3 Power Steps To The Next Level

I am a firm believer in doing what it takes to bring life to a higher level. I am very happy with many things in life, but at the same time, average just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Many posts I write here are geared to help my readers and I take life to a higher level.

I received a newsletter from one of my favorite pastors/authors Joel Osteen the other day. It is titled, “3 Keys To Experiencing the Next Level”. As you can imagine, it certainly had my attention in a hurry! I found the information very helpful and interesting, and I would like to share it with you. Here are the 3 keys Joel mentions:

1. Believe that God has great things in store for you and wants to bless you. He quotes Psalm 37:4 which says..take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
2. Release every negative thought and bad experience to God and trust His plan. The verse he mentions here is 2 Corintians 5:17…if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here.
3. Receive the promises of God for your life and live with confidence. He uses Matthew 21:22 which says…you can pray for anything, and if you have faith you will receive it.

I agree with Joel Osteen and firmly believe God wants to take us to a higher level in our lives. I find his 3 step process very helpful, and very simple to do consistently. It can certainly work for you too. For more information on this, go to http://JoelOsteen.com/elevate

Have an excellent day!

A Generous Dose of Info To Help Receive What You Want

Is there a special formula that gives you a better chance to receive what you want? In one way, I would have to say no. There are many factors involved. However, if you are looking for a way to enhance your success, reach your goals, and receive the blessings you are looking for, I have something that can help you get there.

How do you get want you want? The answer is quite ironic and may surprise you….give it away! What? How can I give away something I don’t even have? I will say that in most cases, you already do have it. For example, some people are looking to be appreciated more. In that case, the best way to receive that appreciation is to show greater appreciation for others. Seeking more money? Be more willing to share what you already have. Many of us say we don’t have enough time. If that’s the case, give yours away. Spend time helping and serving other people, and watch how much time you will find that you really have. The same is true with the other examples. By appreciating others, you will find people appreciating you more. By sharing your money, you will find it coming to you from unexpected sources. It’s amazing how it works.

This information is well backed in the Bible. “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” Proverbs 11:25. “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap” Luke 6:38. These are just some of the many verses that stress the importance and benefits of generosity.

A key concept is to avoid doing things for others simply because you want to be blessed yourself. Don’t go seeking the blessing. When you do for others, you will atomatically have it done for you. Besides, there is the verse in Matthew 25 where Jesus says, whatever you do for the least of these people you do for me. You are doing it for Him and His glory. You will be blessed as a result. In addition, think of how you feel when you give to someone else. Doesn’t it feel great? That great feeling will give you more positive energy, and you will feel like you can do more with your time. The desire to give to others simply becomes natural.

Today, think of what you can do for someone else. Think especially of what it is that you are seeking in your life. Then give as much as you can of it to someone else. You will see major blessings for them, and especially in your own life. I encourage you to make it happen. Please share your results : )

Is It Right To Live For Today?

You’ve heard the phrase “live for today” many times. This phrase has always created controversy. Why? Because living for today is often associated with disregard for the future. There are many that live their lives this way. They live their lives recklessly with no concern about how their actions will affect their future. We see the negative results, and draw the conclusion that it is wrong to live for today.

There is also the opposite extreme. Many people don’t enjoy the present day because they are too worried about what the future may bring. They miss out on so much in life because their fear of the future prevents them from taking present day steps towards their goals and the life they want to live.

So what’s the answer to the article’s title? I believe it’s a matter of combining the information presented so far. I strongly believe we DO need to live in a present moment mentality….with an eye on, but not fearing the future. Why it is important to live in the present moment? Because the present moment is all we have. The past is gone forever. So many times we don’t move ahead because we are still caught up in the mistakes of our past. We need to learn from those mistakes, but we cannot spend our present days living in the past. As mentioned, we must spend some time planning for our future, but we cannot fail to act in the present because we are worried about something in the future. Just as we can’t live in the past, we also cannot live in the future. Jesus Himself stressed that we are to avoid worrying about the future. In Matthew 6:34 He says..do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The bottom line is that the present is the only time where you have complete control of the outcome. Can we change the past? Sorry, but that’s a no. Are we in the future yet? Not unless we are talking about the past, and again, we can’t live in the past. We have full control of the present. And here’s a great thought. The more you take advantage of your present day opportunities, the better your future will be! So spend time perfecting your relationships; going after your dream job; taking care of your health; and doing anything that will help you get to the person you want to be and life you want to have.

 I will conclude by saying again that, as long as we don’t completely disregard our future, it is right, and I believe necessary to live for today. If we do all we can possibly do each day to be a better person, to serve others, and to make this world a better place, we will find life more rewarding than ever before. We will enjoy the present moments to the fullest, and we will have no reason to fear our future. That’s the type of life I want to experience. Enjoy the blessings : )

The Power Of Down Time

Today is one of those Saturdays where there is really not much going on. It’s unseaonably cold, and there are no major plans going on. Sure, I can think of things to do around the house, or do some shopping, but I am not very motivated to do work today.

Is this a bad thing? Should I feel guilty when I am not active? I could run into problems if I felt like this every day. However, I am beginning to see the importance of spending time in limited action. In fact, I have seen the importance of taking a bit of time each day to just stop and take advantage of some down time. Here are some advantages to down time:

• It’s a time to get your thoughts together. The life we experience externally is a result of what our thoughts are like. We need quiet time to gather and control our thoughts. Then we need the time to create positive ones, imagine ideal situations, and affirm success to ourselves. It is also helpful, and I believe necessary, to pray and meditate on things things.
• Upon getting our thoughts in line, it is easier to develop plans of action when things are quiet and we are not stressed. Faith and focused action is a force that no one can defeat. When we have both going for us, we are victorious in every situation.
• Better relationships. When I have had my fill of me time in a state of relaxation, I am much more willing and able to go out of my way for others. In fact, I will say that we cannot be our best for others if we cannot first be our best selves. In order to be our best selves, we need our share of down time.

These are just some advantages of down time. It is just so helpful to take advantage of times like this. Jesus Himself even stressed this, and how it helps us focus on the right things. In Luke 10 there is a story about how Jesus was going to visit two friends who were sisters. When He arrived, one was doing all the work, while the other was doing nothing but sitting and listening to Jesus’s words. The working sister complained to Jesus..”aren’t you going to say something to my sister? Im doing all of the work while she is just sitting there”. The funny thing is she doesn’t get the answer she expects. Instead of criticizing, Jesus instead commends the “sitting” sister for focusing on the right thing (Him and His words) and not letting other distractions get in the way.

Can you relate? If a famous person were coming to your house, what would you do? Would you relax and enjoy the moment of this special time, or would you be stressed because of the things that had to get done and let that replace the enjoyment?

According to the divine word above, we have every right to enjoy down time so we can focus on the priorities and the right things. It’s totally ok, as long as we don’t use the time to replace other times where we are prompted and inspired to act. Whenever you get the chance, even if it’s for a short time, please take advantage of some down time to think beautiful things, and get your mind and body in order. It will have extreme benefits when the time to act arrives.

Enjoy the blessings : )

 

A Powerful Meditation

I have read about 30 self-help/mind power books during the past two years or so. One of my favorites is “The Power Of Intention” by Wayne Dyer. I’ve read the book three times over and still refer to it on a regular basis. Every time I read it, I find something that I didn’t notice or focus on before.

As I was browsing the book again, I noticed a powerful meditation technique called Japa. I remember reading about it in the book before, but I don’t usually pay attention to alternate meditation methods so I disregarded it for the most part. However, as I read about Japa again and realized how it can be used to increase power and confidence in my life, I paid much closer attention.

The author describes Japa as repeating the names of God over and over, focusing on His presence. I saw another definition on Wikipedia as simply a meditative repetition of a name of divine power. What I noticed this time that I didn’t before is that Wayne Dyer suggests doing this as you imagine something you want to accomplish in your life. Say the name Jesus as you imagine yourself succeeding at your job, with your family, other relationships, and enjoying a greater and happier life. Say the word Lord or God as you imagine yourself overcoming the obstacles currently in your way.

I have tried this myself, and it is powerful. I find it especially effective because, instead of focusing on our desire, need, or problem we are focusing on the presence of God. The peace and power that it brings is amazing. I also feel like I am releasing the situation to Him, faithfully knowing that it’s in His hands.

I recommend you try this meditation. It can be done anywhere and doesn’t take a great deal of time. Even if you do it a few minutes at a time several times during the day, it can have dramatic results. It is especially helpful during the most stressful times as it provides the assurance that God is right there helping you through. I hope it helps you as much as it’s helped me.