Podcasts about Your Best Life Now

This week, Pastor Brad Beers takes a looks at John 12, which discusses themes of living a fulfilled, selfless life. He sets the scene of a bustling Passover in Jerusalem, highlighting the moment when diverse crowds sought to witness Jesus's transformative presence and the call for His glorification. The core message challenges us to relinquish […] The post John 12:20-33 – Your Best Life Now appeared first on Sierra Bible Church.

In this episode of Rat Race Reboot, host Laura Noel interviews Dean Inniss, managing partner at Your Best Life Now, about finding fulfillment and avoiding burnout in your career. They discuss the importance of alignment between employees' skills and interests and their job responsibilities, fostering engagement through empathy and listening, and leading change in positive ways.     Connect with Laura: https://www.stretchintosuccess.com/ratracereboot/ Listen/Watch Rat Race Reboot: https://www.ratracereboot.com/     Connect with Dean at Your Best Life: https://www.yblnow.com/   Guest Bio: DEAN INNISS Strategist, Entrepreneur, Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now   Key Focus: Elevating Finance, Family, Fitness and Faith to maximize Your Best Life through coaching, community and exclusive once in a lifetime experiences   In 2019, Dean Inniss decided to leave corporate America, where he honed his leadership, partnership, and business skills on a national, regional and local level. Dean adopted a philosophy of elevating the performance of those around him through training, mentorship and motivation and uses those skills to build new relationships. His unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training and economic analysis gives him the perspective few have to guide entrepreneurs, CEOS, and other top executives to new heights. Most recently, Dean was the President and COO of a large regional mortgage bank that doubled its size under his leadership, originating over $400,000,000 in residential and commercial loans and servicing $1,000,000,000 in receivables. Dean optimizes business performance and the economic and financial expertise to anticipate and prepare for the future. He also served as a board director of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. Dean lives in El Paso with Dolores, his wife of 25 years and son Chayse.         #Deaninniss #Yourbestlifenow #Lauranoel #RatRaceReboot #Mindset #StretchIntoSuccess #ParadigmShift  

Ep. 36 Kelly Bush and Kelly Metras chat with Megan McShane, co-founder of Your Best Life Now, discussing personal development, family balance, and the importance of community. Megan shares insights from her 13-year tenure with Tony Robbins and offers a peek into her yoga practice and family life. Megan discusses the founding principles of "Your Best Life Now," focusing on the core values of faith, family, fitness, and finance. Her experience organizing high-impact events globally and her transition to a balanced, family-centered life provides listeners with actionable insights. The episode delves into the importance of community, leadership challenges, and the significance of staying true to one's values amidst adversity. Megan's ability to weave metaphysical practices with grounded business strategies offers a unique perspective for business owners seeking personal and professional fulfillment. Title Sponsor: Salena's Mexican Restaurant Episode sponsors: Marshall Street, Union Tavern Hosted by Kelly Bush + Kelly Metras founders of www.BossyRoc.com Music: Do it by Infraction, Mellow Bop by Prigida & You are the best by Cutesy Chamber Ensemble  Produced by JazzCast Pros Notable Quotes: "You don't have to live anyone else's idea of your best life." - Megan McShane "If you keep doing what you do, you'll always get what you get." - Tony Robbins (often cited philosophy in Megan's journey) "I used to always be a people pleaser, but in business, you learn not everyone's going to like you, and that's okay." - Megan McShane About the Guest: Megan McShane is a dynamic leader in personal development and business coaching. She spent 13 years working closely with Tony Robbins, gaining extensive experience in sales, client services, and later as the Director of Platinum Partnership. Megan is a certified yoga coach and previously owned Grace Yoga. She holds degrees in Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, and Metaphysics. Currently, she is the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of "Your Best Life Now," a global networking and personal development platform for entrepreneurs and business owners. CONNECT WITH MEGAN Email Megan@YBLNow.com Website www.YBLNow.com Text (786) 423-9810 LinkedIn Megan-McShane Facebook YourBestLife.Community Instagram @Yourbestlife.now Episode Key Takeaways: Inclusivity in Networking: Megan emphasizes the importance of inclusive communities that integrate personal and professional lives, making "Your Best Life Now" a holistic support system for entrepreneurs. Core Values: The conversation spotlights the four pillars of faith, family, fitness, and finance, crucial for achieving balance and success in business. Leadership Growth: Megan shares her evolution from a people-pleaser to a decisive leader, underlining the necessity of staying true to personal and organizational values. Community and Support: The impact of a strong community is highlighted, showcasing how being around diverse, supportive peers can lead to personal and business growth. Practical Self-Care: Megan talks about the importance of daily rituals, mindfulness, and asking for help to maintain mental and physical health. Chapters: 0:00 The Importance of Belonging and Community in Personal Development 6:52 Connecting with Tony Robbins Through Infomercials and Personal Growth 9:13 Megan's Journey From Sales to Tony Robbins' Team  12:02 Creating Inclusive Networking Groups for Diverse Business Owners 16:34 Choosing Your Hard and Living Your Best Life 23:27 The Challenges and Realities of Business Ownership 29:03 Self-Care for Busy Women 36:56 Finding Peace and Serenity in Sedona 39:13 Launching the Business Blueprint Accelerator for Business Owners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be true to yourself. Know who you are as a person because people will try to break you. If you have a strong sense of self-esteem, you will be successful. -Megan McShane In the spotlight: Megan McShane. She spent 13 years working for global coaching sensation Tony Robbins and years later, developed the concept for Your Best Life Now www.yblnow.com with two business partners. Designed to bring together four key parts of a person's life, Your Best Life Now is a results-driven, membership-based mastermind community focused on what Megan calls “the wheel of life”: faith, family, fitness, and finance for entrepreneurs. While most coaching models are based on the individual, Your Best Life Now is focused on inclusivity. Says Megan: “You want to grow with the people around you, and if you are not growing together, it causes strain in a relationship. With our coaching, it's all about the whole.” Members of Your Best Life Now receive a year's worth of business coaching and personal coaching, plus 3 empowering live events per year. Born and raised near the Canadian border in the small town of Ogdensburg, New York, Megan is the daughter of a legendary NCAA hockey coach and a labor & delivery nurse. When her Dad's coaching gig took the family from St. Lawrence University to Providence College, the family moved to Providence, Rhode Island, with Megan playing sports year-round, including girl's ice hockey. Also a certified yoga instructor, Megan is a true believer in the power of positive thinking. “It's really easy to see the negative, but it is just as easy to see the good. Mindset is everything. We live in a world that's go, go, go, but it is in the quiet moments that creativity comes to life.” For a 20 minute glimpse into living your best life now, just hit that download button. #mindset #empowerment #coaching #thestorybehindhersuccess

Dean Inniss is a Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now, an organization helping people to elevate finance, family, fitness and faith to maximize their Best Life through coaching, community and exclusive once in a lifetime experiences. At Get Unstuck we support the phylosophy of life first, business second. His unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training and economic analysis gives him a rare perspective that enables him to successfully guide entrepreneurs, CEOS, and other top executives to new heights.   https://yblnow.com/   Timestamp: 00:02:03:52 - How did you start your entrepreneurial journey? 00:06:12:49 - What does balance mean for you? 00:07:27:03 - Your thoughts about “Business NOT depending on head management OLY” 00:07:58:40 - What's your thought about “Optimize your strength vs Improve your weakness” ? 00:10:21:13 - Tips on Recognizing Self Awareness 00:13:01:39 - Sympathy and Empathy 00:14:14:26 - How Alignment and Simplicity Are Essential When Forecasting in Business 00:14:52:00 - Finance, Family, Fitness, and Faith 00:15:57:58 - Where can they reach you and your company?   More Episode like this visit: https://www.getunstuckmethod.com/podcast #yblnow #getunstuckpodcast #getunstuck #lifestylebusiness #deaninniss #mutitapanmook #entrepreneurialjourney    

Join us for this week's enlightening conversation with Megan McShane, who is the founder and Chief Operating Officer of Your Best Life Now. Megan shares her experiences in the professional training and coaching industry and how she started her own venture, which is a high-level networking group for entrepreneurs that offers coaching, networking opportunities, and bucket list trips. Listen in to discover how Megan and Your Best Life Now are helping entrepreneurs of all types grow their businesses while creating a balanced and fulfilling life for their clients. 

Today we are joined by Megan McShane, co-owner of Your Best Life Now. Having been able to combine her love for personal development with marketing, business development, and making an impact on the world, Megan opens up about what her business means to her and others, as well as what she sees as crucial when it comes to long-term success and growth.  You can access the full show notes and more by visiting: https://www.forgewealth.com

This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Megan McShane. The two talk about owning the power of your femininity in the professional world, working with strengths for success in partnerships, and the key to remaining in balance and continuing growth. In this episode, we discuss:   How she became involved with Tony Robbins' team, and how her business has evolved from there   The value of self development in the younger generation What challenges she met in her transition into running her own business in personal development Megan thoughts on respect, collaboration, communication, expectations, and trust in partnerships Why she says that continuing to work on yourself is the key to a healthy balance in life Megan McShane's journey through life has been nothing short of extraordinary. With a profound dedication to personal and leadership development, she's left an indelible mark on the world. For 13 years, Megan was a pivotal member of Tony Robbins' Executive Team, globe-trotting and orchestrating world-class events for high-profile clientele, a role that honed her negotiation, coaching, and team-building skills. Megan is not only a seasoned business owner but also a Certified Yoga Teacher, boasting 13 years of experience and the proprietorship of her own studio, Grace Yoga. Her spiritual journey led her to study under luminaries like Bryan Kest, Krishna Das, and Preetaji from O&O Academy. Academically accomplished, Megan holds a B.S. in Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations from Emerson College, coupled with a Ph.D. in Metaphysics from the University of Sedona. As a co-founder and owner of “Your Best Life Now,” a high-level mastermind focusing on Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finance for global entrepreneurs, Megan continues to inspire and elevate those around her with her unwavering passion and dedication. Website: https://yblnow.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-mcshane-15b46526/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourbestlife.community Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Yourbestlife.now/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcLe6WDPuG9y2wFYGYgQrpw

Delve into the world of business optimization and scaling with Dean Inniss, Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now. With a keen eye for identifying weak links and a talent for implementing scalable systems, Dean shares invaluable insights on navigating the complexities of business growth. From employee engagement and retention to motivation strategies, Dean offers practical advice and proven methodologies to drive success. Join us as we uncover the secrets to elevating your business performance and achieving sustainable growth, with Dean Inniss.   More about Dean:  Joining us today is Dean Inniss, Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now, an organization helping people to elevate finance, family, fitness and faith to maximize their Best Life through coaching, community and exclusive once in a lifetime experiences. His unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training and  economic analysis gives him a rare perspective that enables him to successfully guide entrepreneurs, CEOS, and other top executives to new heights.    Connect with Dean:  www.yblnow.com   ------------------------------------------------------------------ Want more Business Choreography?  Check out… Business Choreography Website  Join The Business Choreography Group  Text Us "CHOREO NOW" To Get Started: 385-442-7188   Need the tech to build your Business Choreography? Check out.... ChoreoSuite

Join us as we sit down with Megan McShane to delve into her journey from working with Tony Robbins to pioneering a holistic approach to entrepreneurship. Discover the importance of community, faith, family, fitness, and finance in leading a balanced and fulfilling life. Megan shares invaluable insights into nurturing relationships, personal growth, and how to truly live your best life now.     Key takeaways to listen for Common challenges entrepreneurs face post-pandemic  Advice for those entering or navigating a blended family dynamic Reasons why maintaining a strong partnership builds family unity How aligning personal development impacts family values Simple ways to establish a clear vision and mission for your family     Resources Tony Robbins Tony Robbins Global Youth Leadership Summit (GYLS)   Catch the Speaker Spotlight Sessions and hang out with Your Best Life Now,LLC, and top experts every Thursday, 10:30-11:30 AM Eastern, for deep dives into family, faith, fitness, and finance. It's totally FREE, so just slide in a DM at https://yblnow.com/. We'd be pumped to have you tag along on this journey as our guest.      About Megan McShane Megan McShane has enriched her diverse career with 13 years on Tony Robbins' Executive Team, enhancing her expertise in negotiation, coaching, and high-profile event management. As a Certified Yoga Teacher and owner of Grace Yoga, she has deeply engaged in spiritual education with mentors like Bryan Kest and Krishna Das. Her educational credentials include a B.S. from Emerson College and a Ph.D. in Metaphysics from the University of Sedona. She co-founded the mastermind "Your Best Life Now," focusing on empowering entrepreneurs globally across key life areas. Megan's blend of professional experience, spiritual journey, and academic achievements continues to inspire and influence people worldwide.     Connect with Megan Website: YBLNow.com Instagram: @yourbestlife.now     Connect with Us To learn more about us, visit our website at www.18summers.com or email us at info@18summers.com. To get a copy of our book “The Family Board Meeting”, click here.   Subscribe to 18 Summers Podcast and leave a rating and written review!     Social Media Channels Facebook Group: 18 Summers LinkedIn: Jimmy Sheils Instagram: @18summerstribe

Linda Kreter and WiseHealth Radio hosts guest Megan McShane, co-founder of Your Best Life Now unfolds the many valuable lessons gained in working with entrepreneurs, moms, families globally. Her past work includes many roles within Tony Robbin's organization, and the pandemic set her on her own course. Your Best Life Now means focus, stillness, tenacity, and commitment. Helping you thrive!

Linda Kreter and WiseHealth Radio hosts guest Megan McShane, co-founder of Your Best Life Now unfolds the many valuable lessons gained in working with entrepreneurs, moms, families globally. Her past work includes many roles within Tony Robbin's organization, and the pandemic set her on her own course. Your Best Life Now means focus, stillness, tenacity, and commitment. Helping you thrive!

Here's what to expect on the podcast:How did Megan embark on her journey from vision to triumph?Why is it important to be clear in your goals before taking action?What contributions can being part of a supportive tribe make to women's personal and professional growth?How do effective leadership, a positive culture, and SOPs collectively create a pathway to success?And much more! About Megan:Megan is a dynamic force in personal and leadership development. She spent 13 years with Tony Robbins' Executive Team, honing her negotiation and coaching skills while curating world-class events worldwide. As a Certified Yoga Teacher for 13 years, she also owned Grace Yoga and trained under renowned instructors. Megan holds degrees in Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations from Emerson College and Metaphysics from the University of Sedona. A dedicated business owner, philanthropist, and loving mother, she co-founded “Your Best Life Now,” a global mastermind uniting faith, family, fitness, and finance for entrepreneurs. Connect with Megan McShane!Email: megan@yblnow.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmcshane99/Your Best Life Website: https://yblnow.com/Your Best Life Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbestlife.now/ Connect with Kamie Lehmann!Website: https://www.kamielehmann.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamie.lehmann.1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shesinvinciblepodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamie-lehmann-04683473National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/Get your Podcast on IMDB: https://imdb.failureguy.com/submitpodcastkamieLearn more about how to minimize the emotional side effects of cancer: https://adventurefound.org/

House Bill 874 is possibly the most batshit crazy document I've ever read - and I've read "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Osteen. House Bill 874 was introduced in 2022 to impose a national year of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, meant to deliver our wayward nation from sin and back into the loving arms of a Christian god. Lifelong friend and inventor of the game show "That's not food get it out of your mouth" Corey joins me again to discuss the finer and crazier points of HB 874 and its champion, Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers. Rogers, a radical pietist, is a Bible literalist and boring Republican. No original thoughts. What kind of person believes the government has the authority to enact an entire year of humiliation, fasting, and prayer? Well, a fascist, for one. But also a Christian nationalist with a loose grip on reality. Part One Dives into the meat of a bill and an examination of Rogers' theological framework. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/uftp/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/uftp/support

What is your vision? Do you see the glass half empty or half full? Fumi shares what she has journaled this week. The vision you imagine for your life is what your life is going to be/follow. You cannot be what /who you have not seen or imagined. Paraphrased from The book Your Best Life Now by Joel Olsteen. Tune in to find the secret to asking yourself the right questions like from the quote from the book " Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon and looking at life from a God-kind viewpoint. How did David go from God let me build a house for you to God saying Let me build your house instead? 1 Chronicles 17:27. It is a short but loaded episode with action steps to encourage you, encourage yourself . Pull out your journal or your phone and finish this sentence The Best Thing That Happened Today was ........Welcome to the lounge. The place where we hang out and laugh about what we will otherwise cry about if not discussed. An open space for men and women to talk about daily struggles, find inspiration, and learn from each other.  Follow us on Instagram:@sistas_letstalk Facebook:@sistasletstalk Check us out on our website: www.SLTpodcast.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sistasletstalk/message

Is it easier to encourage yourself or encourage others? Do you see the glass half empty or half full? Fumi shares what she learned today that would be a well of blessing to your week. The vision you imagine for your life is what your life is going to be/follow. You cannot be what /who you have not seen or imagined. Paraphrased from The book Your Best Life Now by Joel Olsteen. Tune in to find the secret to asking yourself the right questions like from the quote from the book " Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon and looking at life from a God-kind viewpoint. How did David go from God let me build a house for you to God saying Let me build your house instead? 1 Chronicles 17:27. It is a short but loaded episode with action steps to encourage you, encourage yourself . Pull out your journal or your phone and finish this sentence The Best Thing That Happened Today was ........Welcome to the lounge. The place where we hang out and laugh about what we will otherwise cry about if not discussed. An open space for men and women to talk about daily struggles, find inspiration, and learn from each other.  Follow us on Instagram:@sistas_letstalk Facebook:@sistasletstalk Check us out on our website: www.SLTpodcast.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sistasletstalk/message

Having just read of the rich young ruler in the previous section, we then must see this last section of Matt.19 as a continuation. A lot of people are used to taking verses out of context. One very popular one is “All things are possible with God“. But let us consider the context here. It was Jesus referring to the hardship or difficulty of a rich person entering the kingdom of God! And in reality it is not only hard for the rich, it is impossible for anyone, rich or poor to “be saved without the power of God doing a work in their life. Rich people tend to trust in themselves or in their possessions or riches, and have a difficulty letting go of that trust and placing all their trust in God alone. In this section Jesus also talked about the gains that believers would receive both in this life and in the life to come. But if we look at the parallel passage in Mk.10:29-30 we discover that these things that can be right here in the present come also with persecutions, which could well mean the loss of family, homes, things in this life, for the sake of the Gospel. But think of the benefits – not necessarily “Your Best Life Now“, but you will be rewarded in the life to come. However, many do testify that as believers they have gained brothers, and sisters, families, homes through all the new connections that they have found in Christian Fellowship! For today's video, click on this link! The post Matthew 19 Pt.3- All Things Are Possible With God! appeared first on Living Rock Church.

I recorded on Sunday 30th April an encouraging talk at Newcastle Holy Cross (Fenham) entitled “Your Best Life Now”. Stay encouraged.

A call to set our hope fully on the future Kingdom of Christ, desiring deeply the honors and rewards He will give at that time. - SERMON TRANSCRIPT - I. “What’s In It For Me?” Turn in your Bibles to Mark 10: 280-31. You might also want to refer over to Matthew 19: 27-30, the parallel passage. This is a very unusual week for me. Yesterday as I was thinking about the sermon, I felt that I had swung and missed the text, so I did what a lot of pastors do, but I never want to do, which is write Sunday’s sermon on Saturday. I know that that's a common thing, but it's just not... So I don't work well under that kind of stress, but I wanted to go a different direction, but some of the points would be similar. A week ago, my daughter Jenny sent me a text. She asked if I'd be willing to bring a pack and play to church. That's a portable crib so that they could use it this week. So I texted her and said, "What's in it for me?” Now, my kids know I do this kind of thing from time to time, my wife will ask me a favor and I'll say that, "What's in it for me?" I just like playing with that a little bit. She texted back something like this, "Not much. I'll owe you a small favor within reason." So she gave me a kind of a coupon I can turn in, but nothing big. That's how that went. If you look at Matthew's version of Peter's question, you can hear a kind of an echo there. In Matthew 19:27, Peter answered Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?" Or putting it more personally, “what's in it for me?” That's the name of my new sermon, “What's in it for me?” It is a little bit shocking because it seems so selfish, so worldly, so mercenary. We feel like we should be at a higher moral level doing everything we do for Jesus without any thought whatsoever of personal benefit, without any thoughts of rewards. Soldiers who fight ardently for love of country are patriots, but soldiers who fight for money are mercenaries. We feel like we're called to a higher level in terms of virtue in our service to Christ, a more perfect standard. As I was reflecting on this, it brought me strongly back into one of the most significant insights of the Christian life I've ever had, that I've ever received from another teacher, another pastor in the word of God or a book that I've ever read. The kind of insight that has the power to change your entire ethic, your entire approach to life. It has been for me that insight has to do with the combination of my desire, my relentless desire for personal blessedness, personal happiness, something to come to me to make me happy and, as clearly revealed in the scripture, God's relentless desire to be glorified, to be central, to be above all things. The author of this insight, of course, is John Piper book, Desiring God. Peter's desire for reward and Jesus' response in Mark 10 and in Matthew 19 for me was, I don't mean to be facetious, but kind of a portal into Piper. It kind of went through a warm hole as I was riding my bike yesterday back into those themes and what Piper calls Christian hedonism. Let me walk through the calculus of Christian hedonism. “What's in it for me” reminds me of things I've said often about the flesh, the essence of the flesh, which begins from infancy. Some of you have newborns. I've heard how it's going for you and you are well aware of what I've called that fanatical commitment to self-interest that we see at 3:00 in the morning in an infant that isn't really used to being alive yet and isn't enjoying it. It’s a fanatical commitment to self-interest, and that seems directly contrasted with the call of Christian discipleship. Christianity seems at least at one level to be all about self-denial. We follow a savior who left the comforts of heaven to come to a cursed planet, to live a life of poverty and sorrow. Who lived every moment to bless other people, then willingly lay down his life even on a cross, even with that exquisite physical suffering and the infinite eternal spiritual suffering of being our substitute, continually saying no to himself. Did He ever ask in any sense “what's in it for me?”? No. In fact, He called on his disciples, as we've already seen in Mark's gospel, to a life of self denial. Mark 8:34, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross. Follow me for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life from me and the gospel will save it." At the end of this same chapter, Mark 10, Jesus says, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." That doesn't seem like a life of “what's in it for me”, but Jesus gives a rather perplexing answer. It is perplexing at a lot of levels, but right away just the fact that He doesn't rebuke Peter at all. I mean, you think it'd be an opportunity to say “you're thinking all wrong here. What kind of question is that? You shouldn't be thinking about rewards. You should be willing to serve. Leave everything for me and not worry about what's in it for you.” Actually He goes into detail about what the apostles will get having left everything both in this age and in the age to come. Mark 10: 29-30, “'I tell you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields from me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children in fields, with them persecutions and in the age to come eternal, life.’" It's even more developed in Matthew's account. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or mother or father, children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." How do we harmonize this? How can we understand this yearning for rewards? What's in it for me? What do I get? A desire, a strong desire for personal blessedness, something to come back to us in the Christian life. John Piper has sought to harmonize these things in Desiring God, indeed in his whole ministry. He puts it this way. There are two irrepressible forces in the universe as we study scripture. First, God's desire for his own glory in all of his creation and in all of his creatures. Second, our desire to be happy. The standard evangelical appeal pits the one against the other as if only one of those two can be fulfilled. It's either we're going to live for the glory of God or we will live for our own happiness, our own blessedness, and we have to make a choice., and pray God, it's the right choice. Either God gets the glory or I get the joy. Not both. The normal evangelical appeal is will you surrender to God's will for your life? Are you going to keep pursuing your own personal happiness? Then there are subthemes in the same kind of approach like Christian worship, like we should all come here on Sunday and say, “Lord, we want you to know this is all about you today. We're here for you. We want to make you central. We want to put you first. It's not about us. We want you to be glorified in my worship today, I don't want anything out of this.” It seems so holy and then also Christian service. When you serve other people, don't ever think what's in it for you. The point is their happiness not yours. You are not the point. Their needs are the point. Our selfish joy and service should never be our goal. Rather, it's an accidental byproduct of a life well lived for Christ. Kind of bump into happiness along the way as you're serving others. Piper exposed the fundamental flaw in this. It's deeply flawed actually, and he drew out quotes to help establish it. First of all, on the second desire, the repressible force that we all have to be happy. It's just a fact. We're wired this way. Blase Pascal put it this way, "All men see seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend toward this end. The cause of some going to war and of others avoiding it is the same desire in both attended with different views. The will never takes the least step, but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even those who hang themselves." He's not saying it’s good or bad, he's just saying it is. It just is what is. CS Lewis in his powerful sermon, “The Weight of Glory” said, "If you asked 20 good men today what they thought the highest of the virtues, 19 of them would reply unselfishness. But if you ask almost any of the great Christians of old, well, he would've replied love." You see what's happened, a negative term has been substituted for a positive. The negative ideal of unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves as if our abstinence and not their happiness is the important point. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit this notion has crept in from Kant in the stoics which is no part of the Christian religion. In other words, it's like true virtue is making sure you personally derive no pleasure whatsoever from an act. An action is moral only if it's done from effectively sheer duty, disinterested benevolence, disinterest meaning I don't get anything out of it. Benevolence is something good done not for you, but he other person. If you seek, if you desire, or if you should happen to receive any blessing from it, it's actually morally ruined to some degree. Rubbish says John Piper, that's complete rubbish. It's not Christianity. Yes, it is true that God has a relentless desire to be glorified in all his creation and by all his creatures. God created all things for the praise of his glory, and when redemption is finished, the entire universe, the new heaven, new earth, the new Jerusalem are going to be radiating with the glory of God. But our desire for personal delight and happiness is not an enemy to that. Not at all. Actually God created it for that. He created that drive for personal fulfillment and pleasure and happiness and satisfaction to find its residence in God. So Piper adjusted the Westminster Shorter Catechism in “What is the chief end of man?” The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. God is most glorified in us when we're most satisfied in him. That's his well-known slogan. The more we say to God, I want you, I want as much of you as I can get. I'm hungry for you. The more God's glorified, especially in worship, the better. I know that sounds all holy and all that, but imagine coming to God and saying, “God, I want you to know I don't really personally have any needs today, but you apparently are kind of needy. You need my worship, so I'm here to give you my worship. Hope you're satisfied with it.” I can see God saying, “Can I just tell you something about what's going on up here in heaven? First of all, before anything was made, I was fine, perfectly blessed within the Trinity. Secondly, I'm made out of fullness, not out of emptiness. I don't need any of my angels or people that praise me, but I just want you to know I got 100 million angels up here who doing a phenomenal job. You guys are pathetic. I don't need you to worship me. You need me and you need to worship me, so come hungry and I'll feed you.” That's what true worship is. It's seeking our pleasure vertically in worship is what it's all about. It's saying to God, “You are what I want. You're what I need.” Then horizontally the same thing. It's like, can you imagine serving another person and saying, “I want you to know I get nothing out of this exchange. Hope you're blessed by it.” Piper likens it to an anniversary, like giving your wife flowers and saying that to her, “I want you to know I'm not enjoying this moment at all. I'm not getting anything out of this horizontally. I hope you enjoy the flowers I bought you.” What he calls dutiful roses. That's corrupt. Love is where I find my blessedness in your blessedness, right? I find my happiness in making you happy. It makes me happy to make you happy. It makes me blessed to bless you. That's why I'm a cheerful giver, because I'm excited about blessing you. Vertical and horizontal. That's what we're talking about here. Rather than being shocked by Peter's question- “We've left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?” - we should delight in Christ's stunning promises or rewards, both in this life and in eternity. We should yearn for him. We should be yearning for him. We should want as much as He wants to give us in that next world. C.S. Lewis put it this way, “the New Testament does have lots to say about self-denial but not self-denial as an end to itself. We are told to deny ourselves and take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ and find our lives in him.” It says it right there in that passage and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire for us. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We're far too easily pleased with what? What are we far too easily pleased with? The answer in the Bible is always the same, idols, creatures, created things going after them as our ultimate purpose in life. That does not satisfy. That's what the rich young ruler was doing. So that's the context. II. Peter’s Question In Context Let's look at Peter’s question in context. Remember last week, the rich young ruler, seemingly the perfect seeker coming, but he was fundamentally a flawed man. “As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him, fell on his knees before him and said, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone." Then Jesus uses the law of God to expose his need for a savior. “You know the commandments. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Do not defraud. Honor your father mother.”Unfortunately, the man thinks he passed all that test. He's basically a good person just needing a little bit more to get him over the hump. "Teacher," he declared, "All these I have kept since I was a boy." Then Jesus probes his soul, searches him. “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One things you lacked, he said. ’Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’" Based on my introduction of the sermon, that's an appeal to what Piper called Christian hedonism. Give up what cannot satisfy you. Give up what you cannot hold onto to gain something that will bring you eternal happiness. That's the invitation here, but the man can't take it. He's shattered. He leaves. “His face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth.” Jesus then seizes the opportunity to teach about the eternal dangers of wealth. Jesus looked around, said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples are amazed at his words, but Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples are doubly stunned by this. They're wiped out by this. It goes against their theology of wealth and blessedness. They wonder about salvation. The disciples were even more amazed and said to each other, “Who then can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said with man, this is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God.” Now Peter steps up and connects the dots. I think he's picking up on the treasure in heaven phrase, the treasure in heaven. He says, "Well, what about us? We've left everything to follow you." Mark just has that simple statement, he doesn't have the rest. “We have left everything to follow,” but there's an implied question, “are we in on that treasure in heaven thing?” Matthew's version is broader. He openly says it. "We have left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?" Let's remember how the apostles had in fact left everything for Jesus. He doesn't deny that at all and how significant it was. Remember back in Mark chapter 1, “As Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake for their fishermen. ‘Come follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘And I'll make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. When He had gone a little farther, He saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat preparing their nets. Without delay, he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him." It's a big deal walking away from your livelihood, stepping out in faith to follow Jesus like that. And Matthew, the tax collector in Matthew 9:9, "As Jesus just went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow me,' he told him. And Matthew got up and followed him.” Matthew walked away from his lucrative tax booth. That took courage and sacrifice. Matthew 8, "A teacher of the law came up to him and said, ‘Teacher, I'll follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus said, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nest. The Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” “I don't know where I'm going to sleep tonight. I don't know how we're going to eat." Remember how his disciples were walking through the grain fields on the Sabbath and picking heads of grain and rubbing them together in their hands to eat them? Why? Because they were poor. It was a big deal what they did. III. Jesus’ Promise of Earthly Rewards . . and Earthly Suffering All right, so we've left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us? Jesus promises earthly rewards first, and He asserts this with a solemn oath. "Truly, truly. I say to you." He says this a lot, but whenever he says this, it's serious. It's a very serious statement. I'm making a vow to you. Or you can take this to the bank, heaven and earth will pass away, but this promise will never pass away. You can take this to the heavenly bank promising this to you. Think of an illustration. Imagine the royal prince during a war. He's captured, but he manages to escape and he's being chased. He's a fugitive, making his way through a territory. He comes to a farmhouse where there's a simple peasant who lives with his family. He reveals who he is and asks if he can borrow the family's one horse to ride on and get away from his pursuers. Then he writes the man a note and he signs it and he seals it with his signet ring using wax from the candle on the man's table. He promises not only the return of the family horse, but 20 gold pieces, a change of clothing for everyone in the family, and the permanent status as friend to the royal household. All of that written out, signed with a signet. Jesus also in his humiliation is speaking of a future time when He will sit on a throne of glory. “I won't look then what like I look now and I'm promising you, and you can take it to the bank.” Mark focuses on earthly rewards initially. "I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields from me in the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age." In this present age, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields. Why does He list that? He’s telling them that what they give up, they’re going to get back and 100 fold. This is a promise made to the apostles who have left their home base and have ventured out in faith to serve Jesus and the gospel. And not just them, but 20 centuries of missionaries, of traveling evangelists and servants of the gospel who have physically left places to go. There's a spiritual leaving that I want to talk about at the end of the sermon, but they physically left. I read years ago about John Patton, the missionary from Scotland to the New Hebrides Islands in the South Pacific. In my opinion, he traveled oversea farther than any missionaries ever traveled from his home to his mission site, 13,000 nautical miles. It was a long journey. The parting scene between him and his father is just gut wrenching. His father was an incredibly godly man who deeply loved his children, and his children deeply loved him, and his father walked with him to a point where they had to part and say goodbye. This is the account. It says, "My dear father walked with me the first six miles of the way. His counsels and tears and heavenly conversation on that parting journey are still fresh in my heart as if they had been but yesterday. But tears are on my cheeks as freely now as they were then. Whenever memory steals me away to that scene. For the last half mile or so, we walked together in almost unbroken silence. My father as often was his custom as carrying his hat in his hand while his long flowing yellow hair was yellow then, but later years white as snow streamed like a girl's down his shoulders. His lips kept moving in silent prayers for me and his tears fell fast, when our eyes met each other in looks for which all speech was vain. We halted on reaching the appointed parting place. He grasped my hand firmly for a minute in silence and then solemnly and affectionately said, 'God bless you, my son, your father's God prosper you and keep you from all evil.' Unable to say anymore, his lips kept moving in silent prayer, as tears flowing. We embraced and parted. I ran off as fast as I could and when about to turn a corner in the road where he would lose sight of me, I looked back and saw him still standing with head uncovered where I had left him gazing after me, waving my hat in a due. I was around the corner and out of sight in an instant, but my heart was too full and too sore to carry me further. So I darted to the side of the road and wept for a time. Then rising up cautiously, I climbed the to dike if he yet stood where I'd left him. Just at that moment, I caught a glimpse of him climbing the dike looking out for me, but he did not see me. And after he had gazed eagerly in my direction for a while, he got down and then set his face toward home and began to return there. His head's still uncovered and his heart I felt sure still rising in prayers for me. I watched through blinding tears till his form faded from my gaze, then hastening on my way, vowed deeply and offed by the help of my God to live and act, so I was never to grieve or dishonor such a father and mother as he had given me.” I mean, how do you say goodbye like that to go to a mission site? He never saw his father again. That was like a funeral. So what then will there be for us if we do that? If we leave, what will there be for us? If you look at Jesus's promise for the earthly part, it's you will get what you need to do your mission. I think that's what He's saying. You'll get what you need. This is not prosperity gospel stuff. This is not health and wealth, this is not Joel Osteen's Your Best Life Now. We're not going that direction. He's not saying you'll permanently own other people's homes. Instead, it's Hudson Taylor's spiritual secret. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. That's what it is. God's going to give you what you need and He's going to give you encouragement along the way that you're part of a vast family of God and that family is going to take you in and care for you and meet your needs and you will not be at a loss. That's what He's promising. No one who has left homes or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, He says. This relates I think to the practical promises and preparations made in Matthew 10 when Jesus first sent the apostles out on the first missionary journey. Remember how He said, “Don't take any bag for your journey. Take no tunic or extra sandals or a staff or any bag of gold or silver because the worker's worth is keep. And whenever you go to someplace, find some home there and stay there at that home until you leave. And then at the end of that, he promises rewards for the host family. “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a profit's reward. Anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is my disciple, he'll never lose his reward.” So any help given to the traveling missionary and the traveling servant of God gets eternally rewarded. We have clear examples of this in the Book of Acts. Think about Peter. Remember how Peter had that vision of a sheet let down with all kinds of animals when the messengers were going from Cornelius's house and that was the beginning of the ministry to the Gentiles. Well, he was staying at somebody else's house. Simon the Tanner at Joppa, that wasn't his home. He was up on the roof and he got hungry and they were making him lunch. That was really nice of Simon, the Tanner's wife, to make Peter lunch. That's an example of the very thing we're talking about here, isn't it? Or about Paul? How many times has it happened with Paul, the resources for the ongoing mission are in the mission field itself. Paul goes over to Philippi and there's a rich woman there named Lydia. She hears the gospel. The Lord opens her heart, she comes to faith, and then she invites Paul and his missionary team to stay with her at her estate. Acts 16:15, "When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. If you consider me a believer in the Lord, please come and stay at my home. And she persuaded us, stay there." That's one of the hundred homes or more, right? It's provision for those that are traveling out doing the gospel work. Or again, Paul in Romans 16:23 says, “Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy sends, you his greetings." Who's Gaius? I don't know, a host person. It also extends to family relationship. You leave your mother, you'll get a hundred mothers. You're like, I don't know if I want a hundred mothers or a hundred fathers or a hundred brothers. It doesn't matter. You're going to get them. He says here, Romans 16:13, "Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord and his mother, who's been a mother to me too." So Rufus' mother, Paul's adopted mother. I just picture her making him chicken soup. Rufus' mother, Jesus said, "You'll get a hundred times as much in this present age." I've seen this in my life. My wife and I sold almost everything we owned and went to Japan. And when we got there, we were greeted by Japanese Christians and host people who cared for us. I've seen it in China, I've seen it in Kenya, South Africa, Germany, Poland, Macedonia, Greece, England. That's my story. I've been in so many host families. They've fed me. They've given me their guest room. They've let me use their car. I've seen the promises. In India I stayed at the home of dear Christian family there. Now this is general benefit for all Christians. We're part of a universal church, aren't we? We're part of a big family of God. We've got brothers and sisters all over the world. You haven't even met them yet. As soon as you meet them, you're going to find out that they love the same Jesus you do. They read the same Bible you do. You're part of a vast family of God. That's what he's talking about here. Now he also added, and with them persecutions, let's be honest, it's not going to be easy for you as you travel around. With them persecutions, you're going to suffer. You're going to go through very, very difficult times. IV. Jesus’ Promise of Eternal Rewards In Matthew’s Gospel, He promises more clearly eternal rewards. In Mark’s gospel He says, “and in the age to come, eternal life.” Let's not minimize that. How could we? What is eternal life? “This is eternal life,” said Jesus, “that they may know you the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” You're going to be lavishly blessed in your relationship with God for all eternity. That's what you get. But what else? Stop right there. That's enough. That's God. Remember what God said to Abraham in Genesis 15:1, "Fear not Abraham. I am your shield and your very great reward.” What do I get, God? You get me." Oh, that's enough. And I'll give you some other things too. But the other things aren't the point. You get me in the age to come, eternal life.” He does get specific in Matthew's Gospel, in some interesting ways. He says there will be the renewal of all things when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne. The renewal of all things, it's an interesting Greek word, only used twice. A new genesis, a new creation, a new heaven, a new earth. He talks about it in terms of the soul. He washed us with the rebirth and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. That's the conversion [Titus 3]. But here we've got this. "And at the renewal of all things, when the new heaven and new earth comes in and I sit on my glorious throne, then you who have followed me, the twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." What does that mean? I don't know. I'm not preaching on Matthew; I'm just alluding to Matthew today. But I don't know, it's just some kind of... Some people think it's millennial kingdom, some people, it's just positions of honor, positions of authority, positions of glory. That's what you get far beyond anything you ever gave up. This is part of Jesus's regular pattern of promising rewards. He doesn't just do it once or twice. He does it again and again and again. "Blessed are you, when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad." Why? "Because great is your reward in heaven." Wow. I mean, He goes down to our personal disciplines and our benevolence. When you give to the needy, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Don't announce it with trumpets. Don't seek horizontal acknowledgement in this world. Don't go after that. But your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you pray, don't announce it and make everyone see how holy you are. Go into your room, close the door and pray to your father's unseen, and your father sees what is done in secret. What does He say? He'll reward you. The same thing with fasting. He'll reward you. He talks about rewards all the time. He says at the end of the Bible, Revelation 22:12, "Behold, I'm coming soon. My reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." If we're not supposed to think about rewards, why does He talk about them so much? He talks about them a lot. He says, "I am coming soon and I'm bringing a huge bag of eternal rewards and I'm going to reward each of you according to how you've lived your life according to your service to me." V. Earnestly Desire All Rewards I think we should earnestly desire them. You should say, well, I don't know. Should I be saying what's in it for me? I'm not recommending that you say that, except as a joke, but there's nothing wrong with thinking I am interested, Jesus, in what you have to give me for my life of service. I'm interested in it. Actually, I don't just think it's not like some guilty pleasure. I think it's actually imperative to the way we think about God. Hebrews 11:6 says so. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who diligently seek him or earnestly seek him.” So you have to believe in a rewarding God. But look at the verse in Hebrews 11:6. "He rewards those who seek him." He doesn't reward them with something other than himself. He rewards them with himself. We must believe that. Therefore, desiring rewards is only mercenary if it's somehow disconnected from the thing itself. C.S. Lewis put it this way, "A woman who marries for money is mercenary because money is not the natural reward of love. But a woman who marries because she expects that the man who will become her husband will make her happy and bring her lasting joy in multiple experiences of love is not mercenary. That's the essence of why you get married." In fact, it is actually wrong to serve Christ and say, “I don't care what you give me" when He has made these promises of lavish reward, that's actually wrong. Just as it is wrong for a person about to get married to say to their prospective spouse, I want you to know I don't care if you make me happy in our future marriage. That doesn't matter to me. Even if I knew that our marriage would make me miserable for the rest of my life, I would go ahead and marry you. I'd be like, what's wrong with you? That's twisted. I'm not going to say that to Jesus. “I don't care, Jesus, if you make me happy, if I follow you, I don't care if I'm eternally unhappy. I'm still going to follow you.” That doesn't make any sense. It's not the way the New Testament's written. Not at all. So we therefore should want the reward. We should actually store up as much of the reward as we possibly can. “Do not store up treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieve break in and steal, but store up treasure in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” You're supposed to store up treasure and you're supposed to have your heart there and think about it. What are the rewards? There are three Cs - crowns, commendation, and capacity. I’m just going to go over this quickly. First of all, crowns. It's like you’re getting a crown? Maybe, I don't know. I don't know about each of you individually. If any of you individually comes to me and says, “Do you think I'm getting a crown?” I will say, I don't know. But there are crowns and what are they? Emblems of honor for faithful and courageous service to Christ. Like in Revelation 4:4, "Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones and seated on them were 24 elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their head." So there they are, crowns, emblems of honor, connected in some way to them, to their person. Or again, Paul in First Thessalonians 2 said, "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? You are my crown,” he said to the Thessalonians. He led them to Christ. He planted that church. "You are my glory and my joy." He said the same thing to the Philippians. "Therefore my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown." That is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. The people you lead to Christ, they are your crown. The people you serve. You help plant a church, that's a crown. Pastors, elders. Peter says, who've served faithfully as under shepherds, under the good shepherd, the chief shepherd. It says, when the chief shepherd appears, First Peter 5:4, "You'll receive a crown of glory that will never fade away." "What are the rewards? There are three Cs, crowns, commendation, and capacity." Peter wrote that to motivate elders and pastors to serve faithfully because they're going to get a crown of glory that'll never fade away if they do. I know that those 24 elders were casting their crowns down constantly before the throne of God and of Christ. That's their way of saying, everything I have received and achieved came ultimately from you and by your grace for your glory. All of my crowns are a subset of your glory. That's how it's married together. It's not a separate thing, but crowns. And then commendation. What's that? Praise from God that God would speak well of what you did in your life. Most famously, in Matthew 25, his master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with a few things. I'll put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master. Well done, good and faithful servant." That's commendation from almighty God. Or 1 Corinthians 4:5, says, "Judge nothing before the appointed time. Wait till the Lord comes. At that time, the secret motives of men's hearts. All of that will be revealed and at that time, each will receive his praise from God." Those three words, “praise from God.” I know heaven's all about praise for God. And well it should be. We're going to praise God, but there is praise from God should you want that. I'm asking brothers and sisters, should you want God to praise you? You actually should. You should want him to say, well done, good and faithful servant. You should want him to honor you. You should want him to praise you because He won't do it amiss. He won't do it lightly. It will be so meaningful to you to have your Father express pleasure in how you lived your life. Praise from God. That's commendation. "Should you want God to praise you? You actually should. You should want him to say, well done, good and faithful servant." Then finally, capacity. This is the hardest to understand, but I think it's true. God is infinitely glorious. No creature can fully take him in. But the more faithful you serve in this life, the more of his heavenly glory you will be able to understand and take in. How do I think this way? I think of God's glory as an infinite ocean. All of us are like vessels or various volumes, like a thimble, a cup, a bowl, a bucket, a vat, a super oil tanker, different volumes, but the ocean's infinitely greater than any of them. All of them 100% full, But they just have different capacities. So when He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you've been faithful with a few things. Now I'm going to put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.” What He's saying is, “share my joy together. I want you to feel my joy of the service you've rendered. I want you to come into me and experience my joy and my delight." In Luke 6:38 it says, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, press down, shaken together, running overly poured into your lap. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you."That's where I get the different volumes. What's poured into our lap? What is the reward? It's God. You get more of God and He always has more to give you. So how much of God do you want in heaven? That's the question. There's going to be some judgment day surprises. Look at verse 31, "Many who are first will be last and last, first." People we thought were great, maybe weren't as great as we thought they were, and some obscure brothers and sisters are going to be elevated like the widow that gave the copper coins. Jesus said what? She put in more than anyone. Many who are first will be last and last, first. Therefore, Paul says in First Corinthians 4:5, "Judge nothing until the appointed time.” Wait till the day, and at that point, we'll find out. George Whitfield, one of the greatest preachers of all time, wanted this to be his epitaph on his tomb. He said, "Here lies George Whitfield. What sort of man he was the great day will discover." That's pretty simple. In other words, here lies George Whitfield, what he was like you'll find out on Judgment Day. That's the point, the final day will reveal how we actually serve the Lord. VI. Lessons First and foremost, if you're an unbeliever, you walked in here as an unbeliever, it's not for you to be storing up treasure. The Bible actually reveals if you're not yet a Christian, you're storing up wrath every day, so come to Christ, trust in him. Trust in his precious blood. This is what He says to you in John 6. When you come and ask him, what must we do to work the works of God? This is the work of God: to believe in the One He has sent. Believe in Jesus. Then you can start storing up treasure in heaven. For you Christians, I would just say in your own way, say “what's in it for me? Help me to understand heavenly rewards and store them up. Help me to store up as many as possibly can.” I want to speak specifically about the dynamic here of leaving things for Jesus. Some of you will be called, and you don't even know it right now, to leave your home, your country, your family, your friends, and go somewhere overseas, some other place to serve Christ. You're going to be called to do something you never thought you could do. Drink in the promises here. God will take care of you. He will meet your needs. Do not be afraid, but step out in faith to go do great things for God. He will provide for you. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. He will take care of you. Most of us are not going to be called on to leave our familiar surroundings, but we are to live lives of aliens and strangers in this world, to venture out by faith in serving him. Some of us, some in this church are going to leave this church in the next year to go church-plant. You're going to join our church-planting effort. You're going to stop coming here on Sunday mornings and go to another place. It's not because I hope you don't like us, it's because God's calling you to do a work, to venture out. Be willing to do hard things, be willing to venture out, be willing to risk things in your service to Christ. Close with me in prayer. Father, thank you for the time we've had to walk through this deep, powerful, complex topic. I thank you for the truth of the word of God. Help us, Lord, to seek your glory, to seek you as hungry and thirsty. You are our God. Earnestly, we seek you. We desire you as in a dry and weary land. You are all we need, all we want, and that we would go after you. Fill us, oh Lord, with a yearning to store up treasure in heaven. Treasure being intimacy and closeness with God and with Christ. Help us to be willing to risk things or be willing to go places we never thought we could go and do things we never thought we could do to serve you. In Jesus name. Amen.

“Your Best Life Now!” – “Lose Your Life to Live.” – You don't have to win in this life to win in eternity. - Mark 8: 4-38 … (35) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. … * Talking to believers * Deny yourself * Take up your cross * Follow Me * Lose your life to live. - This is the time for the truth to be spoken. - Not ashamed of Jesus or his word. - Silence is to be complacent. - Do Not Be Anxious Mathew 6:25-34 * Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. * Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Abundant Life Episode 44 In this episode Saso and Ben discuss how Christians can be content with God, because God is enough. Enough - That satisfies desire, or gives content; that may answer the purpose; that is adequate to the wants. - Websters 1828 Key Verse Philippians 4:19 This is such a powerful truth, God is more than enough, because if it is true, which it is, it means we that we should be trusting God to meet our every need. Yet, we have this nasty sin called unbelief that leads us down a dark path into further sin. We are living in a time where many so called believers are bible illiterate. The reality is that many Christians don't know the truths and promises of God found in scripture and therefore they fall victim to unbelief. They simply don't believe God is enough. Rather we are bombarded by ads that tell us we deserve more, we are plagued with instant gratifications that social media brings, we place our hopes in an elected official, we commit sin and feed our flesh because we simply don't believe that God is more than enough. It's interesting that the scripture deals with this idea of unbelief and in fact we did an episode on the topic of unbelief, episode 17 to be specific. Unbelief is like a cancer for unbelievers as the scriptures tell us that Satan blinds them from seeing the light of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:4 This speaks of unbelievers, but Satan does this same thing to believers to keep them as if they were still in bondage. It's like the Andy Griffith show where Otis grabs the jail cell key hanging from the wall and lets himself out of jail. Christians have been forgiven and have been freed from the bondage of sin, yet we live like as if we were still in bondage. Christian, do you deal with unbelief? Do you believe that God is more than enough? Or are you discontent? Do you lust for more? Are you intrigued by the world? Throughout the Bible we see this theme of unbelief and it all started in the garden of eden. Adam and Eve chose to believe the lie of Satan that God wasn't enough, they wanted more, they wanted to be like God. And in single act of sin, Adam brought down the human race into sin. Genesis 3:1-7 Lucifer was cast out of heaven with one third of the angels as he lusted to be greater than God. Just like Adam and Eve, we are ruined by our own hearts as we lust for more because both discontentment and covetousness are both rooted in unbelief. The apostle John warned us about this. He told us not to lust for the shiny things of this world, but instead trust and obey God. 1 John 2:15-17 The problem Our problem is that we get our eyes off of God and we then put our focus on ourselves. We look at ourselves, our circumstances, our failures, our sin, our short comings. We compare ourselves to others. We are by nature selfish and we love to think about ourself and how we can live our best life now. Joel Olsteen's book, Your Best Life Now is a lie, your best life is only for believers and will come when you are in glory with our savior Jesus. We complain and grumble and we believe the lie that God is not enough or that God is not in control, or that God doesn't love me, or that God doesn't bless me. It's this unbelief that drives us to a place of discontentment. Once we reach that point we start looking for fleshly things that will satisfy us. We then simply seek to feed our flesh and please ourselves which is always through some sort of sin. Not everyone sins the same, not everyone is tempted by the same sin, but we all have fleshly desires and our bent and bondage toward sin can only be broken by Jesus. The problem with that is that the flesh can't be satisfied with things of the world. God is the only one that can satisfy our souls. He is the one that gives peace to our souls. He is the one that gives us joy. He gives us comfort. He gives us the power to say no to sin. He is the one that truly gives us contentment and satisfaction.

Growing up rich does not always mean being raised with lots of money! Dean Inniss joins us today. He is the Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now, a company with values that align closely with the four core pillars of the Fatherhood Experience. Your Best Life Now is an organization helping people to elevate finance, family, fitness, and faith to maximize their best life through coaching, community, and exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences! Dean's unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training, and economic analysis gives him a rare perspective that enables him to successfully guide entrepreneurs, CEOs, and other top executives to new heights! Dean grew up in a loving family that had very little money. In this episode, he shares what he learned from growing up poor, and we talk about getting more involved with your children's education, the value of diversity, what being a responsible father looks like, and what it takes to raise a family in a healthy environment with rich values.You will not want to miss this episode if you're a man looking to get more involved with your children. Stay tuned to learn how to get more engaged as a father and provide for your family while protecting them against all the craziness in the world today!Show highlights:Why Dean feels lucky to have had the parents he had.What community service means to Dean.Why do children need to see their dads showing their moms love and respect?How fathers can become more involved with their children's education.What Dean learned from growing up poor.How to inform your children, set their expectations, give them tools, and become a more engaged father.Why must you encourage your kids to care for each other when things get tough?Dean discusses his company's approach to elevating people.Why is neglecting yourself selfish?What happens if you keep on chasing material wealth but neglect everything else?How you can benefit from embracing the trauma and adversity in your life.How to regard money so that it never gets the best of you.Links and resourcesStay accountable by joining our FREE Facebook Group - Discussions with Dads: https://join.discussionswithdadsgroup.com/Stay Connected with Jason, Zach & The Fatherhood Experience Website: www.thefatherhoodexperience.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefatherhoodexperienceInstagram: @thefatherhoodexperienceFollow us on Twitter! (@TheFatherhoodEx)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonapriest/Take on the LP60 challenge! Go to www.thefatherhoodexperience.com/lp60 to get your free guide. Guest links:Dean's company website: www.yblnow.com Email Dean: dean@yblnow.com Don't forget to follow us on IG @thefatherhoodexperience!

It's easy to complain, way too easy. But how often are we being bright lights to others in a world that needs a better attitude? Pastor Matt answers that question as we head into week 2 of our series Your Best Life Now!

We begin our new series on the book of Philippians, Your Best Life Now, with week one asking us what we do during some tough circumstances, and are we really turning to God during our tough times.

Joining me for this episode of the Go For Launch podcast is Dean Inniss, Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now, an organization that helps people elevate their finance, family, fitness and faith through coaching, community, and exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences. His unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training and economic analysis gives him a rare perspective that enables him to successfully guide entrepreneurs, CEOS, and other top executives to new heights. In 2019, Dean decided to leave corporate America, where he honed his leadership, partnership, and business skills on a national, regional and local level. Most recently, Dean was the president and COO of a large regional mortgage bank that doubled its size under his leadership.

Managing Partner at Your Best Life Now, an organization helping people to elevate finance, family, fitness and faith to maximize their Best Life through coaching, community and exclusive once in a lifetime experiences. His unique background of business experience, law enforcement, martial arts training and economic analysis gives him a rare perspective that enables him to successfully guide entrepreneurs, CEOS, and other top executives to new heights.Dean optimizes business performance and the economic and financial expertise to anticipate and prepare for the future. He also served as a board director of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association. Find out more at www.yblnow.comwww.livelifedriven.com

Im back...todays banter a bit different then the last. I got humored during my recording perhaps you will also. Shop here https://matcha-madness.creator-spring.com/ Check out this Amazing Link for some personal Ammo to craft Your Best Life Now https://better-my-life-now.teachable.com/ Thank You. Donations accepted via CashApp : $supaladybey. Contact me via FB "ladi bey" --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/SupaTea/support

Your Best Life is ... Later. The false teachers in Ephesus were preaching a "Your Best Life Now" gospel. We likewise are bombarded by this message all the time. But if you want to Fight the Good Fight all the way until the final bell rings, you have to Fight for your Best Life Later, in the resurrection. In this episode, which comes from the final session of our Fight the Good Fight, Paul is going to encourage Timothy and the church at Ephesus to do just that.

Merry Christmas from TBTC! Andrew got an early Christmas present this year, so the guys unbox and play a round of Joel Osteen's board game, Your Best Life Now! CONTACT US: podcast@tobethechurch.com facebook.com/tobethechurch twitter.com/tobethechurch instagram.com/tobethechurch youtube.com/tobethechurch

The Early Church: Our Example in PersecutionIf you look around, you will see we are in the early stages of state-sanctioned Christian persecution in our nation. I know it seems inconceivable that our government, which mints “In God We Trust” on our coins, would now come after the church, much like the Nazis did in the 1930s. But believe it or not, it is happening right before our eyes. Just look around. And since we have all grown up in a world devoid of religious persecution, at least in the West, we are seriously unprepared for what will soon come our way. Just how unprepared are we?  Consider the fact that many Christians today blindly believe God would never let a righteous nation like ours, or a faithful church like ours (as strange as it sounds to even say the words “righteous” and “nation” or “faithful” and “church” in the same sentence), suffer anything remotely resembling persecution.  Remember, the best-selling book in the Christian market over the last decade promises God wants you to experience Your Best Life Now! And if you are discerning, you will understand that only those who are lost and going to hell are experiencing Your Best Life Now! Sobering, isn't it? So if this assessment is true, what are we to do?  In fact, the church is so unprepared we don't even know which way to turn. But there is an example for us in Scripture. There is a detailed account of ordinary believers, just like us, who lived under persecution and suffered under occupation and yet turned the world upside down for Christ (Acts 17:6). And that account is found in the book of Acts. What We Can Learn From the Early ChurchWhat were these early believers like? How did they think? What was their mindset? What motivated them each morning to rise and suffer another day? What was the source of their power that enabled them to flourish and thrive even under trying times? Why did God use them to turn the world upside down, and yet we find it hard even to make a difference in our own families and with our close friends? How committed were they to their Lord? And how did their commitment impact their lives and the lives of those around them? What did they have that we don't? Answer: Nothing. We have far more than they ever did. But what did they believe that we don't? Answer: Much. More than you can imagine. In this message, we will look at some of what made them who they were and allowed the Lord to move through them as He did. And we will, by comparison, see if maybe we lack some of what they had. Together we will examine some of their key beliefs and convictions to try to find a way back from where we have fallen (Rev. 2:5). So join us as we discover the passion and reckless abandonment to the Lord that defined the early church as revealed in the book of Acts. To https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/111621-Slides.pdf (download) the https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/111621-Slides.pdf (slides) for this message, click – https://leavinglaodicea.com/pdf/111621-Slides.pdf (HERE) Our Latest Posts:https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/what-is-the-will-of-god-for-all-believers-510/ (510: What is the Will of God for All Believers?) https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/do-we-actually-believe-what-the-word-of-god-says-509/ (509: Do We Actually Believe What the Word of God Says?) https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/the-wonder-of-being-a-child-of-god-508/ (508: The Wonder of Being a Child of God) https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/what-do-i-do-when-fill-in-the-blanks-507/ (507: What Do I Do When _________ ? (fill in the blanks)) https://www.leavinglaodicea.com/how-to-grow-your-faith-during-dark-times-506/ (506: How to Grow Your Faith During Dark Times)

It's Pod Van Daaaa- wait no that's not right. It's IF YOU CATCH MY GRIFT, BABY. This week we're joined by @PodVanEd to talk about a man that needs no introduction, the mega grifter, Joel Osteen.You can follow the show here:https://ifyoucatchmygrift.com/Twitter: @catchmygriftpod@catchdalton@austinagogoInstagram: @catchmygriftpodhttps://www.facebook.com/IfYouCatchMyGrift/Notes: Osteen, Joel. Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential. Warner Books, 2004.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/29/heres-why-people-hate-joel-osteen/https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/08/09/joel-osteen-house-net-worth-lakewood-church-wife-why-televangelist-so-beloved-and-controversial/935789002/https://brandongaille.com/how-joel-osteen-built-his-net-worth-to-565-million/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2007-11-29-osteen29-story.htmlhttps://wscal.edu/resource-center/joel-osteen-and-the-glory-storyhttps://www.chron.com/news/investigations/article/How-does-Lakewood-Church-spend-its-millions-We-12955372.phphttps://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Joel-Osteen-and-the-making-of-Lakewood-Church-12954518.php?ipid=prelhttps://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4489169-2017-Financial-Statements-for-Lakewood-Church.htmlhttps://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/How-Joel-Osteen-made-himself-the-smiling-12960441.phphttps://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Books-bargains-and-stuff-the-selling-of-Joel-12970174.phphttps://www.snopes.com/fact-check/rescuing-hug/https://www.parentingforbrain.com/the-rescuing-hug-of-baby-twins/https://churchleaders.com/news/401780-problem-uproar-joel-osteen-ferrari.html/2https://churchleaders.com/pastors/276763-joel-osteen-wont-preach-about-hell-but-he-should.htmlhttps://wscal.edu/resource-center/joel-osteen-and-the-glory-storyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20071014105021/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/11/60minutes/main3358652.shtml

 A mainstream teaching is that you should live “your best life now,” but that is contradictory to the eternal perspective Scripture gives us. You should live the best you can now according to Scripture in order to live your best life later. 

Welcome back to the Uneasy Conversations... In Jesus' Name podcast. Today we're looking at the prosperity gospel and how it leads people astray from what the Gospel actually teaches us. We look at the teachings of " Your Best Life Now," and how that's contrary to what we see in Scripture. I list off a few prosperity teachers to be weary of. Lastly we look at scripture to see what it teaches us about how this life is not full of prosperity, how it can be quite the opposite, but how we should look forward to the promise we have in Christ for eternity with him. How many people do you know that have fallen to the lies of looking at Jesus as a genie that's here to grant all our wishes? Are you following a prosperity preacher? Does someone you know and love follow a prosperity preacher? I pray this episode causes you to look inward and outward to save those who are headed down a path that's separate from the path that Jesus calls us to!

In this episode, Lisa talks about how she created her dream life; living in Paraguay, happily married, working only a few days a week, and capturing experiences. Lisa talks about what ignited her to take the action that led her down the path to create the life she lives today. With time, perseverance, thinking outside the box, taking small action steps, and not giving up, she has made her dreams a reality. Her message is to live your life NOW.Lisa grew up in Northern California where she received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from National University in 2006. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California and has an online private practice. In her 15 years experience, she has successfully helped people overcome anxiety, depression, and trauma. In 2017, she made some life changing decisions. Lisa had a full time, in-person, private practice in Northern California but she had a deep desire to travel, explore the world, and learn about culture. She took action and is now living in Paraguay in South America and is loving every minute of it! Her passion is also to help people accomplish their dreams so that they wake up every single day with joy and zero regrets.Follow Lisa on InstagramLisa's WebsiteEmail Lisa at  Lisajellison517@yahoo.comFollow Candace on Instagram

In this episode, we complete the saga of Joel Osteen's books Your Best Life Now. But first, we have a rant about wokeism courtesy of The Christian Post. https://www.christianpost.com/news/wokeism-is-far-more-dangerous-than-secularism.html

The prayer of Jabez. God's Formula for Success and Prosperity. Your Best Life Now. These are just a few of the many books out there on how to achieve the abundant life. If you pray hard enough, give enough money, or have enough faith, you too can break through to the blessed life. But that's not the way Ann Voskamp sees it. In this conversation that originally aired as a live webcast from her farm in Ontario, Canada, Charles Morris and Ann Voskamp discuss themes from her recent book, The Broken Way. Unlike the previously mentioned books, Ann believes the only path to abundance is in the shape of a cross. Click here to watch the live webcast version of this episode. Click here to learn more about The Broken Way.

Charisse introduces our study of selected Psalms, "A Song For Every Season," by teaching through Psalm 1 and 2. Her title, "Your Blessed Life Now" is a parody of Joel Osteen's book titled, "Your Best Life Now."

When I read Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life NOW several years ago it changed my life , it Showed me the Power of JOY . In this series join me for this incredible ride where I discuss various topics that came to me in this Holiday time of 2020 ! .. Even all “of that” was going on I WAS VERY HAPPY

What a Creep Season 9, Episode 4 Joel Osteen Joel Osteen is an American pastor and televangelist based in Houston, Texas. His televised sermons are seen by approximately 10 million viewers in the US and several million more in over 100 countries every week. Osteen has also written several best-selling books with titles such as “Your Best Life Now” and “The Power of I Am.” He’s also a greedy creep with a big toothy grin that even Jesus wouldn’t love. Sources for this episode: Houston Chronicle Fort-Worth Star-Telegram Huffington Post Oprah Winfrey 2012 interview Vox Buzzfeed Indy Star The Hill The Advocate Joel Osteen’s Twitter Wikipedia Be sure to follow us on social media! But don’t follow us too closely … don’t be a creep about it! Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts Twitter: https://twitter.com/CreepPod @CreepPod Facebook: Join the private group!  Instagram @WhatACreepPodcast Visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/whatacreep Email: WhatACreepPodcast@gmail.com  We’ve got merch here! https://whatacreeppodcast.threadless.com/# Our website is www.whatacreeppodcast.com  Our logo was created by Claudia Gomez-Rodriguez follow her on Instagram @ClaudInCloud

It's a fact that "Your Best Life Now" has taken the world by storm. Mr. Joel Osteen has given Seven Principles by which we can attain maximum potential in this life, to indeed live the best life. But does this notion square with Scripture? After all, the Scripture is what Christians are to compare everything to. What does God say about the best life? What has he provided to give his people the best life? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover the "when" of our best life.

Real Talk Real Solutions with Mental Health Advocate Dr Jinneh Dyson Helps us move from where we are to where God has called us to be. We need to learn how to create the life that you want. Listeners will learn how you can dismantle dysfunction. Dr Jenneh's story of overcoming depression and the loss of her parents as a teen and young adult will inspire everyone. Dr Jinneh is an executive mindset coach and teach others how they can Think UP to create the life the deserve. "Your obedience to what God has called you to do is tied to someone else's destiny!" You are the answer to someone else's problems! We need you to show up Learn how to take all the obstacles and challenges life throws at you develop your life and live Your Best Life Now

This week we'll take on quite possibly the most well known and most polarizing false teacher out there and his message of "Your Best Life Now"

On this episode of the Street Fishing podcast, Tony introduces a new street fisherman. Kris Lapata goes fishing in Pensacola, FL. Kris found Joseph near the beach. Joseph made a profession of faith in Christ while spending two years in jail for a drug-related offense. Joseph affirmed the gospel he heard from Tony, but he also had some beliefs that seemed to be a mix of "Your Best Life Now" and karma. Tony shares a conversation he had with Gino while out crosswalking. Gino believes God judges on a scale and that the scales of justice will be in his favor. He's wrong.

In John 15 we have the Lord's blueprint for the "abundant life" (John 10:10) He promised each of us.  And no, that life doesn't involve expensive cars or vacation homes or buckets of cash or having Your Best Life Now!  The abundant life in Him is defined by being able to bear His fruit, and bearing it in ever-increasing quantities.  Or, like Jesus said, "more fruit", then "much fruit", and finally "fruit that will remain".  Consider the following: "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:2) "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:8) "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:16) Unless the church fully understands the importance of bearing the fruit of Christ, the Vine, this incredible teaching of Jesus will have little meaning or lasting effect on our lives.  Or on the lives of those we try to influence with the Word, our spouse, our friends, our parents, children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.  We must come to a clear understanding that the only purpose for the branch, the only reason you and I were created and chosen in Him (Eph. 1:4), is to bear the fruit of the vine.  And the only one who benefits from the fruit we bear, is the Vinedresser, the Father.  The one key to hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:23), is our commitment to being nothing but branches, committed totally to bearing His fruit. As we said last week, there is no other way. But, How Do We Bear His Fruit? The key to bearing His fruit is tied up in the single word, abide.  Last week we defined the word abide (ménō) as to "remain, dwell, live", but always, in John's writings, with the idea of a relationship in view.  However, in John 15, the definition of abide (ménō) expands to mean "to be and remain united with Jesus, one with Him in heart, mind, and will, and to remain steadfast, unwavering in that relationship.”  That understanding of abide (ménō) puts this entire passage under a new, incredible light. So how do we bear His fruit?  Or what part do we play in this divine equation?  Simple, abide.  It's hard to do in real life, but it's simple, nonetheless. "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." (John 15:4) "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:6) "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7) "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love." (John 15:9) “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." (John 15:10) Remember, this is only the beginning.  If you can capture the joy of abiding in Him as a dependent branch, a life of abundant joy (John 10:10) is right around the corner.  So buckle up! The following is a study on John 15:4-6 on How to Bear His Fruit. To download the slides to this message, click - HERE

NIa Sanchez exudes confidence in the most warm and genuine way possible. Nia has a long list of accolades to her name. She was Miss Nevada 2014 and went on to earn the title of Miss USA 2014! She is a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and hosts self-defense trainings all across the United States. Nia shares her highs and lows that she has been through and how she has turned her obstacles into opportunities. She discusses the importance of investing in yourself, having supportive people in your corner, and how goal setting can help your self-confidence. You can contact Nia at nia.bookings.@gmail.com and follow her on all of her socials @realniasanchez and @niaselfdefense. Books discussed in this episode include: "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Osteen "Mastering Your Mean Girl" by Melissa Ambrosini "15 Invaluable Laws of Growth" by John C. Maxwell Music license credit: Carpe Diem by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3478-carpe-diem License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Episode 25 is a podcast within a podcast, as we revisit one of the most important, and most asked for topics:  The mailbag addresses fearing God and if God is always disappointed in us.  We spend time in Matthew 3:16-17 for guidance on how to spend daily rhythm time with Jesus. And the topic of the episode centers around knowing what The Best Thing is.  Blog articles mentioned: Shame vs. the Gospel - Is God Pleased with You? House Money: Releasing God from "Your Best Life Now" and the Freedom this Brings  

We crack open the mailbag in episode 12 to answer questions about fearing God and if God is always disappointed in us.  We spend time in Matthew 3:16-17 for guidance on how to spend daily rhythm time with Jesus. And the topic of the episode centers around knowing what The Best Thing is.  Blog articles mentioned: Shame vs. the Gospel - Is God Pleased with You? House Money: Releasing God from "Your Best Life Now" and the Freedom this Brings ------- www.beyondthebattle.net - sign up for the next round of 7-week online small groups with Noah Protect yourself and your family against online porn: Use promo code BEYOND at www.covenanteyes.com to get 60 days of Covenant Eyes accountability software for free.

Your Best Life Now or Later? (Luke 16:19-31) 7/15/18 AM by First CRC South Holland

It’s time for another edition of Locally Sourced, the podcast series where we ask local business owners to talk about an influential or special book they’ve read. Paul Patricelli is owner of GRIL, a brand new grilled cheese takeout restaurant in Mundelein. Paul shares how Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen encouraged him to…

"Choose to be Happy" is the final section of "Your Best Life Now." In this episode, we consider Joel Osteen's exhortation to be people of happiness, excellence, and integrity, then step back to draw out some lessons from our survey of Osteen's famous book. Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

We should give generously, but why? In Part 6 of "Your Best Life Now," Joel Osteen says we should "live to give." His emphasis on generosity is very biblical, but his reasoning misses an important element of the promises of God. Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

In Part 5 of "Your Best Life Now," Joel Osteen encourages us to remain confident through trials and trust God's timing. There is much biblical truth in these chapters, but also some reasons for caution which lead to a key question: What is biblical faith? Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

In Part 4 of "Your Best Life Now," Joel Osteen discusses how to deal with pain and disappointment. His counsel to forgive and move on is good, but are we forgiving for the right reason? And what if we don't have the strength to just move on? Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

Part 3 of "Your Best Life Now" is all about the power of our thoughts and words. Joel Osteen is right that how we think and speak is important, but he misses the biblical mark in three important ways which this episode explores. Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

Part 2 of "Your Best Life Now" talks about the importance of our self-image. We need to realize that God delights in us, wants us to be happy, and sees us as champions, Joel Osteen declares. But what does the Bible really say about our identity in Christ? And how should those truths shape our self-image and expectations? Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

In the inaugural podcast on Joel Osteen's "Your Best Life Now," we examine his promise that God plans great things for you if you'll just believe. Does Osteen expect too much from God... or too little? Visit http://www.DavidVogel.net Follow https://www.facebook.com/davidvogel.author Support at https://www.patreon.com/davidvogel

In this episode I discuss the most quoted quote from Irenaeus' "Against Heresies", the cult of self improvement, and about developing a more robust theology of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word of God. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/ryancagle)

James 5:1-6, Your Best Life Now?! by Pastor John Tucker

Did you know that in the Revelation there is a command to rejoice in the destruction and damnation of the wicked, the lost?  How intolerant of God, our culture would say.  Nevertheless, truth is truth:"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."Kind of flies in the face of the Laodicean, "Your Best Life Now!" crowd, doesn't it?The following is a study of Revelation 18:9-24

This exposition exposes the dangers of self-love and its natural progression to self-promotion and self-deception. Special attention is given to these sinful vulnerabilities upon which the “seeker sensitive” and “word of faith” movements tend to prey. The deceptions of the Purpose Driven Life, the Prayer of Jabez and the “ministry” of Joel Osteen and his popular book, “Your Best Life Now” are used as examples. Title: The Neo-Evangelical Cult of Selfism Speaker: Dr. David Harrell Event: Sunday Service Date: Jul 17 2005 Bible: Matthew 20:20-28