Month: November 2016

Have you given consideration to the importance of coming together as a group with a common focus and an intention to encourage, support and uplift one another? This could be called an event. When there is a plan and a purpose to an event which connects people in a way which provides a benefit for all and produces an attitude which helps to bring people to a higher and better version of themselves this is a positive thing. Events play an important role in the process towards success in our lives.

The Church had its official launch on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1) when 120 people had gathered together in a spirit of oneness and unity. There was an ongoing understanding of the value of the importance of continuing to do just that. Note the admonition and the focus expressed in Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Napoleon Hill describes the gathering together as a “Master Mind” and writes “it may be defined as: ‘Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.’”

The question which we must ask and consider is, does the meeting together of a specific group of people for “church” reflect the true principle and purpose it was designed for according to Scripture? Do you find within the group the aspects of encouragement, support and edification of the individual members by the members? Are your dreams and goals, gifts and talents recognized and supported with the idea that everyone should benefit, not just a select few?

When the church is being the Church as described in the Bible, personal growth and development should be encouraged and an atmosphere created for everyone such that each individual can reach their full potential, mentally, emotionally physically and spiritually.

How willing are you to be a life long learner? To what extent are you willing to change in order to become a person who truly influences others in a positive way such that they are excited to be around you? Your teachability says a lot about who you really are.

There is a process to achieving such a place in life and without going into an exhaustive list there are some essentials which must be found in your life. The first is your willingness to continue to invest in the process of personal growth and development. How many books are you reading and applying the information into your daily life? Leaders are readers and readers open the door to opportunity to become leaders. Dr. Ben Carson attributes the encouragement of his mother to become a reader in the process of his becoming a world renowned surgeon.

If you are a person who says, “I don’t like to read, or I don’t read.” Remember, if you don’t read, you are no better off than the person who can’t read.

There is an important basic book list to be read and studied and applied if you want to develop a balanced and sound mental, emotional, physical and spiritual life. This basic book list contains 66 books and they all can be found in one book cover with the title, “The Bible.”

There will be voices which will say this book is old and archaic and does not apply to our world today. Don’t allow people to put rats in your head. In such a situation you must decide who you will listen to? I will sometimes ask, “If this is true, how is it that the principles of quantum physics and energy contained in it are still relevant?” I have never asked, but have thought about asking how they consider the binary, open and closed gates, ones and zeros system referenced in the Bible is outdated. Occasionally I will ask, have you read it recently?

The Bible can be a closed book filled with secrets to those who have been negatively impacted by the religious garbage connected to it, but those who really know this can happen in life will take the necessary steps to get rid of the garbage to get to what is true, right? The ability to perceive the incredible secrets and wisdom in this book comes when an individual is willing to connect with the Source of the information and “allow” God through the Holy Spirit to open the information gates. It is about a willingness to learn and a willingness to change and I would add a willingness to allow the Source of all truth to change us.

Then, beyond reading, to what extent are you willing to invest time in listening to audios which encourage, uplift and help you to become the person you were designed to be? When was the last time you deliberately chose to turn the car radio off and engage in a process which allowed you to move in the direction of having a terrific day, all day, every day? What you allow to fill your mind will determine the thoughts which come out of your mind. These thoughts will be the foundation upon which your habits will be built. The habits will become the character you will demonstrate on a daily basis.

Make the decision to take the basic steps necessary to become the best version of yourself possible. If you would do it for yourself, do it for the benefit of those you say you love.

When you want to know how to do something, what is your best options? In reality, who do you listen to? It would be a good idea to go to the source for your information on what you want to know, wouldn’t it? You know what happens when information gets passed from one person to another, right? It gets changed and modified. Think about the children’s game where someone tells a simply story to another person, who then passes it on to the next, who passes it on down the line. In fact it can get transformed to such a great amount it looks nothing like it did when it came from the original source. First hand information is always the best.

The next best option would be to listen to people who have what you want and have been where you are now. These people can provide you with the information to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Take advantage of someone else’s experience to move you along your journey quicker avoiding the pitfalls they made. Remember however, you are ultimately responsible for your own decisions.

When you consider the principles for successful living contained in the Word of God and the variety of accounts of various people who demonstrate both what to do and what not to do, you have both of the best options of who do you listen to in one location.

That being the case, who will you chose to listen to on the path towards what you believe is success?

What steps will you take towards becoming the best version of you possible?