transformation

Godly Incompetency

Dr. Mike 2024 , , ,

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.   Acts 18:24-28

Whenever I become aware of my false propensity that I got it all together, a smirk crosses my face. That is when I look into the mirror of Christ. Yep, compared to HIM, I am one incompetent student of HIS.

The illusion of competency for the moment quickly dissipates.  Though we have matured and are becoming more like HIM in character and worldview, we still have a long way to go.

Ask any knowledgeable professional in their field. The more they read. The more they study. The more they realize how little they know compared to the potential out there. The same is true for us apprentices of Jesus.

Yet HE doesn’t belittle us. HE doesn’t make us feel incompetent when we are with HIM. Instead, HE is rooting for you and me. HE wants us to succeed in life.

When times get hard, HE is there with us. When we experience a moment of success, HE is there with us. When times look bleak, HE is there with us.

HE is waiting for us to invite HIM into the conversation. HE doesn’t force HIMSELF into our lives. HE wants a mutual relationship where both sides enjoy the experience.

The older we become, the more we realize how unrighteous we naturally are. We may want to do good, but how often we fail to act on it. We may want to say the proper words at that moment to encourage a fellow saint, but our tongue is tied. Worst yet, the words that come out cause more damage than before.

In studying the life of Jesus, we marvel at HIS ability to ask the right question, share an appropriate story, and leave his audience with their heads spinning in joyful contentment. Many times we do just the opposite.

Though chronologically we are consider old, our spiritual maturity is that of a two-year old. My emotions still get the best of me. My stogy habits of yesterday still haunt me. I know change is possible. But is the effort worth the cost?

These thoughts crossed my mind this morning. As a professional manager I would fire incompetent people. The organization could not afford their repeatable errors. Yet in God’s Kingdom, His grace abounds. HE simply moves us into other areas of life where we can make a more positive difference into the lives of HIS children.

It sort of like volunteering in church. They don’t fire you for incompetent work. Instead, they keep moving you around until you find your giftedness. Then they watch you bloom. The same it is in God’s Kingdom. The more we lean on HIM, the more of HIS character and traits rub off on us. HE knows where and what is best for you and me. HE wired us. HE knows. HE is allowing us to discover the answers as we walk with HIM.

Apollos didn’t have it all together either. Yet he spoke what he knew. Was open for correction. Learned from others. And kept on letting the world know about Jesus. A lesson for you and me to do the same.  

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)

Books By Dr. Mike:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Steadfast Love

Dr. Mike 2023, Journey in Christ, Life in Christ , , ,

Proverbs 19:22

What is desired in a man is steadfast love…

Hosea 6:6

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

In hindsight, I was a very difficult child. I probably caused most of the family difficulties in my parent’s household. I was rebellious, strong willed, and hated our family culture. Yet, deep down inside, I knew both parents loved me in their own way no matter how stupidly I acted.

Currently, after almost forty years of marriage to the same woman, I know she still loves me. Though throughout the years we had our share of heated arguments, strong differences in parental tactics, and sharp changes in personal preferences in food, clothing, and lifestyle, we still confirm our love for each other and enjoy sharing life together.       

Then God, while I was still in total rebellion against Him, forgave me for disrespecting Him and His ways before I even came to know Him. Since then, through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, I have come to grow in His grace. He is now my standard of measurement of the steadfast love we are to display and share with others.

To know someone loves you unconditionally opens the door of acceptance. You learn to fully accept yourself as you are and yet are motivated to live up to your full potential as a person. You gladly change your attitude, behavior, and thinking so you may fully enjoy living with the person who steadfastly loves you. You enjoy their companionship. You look forward to sharing your life with them and they share their life with you. And with the Triune God there is no difference.

God longs to share His life with you. His desire is to create a human/divine family that includes you and me. Like any healthy family, the parent wants to be involved in their children activities. God likewise wants to be involved in your activities. As you share your life with Him, you will discover more of who HE is. As you gain knowledge of His character, attributes, and ways, you will inculcate them into your life. You will become an image of your Father in heaven. You will then better understand how the apostle Paul wrote that we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Everything good begins with love. When love is allowed to bloom, we begin to experience the entire fruit of God’s Spirit. The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control become the bedrock of one’s attitude in life. Love also leads the way for faith and hope to follow. When apostle John writes that God is Love, than one better understands the importance of allowing God to fully live in us.

HE is the essence of all creation. HE created life, the planet, and universe so that HE may express HIS love. When we rebel against HIS love, we find ourselves living life outside HIS Character. The result is sin which devastates oneself and those around you. When immature, we rebel thinking this type of life is normal. We wallow in our misery and call the dark side of life normal. When love is removed, the ugliness of human nature runs rampant. The result is self-destruction and eventually the destruction of a society.

There is nothing more highly elevated than immovable love, firmly fixed in place, and non-changing for one to totally grasp the power and character of God. His steadfast love is our standard to pursue. Even when we fail, his grace will pick us up, and we will continue the journey to become more and more like our elderly brother Jesus Christ.

Is not this what makes being a Christ-follower the most adventurous trip one can choose in this life?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager, Faith-Integrator, Scribbler

Available for Your Devotional Study: 

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Character Faults

Dr. Mike 2022 , , , ,

Psalm 19:12-14 (ESV)

Who can discern his errors?
    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer.

Yep, I’m not perfect. Always knew. But today, I realize how far from perfect I truly am.

When you compare yourself with others, you may consider yourself better than the average person. When you compare yourself today with the you of yesterday, you may also consider yourself a better person. But when you compare yourself with Life’s reference point, Jesus Christ, you walk away realizing how far short you are to true maturity.

King David penned the 19th Psalm while meditating upon the vastness of the heavens above. When one compares oneself with the Master Designer of creation, one realizes how tiny and insignificant one truly is in comparison.

David in addition to comparing himself with the created order also compared the beauty and significance of God’s moral order with his ability to live up to the standard of God’s character. The insight makes him respond with the above passage in a repentive and earnest heart for those hidden faults which we are not even aware but realize they are there.

Yes, today, like David, I saw something in my character for the first time. When I told my wife, she laughed. She recognized the same weakness in me over thirty years ago. I just came to the realization today.

One wonders what else will we discover about ourselves going forward that God already knows. And yes, HE still loves us weakness and all. HE not only loves us, but like David’s last line of Psalm 19, HE is our ROCK we stand on and HE is our REDEEMER who saves us. This is our reassurance that in weakness and failure HE is always there for us.

Like I have said so often, life is a learning process preparing you and I for eternity. Each day we discover our need for Jesus Christ, HIS spirit, and HIS domain. As the Holy Spirit works in us transforming our attributes into HIS Godly character, the old man continues to die as the new man becomes more alive. The process isn’t for the fainthearted. But neither are the rewards of walking with HIM.

So, when we gather together in an assembly to praise HIM and thank HIM and glorify HIM, you can add this one to the list.

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

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved