Religious

What is a Faith-Integrator?

Dr. Mike 2024 , , ,

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”   Matt. 4:4

“ For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  Hebrews 5:12-14

Had a recent conversation with a group of young adults. The subject of God came up in the middle of our talk (always surprised, and never taken for granted). Some of the people indicated that they were not religious. Others indicated they were into spirituality. When they asked for my view, I replied I was neither religious, nor spiritual. Instead, I am a faith-integrator.

From there, the questions and comments became fast paced. What do you mean by faith-integration? Which faith? What is the difference between the three?

Slowly we open the conversation into one of my favorite topics. Walking with the Creator God in everyday life.

Yes, I am not religious. For me religion is man’s attempt to pacify their God. Now religion is helpful to keep one disciplined and acknowledging the existence of a God. But religion in the 21st century is an institution built to keep its operation going. Most people who are religious have the form but lack the power of God in their life (2 Tim. 3:5). Yet I give them kudos. It is an attempt to find purpose with the Almighty. That is a step in the right direction.

When it comes to spirituality, the question is which spirit? There are many spirits in the world. Some are good and others are evil. How do you decide which spirit to follow? Does your spirit give you access to the supernatural? Does it have favorable influence on yourself and others? What type of relationship do you have between your soul and the spirit you follow? Spirituality is a step in the right direction. But falls short due to the lack of specifics and commitment.

So why am I a faith-integrator? Because I choose to integrate the Biblical God’s ways into all my daily relationships and tasks. It is intertwining the physical with the spiritual. When one comes to have a relationship with the Triune God, one gains entrance into the throne room of heaven. You recognize your position within God’s Kingdom as HIS child. You realize God’s purpose for your life. You find meaning in everything you do aligning your micro plans with HIS macro plan.

With that knowledge and understanding comes wisdom. One also learns to place their trust and hope in their heavenly Father. They know their Savior intervenes on their behalf. Though circumstances may not always workout as planned, they learn from the ordeal. They know God is good. With Christ the center core of every area of their life, they have confidence. They know everything will eventually work out for the good. Though they may initially fail, they learn from the event, and grow. Their aim is to conduct themselves with Kingdom parameters. They are learning to walk with their King and mentor. The primary goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of God’s character within them. The physical outcome is secondary.

Their relationships are Christ-centered. In the home, at work, or in the community, they serve and add value to other people’s lives. They want all people to come to know who their God IS. Not only with words, but through the fruit of their attitude and behavior.

They integrate their faith within the everyday routines of life. They pray constantly. They first seek how the Holy Spirit is working with others and then find ways to support HIM.

Jesus Christ is the center of their life. From the center, they have a relationship with HIS Father. From the center, they have access to the Holy Spirit. From the center, they have a common bond with other saints who are likewise walking with the Triune God.

Faith-integrators live in the presence of Jesus in every avenue of their life. They are the same person at home and at the office. They are transparent in their conversations. They speak the truth with love. They speak the truth into power. They speak the truth even when it hurts. They represent Jesus Christ as HIS ambassador of HIS Kingdom to others.

They worship their God not only within the faith community, but every day of the week. Their work is their ministry and worship. They are there to help the people they meet. The services or products they produce are to add value into the lives of others. They colonize their workspace under the authority and love of Jesus Christ.

Faith is the belief and trust in the God who created everything. HE revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. HE is working HIS plan for the adoption of humanity into the Triune God circle. Faith-integrators accept their responsibility within the family of God and respond accordingly. They serve and expand God’s government wherever they go. They start at home. They serve in Church. They expand HIS Kingdom in their business. They volunteer in their community.

They want all people to come to know their King, Savior, and Redeemer. They are God’s light in a dark world. They are faith-integrators. Yes, I choose to be one. I hope you do too.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Religious Trap

Dr. Mike 2022 , ,

Joshua 23:11-13

Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,  know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.

When God brought the Israel people from slavery in Egypt to their promise land, Joshua was their leader. On his last few days on earth, he recorded the above warning (Joshua 23:11-13) to the people. Since God did a mighty work removing many of the nations around them, Joshua reminded the people to be careful and not associate with those people still remaining who do not follow the Lord. In other words, do not be influenced by the religious practices of others.

The situation is no different today as back then. We live in a multi-religious world. There are those who believe no difference exists between the religions. They are generally the people who have no faith except in themselves. Those who have a belief are either fully committed in their way or simply live culturally within the community. And every religion has multiple divisions within themselves. So, stating they are all the same is a distorted observation of a complex situation. 

The religious trap is believing all faiths are the same. That there is no difference and one of them can’t be more correct than the other. They all worship the same God but choose different methods of expression is the false illusion of the trap.

If there is no absolute truth, than one’s person opinion is as good as another. However, if you believe in objective truth, than only one faith is on target and all the others are leading people away from experiencing God’s fullness and purpose.

I remember the start of my own journey in pursuit of God.

As a teenager with a mission to discover what is the purpose of life, I read everything I could get my hands on.

I took classes on world religions. I read about the eastern faiths. I read books by people who discussed their faith and the reason why they practiced their faith. Even though I was raised in a Christian culture, I was open to everything else. I wanted to know the truth and wherever the evidence led me I followed.

In some ways I completed a circle of knowledge. But this time I had evidence, factual history, and experience of putting God to the test and seeing circumstances and situations come together in a pattern weaved over time. My entire worldview was reshaped. Today, the best grasp I have is knowing God as Triune consisting of Father-Son-Spirit.    

Now when I read Scripture with God’s macro plan in mind, I plan and execute strategy built upon my micro plans knowing HE is involved in our lives more than we even realize. As I pursue my work, HE is accomplishing HIS objectives with me. As I yield to HIM and learn to walk HIS ways, HE occasionally lets me see what HE is doing in the lives of those around me. After these many years of applying myself to do things HIS way, slowly the eyes become more attuned to HIS Kingdom and purpose.

The world is a chaotic place. The institutions and practices around us were developed over time to put order into the culture. Generally, though, the systems are most often built upon ungodly principles unless its founder was a Believer. Even then though, unbelievers’ step-in overtime and changed the Judeo-Christian foundation into a secular rock. You can look at many of the Ivy universities in this country as an example. The majority of them started as Christian institutions for the development of pastors and lay leaders. But today, they are all secular.    

When you understand that God’s way allows you to order your way in this world patterned after HIS character, you have a roadmap on how to deal with others and prioritize your life values for the greatest return on your time and investment. Life becomes more than survival or experiencing the next thrill. Life is designed to groom you and me for eternity. When you capture God’s macro vision for you, you find purpose and meaning behind everything you do.

In fact, you realize others may call you religious, but in reality, you are not religious but living life to the fullest with the least amount of heartache, and a Spirit of abundance in everything you do. The trap is failing to choose the faith that maximizes your human potential while serving others to achieve theirs. Pursue God and HE will let you find HIM. This is not religion, but a deep, intimate relationship with the Master Designer of Life.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager, Faith-Integrator, Scribbler  

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