4 Steps to Personal Revival

Watch the video version on Bill’s podcast.

The U.S.A. immerged from the pandemic with a new set of morals. For decades, a moral shift has occurred from glorifying God to self-gratification, and the pandemic completed the transformation. Even the Church is taking on end-time characteristics of the “great falling away” described by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.  

Unsurprisingly, the Christian community is crying out for revival in our country. The revival at Asbury University in Kentucky gives me hope that we could see a movement of the Spirit in a mighty way. But what is a revival? Is it an overwhelming move of the Spirit in which people fall on their faces and return to the Lord, or is it more personal responsibility? I believe both are true. As the Spirit moves, people respond. But the Spirit has been moving since the beginning of creation. So, what causes a revival to break out? If we experience a revival in our country, it will start on a personal level. 

Jesus described in detail what a dead Christian society looks like in Revelation 3:14-18: prideful, unaware, shameful. And U.S. Christianity serves as a stark reminder of the Church of Laodicea. So, do you want revival? God has given a straightforward four-step process for anyone to experience a genuine revival. 

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV)

I know what you’re saying, “Bill, we’ve heard this before.” But we are not to be hearers only but does of the work (James 1:22-25). What does it say about Christianity when we know what we are supposed to do, yet we won’t do it? So, ask yourself this question before you read any further, “Are you willing to do what is necessary to experience revival in your heart and life?” 

Step 1: Personal Humility

Humility is not a position of falling on your knees but a heart posture before God. People humble themselves before God by making the radical decision to submit themselves to God in all areas of life. There is no grey area of humility. You are either prideful or humble, but you can’t be both. Start your revival journey by identifying the areas of your life you will not surrender to God. You will be a war with the Spirit until you are willing to let go, for most revival stops here. 

Step Two: Corporate Prayer

Prayer is never to change God’s mind but to agree with Him. The book of Hebrews describes prayer as coming boldly to the throne to find grace and help in a time of need (Heb 4:16). When we pray, we find ourselves in the throne room face to face with God. Everyone that comes into God’s presence finds themselves lying on the ground as a dead man. But through the blood of Jesus, we can come boldly to the throne and seek God’s face. 

Step Three: Godly Focus

God has promised that all who seek Him will find him, and he desires to be found. Being in the presence of God will cause you to not only see Him high and lifted up but will also reveal your sinful state. (Isiah 6:1-4) The only way we survive such an encounter is through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ. Too often, I see Christians hiding from the presence of God like Adam in the bushes, trying to cover up his guilt and shame. You will only experience revival when you come out of the shadows and apply the gospel to every area of your life. 

Step Four: Personal Repentance

One of the most significant pieces of evidence of revival is the confession and repentance of sin. Revival will never come if you are unwilling to turn from your wicked ways. One of my mentors, Alan Shelby, once said, “You can come as you are, you just can’t stay as you is.” The Church is in this state because of the gospel preached without repentance. Revival will only come when the redeemed walk in righteousness. 

God never meant revival to be a passing moment but a lifelong pursuit of his presence and holiness. You can have a revival today!! As you experience revival and others around you experience revival, a movement of revival will occur. 

5 Steps to Sharing Your Faith in a Post-Christian Nation

Watch the video playlist on this topic on my YouTube channel.

Growing up, everyone called the Bible “The Good Book.” You heard it on the streets and on TV: “Well the good book says.” Sometimes they misquoted the Bible like, “The good book says, God helps those that help themselves.” No, it doesn’t. Nevertheless, The Bible was held in high esteem even by those that had not received Jesus. So, when it came to sharing your faith, the Bible was a good starting point for truth. Many times just showing someone what the Bible said about God, Jesus, and themselves was enough to convince people to follow Christ. 

Not so in today’s world. Our nation no longer trusts or even believes in God. The very Bible they swear upon they don’t believe. The Bible is no longer the standard for truth in our society, but self-expression rules the day. For a moment, culture replaced the Bible with Science, but when actual science kept leading back to God, even that couldn’t be the standard for truth any longer. Now truth is a relative term individualized to each person. 

For example: 

  • The truth of the Bible tells us that God made humanity male and female: man and woman. 
  • Science tells us that the DNA of a male is different than that of a female causing their makeup to be distinct.
  • Society tells us that you can psychologically choose to be a male, female, or nonbinary.

All I’m saying is the Bible is no longer the standard by which people judge their lives and, therefore, not the overwhelming evidence it once was. I believe the Holy Spirit is moving and working through the Bible to convince people of the truth. But, the idea of “the Bible says so” does not hold the weight it once did to the general public. 

So, how do we share the good news of Jesus in a post-Christian nation? Some would argue we shouldn’t share because it is offensive to others, and the truth of God and ourselves might be offensive to some who choose to reject him, but that doesn’t change who you are as a Christian. I have every right to share my faith and belief in Christ, as others have the right to share their views. 

The lostness and hopelessness of our neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers are greater than ever. I don’t believe we can settle for not sharing the hope of Jesus with them because they don’t understand the truth of the Word. I also don’t think we need better sales tactics to convince people to buy the truth we’re selling. The formula God has used for centuries of drawing people close to him still works today. 

Here are five steps to sharing your faith in a post-Christian nation.

Step One: Be Led by the Spirit

Jesus taught his disciples to follow the will of God and not his own will. He said what the Father told him and went where the Spirit led him. Throughout the book of Acts, we see people listening to God and following the Spirit to bring Christianity to places that had never heard the name of Jesus. Listening and following the movement of the Spirit has become a lost practice in Christianity today. Most Christians are content with being sinners saved by grace instead of sanctified saints walking in step with the Spirit that saved them. 

The Spirit will still guide you into all truth and involve you in His work around you. So, the first step of evangelism is to walk in step with the Spirit that is working. The Spirit’s work is to point the world to Christ. Walking in step with the Spirit, you will naturally point people to Jesus.  

Step Two: Learn to Love Well

Loving well in a natural outpouring of the Spirit, for God is love. So, here are some things to consider as you learn to love people well. 

  1. Don’t Judge! Jesus was adamant about not judging in Matthew 7:1-5. Our country is so polarized over the issues that we have forgotten how to listen and hear one another. Jesus was effective in His witness because He listened and took an interest in the person. Every person you come in contact with, Jesus wants to save. 
  2. ‌Don’t get hit with the boomerang of Judgement! Jesus promises that how you judge others will become the standard for your judgment. My advice: Be nice!
  3. Let God be the judge! God is very capable of being God with you. If there is vengeance to be had, God will take it. That sets us free to love people unconditionally and share the love of Christ with those that are already condemned. 
  4. Practice acceptance without affirmation. Acceptance is receiving people just as they are and not as you would have them to be. Affirmation is “supporting (someone) by giving approval, recognition, or encouragement.” Loving people well requires accepting their person but doesn’t require affirming their actions. I, like Paul, don’t even affirm my actions most of the time. 

‌Step Three: Learn to Build Relationships

‌As a young Christian, I was taught bait-and-switch technics. “Bait-and-switch” is a sales technic of presenting one thing and selling something else. People see right through it. Christians get accused of the bait-and-switch just for sharing their faith. It is one thing to have a relationship with a hidden agenda and another to converse with an agenda. Most conversations have motives behind them. There is a point you are trying to make or a question you want to be answered. But these conversations don’t have to determine the relationship. Contrary to popular belief, you can disagree and still be friends. 

Show love and compassion for the one you are speaking to, and always look for points of pain to which you can apply the gospel. An easy non-offensive way to do this is to pray for the issues of pain that you uncover. When God answers prayers, the person will come face to face with the supernatural working of God. ‌

Step Four: Learn to Live by Example

‌Many view the church as a house of hypocrites; in some respects, they might be right. Just because someone is struggling and growing doesn’t mean they should be labeled a hypocrite. If that’s the case, we are all hypocrites (which I have heard many preachers say). But hypocrisy and vulnerability are not the same things. Let’s define our terms:

  • Vulnerability is being open and honest about your struggles.
  • Hypocrisy is a deceptive portrayal of one’s character and person.

When you are vulnerable, people can relate to you and see Christ at work in you. When you are a hypocrite, you cease to be relatable because you portray a standard no one can match. In your vulnerability, press toward God’s high calling by making the Bible your final authority for all life and practice. You don’t have to be perfect to be a “Bible Believer.” Sanctification is a lifelong journey and one every Christian should be taking.

Step Five: Learn to Share Your Faith

‌One of the questions we would ask people during door-to-door evangelism was, “If you were to die today would you go to heaven to be with God or to hell without God?” This question has many assumptions: 1. There is a God. 2. There is a heaven and hell. 3. There is an eternity after this life. Jesus didn’t save us to escape hell or to gain heaven, but to be with Him. Sharing your faith is to reveal the internal and spiritual relationship that you now share with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. It is your love relationship with God that is appealing to those without love. God created humanity as an expression of His love and with the ability to love Him in return. So, when we expose this love relationship to others, it naturally draws the soul to the source from which it came. 

We have made evangelism too complicated. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. 

The power and work of the Holy Spirit to save people in this generation and nation is just as powerful as it’s always been. If we will love people with the love of God and walk in the light of God’s truth and forgiveness, those around us will see the light and be drawn to the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The challenge is to take this journey with God to the masses as we build new and meaningful relationships with those God has placed in our path. A Christian on a journey with God will naturally light up the darkness, and people are always drawn to the light.

Moving the Needle in 2023

It’s that time of year again—the hustle and bustle of Christmas. But in the back of everyone’s mind is the new year and what it will bring. The news wants you to believe everything is bleak, but it could be your best year yet. It is what you make it. We live in the land of opportunity. 

So, what does it take to have the best year of your life? We know for sure that the best year will not happen by accident. Accidents make me think of train wrecks, mangled metal, and casualties. I’m going to assume you don’t want to throw 2023 into the accident category.

Instead, it’s time we get proactive with our lives. Time is too precious to waste. Being proactive and not reactive takes planning, preparation, and execution. Most people struggle with all three of these aspects of life. We all have dreams, but not all see their dreams come to pass. Only those willing to get the help they need move the needle in their goals and aspirations. 

Here are a few questions to answer for the coming year:

  1. What do you want to achieve? Take the time to write out your goal for the year so that you can measure your success this time next year. 
  2. How do you need to grow? Going to the next level will require training or retooling to hit your desired results. 
  3. What are the milestones you need to hit throughout the year? Mountains are climbed one step at a time. The mountain is overwhelming, but your next step is right in front of you. What are the steps you can see and need to take right now? 
  4. Who are you taking on the journey with you? You will need someone to cheer you on and support you when you have doubts, and the path gets steep. 
  5. Who will hold you accountable? The danger of no accountability is our tendency to fall back into the old habits that we know. It’s much harder venturing into the unknown. It would be best if you had a friend, mentor, and coach to help you move from vision to reality. 

There is an excellent book by John Maxwell that helps answer all these questions: “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.” I will be holding a mastermind on this book through December that will prepare us for the best year of our lives. If you want to take this journey with me, click here for more information and watch the video below. Your investment training, coaching, and accountability could make all the difference in your future success. I’m limiting the participants to 10 so don’t wait to claim your spot.

4 Steps to Handling Impossible Situations

Do you ever find yourself in impossible situations? As a Christian living in a post-Christian society, I’m always in impossible situations. It’s that moment when it all falls apart if God doesn’t show up in a big way. For those living by faith, this is a fundamental tension that followers of Christ must learn to navigate. 

I’ve been preaching through the book of Daniel on Sunday mornings at Reliant in a series we call “Unshakeable.” The way Daniel and his friends stand for God in Babylon encourages me to stand for Christ in our Babylon today. In Chapter two, Daniel faces an impossible situation. The King demanded that the wise men of Babylon tell him what he dreamed and the interpretation, or he would kill them all. What Daniel did next saved everyone and established a course we still follow today. 

First we Pray.

Daniel gathered his friends, and they hit their knees, begging God for mercy and wisdom in their impossible circumstances. 

The fact that God has given us full access to His wisdom in power anytime we need it is an incredible advantage for believers. Yet, in our pride, we withhold our prayers as the last option. God is not expecting you to work it out on your own. He wants you to draw close to Him in prayer and watch Him do what only God can do. 

After Prayer, we Praise.  

Daniel prayed in the expectation that God would give him the answers he needed, and sure enough, God came through. Daniel praised God for his mighty acts and gracious reply. I’m reminded of the story of the ten blind men that Jesus healed on the side of the road, and only one came back to give Him praise and thanksgiving. If you provide a gift for your child, don’t you expect or even demand a “thank you?” You want to teach the child gratitude for things done for them, yet we don’t practice the same courtesy with God. Praise the Lord for His mighty acts in your life.

Next, We walk in God’s Provision.

Daniel now had the wisdom and knowledge to accomplish the impossible task. So, he returned to the King and shared what God had given him. We pray in the expectation that God will answer. God answers our prayers in anticipation that we will act. Faith without works is dead. When God is faithful, we must be faithful as well. 

The final result is God’s Power.

The king rewarded Daniel with a place of honor and gifts because he did the impossible. Daniel ensured that God got all the credit, but God made certain Daniel’s influence grew in the kingdom. The faithful to God walk in the blessings of God. 

You might find yourself today in an impossible situation. You know what to do.

  • Humble yourself and Pray
  • Turn to the Lord in Praise
  • Walk in the Lord’s Provision
  • Rest in God’s Power

If you want to watch this sermon in its entirety, Click Here.

4 Determinations of a Resolute Heart

I woke up two years into the future after a world pandemic to find that I was living in a new country. I pulled up my podcast app to listen to “The Briefing,” and my fears were confirmed. No, this was not a dream but a new reality that I’m still trying to wrap my head around. Here is an excerpt from “The Briefing” with Albert Mohler:

“Well, it’s only been 30 days since the last season ended, and what a 30 days it has been, just one month. This points to something we have to see over and over again these days, and that is the increase in what is known as cultural acceleration, or a cultural velocity. It’s the change that comes so fast now in society, not just at the surface level, but at the deep moral level. This is something that truly is unprecedented in human history. Moral change has often taken centuries, sometimes multiple centuries, certainly decades to take place, but right now moral change seems to happen almost as if it’s an explosion. It’s this high velocity, high energy event that just changes everything, so much so that what was an old world, way back there in the past, can be something as recent as just a few years ago.” (The Briefing, Albert Mohler, August 1, 2022, Podcast

As a pastor, I immediately feel the weight of equipping the church to handle this new reality in which we find ourselves. How do we navigate this new post-Christian nation in which we live? I don’t think I’m the only one trying to figure this out, and I know throughout history that living in a post-Christian nation is the norm. It’s just not the norm for me. So, I started looking at the history of the Bible for the answers to this new normal. 

This past Sunday, we started a new series at Reliant through the book of Daniel entitled “Unshakable.” The book begins with an unrepentant Israel captured by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It focuses on four young men taken to serve in the king’s court against their will. Daniel’s response gave me the answers I needed to navigate this new world. 

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8, AV)

That’s it! A purposed and resolute heart not willing to defile ourselves with the things of this world. The same determination Daniel made people have been making throughout the ages. If we are going to stand as God-fearing Christians amidst a crooked and perverse generation, we must resolve not to defile ourselves with the world around us but keep ourselves for God alone. 

So here are four things every Christian can do to have a resolute heart toward God.

Determine in your heart to love God. 

The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Luke 10:27a) Setting your affection on things above and not on the things of the earth is the first step of a resolute heart toward God (Col 3:2). What you focus on is what you love. 

Determine in your soul to please God. 

The only way to please God is through faith and trust in him. The resolute heart must trust in God and the Word of God for all life and practice. Daniel was willing to deny the good this world had to offer to stay pure in the eyes of God. Don’t get sucked into the lies this world has to offer. We are convinced God’s way is better than the ways of the world. 

Determine in your mind to serve God. 

Throughout the Bible, God has used his servants to call his people to choose which gods they will serve. When Joshua brought the people of Israel to the promised land, they had to choose. 

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14–15, ESV)

Today’s Christian is no different. The god you choose is the god you will serve. 

Determine in your body to honor God. 

Many Christians are losing faith in the church and disassociating themselves from it. Jesus died and rose again for the formation of the church. The Bride has its problems, no doubt, but you can’t abandon who you are. Once we understand that we are all part of the body of Christ, we can honor him through it. When we choose to world over God, we dishonor the cross of Jesus and the Bride he established. When we live in the unity of the Spirit, we honor Christ and build a dwelling place for God on Earth. 

Purpose in your heart, like Daniel that you will not defile yourself with the king’s meat and drink. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV)

You can view the entire message on the Reliant Ministries youtube channel

It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better

We live in a world of self-helps right at our fingertips. Just google it! Whatever you’re struggling with, I will guarantee there is an answer, if not multiple answers, you can find right now with a simple search of the internet. So why don’t we take the advice and change our lives for the better? This is a question I have pondered for many years as a pastor holding hundreds if not thousands of counseling sessions with people over the years. Truthfully, I don’t always take the advice readily available to me. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you headed every warning and implemented all the strategies of success that have already come to you? We would all be “Rock Stars” in society. 

There is a simple principle of life that no one likes to talk about because it doesn’t sell well. It gets worse before it gets better! 

Life begins from a place of brokenness. 

Brokenness is a fact of life. We are all born with a broken heart and mind into a broken world system that feeds on our brokenness. The sooner a person realizes their brokenness, the faster they can begin the mending process. 

Our lives are like broken bones. A doctor must reset the fractured bone to heal correctly when a person breaks their leg. But resetting hurts for a moment. If the bone is not reset properly or promptly, it can cause irreparable damage. It gets worse before it gets better. You must endure the pain so that healing can begin. 

So it is in life. Many would rather live in their brokenness than endure the pain necessary to reset for healing to begin. 

Jesus went to great link to heal our brokenness, but to do so, he had to endure the brokenness of the cross, knowing that healing would come on the other side of the pain. So, He endured. He pushed through the pain. And by his stripes, we are healed. It had to get worse before it could get better. 

Change doesn’t come easy.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Which is another way of saying leave things the way they are. Don’t rock the boat. We are, by nature, creatures of habit. We don’t like change. But change is necessary if improvements are going to occur. Everyone knows that changing your life requires a change in your life. I have heard it said that insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly, expecting different results. And how many of us are living lives of insanity. There is a moment when the perception of change makes things worse before it gets better. You are going to rock the boat. The change will make people mad at you. You will be frustrated with yourself because change is never easy. Whether you are changing your diet, changing your bank account, or changing the music at church, there will be fallout and pain. You must stop doing something and start doing something else, and there is always friction in the transition. 

It does get better.

Most people are so used to their brokenness that they don’t believe it can get any better. A good friend told me, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” When you allow God to be the Great Physician in your life and the Bible to be your guide, you can diagnose the issues and see the solutions that will produce a better life. There will be blood, sweat, and tears as you reset and make the changes, but “no pain, no gain.” Like Jesus, we must endure the pain to experience the joy in front of us. 

Embrace your brokenness. It doesn’t matter how you got here or who caused the pain in the first place. It gets better when you take responsibility for your life and make the changes necessary for healing, growth, joy, and fulfillment. 

Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That

One thing is for sure in this life. We only have so much time. We know everyone has the same twenty-four hours in the day, no more, no less. But time is also our biggest variable because we are uncertain of how much time we have. Time is always on our minds. There are clocks everywhere we look. One of the first things you learn to say in a foreign language is, “What time is it.” You can’t escape it or deny it. 

Even in the Bible, Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for everything under heaven. Paul instructs us to redeem the time, for the time is short. There have been countless books, podcasts, and blogs written on time management. All because it is an inescapable truth. We only have so much time. 

If there is anything I have learned in the ministry over the last thirty years, people spend their money on what they want and do what they want to do. Lousy time management will cause frustration because it steals your dreams and aspirations in life. Before we get into calendars and systems of time management, I would have you answer some fundamental questions.

What is important to you?

Every time management journey starts with goal setting. 

  • Do you want to start a business?
  • Do you want to be a godly or religious person?
  • Do you want to lay on the beach?
  • Do you wish to spend more time with your kids?
  • Do you want to help your community?

The list could go on and on. You might conclude that many things are essential to your fulfillment, forcing you to prioritize your time and efforts. 

Will you be proactive or reactive with your time?

Planning your time and activities puts you in the driver’s seat of life. When you don’t plan out your time, others will steal it from you. Being proactive in time management allows you to say “yes” or “no” to those wanting your time, even if the person wanting to steal it is you. I remember demanding my girls play one sport at a time because I didn’t want to spend all my time at the ball fields. I wanted them to play, but I didn’t want to give all my time to it. You might say that’s mean, but I would say it was proactive. 

When you work for someone, people think you become their slave, but this is not true. Employment is a negotiated contract. You will work so much for so much pay. If they want you to work more than you agreed upon, you can say no. The more you allow people to steal your time, the more of an enslaved person you become. 

How will you take charge of the clock?

Most people have a time management system of some sort. I’m a task-oriented type of guy. If I can get one major milestone done today, I will feel successful about the day. I used to be a calendar natzi. If it wasn’t on the calendar, it wasn’t getting done. I still use a calendar but more for memory than anything else. 

Everyone needs a system of time management that works for them. I might even write about some in future blogs, but I want you to take control of your life today. We all do things we have to do, but you want to tip the scales to the things that matter most. Do what matters to you the most. Time is not money. Time is priceless, and you never get it back. So, spend it wisely, and the true joys of life will follow. 

When Do I Need a Coach

People have asked me over the years what really gets me out of bed in the morning. For years I would say discipleship because I love to see the “lightbulb moments” as people begin to understand and fall in love with Jesus. But what I have come to realize is that I love one significant aspect of discipleship: coaching. 

There are three main helps that people need while on this journey of life, and I believe all three are necessary at different times in our lives. The big three are counseling, training, and coaching. But, before we talk about when you might need a coach, let’s define our terms.

Counseling

Counseling helps you resolve issues in your past to move forward in life. The hurts and heritage of the past produce certain thoughts and actions that might not be healthy for you or others and often become self-sabotaging and destructive to your future. A professional counselor has studied things like psychology and knows the right questions to ask, helping you become self-aware of your issues. Once the source is uncovered, they give you the skills to overcome those issues. Counselors answer the question, “Why am I the way I am?”

Training

Training is the development of competencies and skills necessary to accomplish specific tasks in life. No matter your calling in life, training will be essential to get you to the next level. There is an old saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” And how can you know unless someone is willing to invest in your knowledge? Trainers answer the question, “How do I accomplish the necessary task?”

Coaching

Coaches are usually not the star of the show but the maker of stars that shine. Coaching is forward-thinking that helps you realize your potential and path to be the best version of yourself. A good coach can pull out your passions for life and help you organize a plan to accomplish your dreams. The coach answers two questions: 1) Why am I doing it? 2) What do you need to do next?

The distinction between these three has helped me set limitations in my ministry. It’s not good for me to play the “Jack of all trades” when lives hang in the balance. For example, I’m not a counselor. I have never been trained to see the signs or ask the right questions to help people stuck in their past. After 30 years of ministry, I know people and can give sound biblical advice, but I’m not an actual counselor, and I don’t want to be. I am a trainer in church planting, spiritual growth, public speaking, leadership development, and team building. I have had the opportunity to train people in many places worldwide. These training events have been some of the greatest moments of my carrier. I am a coach. Some of the best trainers have taught me the competencies and skills of coaching as part of the Maxwell Leadership Team.

Now that we’ve established a working definition of a coach, here are five questions you should ask yourself:

  1. I need to dive deep into my soul to find my passion and purpose. 
  2. I’m ready to take it to the next level. (Whatever it is.)
  3. I am worth investing in my future and success. 
  4. I’m prepared to unscramble my thoughts and form a viable growth plan.
  5. I desire some caring accountability as I move my life forward. 

If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, you are ready for a life coach that will bring out the best version of yourself as you press forward in life. I would love to walk this journey with you. Let me help you realize your goals and dreams. And let me be the first to say, “You are worth it.”

Click the button below to schedule a free consultation about your future. 

Finding and Fixing Your Blindspots

There is a vineyard not too far from my house where my family likes to meet. I immediately scooped up one of my grandkids and showed her the vineyard when we got there. My daughter loved the moment enough to snap a picture of the two of us. When she sent me the picture, I could only see the glaring bald spot on the back of my head and thought to myself, “Is that true, or is something wrong with the camera?” So, I went straight to the bathroom, picked up a mirror, and positioned myself to see the back of my head. Sure enough, there it was! I didn’t know because I could see it. The back of my head is not only a bald spot but a blind spot to me. 

We all have blind spots in our lives. Areas that we are unable to see. Like my bald spot, some are harmless and even humorous, but other times blind spots can be deadly. One of the first things taught when driving is to check your blind spots because if you don’t, it can be fatal.

The same is true in life. Everyone has emotional, physical, and spiritual blind spots that can be dangerous for themselves and those around them. People constantly run into each other because they have no perception of their blind spots.

Navigating through life without hurting yourself or others demands that you find and fix your blind spots and become aware of yourself and your soundings. 

Let me give you three easy steps to find and fix your blind spots:

Check your Mirrors.

First, take an honest look in the mirror and see how you interact with others and how people respond to you. If you are not willing to look at yourself, it doesn’t matter what others say. The more you look, the more you will discover your blind spots. 

Next, surround yourself with trusted friends and family that will tell you the truth. Ask them to speak into your blind spots and listen when they do. Your vulnerability will open the door to their honesty. 

Finally, let God’s Word reveal who He is and who you are. 

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

(2 Corinthians 3:12–18, AV)

The glass in the passage speaks of the reflection of a mirror. Once you are willing to open your eyes and see, the Spirit begins molding you into his image and removing the blind spots.  

Evaluate your current condition.

As you reveal the blind spots, it’s essential to determine if there is anything that you need to do about it. Sometimes awareness is enough to live with or avoid making things worse. Other times change is necessary to move forward. Then determine if you need the help of others to make the changes. Do you have a clear path to change? Do you know the right questions to ask? Are you able to see the situation from all angles? This is where a counselor or spiritual guide can come in handy. 

Proceed with caution.

There will always be new blind spots to look for on the journey. It would be best if you kept using your mirrors. Fear only comes from the unknown. The more you know yourself, the more you can make the changes that will get you to your destination in life. 

If you have enjoyed this post please share it on your favorite social media sites. For more great content, please visit my YouTube channel by clicking here. I invite you to leave comments and questions.

If you are in need of personal coaching please visit my Maxwell Team Member website. I would love to help you reach your greatest potential.

What does God Think About Money?

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

1 Timothy 6:10, ESV

It’s funny to me that pastors are so quick to preach on the evils of money and, at the same time, pass the offering plate. Parishioners walk away, confused about money. Is money good or bad?

The answer is money is neither good nor bad; it’s just a tool. God doesn’t speak of money in a negative light but rather the attitude that people have toward money. To some money has become a god to be worshiped and the end-all of life. There is no doubt that God uses the money to provide things needs for life and ministry in this fallen world. (Although I feel I could argue that money was not God’s commodity from the beginning.) 

Jesus had much to say about money in the New Testament as well. He felt the need to address the attitude of money as he started his public ministry. 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-21, ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Matthew 6:24, ESV

It is so easy to slip into serving money instead of using money. I even think people use their relationship with God to gain wealth, i.e., blessings from the Lord. In such cases, they are still worshipping wealth instead of God. 

Here are three determinations you need to make about money. 

Determine the treasure of your heart.

Only you can choose God over money. Jesus makes it very clear that you can’t serve both. Money is an inanimate object that can’t receive worship. Therefore, what you’re choosing is self-worship or God worship. What you value the most becomes the worship of your heart. In Matthew 6:26, we read that God values his children more than the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

Let God’s value of you drive your value of Him. 

Pastor Bill Sizemore

Determine the source of your provision. 

According to the rest of this passage in Matthew six, trusting in money causes you to live in anxiety because all the responsibilities to provide ultimately fall back on you. Trusting in God removes the stress of your life because he can provide what is needed. Once you decide to believe and worship God, you can turn your anxiety into prayers. (Phil. 4:6)

Determine the focus of your life. 

Serving money usually means the love of stuff, and the flesh is never saticfied. Someone asked John D. Rockefeller, “How much money is enough?” his reply was, “Just a little bit more.” At that time, He owned 90% of all the oil and gas in America. Jesus commands His followers to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” 

The value of money will never compare to the value of God’s love. Use money as the tool it is meant to be, and love God will all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love the commodity of God. The man that is loved by God and others is the richest in the world. 

If you would like to watch this message in its entirity, Click Here. If this blog has blessed you in some way, please leave your comments below.