Thursday, October 9, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Wise Counsel - Dealing With Fiery Trials
Often, as a Pastor, I am called upon to counsel others who are experiencing trials of life. This is often a very difficult thing to do. I find that the only way that I can truly advise others is by leaning heavily on God's Word and the strength that I know to be Christ.
This post is not about giving advice. It seems as though everyone has advice (good and/or bad) at the ready to solve everyones problems and dilemmas.This post deals with a more profound area of endeavor. This post is about taking advice.
Recently both my mother and my brother were critically ill and in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of a regional hospital. I was bouncing from bed three to bed nine, trying to keep one from knowing that the other was in critical condition. I was in a much different but critical situation. The stress was beginning to take it tole on me. My brother's wife and children were looking to me for guidance and comfort. My sister and aunt were looking to me for guidance and comfort and I was being drained of every ounce of energy, physical and spiritual, that I could muster.
I remember so many times having to counsel others in similar situations but there was no other human being who was there to counsel me in my stress and frustration. I took my own advice that I had given so many times to others. I turned to prayer and to God's Holy Word.
I turned to 1 Peter 1:5-7 which says, " who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,"
God's Magnificent Spirit spoke to my spirit, reminding me that every trial and temptation that I would encounter in this physical world was nothing more than a 'fiery trial' of my faith. The enemy will come in during these trying and stressful times and try to kill my faith. He will whisper,"Where is God now when you need Him most? Why doesn't He answer your prayers and do for you what He has done for all of those for whom you have prayed? Why does He leave you to suffer? Aren't you a 'good' Christian?"
All of these things were there to weaken my faith, to challenge me and dishearten me. God's Spirit spoke to my spirit. " the genuineness of your faith, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." How is my fretting and worrying about the condition of my loved ones honoring and praising and bringing glory to Christ?
I began to rejoice in the opportunity to win this challenge. I began to praise God and thank Him for His strength and guidance. I began to rely on Him and to 'TRUST' His love and compassion. His plan is the ultimate and perfect plan. Whatever He was going to do would be perfect. I could literally feel the stress leave me. I could sense the enemy's frustration. I began to understand that God was most definitely in control and all I needed to do was praise Him and trust Him and not myself.
My brother passed away. He was very sick, and had been for a long time. He was a born again Christian - I led him in the prayer of salvation only a few months earlier. God's Holy Spirit guided me to realize that Carl had won the victory. He was were I want to be - in the presence of God. He was no longer suffering. He had definitely won the battle. My heart rejoiced for my brother's victory.
My mother began to recover from her 'critical' status. Several days later I was able to bring her home. I do not understand why God took my 50 year old brother and spared my eighty two year old mother who has Alzheimer's disease. I know, though, that His plan is perfect in every way. I love Him even more deeply now. He allowed me to win a victory in my faith. He made me a stronger individual because I chose to praise Him and give Him the glory for His work.
When you are faced with these fiery trials in life (and you will), trust that God knows what is best. Know that this is nothing more than a test of your faith. You will win the victory.
This post is not about giving advice. It seems as though everyone has advice (good and/or bad) at the ready to solve everyones problems and dilemmas.This post deals with a more profound area of endeavor. This post is about taking advice.
Recently both my mother and my brother were critically ill and in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of a regional hospital. I was bouncing from bed three to bed nine, trying to keep one from knowing that the other was in critical condition. I was in a much different but critical situation. The stress was beginning to take it tole on me. My brother's wife and children were looking to me for guidance and comfort. My sister and aunt were looking to me for guidance and comfort and I was being drained of every ounce of energy, physical and spiritual, that I could muster.
I remember so many times having to counsel others in similar situations but there was no other human being who was there to counsel me in my stress and frustration. I took my own advice that I had given so many times to others. I turned to prayer and to God's Holy Word.
I turned to 1 Peter 1:5-7 which says, " who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,"
God's Magnificent Spirit spoke to my spirit, reminding me that every trial and temptation that I would encounter in this physical world was nothing more than a 'fiery trial' of my faith. The enemy will come in during these trying and stressful times and try to kill my faith. He will whisper,"Where is God now when you need Him most? Why doesn't He answer your prayers and do for you what He has done for all of those for whom you have prayed? Why does He leave you to suffer? Aren't you a 'good' Christian?"
All of these things were there to weaken my faith, to challenge me and dishearten me. God's Spirit spoke to my spirit. " the genuineness of your faith, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." How is my fretting and worrying about the condition of my loved ones honoring and praising and bringing glory to Christ?
I began to rejoice in the opportunity to win this challenge. I began to praise God and thank Him for His strength and guidance. I began to rely on Him and to 'TRUST' His love and compassion. His plan is the ultimate and perfect plan. Whatever He was going to do would be perfect. I could literally feel the stress leave me. I could sense the enemy's frustration. I began to understand that God was most definitely in control and all I needed to do was praise Him and trust Him and not myself.
My brother passed away. He was very sick, and had been for a long time. He was a born again Christian - I led him in the prayer of salvation only a few months earlier. God's Holy Spirit guided me to realize that Carl had won the victory. He was were I want to be - in the presence of God. He was no longer suffering. He had definitely won the battle. My heart rejoiced for my brother's victory.
My mother began to recover from her 'critical' status. Several days later I was able to bring her home. I do not understand why God took my 50 year old brother and spared my eighty two year old mother who has Alzheimer's disease. I know, though, that His plan is perfect in every way. I love Him even more deeply now. He allowed me to win a victory in my faith. He made me a stronger individual because I chose to praise Him and give Him the glory for His work.
When you are faced with these fiery trials in life (and you will), trust that God knows what is best. Know that this is nothing more than a test of your faith. You will win the victory.
A Journey into Alzheimer's - A Journey of Love
Each of us has our ‘cross’ to bear. There are in this life a seemingly endless procession of trials and tribulations. Jesus told us that we would suffer these trials and tribulations and the Apostle Paul told us to consider them as joy.
I have always, in my Christian walk, took each trial and each instance of tribulation as an opportunity to win a victory. This has been a sustaining attribute of my Christian beliefs. I have found comfort in Christ and have won many battles because of my deep abiding love for Christ.
When I discovered that my dear sweet mother was entering the gates of a dimly lite and foggy world known as Alzheimer’s, everything that I knew was about to be tested. The fact of my mother’s condition weighed heavily on me. How could this be?
It may help to give a little info about my mother. She is, at this writing, 82 years old. In the 57 years that I have known her, she has been a source of happiness, strength and love in my life. She worked hard all of her life to make sure that her children and all of her family had the very best that she could offer. She has always been kind and loving and has always sacrificed her wishes and desires for the good of her family.
The onset of her dementia was rather sudden, not a slow progression as I had seen in others. It was as though her short term memory simply disappeared. She began to ask the same questions over and over, not remembering that 10 minutes earlier I had answered her.
At the beginning of every month she would take out her ‘bill’ journal and make out all of her accounting. She got to the point that she would just sit and stare at the accounting materials before her, not having the first clue as to what needed to be done. I took that burden over for her.
Days and months passed with the dementia taking a stronger hold. We visited her doctor, went to specialist and the conclusion was ‘Alzheimer’s Disease.’ We began treatment with Arasept, a medication designed for dementia patients. This seemed to slow the progression of the disease but there was no indication of her getting any better.
Years before, my mother had asked me to promise that I would never put her in a nursing home. I agreed dismissing the thought as absurd. A promise, however, is a promise. I chose to keep my mother at home and give her the best treatment that I could. I intend to keep my promise.
This has caused many changes and restrictions in my life. I have to be with her at all times. I cannot leave her alone because she gets confused and frightened when I am not there. Many of my friends and relatives think that I am foolish for giving up my wants and desires to take care of my mother. I admit that it is a very restrictive lifestyle but the things that I have learned are proving to be more valuable that I imagined.
Every day I thank God that He has given me the opportunity to give my mother the care that she deserves. I realized that she had worked and sacrificed to give me the things that I needed as I was growing up. This was her choice to do so. She could have given us up for adoption or abandoned us or simply ignored our needs but she did not. She care for and nurture us. Now it was my turn.
I realized that God was giving me an opportunity to take care of my mother. He was giving me the opportunity to learn about her and about myself. He was giving me the opportunity to be a blessing.
God, in His moral Law, commanded (not suggested) us to honor our mothers and fathers that our years would be longer. Even though I know that God did not cause my mothers affliction with this dreaded disease, He was using it to give me one of the most valuable lessons that I would ever learn. He was giving me to move from one level of faith to a much higher level. I could have felt sorry for myself and thrown a big ole pity party. I chose to take the challenge, give my mother the love and care that she so richly deserves and win another victory.
I realize that her condition will only worsen. I know that there will come a day when she will not recognize me. I know that it may even progress to the state that she will forget how to swallow and suffer all of the indignations that this horrific disease has to offer. I know this and I do not look forward to those times. However, I praise God for giving me the opportunity to care for her and for me to grow in the process. It would take volumes for me to explain the things about myself that I have already learned. The one most important thing that I have already learned is that I have learned to understand the love that God has given me. I know that the days and months ahead will bring great trials but I have also learned that the strength that abides in me can overcome every trial, every bad moment that is coming my way.
God has truly blessed me with the opportunity to grow and learn as I give my love and care to a woman, my mother, who has done nothing but love me. Without Christ in my life, this would really be almost unbearable.
I know that there are others out there who are faced with the same tragedy and even worse. These are opportunities for us to grow in Christ’s love. These are opportunities to take something that seems to be horrible and make them a beautiful testimony of love.
I have always, in my Christian walk, took each trial and each instance of tribulation as an opportunity to win a victory. This has been a sustaining attribute of my Christian beliefs. I have found comfort in Christ and have won many battles because of my deep abiding love for Christ.
When I discovered that my dear sweet mother was entering the gates of a dimly lite and foggy world known as Alzheimer’s, everything that I knew was about to be tested. The fact of my mother’s condition weighed heavily on me. How could this be?
It may help to give a little info about my mother. She is, at this writing, 82 years old. In the 57 years that I have known her, she has been a source of happiness, strength and love in my life. She worked hard all of her life to make sure that her children and all of her family had the very best that she could offer. She has always been kind and loving and has always sacrificed her wishes and desires for the good of her family.
The onset of her dementia was rather sudden, not a slow progression as I had seen in others. It was as though her short term memory simply disappeared. She began to ask the same questions over and over, not remembering that 10 minutes earlier I had answered her.
At the beginning of every month she would take out her ‘bill’ journal and make out all of her accounting. She got to the point that she would just sit and stare at the accounting materials before her, not having the first clue as to what needed to be done. I took that burden over for her.
Days and months passed with the dementia taking a stronger hold. We visited her doctor, went to specialist and the conclusion was ‘Alzheimer’s Disease.’ We began treatment with Arasept, a medication designed for dementia patients. This seemed to slow the progression of the disease but there was no indication of her getting any better.
Years before, my mother had asked me to promise that I would never put her in a nursing home. I agreed dismissing the thought as absurd. A promise, however, is a promise. I chose to keep my mother at home and give her the best treatment that I could. I intend to keep my promise.
This has caused many changes and restrictions in my life. I have to be with her at all times. I cannot leave her alone because she gets confused and frightened when I am not there. Many of my friends and relatives think that I am foolish for giving up my wants and desires to take care of my mother. I admit that it is a very restrictive lifestyle but the things that I have learned are proving to be more valuable that I imagined.
Every day I thank God that He has given me the opportunity to give my mother the care that she deserves. I realized that she had worked and sacrificed to give me the things that I needed as I was growing up. This was her choice to do so. She could have given us up for adoption or abandoned us or simply ignored our needs but she did not. She care for and nurture us. Now it was my turn.
I realized that God was giving me an opportunity to take care of my mother. He was giving me the opportunity to learn about her and about myself. He was giving me the opportunity to be a blessing.
God, in His moral Law, commanded (not suggested) us to honor our mothers and fathers that our years would be longer. Even though I know that God did not cause my mothers affliction with this dreaded disease, He was using it to give me one of the most valuable lessons that I would ever learn. He was giving me to move from one level of faith to a much higher level. I could have felt sorry for myself and thrown a big ole pity party. I chose to take the challenge, give my mother the love and care that she so richly deserves and win another victory.
I realize that her condition will only worsen. I know that there will come a day when she will not recognize me. I know that it may even progress to the state that she will forget how to swallow and suffer all of the indignations that this horrific disease has to offer. I know this and I do not look forward to those times. However, I praise God for giving me the opportunity to care for her and for me to grow in the process. It would take volumes for me to explain the things about myself that I have already learned. The one most important thing that I have already learned is that I have learned to understand the love that God has given me. I know that the days and months ahead will bring great trials but I have also learned that the strength that abides in me can overcome every trial, every bad moment that is coming my way.
God has truly blessed me with the opportunity to grow and learn as I give my love and care to a woman, my mother, who has done nothing but love me. Without Christ in my life, this would really be almost unbearable.
I know that there are others out there who are faced with the same tragedy and even worse. These are opportunities for us to grow in Christ’s love. These are opportunities to take something that seems to be horrible and make them a beautiful testimony of love.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Pastor Bobby's Blog
I have found it to be easier to use one blog to consolidate time. Please visit me at Pastor Bobby's Official Blog Site
At my Official Weblog you will be able to see a greater number of post that deal with the Christian Success Institute and all of the exciting things that are happening there!
I look forward to seeing you there!
in Christ's Love
Pastor Bobby
At my Official Weblog you will be able to see a greater number of post that deal with the Christian Success Institute and all of the exciting things that are happening there!
I look forward to seeing you there!
in Christ's Love
Pastor Bobby
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Success Is All In Your Mind
How do you measure success? It's probably not exactly the same for any two people. While athletes measure success by wins or their personal best, a business owner may measure success by the amount of money their business nets every year.
Successful Christians do not measure success by the amount of wealth or physical possessions that they acquire but by the depth of their relationship with Christ and the understanding of God's Wisdom, The Holy Bible.
Regardless of how you measure success, it all starts in your mind...your subconscious mind, to be exact. While most people are familiar with the concept of the subconscious mind, few truly understand how to use its power to create the success (and happiness) that they desire. Remember that we are told in Philippians 2:5 (NKJV), “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” and in Romans 8:6 (NKJV), “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” All of use function on a physical level and our conscious mind. We also have the advantage of the influences on a spiritual level in our subconscious minds. What some call the subconscious, a successful Christian knows to be a powerful functioning spiritual mind influenced by ‘the mind that was in Christ’ or the Holy Spirit of God who gives us the power to succeed and offers us eternal happiness.
To take advantage of this incredibly powerful presence, you must first ready your subconscious mind for the success you are seeking. Without a clear, consistent "picture" of the results you seek, your subconscious mind can actually sabotage even your best efforts. Where do we get this consistent “picture”. We are able to form that picture through constant and diligent study of the Wisdom of God, His Holy Written Word.
Any time there is confusion, your subconscious will strive to help you achieve your goals. That's why the more concise your goal and your mental image of its results, the better the chances you'll achieve it. By focusing on the diligent study of God’s Word and a concise concept of what you want to achieve, you're helping your subconscious mind with the help of the Holy Spirit of God to manifest that result in your physical reality.
It's very important to monitor what you tell your subconscious verbally and silently. Most people are surprised to find when they actually start to "listen" to the words they use on a daily basis that they are issuing counterproductive "requests" to their subconscious.
Make sure to use positive descriptions when speaking aloud or to yourself silently about your goals. Instead of saying "I won't be tempted anymore", phrase your request in a positive way: "I am strong through the strength that Christ gives me.” Our words hold the power of life or death.
Also, it's important to use a present tense, not a future tense like "I will be strong" as your subconscious takes everything literally. If your request is in the future, you will subconsciously think that nothing needs to change now. You, physically and spiritually, live in the present. “I am strong because I have the strength that Christ gives me.”
Be careful not to use negative words accidentally: such as "I'm not going to be poor any more." Your subconscious mind doesn't understand words like "not", "doesn't" or "won't". It will automatically delete those words from your request which will almost always create the opposite meaning and results of your goal!
There are many techniques you can use to create clear pictures of your completed goal. Most find that imagining a movie in their mind of what it will be like when you achieve your goal to replay in your thoughts to be very effective. For example, if you're trying to wipe out your credit card debt, imagine yourself receiving statements from your credit card companies with a $0 balance on the payment section.
Remember, what you focus on expands. You must focus on Christ. “Seek first the kingdom of Heaven and then everything else will be added to you.” If you constantly see yourself overweight, or in debt, that's what your subconscious mind will continue to create for you in your reality. Study and concentrate on the promises that God has made to you. It's very simple and takes very little time to mentally produce a "movie" that gives your subconscious a clear idea of what results you expect. With consistent attention and effort toward what you DO expect, you'll be amazed at the results you can create with your mind!
Successful Christians do not measure success by the amount of wealth or physical possessions that they acquire but by the depth of their relationship with Christ and the understanding of God's Wisdom, The Holy Bible.
Regardless of how you measure success, it all starts in your mind...your subconscious mind, to be exact. While most people are familiar with the concept of the subconscious mind, few truly understand how to use its power to create the success (and happiness) that they desire. Remember that we are told in Philippians 2:5 (NKJV), “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” and in Romans 8:6 (NKJV), “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” All of use function on a physical level and our conscious mind. We also have the advantage of the influences on a spiritual level in our subconscious minds. What some call the subconscious, a successful Christian knows to be a powerful functioning spiritual mind influenced by ‘the mind that was in Christ’ or the Holy Spirit of God who gives us the power to succeed and offers us eternal happiness.
To take advantage of this incredibly powerful presence, you must first ready your subconscious mind for the success you are seeking. Without a clear, consistent "picture" of the results you seek, your subconscious mind can actually sabotage even your best efforts. Where do we get this consistent “picture”. We are able to form that picture through constant and diligent study of the Wisdom of God, His Holy Written Word.
Any time there is confusion, your subconscious will strive to help you achieve your goals. That's why the more concise your goal and your mental image of its results, the better the chances you'll achieve it. By focusing on the diligent study of God’s Word and a concise concept of what you want to achieve, you're helping your subconscious mind with the help of the Holy Spirit of God to manifest that result in your physical reality.
It's very important to monitor what you tell your subconscious verbally and silently. Most people are surprised to find when they actually start to "listen" to the words they use on a daily basis that they are issuing counterproductive "requests" to their subconscious.
Make sure to use positive descriptions when speaking aloud or to yourself silently about your goals. Instead of saying "I won't be tempted anymore", phrase your request in a positive way: "I am strong through the strength that Christ gives me.” Our words hold the power of life or death.
Also, it's important to use a present tense, not a future tense like "I will be strong" as your subconscious takes everything literally. If your request is in the future, you will subconsciously think that nothing needs to change now. You, physically and spiritually, live in the present. “I am strong because I have the strength that Christ gives me.”
Be careful not to use negative words accidentally: such as "I'm not going to be poor any more." Your subconscious mind doesn't understand words like "not", "doesn't" or "won't". It will automatically delete those words from your request which will almost always create the opposite meaning and results of your goal!
There are many techniques you can use to create clear pictures of your completed goal. Most find that imagining a movie in their mind of what it will be like when you achieve your goal to replay in your thoughts to be very effective. For example, if you're trying to wipe out your credit card debt, imagine yourself receiving statements from your credit card companies with a $0 balance on the payment section.
Remember, what you focus on expands. You must focus on Christ. “Seek first the kingdom of Heaven and then everything else will be added to you.” If you constantly see yourself overweight, or in debt, that's what your subconscious mind will continue to create for you in your reality. Study and concentrate on the promises that God has made to you. It's very simple and takes very little time to mentally produce a "movie" that gives your subconscious a clear idea of what results you expect. With consistent attention and effort toward what you DO expect, you'll be amazed at the results you can create with your mind!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
It's amazing
It is amazing the number of emails that I receive from those who try to discourage me from 'preaching prosperity.' This first of all tells me that they have not read what I teach at the Christian Success Institute. They quote scriptures and try to convince me that wealth and the pursuit of wealth is evil and that I am leading people away from Christ. Some have even told me that to be pious means that you must suffer.
Have these people even read the Holy Bible? I find it hard to believe that these people are experiencing an original thought. I hear echoes of past teaching where the 'church' wanted to keep the masses in control by not allowing them to learn to read. Keep the people dumb and poor and they would be easier to control.
I have read and re-read the Holy Bible. I believe God when He says that He wants us to prosper as our souls prosper. I believe Him when He says to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His Righteousness. I believe Him when He tells me that He has created this wonderful world for His favorite creation - mankind.
Why would a God who is a Spirit living in a Spiritual Kingdom have a need for anything physical? Why did He create gold and silver and diamonds and rubies? Why did He create this beautiful physical world with all of its bounty and resources? He created it for those who love Him. It was our disobedience that caused us to loose the dominion over this entire world, the dominion which He gave us.
I realize that the pursuit of wealth for selfishness and greed is definitely wrong and will lead to sin. When we worship that which is created more than the One who created it, we stray from the true path to success. When we allow our greed to motivate us, we are headed for a slippery slope.
In Matthew 6:30-36 Jesus tells us not to worry about what we shall have to eat or to drink or where we will live. He said seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we are told to study to show ourselves approved.
God knows that it takes money to buy food, to pay the mortgage, to drive a car, to have electricity. It takes money for us to live and it takes money to support those who go into the field to spread the Good News. That is simply the fact of living in this physical world. How can a bunch of poor Christians live and support those who are out spreading the Gospel?
He wants us to prosper. He wants us to seek Him. He wants each one of us to be stewards of all of His physical possessions (the gold, the silver, the cattle on a thousand hills.) He wants us to have enough, an abundance, not for our own greed but to provide for those who do not have. He wants each of us to be a conduit for the blessings of others.
Remember when Jesus said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for a wealthy man to enter heaven? What do you think that He meant? The Eye of The Needle is a small, short gate into the city that was used after nightfall. It was difficult to maneuver. The camels, laden with their cargo, had to get down on their knees to go inside of the walled city through the small gate. It was difficult but not impossible.
A wealthy man who is in love with his wealth will never bend to his knees. He will always stand proud and haughty. A successful Christian stays on his knees praising God for His favor.It is our duty to study diligently to learn everything about our Holy God and the promises that He has made. In His Holy Bible He has given us all of the directions for living successfully. When our focus is on Christ, our hearts and our minds are on Christ. He will favor us. He will open the windows of heaven to shower us with everything that we will need to accomplish His will for us in this life. The more we diligently study His Word, the more we will show ourselves approved to be stewards of His possessions. He will bless us in order for us to bless others.
Psalms 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
Isaiah 1:19
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
Have these people even read the Holy Bible? I find it hard to believe that these people are experiencing an original thought. I hear echoes of past teaching where the 'church' wanted to keep the masses in control by not allowing them to learn to read. Keep the people dumb and poor and they would be easier to control.
I have read and re-read the Holy Bible. I believe God when He says that He wants us to prosper as our souls prosper. I believe Him when He says to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His Righteousness. I believe Him when He tells me that He has created this wonderful world for His favorite creation - mankind.
Why would a God who is a Spirit living in a Spiritual Kingdom have a need for anything physical? Why did He create gold and silver and diamonds and rubies? Why did He create this beautiful physical world with all of its bounty and resources? He created it for those who love Him. It was our disobedience that caused us to loose the dominion over this entire world, the dominion which He gave us.
I realize that the pursuit of wealth for selfishness and greed is definitely wrong and will lead to sin. When we worship that which is created more than the One who created it, we stray from the true path to success. When we allow our greed to motivate us, we are headed for a slippery slope.
In Matthew 6:30-36 Jesus tells us not to worry about what we shall have to eat or to drink or where we will live. He said seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we are told to study to show ourselves approved.
God knows that it takes money to buy food, to pay the mortgage, to drive a car, to have electricity. It takes money for us to live and it takes money to support those who go into the field to spread the Good News. That is simply the fact of living in this physical world. How can a bunch of poor Christians live and support those who are out spreading the Gospel?
He wants us to prosper. He wants us to seek Him. He wants each one of us to be stewards of all of His physical possessions (the gold, the silver, the cattle on a thousand hills.) He wants us to have enough, an abundance, not for our own greed but to provide for those who do not have. He wants each of us to be a conduit for the blessings of others.
Remember when Jesus said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle that for a wealthy man to enter heaven? What do you think that He meant? The Eye of The Needle is a small, short gate into the city that was used after nightfall. It was difficult to maneuver. The camels, laden with their cargo, had to get down on their knees to go inside of the walled city through the small gate. It was difficult but not impossible.
A wealthy man who is in love with his wealth will never bend to his knees. He will always stand proud and haughty. A successful Christian stays on his knees praising God for His favor.It is our duty to study diligently to learn everything about our Holy God and the promises that He has made. In His Holy Bible He has given us all of the directions for living successfully. When our focus is on Christ, our hearts and our minds are on Christ. He will favor us. He will open the windows of heaven to shower us with everything that we will need to accomplish His will for us in this life. The more we diligently study His Word, the more we will show ourselves approved to be stewards of His possessions. He will bless us in order for us to bless others.
Psalms 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
Isaiah 1:19
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Marketing Myths About Home Based Businesses And Network Marketing Programs Revealed
It is just amazing how much garbage there is on the Internet today. Everybody has the perfect plan for the perfect program that's going to make me an armchair millionaire. It is simply wonderful how all of these people are so thoughtful that they make me the offer to get rich fast without having to do anything but join their program. They will do all of the work, I will sit in my recliner at home and watch my bank account grow almost out of control!
I will be able to earn a 6 figure income (every month!) and I won’t have to lift a finger or break a sweat! I am so grateful to all of those wealthy and wonderful people who are willing to share all of this fortune with me, for a minimal fee. They will even, if I want, teach me all of their marketing techniques!
Through the years, since the public introduction of the Internet, anyone who has been watching and paying attention has seen literally thousands of 'make money right now' programs come ----- and go. They all use the same 'catch phrases' and hype (which turns out to be a load of bovine fertilizer.) Promising everything and delivering nothing, nada, zilch, squat! (Except for the loss of my time, my effort and my money.) “Fire your Boss!” “Make $10,000.00 in the next 30 days!” etc. etc
There are some very skillful copywriters out there (people who write sales copy for ads and web sites.) Not only can they talk an Eskimo into investing in an ice farm but they'll teach you how to do the same - for a minimal fee, of course. I am overcome by the magnanimity and overt generosity of these Internet Millionaires.
I decided to do a little research. (This took several months but) I contacted hundreds of these ‘armchair millionaire’ affiliates. These were, for the most part, ordinary citizens with a dream of wealth and happiness who took the bait and signed up for some of these programs. After talking for a while, I found that they had not quite made it yet but that their ‘up line’ sponsor had promised that if they stuck with it and screamed the offer at everyone within three feet of them, they would be rolling in dough in no time.
Most of the marketing techniques that these 'up line sponsors' teach are a load of rehashed garbage that just simply does nothing more than keep you busy while they try to get you to upgrade and spend more money. They want you to hound your family and friends and everyone with whom you come in contact to join the ‘program.’ They promise to teach you the latest ‘proven’ techniques for marketing. Some have even made millions promising to teach you marketing techniques that will ‘explode’ you email in box with people anxious to buy from you!
Can anybody relate to this? Have you seen these outrageous advertisements?
The truly amazing part of this is that everyday thousands upon thousands of anxious Web surfers fall for the hype. You see, the majority of these hype-mongers, I mean copywriters, are true experts - at getting you to spend your money. Unfortunately, what they teach you doesn't work. They do not teach you the truth. Now this does not apply to ALL copywriters. There are some, I admit, who are spot on and truly do offer useful products and services. The major problem is how is it possible to tell the sheep from the wolves. Who is telling the truth and who is coating you with a layer of BF (bovine fertilizer) so thick that you can not see the truth? How do you separate the wheat from the tares? How do you discern the truth?
It does not take a PhD in psychology to know that everybody can use more money and an easier lifestyle. Everyone wants to spend more time with his or her kids or to take vacations. Everyone wants a better car, a bigger home and enough cash to pay for educating himself/herself or his/her children. These are givens. Most Internet marketers know this and appeal to the web site visitors' greed and not his need. They think that the average Joe or JoAnne is only slightly above the mental level of a chimp (with enough money to waste on buying their product.)
Well, I said all of that to say this. After all of my years of research, frustration, aggravations, spending 'hard earned' money, I have discovered a cold, bone chilling fact. The funny part (the strange not comical part) is that it was right underneath my nose the whole time and I could not see it! (Not to imply that my nose is too big to see over or around!) The ‘secret’ to finding success in any endeavor is NOT luck or chance. It is not even finding the most magnificent product. The secret is ‘diligence.’
No matter what you are trying to accomplish, an improved marital relationship or better parent child relationship or success in business, the ‘secret’ for you to find success in any of these projects is consistency and diligence in studying, thinking, planning and a willingness to accept ‘wise counsel’ before jumping in. If the offer sounds ‘too good to be true,’ you need to take the time to explore all aspects of it.
Diligently study and search out others who have been involved with what you are considering. Educate yourself and seek understanding of everything that will be necessary for you to succeed. There are some wonderful programs on the Internet. There are many opportunities to make a good living and improve your lifestyle. You must take the time and put forth the effort to learning what works and what does not work. Be diligent!
The Christian Visionary
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