept personal responsibility for your actions and realize your need to walk closer with your God. He becomes the center of your life.

Money, sex, power, and fame are small gods who will grab your attention. If the Triune God is not more important to you then them, they will destroy you. Father-Son-Spirit want to be the center of your life. When they are, and you exercise your natural God-given abilities for the service of others, you experience life the way God design humans to flourish.

Sin is living outside God’s design for you and I. When undesirable Mike appears, he is being his natural self. When God’s presence within Mike is given room to express Himself, God’s goodness arises. My wife, family, neighbors, and associates all love this Mike. But the undesirable Mike always seem to sneak into the picture for attention. The quicker I recognize him, and remove him from the action, the more blessed and happier life with myself and others become real.

Focus on the new you and let the old you die. Don’t try to improve the old you. Instead lean on Jesus to show you how you were designed by Him and then walk it out. It will take faith and trust, trial and error, and breakthrough and failure before one day you will wake up and recognize the work God is doing within you. You only wish you would have started earlier to capture the true meaning and purpose for your life.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Born Again

Dr. Mike Think About That... , , , ,

John 3:3

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Sometimes I wonder and speculate whether or not Jesus and Nicodemus were actually comparing the spiritual new birth with being physically pregnant. There are some Biblical scholars who believe the Greek word translated into “born” would be better translated as “begotten.” Again, I wonder.

To be born again implies more than the sperm and egg connecting within a Mother’s womb. As the fetus grows, an ultrasound would show the head, legs and arms of a child taken shape early in the pregnancy. Approximately eight weeks into the new life a heart beat is heard. Science will acknowledge that the child is alive at this time but dependent on their mother for nourishment. The process from the initial marriage of sperm and egg until the child’s birth into the world is approximately nine months.

What keeps the child alive is the umbilical cord connected to the Mother where the child’s nourishment is received. During these nine months the child is being formed and prepared for life outside their mother’s womb. The child isn’t considered “born” until the day they are birth into the world.

So, when Jesus said we must be born again, was he speaking about the sperm and egg becoming one or was he illustrating the resurrection when our bodies will be morph into a spiritual casing?

Again, I wonder. Isn’t “being born again” more like a child in the womb of a mother than the mature Christian we like to thing we are? As a child of God in the womb of the Church, am I not being slowly shaped into the image of Jesus Christ? Then one day, we will be raised with Christ and see Him as He truly is because we will be like him (I John 3:2)? 

Again, I wonder. Just like a child is protected within the Mother’s womb, are we also not protected within the arms of our God?

Again, I wonder. Like the umbilical cord connects and feeds the child in the womb, doesn’t Christ’s faith feed us through His Word?

Scripture doesn’t give us all the words spoken between Nicodemus and Jesus, but just the most important need to know phrases. But I do wonder and speculate at times…

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2019 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved