Personal Development God's Way

Hi there – thanks so much for visiting. You are very appreciated here.

When I first launched this blog, I was just getting started with blogging and sort of finding my way. So I wrote about all sorts of things. Consequently if you dig deep into the archives here, you will find some rather out of topic posts.

Over the last 12 months or so (and it is now the beginning of 2010), I started to fine tune my blogs to focus on one central theme.

Kiwichamp.com focuses on challenging, motivating, inspiring and equipping you to become the champion you were born to be. This means learning to live life to the FULL. (Remember what Jesus said in John 10:10).

Dilemma:
Along with this, we will dive into exploring what can be for many the “dilemma” of embracing “self-development” topics and teachings and reconciling them with the teachings of the Bible (without compromising ANY truth from the scriptures).

The very center of my life is Christ, there is no doubt of that.

To follow Him and honor Him in all I am and all I do is the main focus of my life. I believe the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Motivation For Christians
However, I have discovered after many years as a missionary, that too many well meaning Christians are missing out on REALLY living the abundant life. Why? Read on.

One of my favorite books is:“Champions Are Born, Losers Are Made”. (See disclosure). The author, John Di Lemme, recommends that you read this book at least 10 times, and I would agree. It is a small, concise yet powerful book that can be read in one sitting. But it’s message will probably take you at least 10 reads for you to REALLY “get it”.

Yes, you and I were born champions So what happened?

How did losers become losers? Words! Negative words, thoughts, influences of this world shaped you and me starting a few hours after birth.

Decisions = Filters, Prejudices, Strongholds
As we grew up we made decisions according to what our five senses received. Those decisions became the filters or prejudices. These filters color every present action, reaction and decision. The new decisions strengthen those filters of our minds.

Can these filters be changed? Of course they can. But it does take work. It took years to create these mindsets and it will take time and determination to change them.

One of the biggest frustrations I confronted on the mission field was watching so many people getting excited in the meetings, but then I would find them falling back to their negative selves within a few days.

Across the years I searched for the answers. These folk WERE (and are) good Christians. They were striving to follow Christ, yet they were not living their full potential. Why?

Self Development:
When I first came in touch with the teachings known as “self-development”, I pushed them aside labeling them “self-centered” and even “humanistic”. (This conclusion was a result of decisions I had made as a teenager. This is a story that will be told on this blog at a later date.)

Recently I have come back to this topic and noted that many Christ centered men and women are following the motivational teachings know as “Self Development” or “Personal Development”. I believe it was Jim Rohn who “invented” this title.

The Framework of Our Minds
Then I did an extensive study in the Bible of the word “imaginations” and related words, and came up with some very interesting discoveries. There is a hebrew word, “yetzer” which is often translated as “imaginations”. The fuller meaning of this word is “framework”. This word is found throughout the Old Testament.

In fact in the days of Noah we find that God was very angry with His people and judged them, but listen to this! It was not what they HAD done that God was angriest about. It was because of their imaginations. He actually stopped them from doing what they were planning in their imaginations.

Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination (yetzer) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

There is a favorite verse found in Isasiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee”. The word “mind” is translated from the word “yetzer” – the framework of your mind.

From the New Testament, I started focusing on Bible verses such as Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23 2 Corinthians 10:5. In these verses the apostle Paul calls all Christians to renew their minds and to pull down the strongholds.

What are these strongholds? Those filters or prejudices that are hindering you from growing to become the true champion you were born to be.

But are those strongholds not broken when we choose to follow Christ? After all we become new creatures right? This is a question (spoken or unspoken) that so many Christians have in their minds.

Remember the time when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? What was Jesus’ command? Loose him and let him go! When Jesus gave this order He had ALREADY raised Lazarus from the dead. Now he needed to be freed from the grave clothes so he could experience and enjoy the life of the living! It was the disciples who were commanded to lose him and let him go.

Some of these thoughts may well provoke multitudes of questions in your mind. Good – ask away. Or perhaps you can suddenly see a lot of things in a new light, or are already living in total abundance. Great – share your experiences – here or in the comments. We would love to hear from you.

(Yes I am open to receiving guest posts – just send me a note here and I will arrange it).

This blog is dedicated to discussing and answering all of these questions and more. I will certainly be tackling all of what I have mentioned here, in great depth as this blog develops.

Above all the central message of this blog is:

Christ Centered Self-Development.

I look forward to seeing you here often, and above all I look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

You can find me at http://www.twitter.com/kiwichamp, Facebook or email me here
Skype (id: thekiwichamp)

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

** Affiliate Links

==============================================

Quoted Scriptures:

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Ephesians 3:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.