Zig Ziglar explains how the learned will inherit the earth.
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
You Have To Start SomewhereA recent medical study reveals just how difficult change is for people. Roughly 600,000 people have heart bypasses a year in America. These people are told after their bypasses that they must change their lifestyle. The heart bypass is a temporary fix. They must change their diet. They must quit smoking and drinking. They must exercise and reduce stress.
In essence, the doctors say, "Change or die."
You would think that a near-death experience would forever grab the attention of the patients. You would think they would vote for change. You would think the argument for change is so compelling that the patients would make the appropriate lifestyle alterations. Sadly that is not the case.
Ninety percent of the heart patients do not change. They remain the same, living the status quo. Study after study indicates that two years after heart surgery, the patients have not altered their behavior. Instead of making changes for life, they choose death.y would rather die.
As Christians, we are to change. To grow. Not to stagnate.
Our growth as a follower of Christ will prepare us for a productive, fruitful life. Our growth demands that we understand and apply three simple principles
1) My Spiritual Age Does Not Indicate My Spiritual Depth
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again." Hebrews 5:11-12a
The author was referring to the order of priests under Melchizedek and its superiority to the order of priests under. His readers had become "slow to learn " either due to spiritual laziness or neglect.
They had ample time to grow, understand truth, mature and teach. But the time had been wasted.
Instead of being teachers of the Word, they still needed teachers to explain the basics to them.
It is the same for us.
Change is that difficult. The majority of the heart patients choose not to change. Are we growing, changing?
2) My Spiritual Age Should Indicate My Spiritual Diet
"You need milk, not solid food! But solid food is for the mature." Hebrews 14a
The milk of the Word is for the immature while the solid food is for the mature
We're not meant to live on milk forever. How is your spiritual diet? Is Bible study a daily and regular part of your life? Do you share Christ with others, or only take it in.
3) My Spiritual Depth Equips Me for Life's Challenges
"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:13-14
One thing that is for sure in life: It's challenging. Tough times are coming. To make our way through them, we need to gather discernment and practice spiritual maturity.
The Christian life is an adventure, but it's no place for infants.
How are you doing with your diet?
The author is the publisher of the Online Christian Shopper site that sells Christian T-Shirts. And he publishes the Christian Statement Christian blog.
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for pretty much anything."
There are other variations of this quote, but the fact of the matter is this quote is one that hit home with me when I was exposed to it as a teenager. This quote made me think about how important having standards is. Having standards are essential for determining the quality of the life you intend to live.
Over the years I've created quite a few quotes that help me and others to create the standards necessary for a well lived life. Here are 3 empowering motivational quotes that will help you define your life standards and create the life you truly desire:
Quote #1 - "Never practice positive thinking without the positive action of application."
Essentially this quote is saying that there are two parts to being positive and both of those parts must be active. If you're only doing the first part, thinking positive, without enacting the second part, applying positive action, than you're really just wasting your brain power. Set the standard of practicing positive thinking and applying positive action and you will succeed every single time.
Quote #2 - "Lessons are what's behind you. LIFE is what's in front of you. Learn, Grow & Thrive!"
To often we can get hung up on focusing on all of the negative things that have happened to us in the past. This can cause a person to become bitter. Bitterness weighs you down and prevents you from embracing the abundance that rules the Universe. This quote says to set the standard of looking at the past to discern and learn the lessons found there, then to go forward applying those lessons and live an abundant life.
Quote #3 - "Know, Like & Trust yourself 1st, then you will become an attractor magnet of those things and persons who will enhance your life.
In a nut shell, this quote says if you don't know yourself, like yourself and trust yourself than it's going to be next to impossible for you to attract anything that will enhance your life and help you to go to your next level. Set the standard for yourself that you will know, like and trust yourself before you seek to know, like and trust anyone else and you'll be amazed as you trigger the gateway for the abundance of the Universe to visit you often.
Denise is the creator of the "Dream BIG Motivated Mindset System" and for the past 10 years has been teaching the system that helps women discover success strategies to improve the bottom line in all areas of their lives. She also offers free weekly teleseminars, as well as online courses with a workshop environment.
Visit http://www.dreambigpowerpack.com for tools to help you Dream BIG and actualize your dreams in as little as a few short months!
Many people say that if you do not have a goal that you want to achieve, you would never get to experience success. This is true especially if you are the kind of person who is still oblivious of the direction that you want to take. Personal goal setting allows you to have that laser sharp focus so that you will be on your way to success. This would set as your inspiration to do and strive better in everything that you do. The reason you keep hearing about it is because it really is important to your life. A good definition of goals is that they are dreams with deadlines. And the great thing about goal-setting is you can keep it as simple or get as elaborate as you would like.
One simple goal setting activity that even a child can do is to ask yourself these three questions.
To achieve this personal goal:
* What do I need to start doing?
* What do I need to stop doing?
* What do I need to do more of?
This can take away the fear some people have of the more detailed and complicated long-term goal setting systems such as the famous S.M.A.R.T. system; which means using only Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive definitions in your personal goal setting activity.
But however you go about it, goal planning is essential if you want to succeed. This would help you choose where you really want to go, and what the things are that you really want to do. By defining the specific tasks that you must do, you will get to know where you should spend all your efforts. Aside from that you will also determine what the most likely distractions are that may drive you further away from your goal setting activity.
It has been said that achieving goals is not a problem - it is SETTING the goals that is the problem. People just do not do it. They leave their lives to chance ... and usually end up broke by the time they reach retirement.
Humans have the remarkable ability to get exactly what they must have. But there is a difference between a "must" and a "want." To quote the Dalai Lama "The purpose of life is to be happy". However, there are several mistakes beginners can make in their first goal setting activity that can affect their ability to achieve their goals. One of which is creating tons of long term goals, all at the same time. As a result, they no longer have enough focus to reach and fulfill a particular goal. That is why it is advisable that you would limit your first attempts to only a goal or two so that you can give your full focus and effort, allowing you to achieve the goal completely before planning another goal to fulfill.
Here is a starting point to begin considering your personal goal setting. Plan to set aside some quiet time, with no interruptions, make yourself a cup of your favourite beverage, sit down with a pen and paper and start writing your thoughts down about things like :
* In my lifetime, the most important things I have already accomplished include:
* If I looked back on my lifetime in 20 years time, I would like to have accomplished:
* Within 10 years, I would like to achieve:
* Within 5 years, I would like to have achieved:
* In the next six months to a year, these are the things I am going to do to work towards by goals:
* Regardless of your family commitments or your personal relationships, and regardless of your business enterprises or any false sense of achievement, what do you REALLY want?
Give yourself credit for your past accomplishments, and give yourself credit for your future achievements. You can and will attain all your goals, both long-term and short-term if you approach them in a step-by-step fashion and if you believe that they are truly worthwhile for you.
Aside from that, goal planning may also help you to become more motivated. Eventually, you will get into the whole habit of creating long term goals and planning on how you can successfully achieve each and every goal that you have. Moreover, it would also allow you to build your self confidence sooner than you expected
Need help following through with your goals?
Whether you want to prepare to re-invent yourself or just focus on improvement in one specific area of your life, you need a complete solution based on solid fundamentals and instructions from the very wisest.
To help you plan and to help you prepare your personal goal setting plan, Helene Malmsio has collected dozens of excellent self help Goal Setting articles and free self help ebook downloads to help you create a life plan for yourself this year. This resource is available for anyone for anyone who wants to do something remarkable with their lives.
One of her tips is that although you do need to be considerate of your environment and of all the people in it, you must first consider yourself. Your well-being, your happiness, your success. If you do not get in touch with your inner needs and passions in your life, you will be unlikely to achieve your goals if they are focused on meeting the needs of other people before your own needs. As they say, you must make yourself happy first, before you are in a position to help anyone else become happy.
What is keeping you from living the life you have been dreaming about? Make a pact with yourself right now that you will achieve your goals. And make them realistic to reach. Then one by one, make your own life the success it deserves.
Whatever your challenge may be, Goals can help you earn more - do more - and be more in the coming year!
Do you want MORE out of life? We believe that YOU deserve the best! The best health. The most happiness. And unlimited prosperity too. It's all possible when you help yourself using our FREE personal goal setting resources and books. You will be amazed at what only a few minutes on our site will do for you. We're waiting for you at http://www.personal-enterprise-self-help-resources.com/HAPPINESS-GOALS.html
Spending 15 Minutes Each DayThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Michael TalbotThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Stephen%20coveyThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Allison DuboisThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
T Harv EkerThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Stop Losing Your Car KeysThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Benjamin FranklinThis video has more information on Mary Magdalene, great video on advanced spiritual thinking.
If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.
Earl G GravesA friend recently asked me why I felt it was so important to focus specifically on spirituality for women. Isn't the point of spirituality, she asked, to move to an understanding that transcends distinctions like gender? Does it really serve the process, she wondered, to imply there is a separate spirituality for men and for women?
As part of my response, I referred her to a recently published book called Taking Back God: American Women Rising Up for Religious Equality. The author, Leora Tanenbaum, explores the role of women within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The author interweaves religious history with interviews of contemporary women who care deeply about their religions, and derive great knowledge and sustenance from them, but are unhappy with the restricted roles of women within them. Many of these interviews are very moving, because these women have really struggled with this issue.
One of the biggest problems for these women is the restrictions placed on their access to teachings and official roles. Many of their religions restrict women's rights or abilities to read certain scriptures, or to teach or preach. Since scriptures are often considered the word of God, or a conduit to enlightenment (in the East), this sends the message that women are 'further' from God or enlightenment, and that they don't have the right to communicate directly, or to learn, teach, or preach on their own. They have to get everything secondhand. Contemporary American women don't accept this in the office, and are increasingly uncomfortable with it in their houses of worship.
While Taking Back God focuses on the official role of women in Christianity, Judaism and Islam, things aren't altogether different in the New Age or self-help communities, or in many Buddhist or Yoga centers. Although there are more women spiritual teachers, authors, and religious leaders in America than elsewhere in the world, they are still vastly outnumbered by men (just check out the Amazon bestsellers list). This despite the fact that according to book marketing surveys, women outnumber men as the purchasers of spiritual and religious books by as much as 4 to 1. In other words, women would appear to be more interested in spirituality in general, but the majority of books, teachers, organizations and resources out there are male-dominated. What is the message sent by this?
So, my answer to my friend, the reason focusing on women's spirituality is important to me, even though I am wary of over-identifying with gender issues, is that I think it really matters how many women religious leaders and spiritual teachers there are out there. And I think full access to scriptures, and leadership roles, and teaching positions - within every tradition - is imperative. Women's access to spirituality, their relationship with God/Tao/Nirvana/Brahma (or whatever you believe in), can't be secondhand. In a way, changing this is the most essential form of change that can occur, because our spiritual and religious beliefs define our organizational view of the world. If we see women as 'lower down' the totem pole, even subconsciously, we are denying ourselves our full power.
Lisa Erickson is a mom, meditation teacher, and writer. Visit her blog http://www.MommyMystic.wordpress.com for spiritual book reviews and information on meditation and spirituality.
A friend recently asked me why I felt it was so important to focus specifically on spirituality for women. Isn't the point of spirituality, she asked, to move to an understanding that transcends distinctions like gender? Does it really serve the process, she wondered, to imply there is a separate spirituality for men and for women?
As part of my response, I referred her to a recently published book called Taking Back God: American Women Rising Up for Religious Equality. The author, Leora Tanenbaum, explores the role of women within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The author interweaves religious history with interviews of contemporary women who care deeply about their religions, and derive great knowledge and sustenance from them, but are unhappy with the restricted roles of women within them. Many of these interviews are very moving, because these women have really struggled with this issue.
One of the biggest problems for these women is the restrictions placed on their access to teachings and official roles. Many of their religions restrict women's rights or abilities to read certain scriptures, or to teach or preach. Since scriptures are often considered the word of God, or a conduit to enlightenment (in the East), this sends the message that women are 'further' from God or enlightenment, and that they don't have the right to communicate directly, or to learn, teach, or preach on their own. They have to get everything secondhand. Contemporary American women don't accept this in the office, and are increasingly uncomfortable with it in their houses of worship.
While Taking Back God focuses on the official role of women in Christianity, Judaism and Islam, things aren't altogether different in the New Age or self-help communities, or in many Buddhist or Yoga centers. Although there are more women spiritual teachers, authors, and religious leaders in America than elsewhere in the world, they are still vastly outnumbered by men (just check out the Amazon bestsellers list). This despite the fact that according to book marketing surveys, women outnumber men as the purchasers of spiritual and religious books by as much as 4 to 1. In other words, women would appear to be more interested in spirituality in general, but the majority of books, teachers, organizations and resources out there are male-dominated. What is the message sent by this?
So, my answer to my friend, the reason focusing on women's spirituality is important to me, even though I am wary of over-identifying with gender issues, is that I think it really matters how many women religious leaders and spiritual teachers there are out there. And I think full access to scriptures, and leadership roles, and teaching positions - within every tradition - is imperative. Women's access to spirituality, their relationship with God/Tao/Nirvana/Brahma (or whatever you believe in), can't be secondhand. In a way, changing this is the most essential form of change that can occur, because our spiritual and religious beliefs define our organizational view of the world. If we see women as 'lower down' the totem pole, even subconsciously, we are denying ourselves our full power.
Lisa Erickson is a mom, meditation teacher, and writer. Visit her blog http://www.MommyMystic.wordpress.com for spiritual book reviews and information on meditation and spirituality.
I was reading a book on advertising when the author mentioned, "All Advertising Is about Hope."
This got me thinking about other people's dreams and aspirations, most of this is wrapped around them hoping to accomplish something or do something. I never gave it much thought but hope is one of the most important things in our lives. Some people go around hoping that they will keep their job, when the economy is in bad shape. Others go around hoping for forgiveness for their sins or other bad deeds they have done in the past.
What is it you're hoping for? There's got to be something. Are you hoping to become a multimillionaire or even the world's first trillionaire. Are your dreams big or small? Are you the kind of person who is happy living a simple life with very little possessions like a Buddhist monk or are you one who is seeking the lifestyle of the King.
Hope supplies us with the will to continue through hopeless obstacles during our lifetime.
Most people seeking hope are looking for a way out of something or a way toward a better life. These people often fall easy prey to large religious organizations, as they take them under their wing and slowly start to brainwash them. They seek the weak minded, helpless, poor and trusting people and build their organizations using them. I once believed in Christianity, but it no longer offers me true hope, the more I study Christianity and other organized religions, I noticed certain similarities based on inspiration.
I hope I live the good life, so I can go to heaven, the promised land, our ultimate enlightenment.
I hope I am living the true will according to God, Buddha, Krishna or other supreme beings.
I hope that the Bible is wrong about the 144,000 people from the 12 tribes.
I hope I'm living a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
If you're part of an organized religion, ask your religious leaders, any questions that you have about your religion. If they can't answer these questions, try to find them on your own. Books, videos, and the Internet are great sources for information. If you're living your life for the sole purpose of going to heaven one day, you could be disappointed, when that day arrives.
Ask a couple of questions and I hope you will get honest answers to them.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, Read This Book
Greg is currently creating articles on religion filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
I was born in the 1960s and raised in Southern California, United States of America. During that period of time, and in the area I was raised, there was basically one religion that dominated every aspect of mine and my friends lives. That religion was Christianity. When I was in elementary school, I knew one Jewish boy and he looked different than the Christians and even talk different. He was very smart and spent a lot of his time reading, instead of playing at recess.
There were no Muslims or Hindus and it was a predominantly white environment. The first black students I seen was when I entered the eighth grade and by the time I finished high school, I could count all of the black students I had met on both of my hands. So now you have a pretty good idea of my life, living in a white neighborhood that was 90% Christian.
As you can guessed it, I was raised a Christian, but not a regular Christian, I was a Methodist and proud of it, until my parents got tired of the church elders asking for money or if my father could help build the new church. My father explained to them, that he needed to work to support his family and could only contribute, what ever he could to the church and no more. They were very unhappy and made it uncomfortable for us to go to the church anymore.
Hard to imagine, isn't it. Christians asking for money and then when they don't receive it, getting mad at one of their brethren.
Well it was time to switch churches and we are now going to the Crystal Cathedral Church in Garden Grove California. These people had everything and it was a large church. This was before they built the massive glass structure that is presently the church sanctuary. I enjoy going to this church, because we didn't have to go to Sunday school and got to sit with the adults to worship.
By the time I was 15, neither one of my parents were going to church anymore and my life didn't seem to change that much, even though I prayed every night with my brother. Maybe that was it, I didn't have to go to church as long as I prayed every night... By the time I was 18 years old, I was more confused about organized religion than ever before and this included Christianity.
How can someone kill in the name of God? The Muslims were doing it, the Christians were doing it, the Muslims were fighting the Hindus in India and it all seemed normal. It didn't seem normal to me, when I was supposed to love my neighbor and live a life like Christ who never seemed to start fights or even get mad. Maybe a couple of times, over some money, in the Temple.
I have chosen not to be a part of organized religion. I'd figured out that most of our religious beliefs came from our upbringing. This seems to have brainwashed us into believing we are better because were right and know for a fact, that we have chosen to belong to the right religion. What if were not right?
I want to ask you a question, do you think that other religions are wrong and yours is right? If you really spend some time and think about this, you will see, that your religion is not that different than someone else's and neither was their upbringing. Most religious followers, belonged to the religion of their childhood.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a spiritual videos filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.
As a young boy and even into my early adult hood, I asked almost every one that I knew, what they thought heaven was going to be like. These people painted me the most wonderful and beautiful pictures, with the words coming out of their mouths. One woman told me that heaven was going to be the most wonderful place you could ever imagine. She told me that, I would be able to do anything that I wanted to do at any time of the day or night.
All I can say to this, is why are we afraid to die and why do we put that much effort into staying here, when heaven sounds like the place we all want to be. This becomes very confusing during troubled times. We live our whole life to be the best we can possibly be, and then and only then do we get to enter the kingdom of heaven, the most wonderful place in the universe.
Another man told me that, if I wanted to go to heaven, the more good deeds I did on earth, the better buy chances were of actually entering heaven. He said that some people don't get to go, because they did a couple of bad things or maybe one really, really bad thing, like murder. I often wondered what would be worse, murder or painting demonic symbols on the walls of a church, mosque or synagogue. I hope I'm not confusing you anymore than organized religions.
Well now that I have a pretty good idea, that in order to enter into heaven, I need to do good things... that's what I will do for the rest of my life. Sounds simple doesn't it. Now for the bad news, depending on which religion you choose to follow and don't forget that Christianity is one religion that allows you, something special, right before you die, no matter how bad of a person you were to accept Jesus Christ into your heart and accept him as the Almighty God, and this gets you one free pass into heaven.
Am I confusing you at all, does this make sense? When the man told me, that, the only way I would get to go to heaven was by doing good deeds and then the Bible tells me that, I just need to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and I get to go to the promised land, heaven. All right now were talking, this sounds pretty good now. I won't have to do very many good things and before I die can ask forgiveness for all the bad things I did.
I don't know what's true, but I can say that it gets a little confusing and as you go from religion to religion and place of worship to other places of worship, you will hear different stories, from different religious leaders. I can't make much sense out of some religions, but if you want to believe in heaven, there is someone out there who can paint you, the most wonderful picture of heaven in your mind. Whether we really get to go there or not, depends on what you want to believe in.
I wrote this article to get people thinking about the choices they've made and the religions they choose to follow. Is your religion right and others are wrong? Ask yourself this one question, think back, to when you made a conscious choice to follow the religion you're in right now, if any, most of the time you started believing as a child and never really got to choose because your parents, teachers, friends, family or guardians made a choice for you.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, spiritual books
If you want to read something funny and get your daily laugh in, you need to read this, it's funny Using Religion Responsibility. It's based on overindulgence.
