LifeLift: Recent Episodes
Andy Jenkins
Empowering you to find + fulfill your purpose | weekly talks by Andy Jenkins on grace + freedom + purpose + empowerment
In our culture we value productivity…
… not the pause.
But, the pauses are often part of the productivity. And, they’re how we find healing, renewal, and the energy to move forward.
✅✅✅✅✅
If you’ve own a cell phone (I know, the technical name is mobile phone, now, and everybody has one), you’ve probably had unresolvable issues with it, called tech support, and then heard them tell you something like, “Alright, do this for me. Let’s perform something called a hard reset. We’re going to completely power the thing down, wait a few moments, and then start it back up.”
They always promise something that seems absurd for such a simple task as turning the phone off: “That should fix it.”
Generally, they’re right. It does.
📳
Now, here’s where it fits in with US…
… The more trips I make around the sun the more I realize we’re exactly like those machines. In order to “work right” we’ve got to pause, too.
That is, you’ve got to power off…
… and that’s where fun comes in….
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Important links
💜 The “best of” Soul Wholeness audio course = FREE at www.Jenkins.tv/best
💜 The free PTSD self-check = www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
💜 Free Soul Wholeness paperback = http://www.Jenkins.tv/FSW
💜 The Soul Wholeness video course = www.Jenkins.tv/SWV
For the past few talks we’ve been working through the topic of “spiritual gifts” (even though, as we discussed in talk #1 of the series, that term doesn’t actually appear in the New Testament— something more powerful and insightful does, instead).
There are FOUR misconceptions people have about these “spiritual gifts” (re-listen to installment #1 of the series for a better understanding of what these gifts are). In this episode we want to walk through each of those…
Here’s what you need to know:
❌ Supernatural “gifts” and natural talents are NOT the same.
You receive your talents at your “first birth” (read: natural birth) and your spiritual gifts at your “second birth” (read: born again). For sure, you may “work” on both…
… but the originating point is different.
And, yes, they may “work together,” because the same God who created you IS the same God who redeems you.
❌ Supernatural “gifts” are not the same as title, rank, or position…
Sometimes, you see people with a business card that says APOSTLE or PROPHET or whatever…
For a season, I attended a church in which they swore— and actually called themselves— a “fivefold ministry.”
Problem is…
None of those leaders were. They simply gave themselves the title.
Sometimes, the titles sync-up with the gifts; other times they don’t. They’re not the same.
You can be gifted— and your gifts work— even IF you don’t have the position. So, don’t WAIT for a position in order to fulfill your purpose. Begin walking in it…
Your gifts, as Proverbs says, always “make room” for you (Proverbs 18:16).
❌ Supernatural “gifts” are not confined to the four walls of a church building-- or even an “organized religious system” like we have today.
People are beginning to think differently.
They're beginning to wonder what you've perhaps thought all along...
👉 If God "so loved the world..." (John 3:16), wouldn't it make sense that He sends people INTO the world to reach the world rather that just waiting for them to come to church?
👉 If Jesus really meant "as the Father sent Me, so I also send you" (John 20:21), wouldn't that mean that we also get called into the world, away from the "home base" of the sanctuary?
And…
👉 If Adam was called to "work Creation" before the Fall, might also work be a sacred calling, rather than a curse (Genesis 2)?
I think so…
(In the previous talk we noted that God can gift you to do ANYTHING He desires… so, don’t confine Him to a tidy box.)
❌ Supernatural “gifts” are not instances in which the Spirit “takes over” your natural faculties such that you have no control.
When a demon takes over a person, that person “loses control.” But, the Holy Spirit always allows us to stay in complete control of who we are. In other words, we co-labor with God when He chooses to do something TO us, then work THROUGH us, in order to reach TO others…
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Links for this talk =
📗 tell us where to ship your free LifeLift book = www.Jenkins.tv/free
✏️ take the 7-minute spiritual gifts Q&A, and discover how God uniquely empowers you to do something that far exceeds your natural, human capacity and function at the level of Heaven = www.Jenkins.tv/assessment-spiritual-gifts
🔥 access the on-demand, online course = www.jenkins.tv/lifelift-200
The first time we see someone “clothed” with the Holy Spirit to do something on God’s behalf— at the capacity of Heaven— is found in Exodus 31:2-5. Oddly enough, it’s NOT a reference to God gifting Moses to speak, to set His people free, to lead them through the Red Sea (even though we know God was present in each of those moments).
Notice—
“See, I have chosen Bezalel… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts…”
🔥
If you know the story, you recognize this as the moment God set the craftsman aside to build the Tabernacle. That is, the first time a person was “filled with the Spirit” to “minister” (read: serve) it was not a preacher or a musician… but a metalworker.
In other words…
If we thought God was confined to specific professions or trades, to specific activities or duties— as if some things were included in His domain and other things were excluded— we need to rethink. We’re thinking too small.
🔥
There’s no arena that exists outside the realm of God’s reach. Colossians 1:16-17 reminds us that “all things in Heaven and earth, seen and unseens… are created through Him and for Him.”
And that includes our daily work, whatever we do.
🔥
In fact, we used to refer to “what we do” as a vocation— as something reminiscent of “vocal” or calling. It’s as if we KNEW that you could be LED intuitively towards something.
And, that sort of belief system finds solid footing in Scripture.
🔥
As we move forward from the 9 “gifts of the spirit” we discussed in the previous talk, we work through more. And, we see that God might gift His children to—
⚙️ create new things
🪩 dance
🎨 draw or paint
📐 organize or administrate
🛠️ mechanically fix or build
🎵 musically bless others
✏️ write and communicate
🔥 do anything else where we see his supernatural empowerment…
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Passages referenced in this talk where gifts are mentioned in the New Testament:
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Ephesians 4:11-12
Romans 12:6-8
1 Peter 4:8-11
Exodus 31:2-5
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Links for this talk =
📗 tell us where to ship your free LifeLift book = www.Jenkins.tv/free
✏️ take the 7-minute spiritual gifts Q&A, and discover how God uniquely empowers you to do something that far exceeds your natural, human capacity and function at the level of Heaven = www.Jenkins.tv/assessment-spiritual-gifts
🔥 access the on-demand, online course = www.jenkins.tv/lifelift-200
A few years ago I was in a church service when the visiting preacher, at the very end of his message, locked eyes with me, and began talking. To be clear, in front of everyone, he directed his statements towards me.
They were clear.
They were concise.
They were spoken in front of everyone— so all the people attending that morning could hear exactly what he said.
They were laced with grace.
💙
The VAST majority of the things he said to me were facts there’s no way he would have known— unless I told him or unless God did. And though there was nothing “new” or revelatory about the words he spoke, he succinctly confirmed some of the musings of my heart.
I told a friend about this story and he asked, “Why would God tell you THROUGH him? Why didn’t God just tell you directly?”
The thing is…
… well…
God had. God had told me multiple times.
But, when that men spoke, it really confirmed in my heart that I HAD BEEN hearing the voice of my Heavenly Father all along, because He went out of His way to tell someone who had NO OTHER WAY of knowing…
… except for God told him.
And He told that man to speak to me.
💙
Now, think about it…
Yes, we find stories in the Bible where God shows up “out of nowhere” and does something. He sends ravens to feed Elijah (1 Kings 17:2f.). He speaks to the prophet Balaam through a talking donkey (Numbers 22:21f.). Peter pays the temple tax after Jesus tells him to catch a fish— and the coins are in the fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24f.).
Yes, God can do whatever He wants.
But, most of the time…
… even 99.9999% of the time…
He works THROUGH people to touch other people.
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And that’s part of the point of the spiritual gifts (remember, as we discussed in the previous talk, that word doesn’t actually appear in the New Testament per se). They are a means whereby God— at the capacity of Heaven— works THROUGH people to reach TO other people.
That is, we become conduits, connectors… to the Kingdom.
💙
Listen in as we walk through the first nine “gifts of the spirit” that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11.
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Links for this talk =
✏️ take the 7-minute spiritual gifts Q&A, and discover how God uniquely empowers you to do something that far exceeds your natural, human capacity and function at the level of Heaven = www.Jenkins.tv/assessment-spiritual-gifts
📗 tell us where to ship your free LifeLift book = www.Jenkins.tv/free
🔥 access the on-demand, online course = www.jenkins.tv/lifelift-200
💙 The Healing Workshop = www.Jenkins.tv/THW
A few years ago I revisited a book my Dad wrote 20+ years ago, re-drafted it, and then re-published it. In the process I learned a TON about the subject of the book, spiritual gifts.
Along the way, I discovered some “good news” and I stumbled into some “bad news.”
😳
The bad news is this…
The term “spiritual gifts” that I heard so much about growing up in the church (a great church, a super-experience) doesn’t actually exist in Scripture— not in the original Greek language. So, all of that reading and studying and thinking about the certainty of something I wrongly THOUGHT I understand turned out to… well… not exist exactly in the way I thought it did.
🤦♂️
The good news…?
Well, even though that two-word phrase (“spiritual gifts”) isn’t found in the Bible, something FAR MORE powerful is.
Specifically, this…
When Paul wrote about “spiritual gifts” he used FOUR different words and concepts to relay what they are— in the best way he could.
Moreover, I think he was just hitting the surface— the proverbial “tip of the iceberg.”
🥶
In this talk, we launch into a new “series.”
You’ll learn about:
✏️ Pneumatikons = the spirituals, the presence (see 1 Corinthians 12:1)
✏️ Charismata = expressions of grace (1 Corinthians 12:4)
✏️ Diareseis = appointments, placements (1 Corinthians 12:5)
✏️ Energematon = energies, divine power-flow (1 Corinthians 12:6)
Those are the four Greek words we most often (read: always) translate as “spiritual gifts.” Yet, as we break it down, we see there’s so much more going on here, far more happening, than “just something you possess” or have.
🔥
You’ll discover, over the next few minutes, that the Holy Spirit— right now— empowers you to do something supernatural, something that exceeds our human capacity, and operates at the level of Heaven.
And that’s true whether you’re working in a church or a coffee shop, a drug rehab or a department store, serve as a prophet or a policeman, whether you teach adults the Bible or find yourself talking small kids into brushing their teeth and going to bed on time.
I know, seems like a big gap there.
Listen in…
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Links for this talk =
📗 tell us where to ship your free LifeLift book = www.Jenkins.tv/free
✏️ take the 7-minute spiritual gifts Q&A, and discover how God uniquely empowers you to do something that far exceeds your natural, human capacity and function at the level of Heaven = www.Jenkins.tv/assessment-spiritual-gifts
🔥 access the on-demand, online course = www.jenkins.tv/lifelift-200
Who you are is greater than what you do. The fruit of your life is an overflow of the person you’re becoming.
⭐️
💥 INSIDE-OUT
Work on you while you work on the dream. That is, do BOTH at the same time— it’s not “either-or” but “both-and.”
This matters…
A Yale study affirmed that:
- 15% of the people who succeed do so because of their education or skill
- 85% do so because of their interpersonal skills
Notice, the majority of people who “make it” do so because of WHO they are (or who they have become).
⭐️
💥 INTENSIFIED
Success doesn’t change people— as we often think. Rather, it reveals who we actually are— who we’ve been all along. It amplifies the things about us.
Success intensifies our:
- Idiosyncrasies = the odd (but morally neutral) attributes that make us who we are
- Issues = the things we need to work on… this includes our insecurities
- Incredible uniqueness = the gifts and skills we have
All three can become exponentially more important, so we want to deal with each of them NOW, so that we’re ready when the time comes to share our gifts with others— because we never know when that time will come.
About the incredible uniqueness we all carry:
- Ephesians 2:8-10 = grace saves and also empowers us into a destiny and purpose
- Psalm 139:13 = God intentionally created David (and us)
- Jeremiah 1:5 = not only did God create Jeremiah (and us), but He also set us apart from our mother’s womb
- Isaiah 44:24 = suggests this happened even before time began
- Galatians 1:15 = Paul reminds us that God set him— and us— apart from the time we were born, even though he know Paul would persecute the church before he ultimately found his calling, and that we would also blunder before we stepped into ours.
⭐️
💥 INTERDEPENDENCE
If you look back at the dreams you penned in part 1 (WHAT), most of them are either:
- FOR others (to benefit your spouse, family, etc.), and / or
- WITH others
In other words, you won’t achieve your greatest dreams alone. So work now on being the kind of person that connects well with and empowers other people.
In addition, be sure you have a “bus” of the right people around you— including people who can speak into your life and even correct you.
⭐️
Note: circle back to part 1– to your dreams. Define what they are. They’ve been placed there by God.
(Own them, verses rent them— like John Maxwell mentioned on stage at the Young Living event.)
And, if that’s true, manage the daily grind… do the stuff.
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Important links:
⚙️ Download the free planner— on PDF— at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
⭐️ Claim your Advance book + audiobook for just $5: www.Jenkins.tv/A5
🚎 Ready to test drive the planner? Access it at www.Jenkins.tv/8
Relationships are the currency of those who live in the realm of their inherent greatness. Walking in healthy relationships with whole people is essential to living your purpose…
🚌 BUSINESS example =
In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins studied the factors that made companies— working in the same time period with identical market conditions and opportunities— excel towards “greatness” while others plateaued at “good.” This was a change, because— until that time— most compared the great to the bad. He wanted to identify the determining factors that helped some companies “level up.”
Here’s what he discovered:
The “good” companies first charted their vision (the WHAT), their mission (the HOW), and even their values (the WHY). They evaluated organizational structure and titles…
… and, though these seem like the things they SHOULD focus on, the “great” companies did something counter-intuitive.
They first built a team. They got the right people together.
Collins likened the companies to a “bus.” He said that whereas most companies were enamored with the color an destination and seating arrangement of those buses, the great companies simply wanted to get the right people on the bus.
From that point, everything was easy…
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🚌 BASKETBALL example =
Bill Walton, quoted in “The Fifth Discipline” (Peter Senge) spoke about times in which the oneness of his teammates hit a level that was unsurpassed…
… such that it became “magical. “
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🚌 BIBLE example(s) =
Good to Great taps into something we see in the Bible. Namely, relationships matter more than the other stuff we can do. That’s because we were designed for relationship.
⭐️ In Genesis 1 we see that God is relational. Over and over, we see the refrain, “Let us…” during the creation account.
⭐️ In addition, we’re created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). This means that we, too, are relational.
⭐️ Jesus was / is relational as well (see John 14:6). He says that He embodies truth (i.e., truth exists in a person— not proposition statements of right and wrong). And, He’s taking us to the Father, to a relationship in its fullest expression.
⭐️ We’re promised that God sets the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6), and that He binds us together in the “household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
This fits with other stories we see in Scripture:
✅ Building the Tower of Babel, according to God, would have been possible— because the people were unified. In fact, He— relationally, the Godhead— declared that nothing would be impossible for them because they were one (see Genesis 11:6).
Notice: this was spoke by God about a people who weren’t doing something religious or even noble. They were building a monument to themselves.
✅ Psalm 133:1-2 tells us that “unity” is like the oil flowing down the beard of Aaron, conjuring images of the anointing of the priest to do a sacred service on behalf of God. In other words, unity— oneness— the “who”— is an anointing of the Spirit. It creates a supernatural super-power.
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Important links:
⚙️ Download the free planner— on PDF— at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
⭐️ Claim your Advance book + audiobook for just $5: www.Jenkins.tv/A5
🚎 Ready to test drive the planner? Access it at www.Jenkins.tv/8
Knowing your true internal motivation(s) for the life you’re trying to build empowers self-awareness (knowing who you are), as well as self-leadership (knowing how to move forward with faithfulness).
Here are a few things you need to know about “the why,” that is, the third rung of the ladder in the Advance framework.
💙 The HEART is never neutral (it may be numb, such that you don’t hear what it’s saying, but it’s always expressing its opinion about things).
Learn to listen to your heart, because one of two things will dictate the steps you make to move forwards towards your dreams:
❌ REASONS (read: excuses) you give not to pursue your call
✅ REALITY that God has called you to something more— and that those desires are placed in your heart by Him.
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Note: at this point it’s important that we understand our true identity.
⭐️ Your IDENTITY is based on what you think the most important person or voice in your life says about you. ⭐️
This understanding of identity flows into our next point about HUSTLE. You won’t get that one right without a healthy view of your identity.
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💙 HUSTLE… but do so in the right way.
Jesus tells us not to “seek” over the things that the “gentiles” (read: pagans) seek after. He says they worry about the things they’ll eat, what they’ll wear, and the normal routine of life (see Matthew 6:32).
He then tells us, in the Sermon on the Mount, to “seek first His kingdom” (Matthew 6:33).
He promises that “all of these things” (read: what we’ll eat, what we’ll wear, etc.) “will be added to us as well.”
Notably, it’s not just the object of WHAT we seek that Jesus contrast here (i.e., “They seek lesser things, but if you’ll see the greater things those lesser things will seek after you such that you don’t have to chase them…”). Rather, He contrasts the MODE of seeking.
In the original Greek language, He uses two different words in this passage:
❌ The gentiles seek as a “striving and a desperate chase” (which sounds a lot like the hustle culture of today).
✅ You should seek as a hunger, as a desire… that is, as a yearning for God’s presence and power in your life.
This leads us to a position, first of all, of humble confidence, because the driving “why” is that THIS is what my Father has called me to…
💙 HOLD FAST to your call…
We used to talk about our career as a “vocation.” Notice the root word of “vocal,” that is, “calling.” The original way we viewed the work we do each day was that a VOICE actually chose us to do the work— and then directed us…
… and, this can affect every area of life…
Notice, when we see ourselves as sons (of the King) we realize that this affects EVERY dream we have. Those can ALL be ordained by God, with His voice directing each of them.
(And, as we discuss in this episode, we may have a different “why” (or inspiration) for each of our dreams. Furthermore, the reasons may change over time.)
🚌
Important links:
⚙️ Download the free planner— on PDF— at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
⭐️ Claim your Advance book + audiobook for just $5: www.Jenkins.tv/A5
🚎 Ready to test drive the planner? Access it at www.Jenkins.tv/8
Saying “yes” to the great stuff in life often requires saying “no” to the good. That is, our most pivotal decisions don’t usually come to down a choice between “good” and “bad” but, rather, “good” and “great.”
But…
If we say “yes” and prioritize our process— the plan we’ve created to move from “where we are to where we’re designed to be”— and do those things consistently, we can relax about the results. They’ll come.
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Note: in the Advance framework, under “implementation” (how, the hands), we talk about TIME not talents or tasks, we discuss SCHEDULING not skill.
The reality is that most things can be learned. You may need a class to acquire mastery or expertise in them, but you can acquire the “how to.”
Here’s how to manage the daily grind, assuming you know the “how to” for each area of life:
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👉 #1 = CATEGORIZE everything you do using the “start-stop-continue” grid.
Everything you need to do in order to achieve the dreams you listed in the previous section (the WHAT) falls into one of these three categories:
✅ START = There are some things you aren’t doing that you need to ADD to your schedule.
For instance, you need to START tucking the kids in at night, START planning date night, START waking up an hour earlier to exercise, START reading certain things…
❌ STOP = Part of this plans means HALTING other things in order to make room for the new agenda.
For instance, STOP vegging in front of the TV until AFTER the kids are in bed, STOP hanging with the guys multiple nights a week so you can invest in your marriage, STOP eating sugar & drinking & staying up late so you can better start the health regiment…
♻️ CONTINUE = Some things are right on track. Affirm them and continue.
For instance, CONTINUE managing your schedule with the same discipline. CONTINUE managing work in the same way you are currently doing, CONTINUE your personal development routine…
⭐️ NOTE: at this point we also suggest that some things are a “NO-FOR-NOW-NOT-FOR-LATER.” That is, they’re things you may want to START— but not yet. Or, they’re things you temporarily STOP…
For instance, “cheat days” on the diet may be “off the table” until you hit a certain weight goal. Or looking at houses may be off the table until you pay off your debt or reach a specific income goal (i.e., you decide not to even shop around now, lest you be tempted).
This temporary pause gives you something to look forward to in the future, yet affirms that— currently— you have a limited amount of time and focus…
…. you effectively punt these goals to a future time when you can more readily embrace them and actually enjoy them.
💥
👉 #2 = CREATE your “perfect week” template
Step back while you’re not IN the week and create the ideal outline FOR your week. That is, pinpoint when you’ll exercise, when you’ll do certain repeating tasks such as connect with family members, and when you’ll block time for friends and/or other priorities.
Even though the week will rarely go 100% perfect, you’ll make more progress with the plan. And, you can always adjust the plan as needed.
💥
👉 #3 = CALENDAR from your priorities instead of a “to do” list.
Note: when we succumb to working from mere lists, we often find ourselves trapped in the tyranny of the urgent rather than working on what’s important. Lists don’t valuate how much things matter; they’re generally created in the order we think of things…
… and, as a result, the most important matters rarely make the list (i.e., date night, personal time, etc.)
💥
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Important links:
⚙️ Download the free planner— on PDF— at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
⭐️ Claim your Advance book + audiobook for just $5: www.Jenkins.tv/A5
🚎 Ready to test drive the planner? Access it at www.Jenkins.tv/8
The first step to living a life by design (instead of default) is deciding where you want to go. The second step is owning where you are now…
(Where you are NEVER defines who you are— it’s just your current location, your starting point. Nor is where you are where you must remain. However, where you are IS where you must begin. So…)
Create a plan, and enjoy the journey. Here’s how…
✅ DREAM— and develop the “best case scenario” for every area of life.
We spend more time planning what we’ll wear on any given day than we do actually orchestrating the hours of that day. That is, we dress by design, but we often live by default.
Make a decision to live by design…
… and to create the best case scenario for each area of life, not just one area.
(Because every area is connected— what happens in your family affects your work, what happens in faith affects friendships, etc.)
✅ DETERMINE the steps you need to take in order to move from here to there, but create them in reverse— from “there to here” instead of “here to there.”
In other words, reverse engineer your path. This guarantees you won’t move in a random direction but that you’ll actually move toward your dream.
✅ DO the small stuff.
In the Advance book (and workshop, as well as video courses), we actually talk about how to create a bridge from “there to here.”
Many times, people FAIL to make forward progress because they think in terms of concepts instead of actions. For instance…
…. they make goals like “lose weight” instead of calendaring actions such as cutting the alcohol and sugars, exercising every morning at 6am, and monitoring their meals.
…. they make goals like “having a thriving marriage” rather than calendaring activities such as “date night each week.”
It all comes down to activity— and, generally, some of these actions seem so small we overlook them.
PRO TIP:
In the Advance material, we help you identify the catalytic action(s)— the ones which create disproportional momentum relative to the time and effort required to complete them. Download the Advance audiobook (free) for more info on what this looks like….
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Important links:
⚙️ Download the free planner— on PDF— at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
⭐️ Claim your Advance book + audiobook for just $5: www.Jenkins.tv/A5
🚎 Ready to test drive the planner? Access it at www.Jenkins.tv/8
Back in 2014, a child-therapist my family visited for a season described stress in a revealing way. Kristen, the counselor, likened our souls to balloons…
“You can blow a balloon up,” she said, moving her hands larger and farther part as if an expanding party-type of balloon rested between them. “At first the balloon is fine with the air you blow in…”
“At some point, the balloon reaches max capacity,” she continued. "Then we have four options.” She described the first three scenarios, explaining—
🎈 You continue adding air to the balloon, thereby causing it to explode.
This happens to some people.
They— seemingly overnight— explode. They “flip their lid.” They lose it.
But, the outburst you see isn’t the result of the final air pushed inside the balloon. The added tension is merely the “final straw” to break the camel’s back.
🎈 You squeak and squeal the balloon, shrilling a sound that lets you know something is not right.
I’m sure you’ve met people like this— people who seek to dominate tough situations by complaining, acting caustic, or exerting control over others.
They’re often battling an unseen enemy— or enemies— you know nothing about. Many times they still stand face-to-face with the enemies of their past.
🎈 You “let go” and watch the problem fly away (read: hide). People like this are the proverbial “take my toys and go home” pouters.
Unskilled in conflict resolution, they simply leave.
Or, at other times, they take flight— as in the “fight or flight” response commonly associated with PTSD.
The solution…?
Margin.
Have a gap between what you “have available” and “what’s required.”
In other words, let some air out of the balloon…
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Important links
💜 The “best of” Soul Wholeness audio course = FREE at www.Jenkins.tv/best
💜 The free PTSD self-check = www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
💜 The Soul Wholeness video course = www.Jenkins.tv/SWV
It’s easy to forget that we’re truly valuable…
🔥 that we bear the image of the Creator
🔥 that we’re chosen, Holy, and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12-13)
🔥 that He promised we’re never separated from His love (Romans 8:31-39)
🔥 that God doesn’t hold our sins and failures against us, so He isn’t punishing us because of them (see Jeremiah 31:34)
🔥 that the same grace that “saves us” also calls us to do something extraordinary (Ephesians 2:8-10)
🔥 that the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
Yes, it’s easy— despite these truths— to somehow think that when life gets tough— and situations become “less than desirable” that we’re LESS valuable…
… that, somehow, our worthy is attached to “where we are” and not “who we are” or even “whose we are.”
In this episode we talk about the importance of affirming our true identity, as well as holding the tension that sometimes hard things happen… and that has no bearing on who we really are at all.
+++++++++++++++++
Important links
💜 The “best of” Soul Wholeness audio course = FREE at www.Jenkins.tv/best
💜 The free PTSD self-check = www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
💜 The Soul Wholeness video course = www.Jenkins.tv/SWV
We’re promised two gifts that we each desperately want and need come when we take the hurts and pains of the past, stop hiding them, and move into the light:
🎁 Connection = that is, we find we’re not alone, we meet acceptance with a healing community
🎁 Cleansing = we find healing, and we’re able to repurpose the pains to help others…
Here’s part of the problem:
We don’t like the light.
(Guilt and shame THRIVE in the dark— and fight to keep us there.)
But…
❌ Freedom isn’t found in hoping no one finds out about the clutter in your past. Even if your past is fairly present.
No.
✅ Freedom is found when it’s in the open, when there’s nothing more to hide.
That bold audacity is what strips the enemy of his power and it’s where we find the connection and cleansing we so much want / need.
💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
HEre’s another part of the problem…
Not only do we NOT want to “deal with our stuff,” he other part of it is that when we do, we tend to share it with the wrong people. We over-share with the masses; we under-share with the people closest to us…
The only people who can help carry the burden of connection and cleaning are people who can ALSO correct you.
😳
That’s a high bar.
In this talk we outline the importance of:
👉 The few = who get to know EVERYTHING
👉 The some = who get to know “most” things
👉 The many = who get to know “some” things
👉 The most = who get to know… nothing.
+++++++++++++++++
Important links
💜 The “best of” Soul Wholeness audio course = FREE at www.Jenkins.tv/best
💜 The free PTSD self-check = www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
💜 The Soul Wholeness video course = www.Jenkins.tv/SWV
In this talk we discuss the notion that everyone is “window shopping.” We’re constantly looking for a better plan, a different program, or more reliable steps to take us where we want to be.
In the same way that we look in storefronts for the latest shoes, the coolest gadget, or the most up-to-date fashion, so do we often “shop” for our spirituality.
And then we seek to perform to earn it.
👇
Yet everything you need is already here…
💙 Peter says that, since you’re reborn in the line of Jesus rather than the line of Adam (see the previous talk), you’re now born of “incorruptible seed” (1 Peter 1:23).
💙 He also says that we share Jesus’ divine nature (read 2 Peter 1:4).
💙 Paul says we reflect Jesus so clearly that to see Him is as if we’re looking in a mirror (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).
👇
The problem…
… well, we forget our true identity. We forget who we ACTUALLY ARE. And, as a result, we begin searching for that identity through achievements, accolades, applause, accomplishments… EXTERNALS.
Sometimes, it’s a bigger check.
Or a promotion.
Or some artificial marker we create that will verify that we’re worthy and valuable.
Yet Jesus’ little brother, James, said this…
“The one who reads the perfect law of liberty and then goes away and doesn’t do what it says is like the man who sees himself in a natural mirror and goes away, forgetting what he looked like” (read James 1:23-24).
Or, to say it another way: “The person who walks away and doesn’t LIIVE OUT the truth of who they are… well, they forget who they are. Or, perhaps, they never actually even knew…”
👇
Here’s my conclusion of the past six talks in two statements:
✅ Jesus is perfect theology = He shows us what God is like.
✅ Jesus is ALSO perfect anthropology He shows us what we’re designed to be.
👇
Listen here.
💙
Identity eBook referenced in this talk $5 = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/LcR6Bz3a
Take the free assessment at https://www.jenkins.tv/assessment-DISC-colors
Identity video course = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/twHHm6Lh
The Purpose paperback = pay the shipping & handling, and we’ll send it! https://www.jenkins.tv/purpose
Culture trumps just about everything. If you create an environment where people can thrive, they generally come alive.
💙
Let me tell you where I’m headed in this talk…
Proverbs reminds us that the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
On the other hand, “fools despise such knowledge and instruction” (also 9:10).
Notably, there are two kinds of fear presented in the Bible. That is, there are two different Hebrew words we translate the same in English.
Understanding the RIGHT KIND OF FEAR is essential…
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🙀 Pechad = dread, panic, hopelessness, and despair.
This is the “fear" David referenced in Psalm 23:4, when he said that he would “fear no evil” because God was with him. He didn’t need to sense dread and despair, precisely because of the Lord’s presence.
😻 Yirah = a sense of awe, wonder, amazement, and respect.
This is the “fear” with which we need to view God.
We should stand in awe and amazement of what He’s done for us— not anxiety over what He might do if we step out of line.
These two words are very different. And they describe two very different types of leadership.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
As such, the way we approach God— and earthly fathers— varies greatly depending upon which definition we apply to the concept of fear.
🙀 If we think respect— which husbands and fathers want— equates with Pechad, we’ll lead in such a way our families constantly live on edge, wondering if we’re pleased with them or not.
😻 If, on the other hand, we realize respect better relates to Yirah, we’ll walk in such a way that our wives, our kids, and even strangers are overwhelmed with gratitude and a sense of security simply by our interaction with them. We’ll embody grace in such radical ways people will consistently find themselves amazed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
One weekend a friend of mine preached a sermon based on Psalm 128, where he outlined 3 results of the right kind of fear— three results of creating a culture of “yirah.”
Blessings flow from work…
They flow with the spouse…
And even the kids…
+++++++++++
Links referenced in this talk =
For the Stronger paperback, go to www.Jenkins.tv/stronger
For the free audiobook, go to the webpage www.Jenkins.tv/stronger — use the coupon code STRONGER for free access to the audiobook at checkout. No purchase necessary.
Or, follow the direct link = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/CSkVfj2p?coupon_code=STRONGER
Also, claim your free Purpose book at www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
We often create clear lines as to what men can do and what women can do. However, the Bible itself actually blurs cultural lines, empowering each of us.
🤔
Here’s where we see it…
In Luke 10, Jesus visits His friends Mary & Martha (Lazarus’ sisters). You might know the story— Martha hustles around working while Mary “sits at Jesus’ feet.”
I’ve heard the story preached that “you just need to slow down and be with Jesus, and you don’t need to get overwhelmed doing all this work FOR God instead of being WITH God.”
True.
But there’s something more powerful going on in this tale…
🔥
“To sit” at a rabbi’s feet meant that you were accepted by them as a student. Paul was “educated at the feet of Gamiliel,” for instance (Acts 22:3). Gamiliel was the famous rabbi who exhorted the Jewish tribunal not to sentence the apostles to death (Acts 5:34). In other words, Luke communicates to us that Mary was accepted by Jesus as a student in whom He would invest His time and focused teaching. And, back then, students didn’t choose their rabbi— their rabbi chose them.
Martha is the one who rushed to greet Jesus when He came to visit after Lazarus’ death. Mary remained in the house. When Martha stepped inside to let Mary know Jesus had arrived, she said, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you” (John 11:28).
Whereas most people called Him Master or Lord, these two enjoyed a unique rabbi-student relationship.
These female spiritual powerhouses knew Him as Teacher.
In accepting these sisters— women— as students, Jesus flipped the cultural script upside down. In fact, John also goes out of his way to let us know— in the shortest verse in the entire Bible— that “Jesus wept” (11:35). In that culture, weeping was “women’s work” and learning would have, typically, been a man’s.
Paul topsey-turvied the cultural script, too. He embraced women as co-laborers with him (Romans 16:3-4), and he acknowledged some as apostles and deacons (see Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2).
🤷♂️
And it got me thinking about the women that see see in the Bible… Just in the New Testament ALONE (aside from the warriors and judges and other stereo-type defying ladies we see throughout the entire narrative of Scripture, we see that the women…
… well, they were TOTALLY essential to Everything Jesus did…
I just flipped through my Bible…
Here’s a (small) sampling of what the LADIES did…
WOMEN (not men like me)—
✅ Encouraged Jesus to reveal His power, nudging Him to perform His first miracle (see John 2:3).
✅ Funded the ministry of Jesus (i.e., no women = no ministry $ (see Luke 8:3).
✅ Crashed parties to which they weren’t invited in order to honor Jesus publicly (see Luke Luke 7:37,44).
✅ Made some of the boldest faith claims— and took action— that we see in the Bible (Mark 5:25f.).
✅ A woman was healed, people heard of it, and it caused Jesus’ ministry to explode (Mark 1:30f.).
✅ “Sat at Jesus’ feet,” which is a euphemism from that culture meaning that they were accepted as disciples (See Luke 10:39 and John 11:28).
✅ Encouraged Him before facing the Cross, rather then denying it would happen or running away (see John 12:1f.).
✅ A woman encouraged Pilate that he had his facts wrong about Jesus (Matthew 27:19), that he was about to kill an innocent man.
✅ Stood at the Cross— after the men fled for their lives and even denied knowing Jesus (John 19:25).
✅ Were the first to the empty tomb, the first to see the resurrected Jesus, and the ones who informed the disciples (John 20:1, 20:15, 20:2). This happened while the men were “locked behind closed doors,” fearing for their lives (John 20:19).
✅ Were in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit fell the first Pentecost— meaning they received the full measure of the Holy Spirit just like everyone else (see Acts 2:14, where they are singled out).
✅ A woman was the first person to be recorded as being resurrected after Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 9:39).
✅ Started the church in Phillipi (see Acts 16:13-14f.).
✅ Instructed some of the men leading the early church on essential doctrinal issues (Acts 17:26)— thereby empowering those men to grow churches and fulfill their calling (1 Corinthians 3:6).
✅ Led in the top leadership roles in the early church (i.e., see Philip’s daughters who became prophetesses in Acts 21:9, the list of women in Romans 16:1f. as deacons, including Junia referenced as an apostle in 16:7.).
✅ Took the “lead position” in some matters (Acts 18:26— the order in which people were listed in the ancient world denoted importance on a specific project or issue— so it’s intentional Luke mentions the women first here).
✅ Were encouraged to stand and prophesy in the church as women— and not hide their femininity in doing so (i.e., you don’t have to act like / be like a man to participate— live from the image of God you have been given (1 Corinthians 11:2f.).
✅ Were imprisoned because of their leadership roles in the early church (see Romans 16:7).
✅ Are told to submit to the men… who are ALSO told to submit to them (see Ephesians 5:21).
✅ Are equal heirs of grace— not secondary or lesser ones (1 Peter 3:7).
And…
✅ It’s interesting that, way back in the beginning, God FORMED man (Genesis 2:7), but he FASHIONED the woman (2:22), a more artistic word that speaks of something exquisite and wonderful…
Read the beginning of the story. They were / are the crown jewel of Creation.
+++++++++++
Links referenced in this talk =
For the Stronger paperback, go to www.Jenkins.tv/stronger
For the free audiobook, go to the webpage www.Jenkins.tv/stronger — use the coupon code STRONGER for free access to the audiobook at checkout. No purchase necessary.
Or, follow the direct link = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/CSkVfj2p?coupon_code=STRONGER
Also, claim your free Purpose book at www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
We talk a great deal— especially in the church— about women submitting to men. And we go straight to Ephesians 5 to do it…
But…
… when you read the entire passage, it seems that Paul isn’t giving us of DO and DON’T type of behaviors. Rather, he’s telling us how to create a climate in which everyone thrives.
⭐️
Look at Ephesians 5:2, which is the sentence that leads us into Paul’s exposition about husbands and wives and Christ and the church.
“Submit to one another,” he writes. That is, live in a such a way you consistently seek the needs of the other above your own, promoting them and the purpose God planned for them.
(We often skip this part and move straight Into the “wives, submit to your husbands” verse.)
🤔
Here are a few things the text clearly DOES say…
- The husband is the head— because he represents Christ (5:23) (lots of ink has been spilled over this phrase).
- As such, he must love his wife in the same way— to the same degree— as Christ loves the church (5:25). The woman isn’t there to serve the man anymore than we exist to meet the unmet needs of Jesus; he’s there to serve her.
- We’re reminded the church is “one” with Christ— we are literally parts of His body. Likewise, married couples are one (5:29-30).
- Paul references Genesis 2:24 here (see Ephesians 5:31), where God said, “The two shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). This is a powerful observation that we don’t talk too much about (in large part, I think, because we can’t really comprehend it.)
- Paul makes it clear that although we— until now— thought he was talking about marriage, he was actually writing about Christ and the church (5:32). The marriage relationship and the relationship of Jesus to His bride are so interconnected that Paul’s writing becomes blurred…
💙
In other words, the entire marriage relationship “says something” bigger and broader than the two people in the relationship.
What does it say?
You get to decide…
What SHOULD it say?
Perhaps something bigger and better altogether…
🔥
However, rather than beginning with behaviors and lists, perhaps we should go back to that “submit to one another” part— and see how creating the right environment and culture in the home causes everything to come alive.
++++
Links referenced in this talk =
For the Stronger paperback, go to www.Jenkins.tv/stronger
For the free audiobook, go to the webpage www.Jenkins.tv/stronger — use the coupon code STRONGER for free access to the audiobook at checkout. No purchase necessary.
Also, claim your free Purpose book at www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
After the Fall, something interesting happens with Adam and Eve.
Feeling ashamed, they hid themselves. Yet God approaches them, as it seems must be part of their regular routine to meet each evening.
He looks for Adam.
Genesis 3:9 tells us the Lord called to the man and asked, “Where are you?”
God didn’t seek Eve— even though she technically sinned first. He sought the one to whom He entrusted His Word, the one He now held responsible, Adam.
Why?
Remember, God gave Adam the commands about the tree (Genesis 2:17) before Eve was ever even created (Genesis 2:21f.). To be clear, according to the text, she was never told directly not to eat the fruit.
🤷♂️
Just a thought…
The leader is responsible for everything under the oversight of the authority— even if the authority is not necessarily “guilty” of an action that occurs.
(I see a difference between “fault” and “responsibility,” thought we can’t totally blame the fall on her— he was standing right there.)
Eve actually ate from the tree first. Adam did eat after her. However, 100% of the issue at hand (though perhaps her fault) remains his responsibility.
And sure…
I know these are “loaded” terms, words we’d like to just replace. But, since they’ve been misused and we all have an idea of what they are, let’s discuss…
(And probably create more questions than answers in the process.)
… and see if we can make some practical headway.
🤷♂️
++++
Links referenced in this talk =
For the Stronger paperback, go to www.Jenkins.tv/stronger
For the free audiobook, go to the webpage www.Jenkins.tv/stronger — use the coupon code STRONGER for free access to the audiobook at checkout. No purchase necessary.
Also, claim your free Purpose book at www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
The concept of spiritual leadership and Biblical authority hasn’t received much positive press lately. In any area— the home, business, church, politics, nothing. In fact, most discussions about the topic seem overtly negative— and with good reason.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen an uptick in abuse. As well, many cases of hidden abuse (sins buried under the carpet or tossed into the closet for decades or more) have surfaced.
Our society shudders at the idea of authority. Furthermore, our trepidation isn’t unwarranted.
💔
Here’s the tension…
We forget that the Kingdom of God is precisely that– a Kingdom, not a democracy. Every kingdom features rank, order, and authority. Everyone doesn’t get a vote in a kingdom-- and some people carry more responsibility to serve and protect than do others. There are different levels of expectations and higher degrees of accountability.
🤷♂️
When we see an extreme wrong, we tend to over-exaggerate the correction and go to an “extreme” ourselves in the opposite direction. Yet over-reacting to misuses of authority doesn’t make the truth of true Biblical authority— that some people carry greater responsibility and lead at a higher capacity— simply disappear.
We must still wrestle with the concept because, again, the Kingdom of God is a kingdom. Not a democracy. And in a kingdom there is rank, order, and authority.
Now, all authority is called by God to give people what they need, not what they want. The authority is ordained to build people, not tear them down.
Paul writes of his authority, “which the Lord has given me [to be employed, however] for building [you] up and not for tearing [you] down” (2 Corinthians 13:10 AMP).
He describes it in another verse saying, “even though I boast rather freely about our power and authority, which the Lord gave for your upbuilding and not for demolishing you, yet I shall not be put to shame [for exceeding the truth]...” (10:8 AMP).
♥️
In the end, we see that the problem isn’t authority or leadership…
People in leadership actually DO need to do a better job. They need to lead STRONG.
But they need to love even STRONGER than they lead.
++++
Links referenced in this talk =
For the Stronger paperback, go to www.Jenkins.tv/stronger
For the free audiobook, go to the webpage www.Jenkins.tv/stronger — use the coupon code STRONGER for free access to the audiobook at checkout. No purchase necessary.
Also, claim your free Purpose book at www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
The Bible encourages us, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
This verse reminds us, first of all, that we’re born of the Spirit. When Nicodemus asked Jesus how a grown man could be "born again,” Jesus explained the nature of this new birth. Here’s part of the conversation (John 3:4-7 NKJV):
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
Jesus referred to being born of the water (i.e., a mother’s “water breaks” when she goes into labor) and of the Spirit (being born again) here. Whereas Nicodemus wondered if we needed to be “born of the flesh" again, Jesus taught that this Spirit-birth was a completely different kind of experience than physical birth.
🔥🔥🔥
When we bring these concepts together, we see that:
👉 You were born of the Spirit (John 3:5-7).
👉 Therefore, continuing to “live by the Spirit” is the best way to move forward (Galatians 5:25). Or, to say it as Paul does, “keep in step with the Spirit.”
The term “keep in step” is a military marching term. Just as soldiers match step-for-step with the officer in front of them, so also should we align ourselves with the Spirit. And, just as a soldier does, this demands that we tune out the environment around us— the grenades and the bombs— and listen to His rhythm. That is, tune in to the cadence of Christ.
🔥🔥🔥
Paul also asks a great rhetorical question-- especially for those of us who might tend to move forward in our own strength, stepping to our own beat, “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3).
Here, he beckons the Galatians to recall the way in which they attained the new birth. Quite simply, it wasn’t by their efforts, it was by the Spirit. He tells them, then, to continue by walking in the Spirit.
The correlation for us would be to continue walking from the inner man.
Moreover, if you can trust God for your sins and your salvation, surely you can trust Him for the much smaller matters— things like overcoming the hurts, the habits, and the hangups of the past and rebuilding a restored life.
🔥🔥🔥
In Romans we read the statement that “... those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
This verse is interesting, because there are two words for son Paul could have used.
👉 Tecknon refers to a “child, an immature offspring.” This son clearly has a relationship with his father. There’s no question.
👉 Huois refers to a “mature son, an heir.” This is the son who receives the inheritance of his father.
Notably, anyone can be a tecknon, but only the mature are huois. To be clear, both are still sons, but one gets to experience more of the father’s wealth and goodness while walking in more freedom.
Here’s another way to view the difference:
👉 You’re a tecknon by virtue of birth.
👉 You're a huois by virtue of your growth.
The word used in Romans 8:14 is a form of huois— mature son, heir. You could read it like this:
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the mature ones.
Mature sons of God demonstrate it by walking in sync with and being led by the Spirit. Immature sons don't.
Both are still sons, though.
🔥🔥🔥
We don’t earn our sonship by walking in the Spirit, that is, by living from
the inner man. We are sons, either way…
However, we display maturity when we walk in the Spirit. At that point, we show that we are not tecknon but huois.
And that changes our experience… this side of Heaven.
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Links =
Listen to the complete audiobook of Freedom Recovery = https://www.freedomrecovery.online/podcasts/freedom-recovery
Watch the video, Emotional Wholeness Checklist = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/checklist
Watch the video, denoting the difference between the soul and the spirit = https://www.jenkins.tv/freedom
Tell us where to ship your free paperback book, Purpose: How to Find & Fulfill God’s Plan for Your Life: www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Soul wholeness involves recognizing your emotions, reading what they say before you react, and then responding to the world around you in a healthy + intentional way— one in alignment with the Spirit.
Let’s discuss this briefly, as it will help you in real life situations.
✅ Something happens. It might be new information we gather, a phone call or text that is received, or something someone does.
✅ The experience is felt. The data then enters our brain (via the spinal cord) and the experience is first felt (via the limbic system).
✅ We respond. Finally, after we feel the experience (yes, this happens before we logically think about how to respond!), we have two choices…
♥️ Option 1: Healthy = we can work through the Emotional Wholeness Checklist (recognize what you’re feeling, read what it’s communicating, then respond in a healthy way).
💔 Option 2: Unhealthy = react immediately from raw emotion.
Remember, our emotions are one of the “parts” of us (they’re part of our soul). But we’re not required to react from them.
🤷♂️
Many times we “live from our emotions” without considering the best response for the moment. When that happens, we refer to it— in everyday language— as “getting triggered.”
To get triggered means you suddenly find yourself firing off— from the soul— in a certain direction based on some perceived threat from which you need to protect yourself.
You can’t live triggered and live from the Spirit at the same time. It’s impossible.
😳
The solution is to allow your feelings (and emotions) to serve you rather than to live enslaved to them. The Emotional Wholeness Checklist is a tool you can use to do this…
Here’s how it works.
💜
Step 1 of 3…
Recognize the feelings you experience. Even the ones you aren’t comfortable “owning,” the ones you’ve labeled in the past as “bad” (i.e., anger, sadness, depression, rejection, etc.).
Feeling something isn’t a sin. And, there aren’t good emotions or bad emotions— just emotions. The more of them we recognize, the better we can read the temperature around us.
The book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 reminds us, “Emotions always serve a purpose.”
Recognizing them is vital to understanding their purpose. And recognizing requires that we spend some time learning what some of those emotions actually are, so that we can read them properly when we encounter them.
💜
Step 2 of 3…
Read what your emotions are telling you— without reacting to them. Many feelings trigger an auto-response. That is, we react without processing what’s happening around us— without hearing what the emotion is trying to communicate about the condition of our soul in that moment.
Perhaps these two analogies will help:
Emotions are to the soul what physical sensations are to the body.
In the same way physical sensations of pain and pleasure alert us to what’s happening in our body, emotional joy and pain— and everything else— tell us the climate of our soul.
Emotions are like thermometers.
They don’t control us; they simply provide us with valuable information (thermostats set the temperature; thermometers simply read the temperature).
If you learn to recognize the emotion and then read what it’s saying without first reacting, you’ll find you are light years ahead of 99% of the people in the world around you. And, you’ll benefit from a growing EQ.
💜
Step 3 of 3…
Respond in a healthy way. After taking in what you sense, and after getting clarity on how you should respond (with intentionality, whatever that response happens to be), then move forward with clarity and humility, living from the Spirit when you respond.
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Links =
Listen to the complete audiobook of Freedom Recovery = https://www.freedomrecovery.online/podcasts/freedom-recovery
Watch the video, Emotional Wholeness Checklist = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/checklist
Watch the video, denoting the difference between the soul and the spirit = https://www.jenkins.tv/freedom
Tell us where to ship your free paperback book, Purpose: How to Find & Fulfill God’s Plan for Your Life: www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Most of us understand that we have a body and Spirit. We often confuse “soul” and “spirit” as being the same thing, though. They are different.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (emphasis added).
Notice, the Word of God will separate, dividing the inner parts of us, so that we can discern what is Spirit and what is soul.
🔥
Notice what Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:23:
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He’s clear that God wants to restore our bodies. However, he reverses the order in which we typically place these three parts of us, thereby highlighting the actual order of relative importance.
In another verse he tells us we should “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
🔥
The Spirit is the part of us that is renewed immediately when we become a Christian. It is already totally redeemed. It is “one” with Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:17 tells us, “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in Spirit” (NIV).
As such, the Bible also says the following:
According to Ephesians 4:24, the inner man is created in God’s image— “in true holiness and righteousness” (AMP).
Proverbs 20:27 says, “The Spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart” (NKJV).
From the Spirit we hear the voice of God clearly— not from the mind (which is part of the soul).
Your Spirit is whole and complete. Your Spirit transcended time and space and was crucified with Jesus 2,000 years ago (Galatians 2:20). And your Spirit now sits— in Heaven— at the right hand of the Father with Jesus (see Ephesians 1:20, 2:6).
The problem is that the Spirit is often hidden beneath or behind the soul. This Spirit is the true “inner man” we are wanting to live from— it is the key to the “unseen” world. However, we must learn to distinguish the Spirit from the soul.
🔥
Discerning the difference in these two is key to stepping into freedom and walking away from the old hurts, habits, and hangups…
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Links =
Listen to the complete audiobook of Freedom Recovery = https://www.freedomrecovery.online/podcasts/freedom-recovery
Watch the video, denoting the difference between the soul and the spirit = https://www.jenkins.tv/freedom
Tell us where to ship your free paperback book, Purpose: How to Find & Fulfill God’s Plan for Your Life: www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Many of us seem to think we need something “more,” that we don’t have the ______________ (fill in the blank to your unique situation) we need in order to move from where are are to where we’re designed to be.
But Scripture suggests something different.
The same power that raised Jesus form the dead now lives in you (Romans 8:11).
And, as Peter says, you have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Notice— everything for—
- Life— that is, our work, our family, our chores, our ALL the things we do— as well as
- Godliness— the things we most often think God’s power is relegated to.
In other words, the grace of God works in every area of life— there’s no facet it doesn’t touch.
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Access the Purpose book free - just pay the shipping and handling— www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Life is full of interruptions. In fact, if it wasn’t for the constant nips and tugs at us, most of us could be far more productive.
Or so we think.
When you look through the Gospels, though, you realize that MANY of the great things Jesus did happened in the unplanned pauses of His day— in those interruptions.
Look at His story.
- A few friends break a hole in the roof of a house where He’s teaching— because they can’t get through the crowds. They interrupt his monologue.
- The woman with the flow of blood interrupts Him when He’s on the way to heal Jairus’ daughter (his daughter dies, during the interval).
- The feeding of the 5,000 wasn’t planned— a crowd followed Him and interrupted His vacation.
- The woman who anointed Him for burial interrupted a dinner party where He was an honored guest…
And remember, if anyone would SEEM like they needed to hurry, it would be Him. He had about 3 years to full-time ministry to not only change the world— literally— but to alter the course of all of eternity.
If you think that you’re being held back from making progress because of the stuff that keeps crowding your day, take heart…
… God is still in control. And, often, He delivers some of the best stuff in those unplanned, spontaneous moments of unexpected interruption.
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Access the Purpose book free - just pay the shipping and handling— www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Where you are isn’t who you are. It’s your location, for sure, but it’s not your identity.
We often confuse our place in life with our personhood— for good and bad. When things are going great, we tend to think too highly of ourselves. The opposite is true, as well. When things are crummy, we thing we’re a disaster…
Turns out, where you are is just your location. Nothing less, nothing more.
And, whereas we may have done something to get us to where we are (it’s not always true— other people play parts in our stories, too), we can always move. We can change. We can step forward.
But…
The first step in moving forward is to first own where you are— because that IS the place you must begin…
Listen in…
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Access the Purpose book free— just pay the shipping and handling— www.Jenkins.tv/purpose
Find the Stronger book here— www.Jenkins.tv/stronger = use the coupon code STRONGER to access the Audiobook free
Take the online assessments here to discover your personality and unlock free personalized coaching videos— https://www.jenkins.tv/assessment-DISC-colors
Learn more about the new biz to help you write + create online courses + more at www.AmplifyOnline.info
Adam and I wrap our series of 3 talks here, landing on the premise that “all things work together at all times for your good” (Romans 8:28).
Notably, Paul— the author of the verse— didn’t say that—
❌ all things are good
❌ all things are caused by God
❌ God only works the things together for the good in which it wasn’t your fault, that you had not part to play…
Saint Augustine referenced this verse centuries ago and said, “If God works everything together for the good, that means He even transforms my sin into something good…”
Yes, grace is that big.
In this talk Adam and I discuss a few ideas that are important to hold onto…
⭐️ Transparency vs privacy
When he walked out his restoration (and when I walked out my redemption), we chose to be completely transparent with a FEW people— but we were very private.
In our culture we get the two mixed up and assume that we should share everything with everyone.
Consequently, we over-share with the masses, but keep the people who should be up close at a distance…
👉 Transparency means that we are fully known… by the people who need to know.
👉 Privacy means that people who don’t need to know… well, they don’t have access.
These two ideas CAN and SHOULD co-exist, especially when you’re “bouncing back” from a tough season.
⭐️ You can’t fill the void
A new help won’t heal an old hurt. The “voids” you feel must be felt and then HEALED, not simply “filled” with something new…
If you artificially “fill’ a hole, you will give power OVER future relationships to the one in the past who hurt you.
Don’t FILL a hurt; HEAL a hurt…

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The Soul Wholeness audiobook for $10 (regularly $25) = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/PXGzusQN
Take the free Emotional Wholeness / PTSD Self-check at www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
See the t-shirt, “All Things, All Times, All for Good” = https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/all-things-t-shirt
Adam’s book, Pain Not Wasted = https://amzn.to/393yM8X
In the previous talk Adam and I discussed the first thing to do when you face trauma— recognize where you are and choose to feel it…
We’re promised that Jesus meets us “in the fire,” and the truth is that we’re going to go through the pain…
As Adam says, “It’s better to go through it WITH Jesus than it is to endure it without Jesus.”
That leads us to the point of talk #2 in a series of 3: Self-development in your disaster.
You see, there are things you can acquire in a trial + trauma + tribulation which can’t be collected in any other way.
A few years ago when I was walking through my own “disaster,” my friend Les told me, “We don’t know the outcome. We’re praying for it, but we don’t’ know…”
He continued, telling me to focus, during that time, on two things…
👉 Jesus
👉 The kids
That twas it. Those were the only two things promised.
And, of course, both of those areas GREW massively…
Here’s the deal…
Adam reminds us that if you focus on developing during the disaster, there are things you’ll gain, too, and you’ll emerge on the other side BETTER.
If you don’t focus there, you’ll continue feeling the pain and speaking through— and living out of— unprocessed pain— well into the future.
It will cloud all future relationships.
It will clutter all future opportunities.
It will taint the blessings that are waiting for you just ahead…
Adam says that one of the things which helped him the most was the right voices…
“The right voices lead to the right choices,” he says.
The right voices are people who—
✅ Love Jesus
✅ Love you
✅ Love the offender, as well.
By the way, we discuss the “victim mentality” in this talk, too. We decide that you MUST acknowledge that you were the victim, when you were…
… because that IS ACTUALLY part of the story.
Now, you don’t get to “stay there,” that is, you don’t get to set up shop as that being your IDENTITY.
But, you must own that—
♥️ you were hurt by what someone else did, and
♥️ you have hurt others in the past, too, even if not in this instance
♥️ sometimes, the reality is that we DID have a part to play in this instance…
In the end, it goes back to what my friend Les said— you can’t control what the other person does, but you can control what’s in front of you.
Start there.
Trust God and the promises of Romans 8:28 with what you CANNOT control, but be sure to manage the things which you can…
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The Soul Wholeness audiobook for $10 (regularly $25) = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/PXGzusQN
Take the free Emotional Wholeness / PTSD Self-check at www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
Adam’s book, Pain Not Wasted = https://amzn.to/393yM8X
Last year I met my friend Adam Hicks, a pastor at Desperation Church, in the Green Room at a church facility dedication.
We have similar stories…
👉 happily married
👉 doing what you feel like you’re called to do
👉 things have never looked better
👉 the rug is pulled out from under you when the wife taps out
Ohh….
👉 you don’t necessarily get to go through it without others watching in and weighing in…
Notably, I met him when we were BOTH on the other side of the pain.
✅ married— and experiencing a depth and partnership we didn’t know possible
✅ doing more of what we were called to do
In other words, we’ve both rebuilt— and are rebuilding….
We kept up with each other after that initial meeting… and, I’ve learned from Adam and his story (it’s all in a book, BTW— the link is below).
I asked him to sit down and share some of his story with me, and record it, so I could share it with you.
Here’s where he began…
👉 You can feel it now or later.
That is, when trials come our way, we can push the feelings off (and people even tell you TO do that— “just keep yourself busy!”) OR we can, as we talk about in the “emotional wholeness checklist” that’s part of the Soul Wholeness book:
✅ Recognize our feelings
✅ Read what they’re saying to us (even if it’s not “good”)
✅ Respond in a healthy way (even if it takes time)
Note: if you don’t deal with the pain now, you’ll continue dealing with it in subtle ways until you choose to handle it…
We learned, too (both of us), that the circumstances you’re praying for MIGHT NOT change in the way you want them to…
… you might not get pot of gold at the end the rainbow that YOU were hoping for….
… you might not get a redemption story that looks like a “cleaned up” version of the old story…
But you are guaranteed that God will meet you “in the fire,” as Adam says.
And, when that happens, hope is present and healing can happen.
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The Soul Wholeness audiobook for $10 (regularly $25) = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/PXGzusQN
Take the free Emotional Wholeness / PTSD Self-check at www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
Adam’s book, Pain Not Wasted = https://amzn.to/393yM8X
If we took and poll and asked people what prayer is, most of them would say, “Prayer is when I talk to God…”
But maybe it’s more about the PRESENCE than it is the words we say.
(Especially when we realize that He already knows what we need before as ask, that He’s already promised to work all things together for the good, and that He’s told us nothing can separate us from His love.)
If you’re struggling to find the words…
… or if you FIND the words but then feel like they’re hitting the ceiling and bouncing back to you…
… then listen in.
Prayer is far less about those words and far more about the living relationship.
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Download the free eBook at www.Jenkins.tv/R
Or, purchase the “old” version of the paperback here for just $5 = www.Jenkins.tv/redemption5
Sure, you can grab the updated (new cover) version if you prefer: https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/redemption
ometimes it’s not what you say, it’s what you do…
And that’s especially true when you live through something. When you exhibit a hope that defies that odds, a disposition that makes no (human and logical) sense yet seems steady, people take notice.
And that’s a better explanation of your faith than the words you can spout from a book theology or even recite from Scripture.
Sure, the words help. But they merely explain what’s already true— and what’s seen— your living faith.
⭐️
Over a decade ago a staff member at the nonprofit where I was working got shot.
From just a few feet away.
And he was hit.
I asked him to share the stage with me as we explained this concept one evening— about hope amidst trying circumstances, demonstrating how it opens doors that were once closed, and how people’s hearts connect in those tough trenches in ways they don’t in other moments.
⭐️
1 Peter 3:15 tells us, “Always be able to give an answer for the hope that is in you…”
Hebrews 12:2 tell us that Jesus endured the Cross, all while “despising its shame” because of the “joy that was set before Him.”
These verses don’t suggest tough things never happen. In fact, they acknowledge and affirm the opposite.
Stuff hits the fan.
And when it does, it reveals the kind of shovel you have in your hand.
And that has everything to do with faith…
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Download the free eBook at www.Jenkins.tv/R
Or, purchase the “old” version of the paperback here for just $5 = www.Jenkins.tv/redemption5
Sure, you can grab the updated (new cover) version if you prefer: https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/redemption
We’re always looking for the next big thing, it seems— a project, a place, or even a person that will help grant us our identity and value.
But the “big,” Biblically speaking, often comes through the small.
In fact, the extraordinary— and supernatural— often breaks through the moments of ordinary and natural.
In the Old Testament we meet King David, the man who established Israel as a dynasty.
But before he was the king, he was the shepherd boy.
And it was during that season he did the one thing he’s perhaps the most famous four. He slayed Goliath.
Here’s what’s interesting about that story, though. David didn’t go looking for a fight. In fact, he was going to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers, to make sure they— the “real” soldiers— had enough food and supplies.
It was amidst the minutia of doing THAT task that the door opened to something massive, something that propelled him to centerstage.
Think about it.
The big moment— or breakthrough— you’re looking for may not come through a big platform or stage or any other thing.
It may— and most often does— come through faithfulness where you are, by doing the SMALL thing you’ve been entrusted to do.
And by doing it well.
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Download the free eBook at www.Jenkins.tv/R
Or, purchase the “old” version of the paperback here for just $5 = www.Jenkins.tv/redemption5
Sure, you can grab the updated (new cover) version if you prefer: https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/redemption
Last week, I shared the first talk from a small group I co-led over a decade ago. This week, let’s continue…
The second week of the “Simple Christianity” series at the Birmingham Dream Center (during our small group that ran from January 2011 through August 2011), we talked about this reality:
Faith is more about LIFE TRANSFORMATION than it is amassing INTELLECTUAL INFORMATION.
That sounds like a no-brainer, I know.
🤷♂️
But how many times have you heard people say they’re leaving one church for another because “I’m not being fed” at my old church?
What do they mean by that?
Quite simply, I wish the pastor was teaching information at what that person seems to be a mentally superior level than what they’ve heard.
Here’s another example:
How many times have you thought that you were disconnected from God because you hadn’t read enough pages of the Bible or didn’t complete a certain checklist of action items (generally something to do with a book study)?
🤷♂️
I’m not against “meaty” sermons or Bible reading or book studies. In fact, we could probably all use MORE of each of them.
But those aren’t the measures God uses when evaluating our spiritual growth.
And, they’re not the measures we should use, either.
🤷♂️
Here’s what I think: Jesus prefers to be encountered, not merely explained.
Or, to say it another way: God prefers you…
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Download the free eBook at www.Jenkins.tv/R
Or, purchase the “old” version of the paperback here for just $5 = www.Jenkins.tv/redemption5
Sure, you can grab the updated (new cover) version if you prefer: https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/redemption
11 years ago I co-led a small group at the Birmingham Dream Center with three friends. It began small, but then grew…
… and continued growing.
In fact, within two months, we had 100 people attending our “small group.” Then, three months later, there were over 250.
Here’s what makes it all the more strange…
We held the group in the middle of the inner city (in an area that, particularly at that time, wasn’t known for being safe).
At night.
And it grew throughout the summer.
🤩
The first few weeks we talked about the Cross— about everything Jesus achieved for us. I remember it well, because this was the season when I received an overdose of grace myself, effectively teaching in real time what I was receiving myself.
(The result of those 6 weeks studying the Cross became the book Redemption which you can download free below— or, purchase the paperback at full price— or the previous edition for just $5.)
We baptized dozens of those attenders, that Spring, outside of the renovated fire station.
We even gave them t-shirts with a special design that one of our co-leaders (my friend Rob, who led music for these gatherings each week) created.
💦
What was the secret sauce?
I dunno.
Some people think it was because we fed everyone.
We initially fired-up the grill every Tuesday around 5pm. We fed everyone and started our group at 6:15.
In other words, we didn’t make people “sit through a Bible study” in order to eat. They were free to eat and leave. Or grab food and take it to family, grandparents, neighbors… anyone they thought needed it.
Others point to other factors.
My thought is this:
From the beginning, the four of us who launched the group agreed on two criteria: Jesus has to be elevated, and the event has to be fun. Both were important.
And, it was…
(In fact, the only thing that could kill it was a church— which is precisely what happened. But that’s a different story for a completely other time and place.)
😁
After the first teaching series on the Cross, our team decided we needed to NOW teach people how to walk out their faith— many of them were new to this thing called Christianity.
So, we taught them THIS talk, as well as the next few I’ll share.
I’ll be honest: I haven’t reviewed these 5 recordings in YEARS. In fact, they’re a DECADE old.
But, as I was looking back, I thought, “I think it’s time to share these…”
👉 This was a season when I was overwhelmed by grace
👉 This was a season when I think I learned to teach complex things in simple ways
👉 This was a season that, despite the stress and strain of other factors outside my control, I had a great time doing the work of ministry
And, even if it was for just a short chapter, one I believed— and still do— closed all too soon, it was STILL an amazing ride.
In the words of The Cat in the Hat, “Don’t be sad it ended, be glad it ever happened at all.”
💙
The first message of this introduces the basic idea that YOU AND I HAVE STRUGGLED. Things haven’t always gone our way.
To that, Jesus comes and simply beckons, “Just let me in your boat.”
That is, “Invite me into whatever space you think I can’t to something about.”
For Peter, it was a fishing debacle (see Luke 5). For you and me, it could be family or finance or fitness or friends or any other thing.
Then, after letting Him in, He challenges us with something like this: “Trust Me with something small, something tangible. An action that may not make sense but you clearly know is from Me. And let’s just see what happens.”
🤔
Listen in.
This talk took me back to so many solid memories, all while encouraging me in the here and now, too.
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Be sure to grab the free eBook at www.Jenkins.tv/R
Or, purchase the “old” version of the paperback here for just $5 = www.Jenkins.tv/redemption5
Sure, you can grab the updated (new cover) version if you prefer: https://www.thehilltop.shop/product-page/redemption
A few weeks ago, my friend Barry Cosper reached out about the LifeLift project.
“Can you come talk about it at the minsters conference we do each Monday?”
“Sure,” I replied.
“And can you bring your Dad?”
Dad wrote the original version of LifeLift 20+ years ago— back when he pastored Hilldale Baptist Church in Centerpoint (where I grew up). He handed the material over to me a few years ago to rewrite, reboot, upgrade… and then worked through the editing process with me afterwards.
Barry provided us a date— which happened to fall on Spring Break. Dad’s schedule was clear, so he and my Mom drove down from HSV, spent some time with the kids, and then we went to the Metro Birmingham Baptist Association to speak with their crew.
Somewhere during that week, we were offered ANOTHER invitation to talk on their podcast, just before the weekly conference. So, of course, we obliged— and we’re honored to do so.
What’d we talk about…?
Easy…
⭐️ What LifeLift is
⭐️ How the framework empowers you to live the life you were created for, using your unique personality and design and more to fulfill your purpose
⭐️ How to get the book free…
Hint, grab it at www.Jenkins.tv/free
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Note: this is a re-broodcast of Chris Crain’s podcast (he’s the Director of Mission at the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association. The podcast originally aired 3-28-2022 on their channels:
https://podbay.fm/p/undivided-birmingham-podcast/e/1648504297
https://podbay.fm/p/undivided-birmingham-podcast/e/1648504297
https://www.podbean.com/site/EpisodeDownload/PB11E42A2E8SUE
So many people are looking for a grand word from the Lord about some secret revelation or the next big thing for their life, but they overlook the things He’s already clearly said. Namely, they side-step— even if unintentionally— His Word.
In this talk we discuss the notion that the Word:
- Provides us with safeguards as we step forward in life
- Highlights our ability to steward what God says (and provides a benchmark for that “if you’re faithful with little, you’ll later be faithful with much” scenario)
There are three main ideas in this talk.
⭐️
✅ To build on the Word, we need to understand the full scope of what the “Word of God” is.
Notably, Jesus is the Word, and Jesus does the Word.
And, the phrase “The Way, the Truth, the Life” is far more revealing that the “exclusivity claim” we typically make it. Rather, it means something like “I came to show you how to live the text, and do so in connection with the Father and with each other.”
Furthermore, Jesus— the Word— should be both explained and experienced.
✅ Use the Word to “bulletproof your life” and protect what God wants to do through you.
The kings in the Old Testament were given very clear advice: “Write it on paper so it becomes written in your heart.”
(Neuro-scientists tell us that writing is a completely different brain-process than listening or even typing. It actually wires the brain in a stronger way.)
This is important, because the enemy may very likely attack you at the point of your greatest potential. That is, he may very well go after those areas where you can do things in your own strength, side-stepping the empowerment of the Spirit. This means, all the more, that you must anchor yourself on an objective standard.
✅ The “will of God” for your life begins in a very concrete way— according to the Word.
Again, many people are looking for something hidden or a path that must be figured out. But Scripture outlines a few things which are “absolutes” for each of us…
- Saved = awakened to everything Jesus has achieved for us.
- Sanctified = living the radiant expression of the holiness you’ve been given.
- Spirit-filled = hungering for the Lord’s presence and His constant connection.
- Submissive = living from a position of honor and humility, as grace is always the right response.
- Serving = expressing the very life of Christ in us to others.
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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free
Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
The second facet of the “power, love, sound mind” trifecta is love— something that’s been watered-down in our cancel culture.
In this talk we make four observations related to love.
⭐️
We begin here…
✅ The context of 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t (specifically) about marriage, it’s about spiritual gifts— that is, the supernatural empowerments God gifts His people (these are the focus on part 3 of LifeLift.)
The “love chapter” actually highlights multiple spiritual gifts.
The main point seems to be something akin to this: if you can’t exercise your gift in a loving way, then don’t use it. In other words, if you can share love, go work on you— and then go back and serve others.
Here’s why this matters—
✅ An environment of love is more important than the expression of the gifts, because the gifts were given to express the heart of the Father.
John, the “beloved disciple” (a title he gave himself after being enraptured by Jesus’ love) makes a great point here.
✅ 1 John 4:18 becomes our framework to live-out this love: “perfect love casts out fear.”
We outline three parts of this verse:
- Perfect love = don’t only live up to your full potential of Christ being formed in you, but love to your full potential as well.
- Casts out fear = eliminates insecurity and makes people feel safe.
- Fear = reveals we have not yet been perfected in love.
In other words…
✅ The caution = don’t do it without love.
(That is, as you live out your purpose, do it in the right way.)
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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free
Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
The longest talk in the entire LifeLift framework follows the shortest. Here, we begin by discussing power, which leads us to the topic of the Holy Spirit.
Listen for five main headings—
⭐️
The first is this—
✅ Jesus is the Baptizer of the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist said he baptized with water— but that Jesus would baptize people in the Holy Spirit, something we never see fulfilled during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Peter interprets Acts 2 / Pentecost as the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” something prophesied in Joel 2:28-32, which he credits Jesus as doing.
I’ve intentionally used the word “baptism” throughout the next, even though many people are nervous about it. HEre’s why— it’s the term used in the Bible.
✅ Don’t fear a term used in Scripture; redeem the term and use it in a beneficial manner.
In fact, I mention a safe way to study = the checking principle. (See what others have said, too.)
Then, we walk through what others say about the Holy Spirit and the “normal” Christian life.
(This is part of the reason this section is a bit longer, but it’s great info.)
✅ Four truths throughout the Book of Acts describe our relationship with the Holy Spirit.
( I assumed that using the “checking principle” would lead to massive disagreement among different denominations and backgrounds, but I found widespread AGREEMENT.)
Here’s what I learned—
- You are given the Holy Spirit at conversion, when you are sealed with the Spirit.
- There’s more of the Holy Spirit available, even after the salvation encounter.
- Most people don’t wait for or pursue the “more” which is available for us.
- Additional encounters with the Holy Spirit are available (understanding what Pentecost was helps us frame this experience).
We may use different words for these experiences, but we all align far more closely than I originally envisioned.
✅ There are at least three reasons the Holy Spirit comes— and continues coming— to us.
- The Holy Spirit creates greater focus on Jesus— not increased focused on the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit provides power for witness = baptism is a visually enlightening word to describe what the Holy Spirit does at this point.
- The Holy Spirit also facilitates greater intimacy with God.
In conclusion, we determine that we want to…
✅ Embrace everything God has for us— even if we don’t understand it.
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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free
Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
Download the Redemption book, mentioned in this talk, free: www.Jenkins.tv/R
In talk #2 of the Presence part of the LifeLift framework, we outline a “framework within the framework,” using 2 Timothy 1:7—
“God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
This verse provides us a great outline to not only do the things Jesus did (i.e., WWJD?), but to ALSO do them in the same way Jesus did them…
That is, we want to live do the ACTIONS of Christ will also living with the same ATTITUDE (notice, Paul said to let “this mind” be in you that was in Christ— not just “let this movement” be in you— see Philippians 2:5-11).
Here are a few ideas we discuss— in what turns out to be in the shortest talk in this series:
✅ Jesus isn’t physically here in the same way He was during the Incarnation.
✅ A deeper question than WWJD = How...
✅ Our outline = Power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
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Grab the LifeLift book free: https://www.jenkins.tv/free
Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
There are four facets to the LifeLift framework. The first two are—
👉 Identity (knowing who we really are), which was the subject of the previous 5 talks
👉 Presence (since we “live” Christ, as we learned in those five, developing an awareness of His presence is one of the best habits we can develop.
In this talk we shift from the first part of our framework to the second. We begin discussing what it means to live with an awareness of His presence.
The first concept related to this provides us a great segway from Identity to Presence, because we discuss the form / design we all have. Further, we talk about the issue(s) that distort it…
(I know, that sounds super-vague, but we’ll make it highly practical.)
There are four main ideas in this talk…
⭐️
✅ You were designed for glory— that’s God’s original intent for each of us.
We usually focus on the first part of Romans 3:23, but we need to remember the entire verse.
We weren’t created to just reflect the glory of God; we were designed to possess it.
✅ Sin isn’t just a “wrong” thing we do (or a “right” thing we omit doing), it’s a distortion of our true form, of our original design.
We we understand what sin truly is, we see a greater glimpse of what it means to walk away from our form.
You are God’s workmanship, created specifically for great works which grace empowers you to do.
The same grace which saves you is also the very grace which empowers you to live the purpose for which you were designed (your destiny— and you call— is also empowered by grace).
Grace is bigger— and existed before— than any of your sin.
No sin in your past is great enough to erase God’s purposes.
✅ Embrace your unique form / design, and leave behind the lesser things.
✅ Prioritize the Presence over the supernatural power; lean into the Giver, not the gifts.
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Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
We concluded the previous talk with the assertion that we’re now “full” of the “fullness of Christ,” who was full with the very presence of the Godhead. This reality enables us to live His presence— and empowers us to walk in HIs power throughout this world, functioning at a level that exceeds our natural capacity.
In this talk, we make four observations as to what this means…
⭐️
Here’s our first observation:
✅ Christ being “formed” in us is bigger than having a moral compass or keeping a standard of rules.
That is, our faith should be larger— and cast a bigger shadow— than just what we’re “for” and what we’re “against.”
The early Church was known not only for what they believed, but also for the power He — and they— demonstrated.
The full formation of Christ in us includes the Resurrection power also moving through us, as well. Our full potential, then, is to express His presence and power through us.
That leads to this:
✅ Once Christ is formed in us, “for me to live” is actually for Christ to live, as Galatians 2:20 says.
The Bible affirms that—
- We have the mind of Christ = we have access to what He thinks about a given situation.
- We have been given His Spirit = His presence is always “closer than close” to us.
- We have His desires, coupled with His ability to do the will of the Father.
We will do greater things than He did, that is, we serve beyond our personal capacity and “do things” at the capacity of Heaven.
✅ It looks like Jesus, yet it also looks like you. It looks like you, but it also looks like Him.
When we do something, it’s as if He does it. Yet, at the same time, we do it.
The result is Divine partnership at a high-level of intimacy.
Fourth, finally, it’s important to remember this…
✅ In the same way Jesus was sent to reveal the Father, so also you are sent to reveal the Father. Jesus sends us into the world.
Jesus sends us into the world to reveal what He is like (remember, as we discussed in episode 100, He shows us who we are.)
Since we reveal Him (mirror image) and His fullness is in us, unveiling Him is a natural expression of the new life we’ve received.
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Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
In the previous episode we discussed the reality that we’ve been “included” in every facet of Jesus’ life…
… including His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
That means that— in this life— we live a “resurrected life” rather than a pre-Cross life. Yes, we should be willing to “take up our Cross” and deny ourselves, but that’s only part of the story. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11).
⭐️
In this talk we outline— using 5 main ideas— what this means for us.
Here’s the first…
✅ Jesus looked different before and after the Resurrection. We see this in at LEAST three different events.
- Mary Magdalene, someone whom Jesus pulled from the depths of despair, didn’t recognize the post-Resurrection Jesus.
- Two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who received the first post-Resurrection expository sermon on the Old Testament prophets, didn’t recognize the Object of those Scriptures standing before them.
- The eleven still didn’t recognize Him— even after 3.5 years with Him, as well as the eyewitness accounts from trusted friends.
This leads us to our next main idea…
✅ Jesus (and we) look different post-Resurrection than we do pre-Resurrection.
(Since we’re included in everything He did, this only makes sense.)
✅ Here’s why the previous point is true: Jesus created a new humanity, a genealogy unchained to sin and yoked to the power of the Holy Spirit.
There are two titles attributed two Jesus (titles rarely spoken about) which affirm this: The Last Adam and the Second Man.
- As the “Last Adam” Jesus ended something Adam began— a lineage of sin and (subsequent) death.
- As the “Second Man” Jesus began something new— another bloodline of humanity which is unchained from sin and hitched to radical freedom.
In the same way death spread to all, so also does life spread to all.
We now live in the line of the Second Man (Jesus)— not the First Man (Adam).
And that all means this…
✅ The new you is as unrecognizably different from the old you as the pre- Cross Jesus was from the post-Resurrection Jesus.
(Our perception of “new” as opposed to the Bible’s presentation of new is very different. I explain in the talk.)
And, of course, there’s this…
✅ The fullness of God was in Jesus and the fullness of Jesus is in you.
++++
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Learn more about the project here: www.Jenkins.tv/lifelift
Everyone wants to be included. In this talk we discuss how you were included— supernaturally— in every significant part of Jesus’ work on earth (and even some of His work in Heaven).
Here’s where we begin…
👉 Baptism is a picture of our eternal reality.
It might just “look” like a religious ritual, but there’s far more being signified by a person going “in and out” of the water than what you might have imagined.
Once we understand what baptism is, we readily grasp the next main point of our talk…
👉 You were present to each event of Christ’s life, meaning you are included in every defining moment.
That means…
✅ You were crucified with Christ.
✅ You died with Christ.
✅ You were buried with Christ.
✅ You arose from the grave with Christ.
✅ You ascended with Christ.
And, even though it hasn’t happened yet…
✅ You will be seen with Him in glory when He returns.
All of that means this…
👉 Now, we live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.
Your spirit has been reborn— when you were raised— with “perfect seed.”
You now also partake in the Christ’s divine nature.
And, of course, rather than grading each other by the mere externals, what we CAN see…
👉 We should now see each other in light of how Jesus sees us, not as we typically view ourselves.
Stop judging by mere external appearances.
The “glorious exchange” means Jesus traded everything that was ours for all of what
He has— and that transforms everything.
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📱 The LifeLift app = www.Jenkins.tv/1
All the books mentioned in the talk =
📗 Identity (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/32WSaC1
📗 Presence (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/33oSbhW
📗 Expression (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3qaa78B
📗 Perspective (5.5x8.5) = https://amzn.to/3JWDvqZ
📗 The workbook (8.25x11)= https://amzn.to/3tdOpT5
📗 The “big book” in paperback (5.5 x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3Fe9wqK
📗 The “big book” in hardback (6x9)= https://amzn.to/3qXf9EE
In this talk we pick up where we left off in the previous…
(Last episode = Jesus shows us what God is actually like. This episode = He shows us what we’re really like, too.)
Here’s the outline…
✅ The name change = Jesus declared who Peter is before we ever saw the evidence.
Jesus named Peter for who he was designed to be in the future, not how he acted in the past (or even the present).
It takes a while before Peter evidences “fruit” of what Jesus has deemed to be true.
(This happens with us, too!)
✅ The post-Resurrection Peter is different than the pre-Resurrection Peter. We often identity with the wrong one.
(The Peter we see “failing” is the Peter we see figuring out who he really is.)
✅ In the same way, Jesus shows us who we are.
Jesus reveals who we are so intimately that looking at Him is like looking at ourselves in a mirror.
We must begin with “identity" first— with who we are, not what we do.
And, as in the case of Peter, we’ll likely see “evidence” in our lives that what Jesus says about us isn’t actually true. But, give it time… and transformation occurs.
✅ The problem = We forget what we (spiritually) look like. We forget the image from the mirror.
In the same way we recognize ourselves physically, we should also recognize ourselves spiritually.
As we bring these truths together we begin to understand the bigger picture…
++++
📱 The LifeLift app = www.Jenkins.tv/1
All the books mentioned in the talk =
📗 Identity (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/32WSaC1
📗 Presence (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/33oSbhW
📗 Expression (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3qaa78B
📗 Perspective (5.5x8.5) = https://amzn.to/3JWDvqZ
📗 The workbook (8.25x11)= https://amzn.to/3tdOpT5
📗 The “big book” in paperback (5.5 x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3Fe9wqK
📗 The “big book” in hardback (6x9)= https://amzn.to/3qXf9EE
One of the foundational concepts for understanding who you are is understanding who God is…
… and that entails grasping hold of what Jesus actually came to do.
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Four big ideas to listen for in this talk—
👉 No one had seen God, until Jesus came.
Some of the heroes of the faith encountered God throughout history in radical ways.
In Jesus, rather than remaining “unseen” or being seen “in disguise” or through a mediator, God was present as a human. He was one of us.
👉 Jesus isn’t just taking us to a place; He also takes us to a person.
Even after all the time the disciples spent with Jesus, they still had difficulty comprehending that Jesus and the Father were “One.”
Yes, it’s true that Jesus takes us to Heaven, but our destiny is not just connection to a place but to a Person.
👉 Whenever we see Jesus, we see an accurate expression of the Father.
Jesus revealed the Father through His words and His deeds, that is, through both His message and His ministry.
Jesus shows us what God is actually like.
Jesus is perfect theology.
👉 Jesus was intentionally sent to provide us with this description, this accurate representation of God.
++++
📱 The LifeLift app = www.Jenkins.tv/1
All the books mentioned in the talk =
📗 Identity (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/32WSaC1
📗 Presence (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/33oSbhW
📗 Expression (5.5x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3qaa78B
📗 Perspective (5.5x8.5) = https://amzn.to/3JWDvqZ
📗 The workbook (8.25x11)= https://amzn.to/3tdOpT5
📗 The “big book” in paperback (5.5 x8.5)= https://amzn.to/3Fe9wqK
📗 The “big book” in hardback (6x9)= https://amzn.to/3qXf9EE
Paul encouraged us to not stray from the simplicity that is found in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
His thought was, well… we tend to make things infinitely more complex. We tend to move towards complex religious systems.
Jesus, on the other hand, came to make things easy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moses received the Law- ten commandments which, in Hebrew, were expressed using only ten words (they have a far more economical language than we do).
613 more laws were then added to explain what those ten words meant. They had moral laws, civil laws, and religious laws.
You’d think that would be enough, but no… well intended leaders created the Mishnah, the oral tradition built around the laws, to explain what each one meant…
That wasn’t enough, either. Enter, the Talmud.
Then the legal comments added by scribes and lawyers (and their “fences” and “hedges” around the law).
Notice….
People went from—
👉 10 words
👉 to 613 laws to explain those 10 words
👉 to the Talmud, an oral tradition AROUND those laws
👉 to the Mishnah, written legal comments to explain the traditions
👉 to rabbinical explanations of “binding” (forbidding) and “loosing” (allowing) things
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jesus drops into this tradition of the rabbis, and picks up some of their practices- So, we see Jesus do things like:
✅ Binding and loosing (and passing the same power to His disciples)
✅ “You’ve heard it said… but I say…” (the “go to” formula rabbis used to compare and contrast their positions on matters
✅ Fulfilling Torah, that is, showing the essence / heart of it (Matthew 5:17-20)
A rabbi’s system of thought was known as a “yoke.”
Jesus came with a simple, though (read Matthew 11:28-30) NOT a yoke that bound people with a heavy burden (see Matthew 23:4).
(He told them that whatever they bound would be bound and whatever they loosed would be loosed— in Matthew 16:19.)
We see His disciples make the yoke lighter in Acts 15 (see 15:8-11,28-29) and in Galatians (see 5:1).
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even during one of His first miracle stints, the people used the “Sabbath” to keep people away from God, who— oddly enough— stood right before them.
This is why, even after He healed Peter’s mother-in-law, the people stayed in their homes until sundown (Matthew 8:16).
Obviously, from His story, the Sabbath— then word they turned into 613 which morphed into so much more— wasn’t a barrier for Jesus…
⭐️⭐️⭐️
If religion is weighing you down, it’s not the yoke of Jesus, for sure… because Jesus came to make it simple, easy (Matthew 11:28-30)…
Life is tough.
We’re promised that in this world we’ll have trouble (John 16:33).
That’s why we need to bear one another’s burdens and make it easier….
+++
Download the free LifeLift app at www.Jenkins.tv/1
Today I step back and talk about one of the big takeaways from the recent Oolapalooza. Namely, we’ve got to—
👉 Dream big, then
👉 Step small
We often get these two backwards.
We overestimate what we can achieve in a day, yet we underestimate the power of our dreams— and the greatness that’s been placed inside of us.
So, here, we talk about what the dreams SHOULD be like…
… and how they should effect each area of your life…
… and how to set SMART goals…
(The goals are your milestones along the path of your dreams…)
What are SMART goals?
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Accountable
R = Realistic
T = Time-bound
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
Oh, I talk about the small hotel room in this episode, as well, in addition to the how all that worked out for sleeping on the floor, etc…
+++ Links for this show =
Download the LifeLift app at www.Jenkins.tv/1
Most of your visible success will come from the things you do no one else sees. Just like the seeds you sow. Most of the process of a plant’s growth happens beneath the surface, hidden in a place no one sees.
Success— which we’ve defined as living up to your God-given potential in every area of life— is largely like that. Most of the factors that create visible success are invisible. They’re real and measurable, but most people don’t see them.
Because of that, problems arise when we compare our daily grind to someone else’s moment on the stage— or their highlight reel. We often don't see the myriad of factors contributing to that highlight reel.
Again…
Most of the actions which create visible success are unseen.
"You only see 10% of the iceberg," the saying goes. "90% of the iceberg exists beneath the surface."
The preacher from whom I first heard that stat used the metaphor of the iceberg to describe character flaws beneath the surface of our lives. Unseen things we hide. Things that left unchecked can bring things as big as the Titanic down in a night.
We’ve all watched it unfold numerous times…
- Ministry leader fails— because of some huge thing beneath the surface
- Marriage falls apart— because of some relational rift that kept getting swept away under the rug rather than discussed
- Kids shun parents and parents shun kids— because of some hurt that dug so deep that no one would simply own so that everyone can move forward together
- A hidden addiction— to alcohol, porn, drugs, sex— suddenly combusts and something (or someone) goes down in flames
You could add more things to the list. We've both watched it play out in real time. Multiple times.
Speaking about unseen things we should AVOID is NOT the purpose of this talk. Rather, I'd like to call your attention to the UNSEEN THINGS we should NOT avoid. The UNSEEN things we should do every day. It's these UNSEEN THINGS that create greatness. And it's those same things that give us the platform to encourage others to the greatness within them.
What are the “underwater” activities?
Things like:
- Persisting when you’re tired or even bored
- Failing and getting back up
- Sacrificing time when you could be doing other things and receiving an “instant” result
- Dealing with humiliation— then stepping back and showing your face to the same crown (often, more times than once)
- Overcoming doubt and frustration— the inevitable feelings with any of the above happen
- Good habits for extended periods of time
- Feeling alone— as you do the hard work no one else sees
You’ll eventually “walk on water.” To succeed, though, you’ve got to grow comfortable swimming beneath the surface first. Everyone who walks on water first swims under water!
Of course, not all swimming is negative. The biggest part of “the swim” is being consistent— of working the hours required, of continuing the good habits, of pressing forward even when no one else is… even when you don’t seem to be making much progress. After all, that’s when the biggest breakthroughs are generally just around the corner.
Here’s something I’ve learned about success and dreams:
If it’s your dream, you’ll invest the time it takes to succeed. Even when no one sees. If not, you won’t.
(That doesn’t mean you’re a “bad person,” by the way. It just means that, well… this isn’t your dream. Something else is.)
For a season I had a list of wannabe business builders on our home-based biz team who consistently missed training opportunities and big events— even though those are two of the factors which successful builders always attribute to their success. In other words, these efforts are part of the success recipe. Implement those and you’re closer to your "cake."
“I can’t miss this _______________” (fill in the blank of whatever the “thing of the month” they opted to attend instead), they regularly reported. Then, the promise— “I’ll get to the next event that I’m able to squeeze into my schedule.”
No problem. Missing one opportunity isn't the end of the world. Life is full of trade-offs. But, if you miss every single opportunity, you need to step back and be honest with yourself.
In some instances, they need to admit the truth. This business isn’t their dream.
Or, if it is their dream, they haven't come to terms with the actual cost. It’s something that’s a good idea, but if they’re not willing to invest the time and energy… if there not willing to move this from a MISSION to a VISION… from a WHAT to a HOW… then, really, it’s not theirs…
They don’t own it.
Or they want to own it yet work so little at it, that they CAN’T SUCCEED because they’re not willing to invest the time + energy that successful people invest in it. Remember, success is a recipe. That means you need the same ingredients and the same time (20 minutes for a chocolate cake and a whole lot more time for big life dreams) to generate success. Anything less and you’re fooling yourself— even if unintentionally.
Let’s apply this concept to other dreams, because this principle is is true in every area of life:
- If you want to lose weight, you likely need to exercise 30 minutes a day x 5 days a week. And you need to adjust your food intake. Anything less, and it's probably not your dream.
- If you want to write a book, you need 2 hours each day for several months.
- If you want a sizzling marriage, you need a date night— or some other form of time alone.
- Your kids hearts? Turn off the TV, block 1 hour a night for family dinner, and leave you cell phone in the briefcase until they go to bed.
This sort of honest evaluation forces us to consider whether or not the dream, in fact, really is ours. Remember, success isn’t just a matter of doing the right things (effort), it’s a matter of doing the right things consistently over the long haul (time). Both are important. A little time doing the right things is as ineffective as a lot of time doing the wrong things!
Success doesn’t exist without the journey.
Everyone who is successful “fast” generally comes to the game with YEARS of previous experience, numerous invaluable relationships, and an immense amount of SKILL that they’ve already developed. In other words, their starting line usually isn’t the starting line that you see. They’ve already been working the dream (sometimes even unbeknownst to themselves) for years. Sometimes even decades.
And remember, even the most successful people… well, even after they can “walk on water” they still swim underneath it MOST OF THE TIME.
It also means this— some people, quite frankly, aren't swimming. They're drowning. Or treading water at best.
I'm more open to seeing it now, because I spent my own long season treading water...
A few years ago I subbed for my wife at a local BNI (Business Networking International) meeting. The organization has chapters throughout the world where like-minded professionals meet once a week to learn about each other, their businesses, and help each other succeed through strategic connections. They probably have a chapter meeting in your neighborhood, in fact.
You're only allowed a few absences a year, so you're encouraged to find a sub when you must miss a meeting. That way, your sub can learn what others' needs are, they can present your own, and they can continue the dynamic conversation of everyone moving forward together. Then, they can report back to you.
We lived a few blocks from where the local chapter met. I visited a few times with my wife, got to know the group, and regularly got phoned to sub when someone needed to miss the meeting since I knew the members.
“I'm the group's professional stand-in,” I told them. "I enjoy riding with my wife to the meetings, and I'm cheap— I work for the free coffee you serve each Thursday morning."
One day I actually subbed for my wife. That was rare. Usually, I subbed for others. In fact, I only stood in for her that one time.
I arrived early to help greet people as they arrived— a volunteer job she typically performed each week.
There were just two or three people there setting up when one of the members approached me and asked, "Hey, who are you subbing for today...?"
I told him, “My wife. I'm actually filling in for her..."
He asked if she was sick.
In that moment, I made a decision. I could say, “Yes”— and lie. Or, I could tell him the truth. Normally one to hide, I opted to reveal what was happening. You see, we were swimming underwater. One of our dreams had taken a huge toll on us.
"No. She's tired. Emotionally, we're threadbare. It's been a long year. I told her she should sleep in and rest... I would cover for her."
I could see, sense, and feel that my friend was listening. Somehow, the words I was speaking were serving life and breath to him...
I continued, "In these meetings, everyone hi-fives and fist-bumps. We talk about how great things are. How business is growing. How excited we are. Things like that. The truth, though, is that most people are hurting... they're tired. Drained. They need a hug— not a handshake."
Or— to use the analogy from earlier— we stand on top of the iceberg. We don't reveal that hard work it's taken us to get there. And the work it takes to remain there. Or that there are painful, gut-wrenching things under the surface of life, too...
He looked at me. He paused. Cleared his throat. Then— "It's been a hard year for us, too... I thought it was just us..."
Turns out, it's not just them. It's us. And everyone else in the room. Probably you, too. All of us.
Couldn't we just own that, share a big group hug, and start stepping forward together?
Encourage each other...?
Call forth the greatness within each other— and point to the destiny that was just ahead...?
Would it really be OK if someone walked into church this Sunday, mascara running down their face...?
Would we think someone was crazy if they said they were really, really struggling... and didn't have words for how, why, or what for... but that they were just overwhelmed...?
On the surface— that 10% above water— this leader in BNI looked incredible. Well dressed. Nice looking. Amazing family. A few kids + a wife + a house.
And, I'd say that under the surface, his character is solid. He's incredible there, too. That 90% is NOT going to implode like I talked about earlier in this chapter. In other words, he's swimming underwater not because of character flaws that he's hiding but because— let’s just be real— life is beautiful but life is also hard.
Dreams are difficult, too. Especially the ones that matter most. The ones like thriving marriages. And heart connections with kids. And deep friendships. Especially when there’s so much other stuff weighing you down.
Yes, he's swimming underwater most of the time. At least 90% of it.
I am, too.
And so are you.
What would it be like if we realized that, yes, despite how bad things are right now, they will get better?
And, that all success is proceeded by effort and time— swimming underwater?
And what would it mean to the people with whom we come in contact every day if we treated them as if they've been holding their breath for a long time...?
If we took the moments not just to chit-chat or fist-bump, but to infuse life and hope into them... to acknowledge their diligence... to honor, even, their struggle... to assume that they might be barely holding themselves above water, treading the wake through their tiredness...?
What if instead of starting on top of the iceberg we all approached each other beneath the surface?
++++++++++++++++++++
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I've learned that you can’t “cram" a harvest, and you can't microwave the results of your catalytic actions. I'd love to see the "dominos" fall in real life as quickly as the wooden props I’ve created topple onstage. The reality is, well, they don’t. Most precious things require time to mature.
Sowing and reaping is a principle implemented on the 3rd day of Creation when God spoke forth the power of seed bearing plants (Genesis 1:11). You know the principle: “like begets like” based on something already inside the first of the “likes.”
Somehow, we've just assumed that “seed” only works in biology. However, “seed” is a principle of creation which works in every area of life.
(Yes, principle has been abused by some church people. But, that doesn't mean that we can't find some sweet nuggets of truth in it. People abuse sex, alcohol, and money regularly. My guess is that you're OK with at least two of those— maybe all three. So, let's extend the same open-mindedness to this concept, too. Just because someone has misused it doesn’t mean it's taboo, that we can’t find a healthy expression of the concept or thing.)
This sowing and reaping relationship is likely what Moses meant when he taught “Whatever you put your hand to prospers” (Deuteronomy 15:10). If you engage in life-giving behaviors, you're going to reap life. If you engage in other activities... well… you know how that rolls.
4 principles of sowing & reaping explain exactly how the Law of the Harvest works. And, remember, this is a law— as consistent as the Law of Gravity— rooted in the fabric of Creation. It’s how life automatically flows.
Let’s discuss the four principles:
- You reap WHAT you sow
- You reap WHERE you sow
- You reap MORE THAN you sow
- You reap AFTER you sow
1. Reap WHAT you sow
The first principle of reaping and sowing is that you receive back exactly what you place in the ground. Farmers all understand this. Kindergartners do, too.
If you plant corn, you reap corn— not tomatoes. If you plant squash, you don’t harvest bacon.
It sounds odd, I know, but many people erroneously believe…
- … you can sow time and reap money.
How many times have you heard people at church say something like “I tithe my time instead of my money”?
- … you can sow money and reap favor with your family.
How many times have you seen businessmen say “I don’t know why my wife and kids don’t know I love them… I work hard to provide all these nice things…”?
- … you can sow intentions and reap results.
How many times have you heard people say, “Well, I really desired ____________ to happen…”?
You see, in the same way we reap what we sow when we plant it in a field, we also reap what we sow when we “plant” something in life. In order to reap relationship with your family, you must sow relationship. In order to reap results, you must reap actions— thoughts simply reap more thoughts.
Sowing and reaping is a principle of Creation— it works in every area of life. Nurture the seed long enough, and you will reap a harvest of the same thing you sow.
Notice “sowing and reaping” works in the following three areas—
1 = Grace— people who plant grace and extend mercy to others receive a harvest of it!
- Proverbs 11:25, “…whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
- James 3:18, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
2 = Giving— people who give generously are entrusted with more resources!
- Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
- Proverbs 11:24, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.”
3 = Goodness— we're promised that if we continue doing good, we will reap a harvest of goodness in time. This is why Paul encourages the Church to continue dispensing goodness.
- Galatians 6:9, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up.”
Because it’s a principle of Creation, this sowing and reaping relationship works when we “mess up," too. I've learned firsthand that sin issues eventually catch up with us. You probably have, too.
Moreover, it's not just the sin itself that's the issue; it's the sin we refuse to deal with and move away from.
- When we name it, drop it, and move on, grace floods us…
- When we hold to it or hide it, it creates unbearable tension which we can hardly stand under.
Hidden sin always takes us further down the road than we want to travel, it extracts a higher price than we want to pay, and it usually boomerangs back with compounded interest. To use language from chapter 2, that’s where the road goes.
Eventually, “what goes around comes around…”
Here are a few verses highlighting this reality:
- Proverbs 22:8, “Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.”
- Job 4:8-9, “My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in a blast of his anger.”
- Proverbs 1:31, “…they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.”
2. Reap WHERE you sow
Farmers also know that you reap in the same field where you sowed the seed. You don't sow in this field and reap in the garage. Or in the field two streets over.
- You sow here = you reap here
- You sow there = you reap there
This works in the Kingdom as well. Whenever you sow somewhere, you reap in that location.
This is one of the greatest arguments for sowing into your local church rather than sowing elsewhere. For a loonnggggggg season (emphasis on the long), I felt disconnected and disenchanted with our church.
Let me be clear: I hated going. I only went because my wife liked it, and I felt my kids needed to attend somewhere rather than sleeping in.
Part of my frustration with that church was I’d been burned by churches before. A few times. And I was coming fresh off the biggest misuse of spiritual authority I’d ever experienced.
Part of my frustration was this, though— and I only learned it in hindsight, after getting it “right.” For over seven months I didn’t give a dime to that church. You read that right. I didn’t support them financially at all. Furthermore, I even lied to my wife about it, telling her I was giving.
One day Jesus explained to a crowd that “Where your treasure is, there is your heart” (Matthew 6:21).
Or— “Your heart follows your treasure.”
My heart followed mine for sure. No treasure at the church meant no heart at the church. My heart was elsewhere.
Here’s what’s interesting. At some point (a long story I promise to tell you another time in some other venue besides this book), I got it right. I began investing my treasure in that church. When I did an amazing thing happened: my passion for the people in that place ignited.
Why?
Because you not only reap WHAT you sow, you also reap WHERE you sow.
This is a great argument for sowing time and energy in your marriage, with your kids, or with any other part of your life you value.
Remember, Moses told the Children of Israel, “Whatever you put your hand to prospers” (see Deuteronomy 15:10).
Think about that promise. It’s another statement that’s misused and abused. I've heard dozens of people reference this verse to denote that “worldly” success is automatic for the believer who decrees and declares it.
However, at the basic level the verse is profoundly, simply true:
- If I invest in relationships, they’ll prosper.
- If I invest in learning a new skill, it will prosper.
- If I invest in complaining, my arguments and bitterness prosper.
- If I over-focus on the gap instead of also celebrating the gain, my discontent prospers.
Again, anything you put your hand to prospers. You must insure you put your hand to the things you actually want to prosper, that you push the plow in the direction which aligns with your dreams.
Or, to summarize— “To reap a harvest, sow what you want and sow it where you want it.”
3. Reap MORE than you sow
The seed is the most important aspect of the entire sowing and reaping process. Seeds exponentially multiply by their very nature.
Would you rather have a semi truck full of seedless apples (yes, they've created them in a lab!) or just one regular apple?
Most apples contain 50-60 seeds. The exact number depends on the harvest conditions, as well as the species of the apple.
However, each individual seed represents an entire tree— a tree which can bear fruit each year (of more apples, all of which have seeds, each also representing an infinite number of trees). That is, each seed carries potential orchards inside it.
In the same way, each seed you plant (be it finances, an act of kindness, prayer, time, etc.) carries exponential output.
That's how the exponential output of the seed works.
Why does it work this way?
There’s no way to explain it other than acknowledging that it’s a principle woven throughout the created order.
4. Reap AFTER you sow
There’s a Chinese Proverb I learned from one of my friends. It goes like this: When is the best time to plant a tree?
The answer: Fifty years ago.
Alright, so we can’t go back in time. Shoot, if we went back 50 years some of us wouldn’t even be here yet. However, each passing day we don’t sow represents a day of harvest we simply forfeit forever.
In order to harvest something related to your dream three months from today, you’ve got to plant something NOW…
And, of course, you've got to continue tending the field where you sow. No farmer invests time + effort sowing only to simply to walk away, wait a few months, then return expecting a harvest.
And no farmer expects to plant today and see a full-blown plant tomorrow. Somehow, we think dreams should be like that, though, that dreams simply manifest overnight. Such thinking represents the “lottery mentality” and not the “recipe mentality.”
A few years ago I made a goal of losing at least 40 pounds. I discussed it in chapters 4, 6, and 8. I began exercising and eating right every single day. No cheat days.
I’d love to tell you that I got immediate results, but I didn’t.
The first day I lost a single pound— mostly water weight from sweating.
By the end of the first week, I was down about 2.5 pounds. I felt tired, sore, and a bit sluggish. My muscles felt more tone to me, but no one else could see any measurable progress at all. In fact, no one noticed for another five or six weeks— except my wife.
By the end of month three, though, I reached my goal. People I hadn’t seen in a few years didn’t even recognize me on multiple occasions.
That’s how sowing and reaping often works. You must commit— and continue persisting— even when you don’t see the results. You must trust the process, leaning on the plan you created to serve you and your dream.
Paul said to persist. You WILL eventually reap a harvest (Galatians 6:9).
Amos encouraged people that one day the harvest would come so bountifully that the reapers would overtake the sowers (Amos 9:13). That is, you’ll grow in your skill and supernatural favor kicks in as you continue.
By the way, all farmers know they are NOT in control of the harvest. They can do certain actions that facilitate it (so much so that a harvest is impossible without their activity), but the harvest requires Providence. On some level, then, sowing and reaping requires trust. You do what you can do, giving it your best, and then you walk away… and wait.
Dreams you don’t take action on remain possibilities, untapped potential.
The same is true for dreams you don’t cultivate. They, too, remain opportunities— storehouses of “what might have been.”
++++++++++++++++++++
Links for the show =
Download the Advance Planner free at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Download the LifeLift app =
- Apple App = https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/lifelift-global/id1590894501?l=en
- Google App = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p92joyt03vpp.pvbjuxih4app
Free access to Advance 6.0 / video course = https://www.jenkins.tv/TL
Issues arise when we attach our hearts, for any reason, to the wrong place. When we do, bad fruit always emerges. When we connect our hearts in the right way to the right things, beauty emerges.
(This is the third type of soul wound we discuss in this series— go back to lessons 3 & 4 for Triggers / PTSD and Guilt + Shame / Moral Injury.)
⭐️
Here are three main ideas to listen for…
1. The “fruit” we see in our lives is a result of the unseen “roots.” To grow better fruit you must nurture better roots.
2. Addiction happens when we attach our hearts—
❌To the wrong things, or
❌To the right things for wrong reasons
And, note: we can find ourselves “addicted” to many things. In fact, over 2/3 of the people who seek addiction help do not have a chemical dependency.
3. The cure for bad “roots” = knowing and walking in your true identity. When we get this healthy, good fruit emerges.
Dealing with soul ties is about walking in freedom— so that nothing hinders us from embracing who we’re designed to be.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
This talks leads us to the second of three types of soul wounds we discuss in this bonus podcast series, guilt and shame.
They’re a nasty tag-time that thrives in the dark— and, unfortunately, get lots of help from unhealthy people who spew at other people…
⭐️
Here’s this duo works—
We’re born with a moral compass— an internal rudder of right and wrong. When we violate our personal conscience, soul wounds can occur. Moral Injury, a soul wound akin to PTSD, is often the result. Rather than eliciting a fight or flight response, MI creates feelings of guilt and shame.
Here are the main ideas to listen for--
-
“Moral Injury” occurs when we violate our code of morality, that is, of right and wrong. The result... is guilt & shame.
-
The uncommon cure for Moral Injury— for guilt & shame— is mature love.
-
In relationships you can choose intimacy or control, as well as transparency or hiding... but not both.
Furthermore…
True love expels fear with great intensity, creating space where people own who they are and move forward to who they’re designed to be. The all-too-uncommon cure for guilt & shame is receiving forgiveness— unconditional love— from someone the wounded person believes has the moral authority to grant that forgiveness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
You don’t make it to adulthood without some baggage.
And, no, not all baggage is bad. Some of it’s just… well, baggage. Just like at the airport. Just stuff we carry around.
⭐️
Here's where the issue with bagage comes in, though...
We often mis-read events in the present through the lenses of the past. Triggers often create a response which would actually be appropriate in a different time and place. The un-health manifests when we react to a safe present as if it is an unsafe past.
Here are the main ideas:
1. Perception is not always reality.
2. Four signs & two responses show us when our expressions get unhealthy.
The signs are:
❌ Always on (i.e., “hyper-vigilance”)
❌ Re-experiencing feelings when certain senses kick in
❌ Avoiding certain things
❌ Negative feelings
❌ Fight
❌ Flight
Here’s the issue, though— we create certain responses (see above) for various reasons— some healthy, some unhealthy.
👉 Functional rules = friends = help us (don’t touch a hot stove, fear of heights, walking down dark alley)
👉 Dysfunctional = foes = hinder us (lack of trust in relationships, fear of failure, etc.)
(You’re not flawed, btw— many times your response is totally in line with your past experience. The issues arise when you react to a safe present as if it’s the unsafe past.)
3. We eventually get more of what we expect, creating a “flywheel” of momentum.
In other words, if we don’t work through the “triggers” we’ll find ourselves constantly living from “soul memory,” something much like muscle memory.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
Everybody hurts.
I think the band REM actually sang it first, but we’ve all FELT it…
Some of us have even said it.
⭐️
Another bonus episode of the podcast…
The truth is that many of us face challenges, hard times...
In the same way we pause when we encounter physical pain, we should also stop when we experience emotional pain. This requires us to recognize that some wounds and scars aren’t visible— they’re invisible. Even though they remain unseen, they’re just as real.
Here are three points to listen for:
-
Life is beautiful, and life is hard.
-
There are four ways (at least) to deal with the “hard.”
-
We won’t progress— as a person— beyond our ability to deal with “hard.”
Rather than minimizing our hurts and pushing forward, we acknowledge them and slow down. We rest, we recharge.
We may find we’re still wounded, but at that point we’re able to move forward with better perspective as we step back into the rhythm we were designed to live.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
In this bonus episode of the podcast we introduce the Freedom March 5-Week Intensive…
… and we do so by talking about the difference between the Spirit (the part of us totally connected to God) and the soul (the part that causes all of our “issues”).
⭐️
Here’s what to listen for in the talk:
We each have a body, a soul, and a spirit. It’s easy to confuse the soul and the spirit, but distinguishing each from the other is essential to walk in total health.
Here are the three main points in this lesson:
-
There are two unseen parts of us, the spirit and the soul, and they are different.
-
God intends to redeem all of you, that is, gift you with total wholeness.
-
You reap the benefits from the part of you into which you lean the most fully (meaning we want to live from the spirit), yet each part is important (so we also want to take care of our bodies and move towards soul wholeness).
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
Jesus has been far more successful than you and I were taught— and what most of us have experienced.
⭐️
We’re all emotional.
Our feelings are a vital part of who we are. If we don’t find healthy ways to express our emotions they’ll “leak” in unhealthy ways.
⭐️
In this video we open Scripture and discover how soul health is part of the overall health Jesus offers us.
Here are three main points to listen for.
1. Redemption = freedom.
2. Jesus is our Redeemer, the One who sets us free.
3. Jesus redeems (frees) our whole self, our total being.
We can only be as healthy as the weakest part of us— be it our bodies, our minds, our spirits, or (yes!) our emotions. A more emotionally whole you is a healthier you.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅✅✅ Register for the 5-Week Intensive at www.Jenkins.tv/freedom
Success.
What is it?
If you line 17 people up and start taking answers, you’ll find 13 or 14 different ones. A few of the people will agree, but most of them will share their unique angle. That’s what makes defining success more more akin to stapling jello to the wall than actually drafting a life plan.
So, let’s define it like this, something which leaves some flex and interpretation for all of us. Something which requires some soul-searching, too.
Success = living up to your God-given potential in each area of life.
How’s that?
I like that statement—
- It’s easy to remember.
- It acknowledges we can be successful in some areas while struggling to make it work in other areas.
- It admits the opposite, too. Although we might be failing in some areas that doesn’t mean we’re “losers.” We might still be crushing it in other facets of life. We should celebrate those wins even while working on our deficiencies.
- It honors the Creation-potential in each of us, realizing that much of what we achieve is going to depend on the deposit of the Kingdom placed in us by God. And, really, that’s different for each of us.
Now that we have a working definition, let’s talk about achieving that success…
Second, notice a theme you're going to hear a few times.
Most success is created by doing small things consistently well, over time— not by doing one single big thing once.
Most people look for some huge disrupter when seeking success. Yet, there are probably a few minor adjustments you can make with what you're doing now to reach your destiny.
The issues with these “small things” are two-fold:
- Doing the right things, and
- Doing them consistently— over the long haul
In other words, doing the wrong things won't help. You’ll just be “busy.” There's a big difference between being busy and being productive. Furthermore, even if you do the right actions, if don't do them long enough, you won't reap the result.
Notice:
- Somebody who refuses to dig (the action necessary to reach the treasure) won't succeed. They're not doing the right action (this is true, even if they like the idea of attaining the diamonds— because we must differentiate between actions and concepts, like we discussed in chapter 6).
- Somebody who stops too soon (i.e., the guy on bottom) is in the same boat. He does the work— and is closer than the man on top— yet fails to reap the result, as well. He's in the same boat as someone who never showed up!
Why?
Because both time and effort are important. And…
If you’re not willing to endure the struggle, it might indicate this just isn’t your dream.
Success requires time and it requires effort. If you do the “right things” for only a short period of time, your chance of success diminishes drastically. If, on other hand, you take long period of time but don’t do anything… well, success requires both.
Success isn’t just a matter of doing the right things (effort), it’s a matter of doing the right things consistently over the long haul (time).
Both are important. A little time doing the right things is as ineffective as a lot of time doing the wrong things!
Third, here’s another theme: success is more like following a recipe rather than finding the right lottery ticket.
Follow me on a tangent here and let's keep developing the idea…
Let's say you and I decide to bake a chocolate cake. Most cakes have the same ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes at about 350 degrees. Notice…
- Same ingredients
- Same duration of time
- Same intensity (temperature)
Very few people— unless they have some amazing tools or other factors which come into play— can pull a legit cake out of the oven in 5 minutes. The recipe includes BOTH the ingredients and the actual time (endurance) + pressure (temperature) required.
It's actually difficult to shortcut a chocolate cake, isn't it?
Most dreams are just like that cake. Sure, sometimes we find exceptions to the norm, but it's easier to plan around the norms rather than bank on an exception. Plus, if something amazing happens and your case turns out to be an exception, you’re that much farther ahead!
A lot of people presume that success is like winning the lottery instead of like cooking our cake. They presume success is based on luck, that it’s a matter of being at the right place at the right time— or some other set of factors outside our control.
They also presume you either win or you don’t.
And they believe if someone else wins, you can’t. After all, the winning ticket was cashed— and it wasn't yours.
Success is entirely different. Success is a recipe, not a lottery ticket.
Let me explain…
First, success is a proven process. You can look at what others do and you can follow along, getting similar results. In other words, most of the guesswork is taken out of attaining it.
- Want to lose weight?
You know how to succeed— even if there are multiple ways to do it.
- Want a thriving marriage?
There’s a recipe of ingredients people with great marriages do AND don’t do…
- Want obedient, honoring kids?
Again, proven methods which work are readily available.
You get the idea. Unless you're inventing something new, there are clues you can follow, breadcrumbs that have been left on the trail by others who've gone before you. (Even if you are blazing new territory, you'll find huge hints other explorers have left for you, as well!) Success always leaves clues.
If we look at people who’ve succeeded in the areas in which we want to achieve something, we can take cues from them. In other words, we can evaluate WHAT THEY DID and we can clock HOW MUCH TIME it took them, leading us back to the time + effort = success equation.
Second, there’s no shortage of success to go around. Think about the last lottery number you heard called. If someone else wins, that means you didn’t. It means you CAN’T, in fact… winning in this scenario is IMPOSSIBLE.
(Full disclosure: I’ve never played the lottery. This is just an example we can all understand!)
Lotteries are zero-sum events. If I win, it means everyone else loses— including you. If you win, that means I, by default, lose.
Cakes are different. Everyone can bake a cake at the exact same time. Just like everyone can live up to their God-given potential, whatever that is.
Furthermore, my successful bake doesn’t diminish your success at all. In fact, we might learn something from each other in the process.
Success is never a zero-sum game. Everyone can…
- Experience a great marriage
- Lose the extra weight
- Mend the fractured relationships
- Balance their budget and climb out of debt
- Win at life
There’s enough goodness to go around. We're not in competition. In fact, success actually gets easier the more people that embrace it, as it shifts the entire environment.
The issue is not “they've succeeded and beat me to it.” We often look at things like that. But success doesn't work that way. There's always enough for everyone.
The real question is “will we invest the time and effort they invested" to be successful?
In other words, we're back (again) to that time + effort = success equation.
++++++++++++++++++++
Links for the show =
Download the Advance Planner free at www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Download the LifeLift app =
- Apple App = https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/lifelift-global/id1590894501?l=en
- Google App = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p92joyt03vpp.pvbjuxih4app
For the past few months I’ve been working on my app— to provide Faith-Driven Life-Coaching = move from where you are to where you're designed to be, experience life at the next level
In this episode I talk about one aspect of the project, a new app.
By the way, before we get started, go ahead and download it—
- Apple App = https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/lifelift-global/id1590894501?l=en
- Google App = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p92joyt03vpp.pvbjuxih4app
++++++
I was sitting at a coffee shop with a friend, telling him about this project, when he asked, “What’s unique about it? How does it differ from other faith-driven, life-coaching resources out there…?”
I began to describe it.
And, in doing so, I realized that part of the approach here involves pulling things TOGETHER which we often (wrongly) separate.
For instance…
✅ God & You
Scripture teaches us that God is working on our behalf… and we are also responsible for working.
Paul encouraged us to “work out our salvation…” (notice, we do it) “… because God works in us” (that is, He does it… Philippians 2:12).
In another verse, Paul said that he “worked harder than all the other apostles.” Then, he added, “Yet, not I… but the Lord working through me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
In other words, BOTH are important. We work in partnership with the Holy Spirit— as He express Himself through us, supernaturally doing things we can’t do on our own.
✅ Heaven & Here
Jesus told us to pray that the Kingdom would come… and that God’s will would be done, on earth. Here. Now. In the present.
And, He told us that we shouldn’t look OUTSIDE at externals for the presence of that Kingdom. Primary, we should look INSIDE…
“The Kingdom of God is within you,” He said (Luke 17:21).
That is, the work of the Kingdom is largely an “inside job.” And, the energy we expend in the world should be an overflow of what God is doing in us… enabling Him to then do something incredible through us.
Eternal life, then, isn’t about “going to Heaven when you die.” Though that happens, it’s about an ongoing experience which begins now…
… something to which we invite others to participate.
✅ Head & Heart
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day knew Scripture intimately. But, on more than one occasion that missed the fact that the very text they studied actually described— the prophesied— the Jesus standing before them.
“You search those words because you think that in them you have life,” Jesus observed, “but those all point to Me…”
Then— “But you refuse to come to Me so that you can experience that life.”
Should we study?
Yes, we’re told to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, MIND, and strength (See Matthew 22:37). This, includes our body (strength / fitness), as well as our intellectual capacity… and our emotions….
In other words, this outlines total wholeness— a wholistic encounter with the Creator.
And, in the end, God is better encountered than merely (only) explained…
✅ Spiritual & Practical
Psalm 78:72 informs us that David led with BOTH skill and the Holy Spirit. Many times, people think these two extremes are at odds— that we should just “wait” and “let God do it.” Other people think that we should just do it all ourselves… and maybe, perhaps, God will show up.
But the Bible shows us that we can always expect both…
… and we see throughout the written text that God routinely shows up and empowers people to do everything in life.
“Whatever you do,” we read, “do unto the Lord… for it is Him you are really serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).
This is why you’ll find, throughout these books + courses + coaching resources, an intentional blend of the supernatural… side-by-side with the radically practical.
+++++++++++++++
Links mentioned in the talk =
✅ Download the new app + review it, and I’ll unlock the new Soul Wholeness audiobook free. Details at www.Jenkins.tv/LL
- Apple App = https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/lifelift-global/id1590894501?l=en
- Google App = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p92joyt03vpp.pvbjuxih4app
✅ Download the free daily planner, mentioned in show = www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
✅ Our facebook group, The #HilltopHangout = www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Fanicy Hunter (pronounced like “fancy”) is a therapist AND a yoga instructor. She combines both, in the park, to empower people towards total wholeness…
I asked her how she came up with that combination, so she told me the back story.
“When I was a kid, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to teach dance or if I wanted to be a psychologist. This does both.”
No, there wasn’t a straight line from 9-year old kid, charting her life dream, to where Fanicy is today. As we often say, life is BOTH beautiful and hard… it includes progress and pain alike.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
In this episode, Fanicy talks about emotional wholeness— from a therapist’s experience. That is, whereas I often write and teach about things I’m exploring, she talks HERE about an area where she already has expertise.
She talks about—
👉 Triggers
👉 How your body often stores pain from your emotional past (remember, everything is connected— body, soul, and spirit)
👉 How to create a healthy response
👉 The reality that we need therapy when we’re in crisis AND when we’re not— just like our body needs exercise / movement when it’s in crisis (and needs to drop 50 pounds) and when it’s not alike (i.e., when we’re physically at a healthy weight).
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I asked Fanicy what she might say to someone who needs help— not necessarily EXTREME help, but someone she bumped into who might be going through something…
She outlined it.
👉 #1 = Have compassion for your self. And take care of yourself. If you’ve been through something, give yourself grace to heal.
(That’s a good point. Don’t give yourself grace to stay in the hurt— but give yourself space to do what you need to do in order to move forward.
👉 #2 = Seek help. Counselors + therapists + other practitioners can assist you.
(I’ve been to a counselor, I’ve taken a psych eval, etc… and Fanicy talks about her ongoing work WITH therapists as a client herself.)
👉 #3 = Give it time. That is, think in terms of progress, not perfection… and continue stepping in the right direction.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
BTW, I loved hearing how Fanicy shared that this was her calling…
… that, as she looks back, she can see a tapestry weaving throughout her story, bringing her to where she is today.
++++++++
Notes for this episode—
Fanicy’s website = www.MyEmotionTherapy.com
Fanicy on instagram = @MyEmotionTherapy
Episode # = I Took a Psych Eval = https://www.jenkins.tv/podcasts/lifelift/episodes/2147587677
The Body Keeps the Score book = https://amzn.to/3hhkh2A
Blues Clues 25th Anniversary video = https://youtu.be/onwuhW8obwo
Though he never left— by his own admission— his hometown while he was growing up (the annual church trip to Six Flags— less than 2 hours away— seemed liked a big trip), Mark now lives on the other side of the planet. In Japan.
But before that he’d already spread his wings and flapped around the globe, nesting in places as different from Centerpoint, Alabama (where we both grew up, outside of Birmingham) as Tuscaloosa (Roll Tide!), FSU, Vermont, and more…
Now, he’s in Japan— a place he first lived when he taught English years ago post-college.
Mark hosts the Zen Sammich podcast, a project he launched in the past year…
I asked Mark to talk to me about friends— one of those seven key areas of life.
⭐️
First, we’re created for relationships. This seems obvious— we don’t like to be alone, we feel something’s missing when we are, we all crave connection…
(I’ve written + share about this before— https://www.jenkins.tv/blog?tag=relationships)
⭐️
Second, we learn more— and grow— when we’re connected to people who aren’t just like us.
Think about this one for a moment. You already know everything you already know.
(Read it again. Sounds so simple… we miss it.)
We learn the most when we’re stretched by others— when we’re encouraged to think beyond the box we’ve created, look at something from another point-of-view, and even (gasp!) talk through something where there are areas of disagreement.
We’ve almost completely lost the ability to do this today. We take it at a personal affront when someone has a different belief, contrary opinion, or doesn’t fall right in line with our opinion.
And that’s what we most often disagree on…
Opinions.
Mark and his wife have a great approach here…
“I have my opinion and she has hers,” he said. “But when we look at something, we both approach it with the perspective that we’re going to hear each other out… we both admit I realize I might be wrong. You might have better info...”
Think about how differently most things would go if we approached ANY conversation with that type of reference point…
It reminds me of one of Covey’s 7 Habits: “Seek to understand, not to be understood.”
⭐️
Third, we all want to be accepted…
… yet we all wonder if we WILL be.
So, when you embrace someone’s idiosyncracies— or the oddest parts about them, it sets them (and you) at ease.
True freedom comes not when we hide, but we we embrace the differences, flaws and all…
⭐️
Fourth, realize that in the same way you’re accepting them, they’re also accepting you.
You’re not perfect.
We like to think we are, but— in reality— acceptance goes both ways. That is, in relationships we always receive as well as give…
++++++++++
Links to items in this talk include:
Mark’s podcast =
21 Day Challenge = www.Jenkins.tv/21
Oola Lifestyle Framework = www.Jenkins.tv/webinar
I met Carol Peters through a strange set of circumstances…
One day I received a message via Calendly, a Zoom request for a meeting. It was from Carol.
Carol is from Kenya. Turns out, he found my book (from an Advance event) in a thrift store in my hometown of Centerpoint, Alabama— outside of Birmingham.
“I followed the link listed in the front of the book,” he said, “and it took me to the Advance website. There, I saw the videos were free— entire workshops… free.”
He reached out to his friend Philip, who still lives in Kenya.
Philip registered for the free course and watched the entire workshop overnight.
“Finish it,” he told Carol. “It’s really good. Finish it.”
They did— and that’s when they reached out…
🚌🚌🚌
Here’s what’s interesting…
A few years ago I stopped leading the Advance events, an event I co-founded, for which I produced the content.
Then Covid came, and the events postponed indefinitely…
I began transferring all of the info from the workbook we used at the events into a book form (see https://www.jenkins.tv/advance for more).
But, I hadn’t marketed it yet. In fact, I’m still editing it as of the recording of this podcast.
I wondered, though, What of the old material?
🚌🚌🚌
When Carol reached out, it showed me that it still had a life of its own…
God talks about repaying the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25).
And Acts 3:21 talks about the restoration of all things.
He makes— He promises— all things beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
🚌🚌🚌
Listen in… and see how our Father connects people, restores hope, and launches us towards our purpose.
___________________
The courses Carol accessed free of charge are all located at www.EatSleepAdvance.com
(Carol watched Advance 6, direct link)
Find more the Advance book at https://www.jenkins.tv/advance
Download the free Advance Planer at www.Jenkins.tv/AP or www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
In this talk I continue reflecting on what I'm learning from the #75Hard Challenge. WIth just two days to go...
(See the previous talk for lessons 1-5)
#6 = You don’t always “feel like it.”
Sometimes the motivation to do it comes in the actual doing…
Sounds odd, I know. We often think we NEED to get motivated first, and then we can step it up, get going, etc…
Then there’s this…
C.S. Lewis, the famed author of the Chronicles of Narnia said that even when he didn’t feel like praying, he just knelt and prayed…
… it was in those times, he wrote, that the supernatural kicked in, God showed up, and he most felt like it…
We often wait to feel it— anything— before we move, don’t we…?
I’ve learned… some of my best workouts (a la in the #GarageFit gym here at the #Hilltop) happen on those days I don’t actually WANT to get up and get moving…
Then, I rationalize…
What else am I gonna do with the next bit of time? Just lay here in the bed…?
Nah…
So I get up, and get moving…
And those are the days that seem to be the best day.
Can’t explain it, it just works…
Then there are the days I don’t feel like writing, but I do…
Or I don’t feel like having that convo, but we step in and push anyway….
And the days I don’t feel like…
… ah, you know what I’m saying.
Sure, sometimes we’re motivated. And that’s great.
But many times… some of the best things happen when we’re not. And we just show up and step into it anyway.
Because a lot of time the motivation to do the thing comes in the actual doing…
🚌🚌🚌
7 Propensity = to “do it now”
Two workouts a day is a lot.
So is reading 10 pages a day— on top of everything else going on.
And so is drinking the water…
After a few days, I realized that if I put anything off, I was just wasting valuable time that I could be using to DO THE THING that I was going to END UP DOING ANYWAY… just a few moments down the line.
So, I would tell myself, “There’s nothing to do but do it…”
Besides, hitting the snooze button in the morning feels good for a moment— but I’m not better rested 10 or 20 minutes later than I was the first time the alarm went off…
I carried this mentality to other things, too.
I realized that many times I would punt a phone call off one day (in my day-timer) to another day. Mind you, it wasn’t a hard call to make— not difficult conversation involved. It was just, well, I was “mentally tired.”
Turns out, I discovered I spend MORE time writing and rewriting my “to do” list (inking the call or email or task to the next day) than it would require to just DO THE THING!
So, I began developing a “take action now” mindset. Here’s what I mean:
👉 If the task requires less time to do than to write down (i.e., reply to the email, text message, etc.), I just do it right then.
👉 if I’ve already bumped it a few times, I ask myself WHY— and evaluate it if actually needs to be done. No sense in postponing something that could be done NOW, nor putting off something that could just be permanently erased.
#8 = Not just what you give, but what you get…
This one sounds odd, so let me flesh it out a bit…
The #75Hard challenge— and any exercise / personal development process— becomes more about what you GET than what you GIVE..
I get it. A lot of us are busy. And we don’t know when / where / how we’d fit anything else in…
I (generally) wake up around 5:30- 6:00am, take time to exercise, then read, then write… all on my own…
… that 2-hour (or more) window always seems “selfish” when I’ve got a lot going on…
But…
I realize that—
🚀 if I don’t take that time, it just evaporates. It’s not like I use it on anything else…
🚀 What happens in that time radically affects everything else— and everyone else— in my small world.
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
And that leads me into the next observation…
#9 = The morning routine sets up the entire day.
I talk about the extensively in video #13 of the Advance Planner Workshop (www.Jenkins.tv/AP). The way I begin my day MARKS THE TONE for the entire day.
(Sure, you can overcome a bad start, but… why risk it?)
Look back at #8…
That morning time…
If I don’t TAKE IT, it’s not like I can “make it up” later.
A few days, I missed the early workout. So, I “made it up” in the middle of the afternoon— and found myself running in the heat of the day. Though I still enjoyed the time, it wasn’t the same. There’s something unique and unhurried about the early hours, something precious about a long pause before anyone else is awake…
… when there’s no talking…
… and I’m just alone.
The mental space which the margin of time offers was shocking. I processed more ideas and crafted more plans WITHOUT trying during that time than any other part of the day. And, it was during those long runs (with no headphones) that my mind began making connections on its own— unforced— about pieces of projects that needed to come together.
10 = Cross the goal line— and keep going 🏁
Several people asked me if I ever thought about quitting. The answer…
“Yes.”
With about a month to go, though… I began to think about what’s next AFTER #75Hard…
I realized, for me, the key = to keep going. On something. Somehow.
🏈🏈🏈
A few years ago there was a pandemic of college football players DROPPING the ball before the goal line…
… they did ALL the work go getting to the end zone, then began celebrating too early, effectively dropping the ball as they raised their hands in celebration.
It happened MULTIPLE times…
🏈🏈🏈
We do that too— in life. We “drop the ball” rather than bursting through.
Or we achieve something…
But instead of continuing— even if a different or limited capacity— we just stop.
🛑 Ever hit the weight loss goal and then stopped, then gained it back?
🛑 Ever trained for the “couch to 5-K,” run it, and then lost the progress?
🛑 Every made massive strides in marriage, parenting, finances, whatever… but then just quit moving once you hit the goal…?
For sure, you don’t have to “double down” once you hit the goal, but it makes sense to USE the momentum you’ve acquired, and allow it to propel you forward. Somehow…
🚀🚀🚀🚀
++++++++++++
Links
ESPN- goal line drops = https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/11844727
Download the free Advance Planner = www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
This summer, I did— and am still doing— the #75Hard challenge…
It works like this—
✅ Follow a meal plan of your choice
✅ No cheat days
✅ No alcohol
✅ Two 45-minute workouts each day— one of which must be outside
✅ Take a progress picture each day
✅ Read 10 pages per day (audiobooks don’t count)
✅ Drink 1 gallon of water
That’s it— and it’s supposed to be more of a #MentalChallenge than a #PhysicalChallenge…
⭐️
As of the recording of this talk, I’m 61 days in… so, the light is at the end of the tunnel, for sure. And, so far, here’s what I’ve learned…
(Think of this as my Top 10 lessons. I’ll communicate them in an order that makes sense to me— though not necessarily the order of importance…)
Here’s the first…
1 = Sometimes, the reason(s) you think you CANNOT do something are precisely the reason(s) why you SHOULD wholeheartedly jump in…
I almost didn’t do the challenge…
… because we’re in the middle of summer…
… because we’re in the middle of launching the new #1B7 project and I’m working crazy hours
… because we’re about to go the lake with friends and the diet will be hard
… because we have MORE friends coming over tonight and I’ll probably want to open up the TWO new bottles of bourbon a friend sent…
… because…
… because…
You get it. There are always reasons why it’s NOT A GOOD TIME.
⭐️
But when it comes to #SelfImprovement, it’s always the #RightTime and #RightPlace, isn’t it?
I mean, think about— really think hard— the reasons we push stuff off, and punt the great actions that lead to the best results down the field…
Those are usually the very reasons we should just jump in, aren’t they?
2 = Most things in life aren’t “all or nothing.”
Around the 3rd day of the challenge, I began recording my thoughts + reflections as I rounded the hill in front of the house. This is generally where I walk to cool down…
(And, I began posting those short vids to social media, including a new TikTok account… @AndrewEJenkins)
That first week, something struck me—
75Hard is an “all or nothing” proposition. You either make it all the way, or you fail and you must start over. That is, if you don’t drink the water, if you don’t make the workouts, if you don’t read the pages… if you forget to take your progress pic that day…
… then your gain for the entire journey thus far is considered NOTHING and you begin over at Day 1.
That’s the rule.
And, of course, it makes total sense in a challenge like this.
But most things in life aren’t that way. Yet, oddly enough, we tend to treat them that way.
👉 We mess-up the diet at one meal during the middle of the week, so we toss the entire week out the window.
👉 We lose our temper during an exchange, so we assume we’ll never get our anger under control.
👉 We rank the budget, so we assume we’re not good at managing money…
👉 blah, blah, blah…
It’s easy to treat life as if it’s “all or nothing.” But, life isn’t that way.
Proverbs tells us the righteous fail… and they get right back up (Proverbs 24:16).
(On a social media post I shared a few weeks ago, I said it like this: “Think progress, not perfection… and direction, not distance.”)
3 = Your time will pass anyway— whether or not you choose to do something with it is up to you…
🗓🗓🗓
One of the biggest obstacles we have... is our perception of TIME, and how much of it we have, or how long the dream will take, how much time might pass for healing comes, before we're able to launch into our next mission, discover our purpose... or whatever it is...
We don't like waiting...
Or, waiting (sometimes) intimidates us.
But, regardless of how long it takes to move from where you are to where you want to be, remember... that time is going to pass anyway. Might as well do something productive with it...
+++
Somebody told me that your checkbook reveals what’s important to you. That is, follow the trail of where your money goes and we can see what truly matters…
Same is true of TIME.
It’s easy to say we value certain things, but… when we turn and look at where the time was invested, the calendar SOMETIMES tells a different story, right?
+++
Push ahead.
In a few days, weeks, whenever you’ll look back in the rear view mirror and be glad you did 🤙🤙🤙
4 = You can’t do most things all in one sitting…
… so break those goals down into manageable pieces.
🤷♂️
One of aspects of the #75Hard Challenge is “drink a gallon of water each day.”
(In fact, I found this to be one of the most difficult parts of the daily list.)
Unless you plan it— or have plan of attack— there’s no way to make it happen. If you wait until 3pm in the afternoon to begin, it’s not gonna happen. Or, if you still have half a gallon to go after 8pm… it’s gonna be a struggle…
So, I found smaller water bottle and broke the gallon down…
128 ounces (a gallon) = 8 of my 16 ounce bottles.
I use rubber bands on the bottle— and move them down— when I drink one.
And, I pace it…
I try to hit 2 before the morning coffee (easy, b/c I drink those before, during, and after exercising… so they go quick…). At least two more before lunch….
… and then finish before drinking anything else (i.e., no afternoon coffee, if at all, before the water is complete).
🤔
Breaking down the big goal makes ANY goal easy.
Pay off $40,000 in student loans? Break it down… how much are you going to pay AHEAD this month…
Lose 30 pounds? I’ve done it… and did it by targeting just 2 pounds per week.
Reading the entire Bible? It’s 10 pages a day for about 4 months…
Making $100K in a year… the same. Incrementally figure out how much you need to increase your income— just a bit— to make the reach.
🔥
You can’t do ANY of it in one sitting. So, often we just assume it CANNOT be done…
But, nothing in life works that way. It all takes time. And consistency.
And the the payoff comes.
5 = The messy middle… sometimes you need to look back AND look forward at the same time…
I remember hitting day 38. That meant, halfway through THAT day, I was halfway there…
It was what you call the “messy middle”— that phase where I’m too far out from the shore to turn around. And I can’t quit.
But I still have a LONG way to go…
… in fact, I’m only halfway there…
Leads me to this.
👉 Sometimes you need to look back and celebrate how far you’ve come.
👉 If you’re always looking forward, it’s easy to get discouraged. It’s tempting to ponder HOW MUCH FARTHER you’ve got to go until you land the job, reconcile the relationship, move into healing, take care of…
… you get the idea.
That’s why, sometimes- no, a lot of the time- you need to pause. Turn around. And celebrate…
The GAINS you make often seem imperceivable in the moment…
The extra workout.
The shunning the sweets.
The getting up early to push ahead on your dream.
The phone calls, conversations, whatever…
Even though they don’t always SEEM valuable in the moment, they each have something working for them— namely, the momentum and amplification of the other, almost unnoticeable activities…
So, don’t just look at the gap between where you are and where you want to be.,..
Look at the gain.
Notice how far you’ve come.
+++++++++++++++++
Advance Planner = www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
My friend Amanda has pink hair… and has lost (almost) half her body weight in the past 2.5 years.
After a series of “no wins” in life, she looked at the person in the mirror. Though she couldn’t blame everything going on in her life on her, she could manage the person in that mirror— and take full responsibility for them.
“I began a diet plan that month,” she told me. “And I committed to sticking to it for just 30 days.”
That was it.
A lot of times people assume we’ve got to eat the entire elephant. Or even commit to eating it.
But, as everyone also knows, “You eat an elephant one bite at a time.”
And, you can always just eat that one bite and THEN decide if you want to go for more…
🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘
She continued her journey.
Part of the “continue” meant doing a 5-K that same month. And, by “doing” I mean finishing. That is, she walked the entire thing…
Which brought another observation— sometimes you just need to commit to starting and finishing something— even if you DO walk the entire time, even if you DO go the slow way…
SLOW still gets you there, right?

🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁
The “thing” Amanda is now part of is called TRANSFORMATION— a healthy movement people undertake to move from obese to fit…
Her journey includes marathons and pole fitness, which we discuss a bit in this talk.
And it includes a brighter outlook that has affected work relationships, taken an already-good marriage to the next level, and caused to her see things differently…
“There are so many things that I just tolerated before,” she said. “I was sick and didn’t even know how good I could feel.”
In other words, she’s created a new normal, a better level of LIFE.
And—
“This has affected so much more than just the time I spent investing in myself…”

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I get it.
I (generally) wake up around 5:30- 6:00am, take time to exercise, then read, then write… all on my own…
… that 2-hour (or more) window always seems “selfish” when I’ve got a lot going on…
But…
I realize that—
🚀 if I don’t take that time, it just evaporates. It’s not like I use it on anything else…
🚀 What happens in that time radically affects everything else— and everyone else— in my small world.
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
In this talk Amanda reminded me of a few things she’s observed on her journey…
✅ Take the next best step.
A lot of life can be boiled down to that. When you aren’t sure what to do, just do a little…
… a little of the next best thing you CAN do (a la commit to a 30 day run at the diet and then agree to reevaluate after that)
✅ Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be…
No sense in taking advice from someone who’s not, right?
And, there’s no gain in being the smartest one in the room all the time…
So, find people you can help— and find people who can push you, too….
++++++++++++
Links=
Amanda’s Instagram = instagram.com/restoringthetemple2018/
Watch Amanda’s “transformation” testimony = https://www.facebook.com/ahicks07/videos/10100380258097275/
The weight loss program she mentioned = https://www.myshibboleth.com/sponsor/ahicks07/
Join Amanda’s 1B7 team = myoola.oolalife.com/RestoringTheTemple2018
The Hilltop Hangout Facebook group = www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
My men’s mastermind group = www.Jenkins.tv/men
Beth found Carol via social media. And then learned she lives just a few miles away.
Carol has an interesting story…
A few years ago she began writing a book about diet + fitness. (She’s worked in gyms and— even when we recorded this talk— arrived in cycling shorts, having just come from leading a spin session at the gym down the street.)
Then she had a double mastectomy. She was “grounded” for a while.
Her college-aged daughter saw her journal entires / prayers one day and began counting them…
“Mom, there are 21 of them here…”
She continued, “And they all connect. You need to make this a book, something others can use to walk in their true identity.”
💙💙💙💙💙
Carol is a trainer and nutritionist. Part of her mission is to “demolish the diet culture strongholds of fear, false guilt, and shame so that you experience the fruit of the Spirit in your relationship with food and body image” (see https://www.fuelbodyfeedsoul.com/our-mission).
Yet, she’s more than a trainer. She also writes, “As daughters of the King: we believe God’s grace and the gift of His Holy Spirit empower us to authentically transform. Only through ignited faith in Christ can our minds be renewed and our hearts change. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, His image bearers, and when we seek the Kingdom first we trade in the ashes of willpower for the richness of His power in us.”
In other words, faith and fitness aren’t two separate ideas. They flow together…
💙💙💙💙💙
Carol agreed.
She was editing the diet + nutrition book but set it to the side to release the prayer book…
You are His was released, as a prayer + journal tool (for women) to walk in their true identity…
Then, months later Healthy Breakthrough, the first book, was released. That book empowers women to defeat the strongholds in their life— the unhealthy relationship they have with food.
You’ll love hearing Carol’s heart on this issue. I found myself totally floored by the depth of her ideas, as well as the simplicity with which she communicates them.
After she shared them, they were completely obvious…
… a mark of a powerful teacher, shared with me by a gracious Daughter of the King.
__________________
Website: www.FuelBodyFeedSoul.com
Blog post referenced in the talk— God is My Mirror— Jesus is My Scale: https://www.fuelbodyfeedsoul.com/blog/2020/8/12/god-is-my-mirror-jesus-is-my-scale
Oola is about finding balance— and growth— in the seven key areas of life (Fitness, Finance, Family, Faith, Field, Friends, & Fun), while living with less stress…
… so that we can live our purpose.
The digital framework uniquely bends to you— and then pushes you forward by providing you with curated videos and suggestions specifically for you.
The daily tracker— on an app— marks your progress, checks daily streaks, and provides built-in accountability (and celebration) for your progress…
🚌
In this video I talk you through the product itself…
👉 we discuss the 70 questions you answer— as you build out your “Oola wheel”
👉 we talk about the Design My Life Blueprint you create— that location of where you want to be
👉 we chat about My Breakthrough Experience, the initial 90 days that move you through the blockers, beyond the setback mindsets, and right into the accelerators
👉 we chart My Personalized Path…
👉 we outline the daily tracker— and talk about how it navigates you from your current location to your best case scenario…
(You can watch the product demo at www.Jenkins.tv/demo.)
🚌🚌🚌
After all of that, I take a quick turn and bend this talk into a Bible study…
That is, we talk about SIN.
Specifically, I highlight Romans 3:23— “all have sinned.”
Here’s my take—
One of the biggest issues with sin is that it distorts the image of glory we’ve been designed to carry.
(This is one of the life lessons I’ve learned the hard way, BTW— school of hard knocks.)
The greater issue is this: sin creates a distortion of our unique form, of the greatness we were given from the very beginning. Sin keeps us from seeing who we really are. Sin hinders wholeness, completion.
It holds us back from out destiny.
The word hamartia (the Greek word for "sin") actually means "without form."
✅ ha = the Greek prefix which means “without”
✅ martia = the word derived from “meros,” meaning FORM or DESIGN.
That is, the word sin doesn't just mean "failure."
Rather, it actually means that we've walked away from our true identity, the blueprint we were given from the beginning of time.
That’s a lot different than you typically hear it preached at church services, isn’t it?
🔥🔥🔥
Here’s a BIG IDEA— >>
If you get your identity right-- if you walk in your true design-- the morality takes care of itself. In fact, all of the other issues do, too.
So, when he writes about sin, Paul calls us to something greater than a do/don't mentality… he beckons us to elevate ourselves above the rules of right vs. wrong and walk in the beauty of who we were designed to be (Romans 15:15).
In ancient literature, the word meros ("form," the root of martia) is often used of blueprints— that is, designs for buildings. If the design isn’t solid, the final product is distorted from what was intended by the architect.
Paul reminds us that we have a perfect design. Sin isn’t just a moral issue, then; sin is a decision to walk away from our eternal design.
In fact, the second HALF of that Romans 3:23 tells us precisely the FORM we’ve missed…
“All have sinned and fallen short of glory…”
That is, our original intention— and the thing which Jesus redeemed— is a restoration of that glory, that value, that “weight.”
🔥🔥🔥
I love how, rather than appealing to a legalistic “do vs. don’t” mentality, Paul calls us to something greater... to shine as the people we really are.
That’s the subject of this week’s talk…
And this Oola framework is a tool to help you walk in that design…
+++++++++++++
How much does it cost?
The first month costs $77. Each additional month is $47.
Oola carries a 30-day money back guarantee, and you can cancel at anytime.
If you want to do “the business side” there’s an annual fee of $50, which provides a website, business app, and the opportunity to earn an income.
Ambassadors (business builders) receive their product free if they have 3 members, meaning you could pay for the first month ($77) and your annual fee ($50) and never have to pay again.
So, either—-
👉 $77 + tax to be a Member.
Or,
👉 $77 + $50 = $127 + tax to do the business.
Link here for both options: www.MyOola.OolaLife.com/AndrewEJenkins
+++++++++++++
Ready to enroll, do your own Design My Life Blueprint, and begin your personal transformation ?
👉 https://myoola.oolalife.com/andrewejenkins/enrollment/memberconfiguration
Want to watch the short video?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/demo
Want to watch Dave’s demonstration?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/app
Want to take the 21 day email challenge?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/21
Want to join the #Hilltop Hangout, our Oola-driven Facebook group?
👉 www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Let me introduce you to Bryan Clay…
You’ve probably already SEEN him, but you may not know him.
Long before I met Bryan I saw a photo of him circulating the Internet— one where he was draped in the American flag, fresh off winning the Decathlon. That feat officially dubbed him, for that four year Olympic period, “World’s Greatest Athlete.”
But he’d already won— on some level— even before he had the title. Prior to the Olympics, Clay was tested by SPARQ to establish his SPARQ Rating across a number of different sports. The test is meant to measure sport-specific athleticism. In the football test Bryan hit 130.40, the highest ever recorded up to that point. By comparison, Reggie Bush— a noted running back from USC— scored a 93.38.
Anyway…
🥈 Bryan won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics (Athens), where he posted his best score…
🥇 He returned and collected the gold in 2008 (Beijing).His victory margin of 240 points in the 2008 Beijing Olympics was the largest since 1972. And, he performed personal bests in SEVERAL of the events…
🔥
Then there’s this…
I’ve gotten to see Bryan on a personal level. And, as great of an athlete as he is, he’s a MUCH better person.
A husband, a father, a coach, and business entrepreneur, Bryan has his hand in a lot of things— and has moved on from athletics to, well… the next chapter of life.
In this talk, we chat about several things, life lessons picked up from the track…
Like…
👇
Lesson 1: Control what you can control, and trust Providence for the rest.
We get this one backwards— a lot. We blame factors we can’t do anything about (i.e., the weather, what other people do, etc.), yet we fail to take extreme ownership fo the stuff we CAN control…
Like our mindset…
… and our schedule….
… and doing the necessary work to show up, full strength.
👇👇
Lesson 2: Don’t overlook the small stuff.
Every big goal can be broken down into dozens (and often more) small things.
You know the saying, “You eat an elephant one bite at a time…”
And, “You run a marathon one step at a time.”
Or, “You achieve any dream one small action at a time…”
The problem with the small stuff is two-fold:
✅ Sometimes it’s tedious. There’s not a lot of glory in it. So we push on to something more “visible” and “important.”
✅ The small stuff is often SO small that we undervalue its significance.
👇👇👇
Lesson 3: You aren’t what you do.
Bryan talks of waking up the first day as a non-official athlete. Before that time, his routine had become so regimented that it literally involved every waking hour…
… if he wasn’t DOING something athletic, he was THINKING something athletic.
But what do you do when that’s gone?
Or, to make it relevant to us…
What do you do when your job changes?
Or your role?
Or a relationship?
You’ve got to resolve your identity— and it’s NOT what you do. So, find out WHO you are, and then let the good stuff overflow from there, regardless of what you choose to do with your time…
👇👇👇👇
Lesson 4: Everything is (literally) figure-out-able.
You’re probably not going to stumble into something that’s not ever been done. And even then, the success of others always leaves clues behind.
(Tip: watch the video + read the post “Success is recipe” at www.Jenkins.tv/blog/AP02 )
If you’re trying to build a business, reach out to friends who’ve done it before— and get them to show you how. If you want to do anything, for that matter, find an expert….
… in the same way athletes use coaches, don’t neglect the power of a “coach” (paid or otherwise) to help you figure your next steps out.
Take the lessons the past and move forward in your next chapter. Bryan talks of taking his grit and determination with him from the track to the board room table.
👇👇👇👇👇
Lesson 5: Your sweet spot is at the intersection of your skills and your passions.
(Now, I love this because it connects well with the video I posted here: www.Jenkins.tv/blog/AP11. There, I talk about the importance of your skills, your passions, and your financial opportunities.)
Applying this lesson took Bryan into his Eat the Frog fitness opportunity, a franchise-able gym he co-owns. And, true to form, he figured it out… with the help of a trusted friend.
I asked him about the name, which led to the final lesson here…
👇👇👇👇👇👇
Lesson 6: Eat the frog first 🐸
That is, do the hardest thing first— and let everything else fall in place.
Yes, sometimes there are moments when you need a quick win (Ok, sure, make the bed first thing in the morning— it takes 2-3 minutes and sets the tone). But when you have a list of things that NEED to be done, take the biggest first…
This mindset creates a ripple effect that infuses all of life…
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
In the end, Bryan and I discuss a way you can connect with him and continue interacting with him— via our Oola #1B7 team…
Oola is about finding balance— and growth— in the seven key areas of life (Fitness, Finance, Family, Faith, Field, Friends, & Fun), while living with less stress…
… so that we can live our purpose.
The digital framework uniquely bends to you— and then pushes you forward by providing you with curated videos and suggestions specifically for you.
The daily tracker— on an app— marks your progress, checks daily streaks, and provides built-in accountability (and celebration) for your progress.
++++++++++
Links for this talk
Brian’s linktree = www.Linktr.ee/bryanclay
To join Bryan’s team as an Oola Ambassador and work with Bryan + me + our team, join here: https://myoola.oolalife.com/teamclay/enrollment/ambassadorconfiguration (Ambassadors use the platform, receive coaching, and can earn an income)
To be coached by Bryan and the team and join as a member, go here: https://myoola.oolalife.com/teamclay/enrollment/memberconfiguration
Bryan’s gym: https://www.eatthefrogfitness.com/
In this talk I continue where I left off last week (see www.Jenkins.tv/blog/170), talking about the Oola story. My piece in it, anyway…
Right now, Oola is in the middle of a global launch. In fact, it’s HAPPENING the day this podcast airs— 7/7/2021.
The goal is to positively impact 1 BILLION (yes, with a “B”) over the next 7 years…
And, even though Beth + I have bought Into the vision (and invite you to join us), that’s not where it began for me…
🚌
About seven years ago I met Dave + Troy, the Oola guys…
Seeing someone else do some of the things I wanted to do stretched me into some of what I do today…
👉 Writing books
👉 Learning about email funnels
👉 Understanding how websites + webpages work
👉 Social media
The first book I pushed out to a larger audience was about natural health + essential oils.
Here’s the connection to Oola—
👉 Hearing Dave + Troy speak the first time awakened me to the idea that I could write that book— and push it out into the public space
👉 The guys actually wrote the foreword to the first edition
Here’s where it gets even more interesting (for me, anyway):
Travis, now the CEO / C0-founder of Oola Global was the COO at Young Living Essential Oils at the time I wrote that book…
He became by de-facto “fact checker” about the history of the company, as well as some of the data I provided about current operations. Then, in a real sense, he opened a few doors for me to help share that book with others.
Over the past seven years I’ve gotten to know all three of these men in various forms…
Here’s a pic of me interviewing Travis onstage at an event back in 2015.
Sometimes, people ask if the CEOs, CFOs, or other leaders are who they appear to be on the stage…
… Travis, onstage and off, walks with a humble-swagger, a gentle confidence that is genuinely FOR other people, consistently calling for the best in them.
In fact, during a tough chapter of my life, well after he’d moved from his C-level position at Young Living to help lead Isagenix (two companies he helped grow to $1 billion + in annual revenue), he reached out via text… just to check in, as he knew I was in the midst of one of the most difficult fights of my life…
When I first learned of the Oola Global opportunity I was “sold.” All in— as they say.
About halfway through the discussion I learned Travis was involved— and it gave me even MORE confidence that this was an incredible opportunity.
🚌
Anyway, back to the Oola guys—
I’ve seen them up-close-and-personal a few times, as well. In fact, we hosted two different events in Birmingham at which they spoke— one that was a “normal” event and another that was on the Oola Dream Bus tour…
The guys decided to collect one million dreams— on stickers— all over the VW bus. I watched, that night, as people approached the bus, many with tears in their eyes, placing the dream out there…
… the thing they wanted desperately to see change.
👉 rebuild the marriage
👉 find a group of friends, so they didn’t feel alone
👉 reignite their faith
👉 climb out of debt
👉 navigate towards a career that fulfilled their purpose rather than just providing a paycheck
👉 cling to their kids in new ways
We held the bus stop at Avondale Brewery, so the guys drove into the backyard, where concerts and events are held. Then, they spoke to a crowd in the open air environment…
Music blasting.
Beer + food trucks + more…
It was, well, an experience…
Here’s a pic during the talk.
During the rocky estrangement-separation-divorce chapter I lived years ago, Dave also reached out. If you know his story, you remember that back in 2008, just as the economy collapsed, his life fell apart, too…
“You OK?” he asked. Then— “You might not feel like you are, but you will be… I promise.”
In a real sense, he spoke to me— multiple times— in ways that couldn’t be quite communicated with bumper-stickerisms and cliche Bible verses that others wanted to toss at me…
I get it. I believe the Bible.
But sometimes, even though the verses ARE TRUE, you need something MORE than just a few words…
“If you need me, reach out,” Dave told me— more than once. “Most of the time my day is packed. But if you message me early in the morning, I’ll find a window for you and connect that day.”
And he did…
Eventually I found myself in a better chapter… just like he and others promised would happen. One May, Beth + I headed to the beach, to 30A.
“Get a picture of that bus,” I told her. “I’m going to send it to Dave. It’s a blank canvas…”
In a real way, I felt like it was a blank canvas for me…
This pic is a real life boomerang…
… a reminder that “The Lord is patient… wanting all to experience true life” (2 Peter 3:9, my translation).
Remember, I had at one time lost everything.
And by everything, I mean everything…
💔 Marriage = gone (ever had the one you were in covenant with just, overnight, freeze you out?)
💔 Finances = obliterated (been to less than $100 in your checking account?)
💔 Faith = big gasp— what was God doing— and was this God or was this me?
💔 Career = 💣
But God is patient. That’s what 2 Peter 3:9 says…
And, it’s KINDNESS— His kindness— that leads us to Him (Romans 2:4).
He doesn’t wipe us away, erasing us from His life like others might… that’s what He does to the memory of our sins + mistakes— not what He does to US (Psalm 103:12).
I grabbed the pic, but then forgot to send it to Dave…
But…
In the patience of the Lord…
3 days later, after I forgot to hit send, Dave reached out to me…
“Man, I was just thinking about you over the weekend…”
“Well, I was thinking about you, too,” he said. “Do you want to become a certified life coach with Oola? If yo do, I’ll train you and certify you myself…”
That eventually led to where we are today…
Because the first people to learn about the Oola Global launch were the coaches…
… and I wouldn’t have learned about it if I wasn’t a coach.
… and I wouldn’t be a coach if I didn’t go through a bunch of poo that led me to lose the life I thought I was building.
… and I wouldn’t have connected with those guys during that season in a new way if that season didn’t exist.
… and I wouldn’t have connected with them then if I didn’t meet them during a “better” time before.
Every time I go to 30A, I grab a pic with that bus, usually when I’m riding my bike from one end of the stretch of road to the other…
See, here’s one…
I don’t know about you, but you *may need a reboot, a re-crank…
I did. And got one.
Things. Have. Never. Looked. Better.
(Hard road to get there, but all things work together for the good, right?)
Here’s the deal…
Where you are isn’t who you are.
It’s just the location of where you happen to be.
But…
… and this is important….
Where you are IS where you must begin.
Hop on— we’ve got room for you. Let’s enjoy the ride.
Ready to enroll, do your own Design My Life Blueprint, and begin your personal transformation ?
👉 https://myoola.oolalife.com/andrewejenkins/enrollment/memberconfiguration
Want to watch the short video?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/app
Want to watch Dave’s demonstration?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/app
Want to take the 21 day email challenge?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/21
Want to join the #Hilltop Hangout, our Oola-driven Facebook group?
👉 www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Last week— the week I recorded this podcast episode— I started the #75Hard Challenge. It’s been all over the Internet + social media for the past year or so. If you haven’t heard about it, I guarantee you will again in the near future.
It works like this—
✅ Follow a meal plan of your choice
✅ No cheat days
✅ No alcohol
✅ Two 45-minute workouts each day— one of which must be outside
✅ Take a progress picture each day
✅ Read 10 pages per day (audiobooks don’t count)
✅ Drink 1 gallon of water
That’s it— and it’s supposed to be more of a #MentalChallenge than a #PhysicalChallenge…
You do it, as you might suppose, for 75 days…
I almost didn’t do the challenge
… because we’re in the middle of summer…
… because we’re in the middle of launching the new #1B7 project and I’m working crazy hours
… because we’re about to go the lake with friends and the diet will be hard
… because we have MORE friends coming over tonight and I’ll probably want to open up the TWO new bottles of bourbon a friend sent…
… because…
… because…
You get it. There are always reasons why it’s NOT A GOOD TIME.
But, sometimes those are the very reasons we SHOULD jump right in… especially when it comes to self- improvement.
Face it, you’re one of the best investments you’ll ever make.
We intuitively know this.
If you asked ANYONE, “What’s more important, people are things?”
They’d answer you quickly— and easily— “People.”
If we made it personal and asked, “What’s more important, YOU or your possessions…?”
“Me, of course…”
It’s a no-brainer.
Yet we spend years and even decades training to acquire money so that we can acquire stuff…
… stuff that we’ll eventually store and never look at again, sell for a penance of what we bought it for, or just giveaway.
Someone said it well, “You spend the first half of your life acquiring things, and then the second half of your life realizing that the most important things aren’t things at all… it’s the people your didn’t prioritize in the pursuit of those possessions…”
Since we know that…
And since we’ve OWNED that reality…
Why not just change it up NOW, instead of waiting until later?
Why not—
👉 prioritize people (including you) over possessions?
👉 invest in yourself rather than commodities and clutter that will fade away…?
I digress…
A few years ago, I met the Oola Guys, Dave and Troy. I met them in Hawaii on an award trip with Young Living Essential Oils.
Sometimes you just connect with people and you just, well… you know… that you’re on the same page…
At the time, I was the heaviest I had ever been. I’d slowly (and steadily) let my health deteriorate… while I chased projects and goals.
(Or, to say it another way, I invested heavily in other things during that season, but not in myself— including the time it took to manage my health and steward my body.)
I’d just turned 40, as well, and had all of those LIES we believe about age rolling through my noggin’. I assumed it couldn't be done. I was certain that your body "falls apart" after you reach that arbitrary milestone. It was a mental block I'd created.
Then I met a few guys who had similar stories.
Then I heard Troy and Dave talk…
Both of them are in great shape. But, turns out, Troy had lost 50 pounds- and he was a few years older than me.
"If he can do it, I can do it," I reasoned.
I've applied the same logic to writing books, creating websites, and even working our home based business. When I see someone- particularly someone I know- that has done it, it shows me that it's possible.
In effect, such relationships enhance our capacity for dream achieving. They show us what’s possible that we might not have seen before.
You might have been told something like, “Comparison is thief of joy.”
It doesn’t have to be, though. Comparison can actually show you what’s possible— what’s doable and achievable.
Here’s ANOTHER example…
The 4-minute mile…
👟 1950s- people thought it was scientifically impossible for a man to break 4-minutes in the mile run.
👟 May 6, 1954- Roger Bannister ran the first 4-minute mile in Oxford, England. His time: 3:59.4!
👟 The next month, two more people broke the 4-minute mark.
👟 The next year… 300 did it!
It can happen anywhere…
But, particularly when we’re closer to people we can see something in them that empowers us to be more… or, perhaps they call it out of us…
Anyway, in this talk I begin discussing Oola…
The word Oola comes from the French word “oolala,” which means everything in life exists in harmony— that life is in the sweet spot.
The guys wrote 3 best-sellers and teach there are SEVEN key areas of life—
⭐️ Fitness
⭐️ Finance
⭐️ Family
⭐️ Field (Career)
⭐️ Faith
⭐️ Friends
⭐️ Fun
Like spokes on a wheel, they're each essential to keeping forward momentum.
If one spoke goes down for a while, you're fine. But lose a spoke completely-- or lose a few-- and you stop forward progress in every area. Momentum grinds to a halt.
Think about it...
👉 If family isn't working, then your field (work) suffers
👉 If you're finances are jacked, life isn't very fun
👉 If you're not fun, your friend-quotient probably goes low
👉 If your faith tanks, you might feel hopeless in all the other areas
You get the idea. These areas all matter.
Here's the purpose of this talk—
Oola recently created a digital platform to empower people to live… well, in Oola— to find their purpose while living a life of balance and growth.
This means it works anywhere, at anytime…
… there are no shipping delays, and it never goes out of stock.
Best of yet, you can access it now and begin your Oola journey….
All the info is below.
________
Ready to enroll, do your own Design My Life Blueprint, and begin your personal transformation ?
👉 https://myoola.oolalife.com/andrewejenkins/enrollment/memberconfiguration
Want to watch the short video?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/app
Want to watch Dave’s demonstration?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/app
Want to take the 21 day email challenge?
👉 www.Jenkins.tv/21
Want to join the #Hilltop Hangout, our Oola-driven Facebook group?
👉 www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
My friend Randy Pardue is back on the podcast, and here’s why…
… as I decided to talk to a “family coach,” I knew I wanted to host someone who’s successfully navigated a blended family (that’s coming soon), as well as someone who is STILL married— decades later (and happily so)— to the first person with whom they fell in love…
Randy + Tammy have been married 42 years, and still date each other like most engaged couples. They truly adore each other, and would rather be with one another than anyone else in the world.
And then there’s this…
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
As they were facing the “empty nest” years, Tammy discovered she was pregnant. This gave them the perfect opportunity to simultaneously…
👉 Decide what their “almost grown” kid needed to know before he was launched
👉 Think long-term about what the next kid needed.
The result was the Directional Parenting Blueprint, a framework Randy explains in his book Diapers to Dorms.
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Here’s what the framework includes…
👉 0 - 5 = kids need disciple and self-control
👉 6-13 = kids need training— they need to learn basic, everyday skills (i.e., how to do specific tasks)
👉 14- 18 = kids need coaching— they need to make decisions and learn how to course correct, reflect, and make better choices going forward (i.e., skills they’ll need when they’re not with you).
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Randy says the best way to “teach” all of this is in everyday life— to recapture moments when you’re already together…
👉 Bed-time (be the last thing they hear at night, and frame their subconscious)
👉 Breakfast (send them into their day, your voice cheering them)
👉 Carpool (capture drive time with intentional questions)
👉 Meal times (do your best on these)
👉 Fire-pit time (after hearing this, you’ll want one)
In other words, be intentional…
And, if you’re schedule doesn’t work perfectly like the one outlined above, do your best with what you have, capturing the moments that matter as you can.
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Sometimes, Randy called family meetings.
And, he let them kids call them, too…
To re-orient and move back in alignment together…
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Listen in. Wherever you are in the parenting journey, this convo has a bit of 🔥🔥🔥🔥 you can apply immediately and see instant results.
And, he’ll tell you what to do if you find yourself overwhelmed…
++++
For more info…
👉 Find Randy’s website at www.BeRefreshed.org
And…
👉 Download by free book, Redemption, about radical faith, at www.Jenkins.tv/R
👉 Find balance and grow in each area of your life at www.Jenkins.tv/21
👉 Join the #HilltopHangout Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
I invited friend Lance over to the #Hilltop to record a talk about faith and we got to chatting so quick I forgot to take notes…
(You can listen at www.Jenkins.tv/blog/168 or on your fav podcast provider.)
in this discussion, we move into the realm of faith-- and talk about Lance's story. Part of it anyway.
That leads us to a encounter from his childhood when he stole a handful of Jolly Ranchers, felt he’d gotten “left behind” in the rapture because of his disobedience, and then met grace…
… something that’s always scandalous— even to the religious and upright.
📚
In this episode, Lance and I talk about the fact that, as Hebrews 12:2 says, Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. That is, He is writing our story.
And, as Paul suggested in Ephesians 2:8-10, He’s completing a story He fore-ordained centuries— even millennia— ago. That means He’s not simply “doing the best He can” with what’s left on the scrap pile after you’ve made a mess of things. He’s literally working things together for your growth— and for your good.
Furthermore, as odd as it sounds, you can’t out-strip the grip of grace NOR out-flank His ability to do something powerful in your life.
📚
This episode is for the down-trodden, the beaten-up, the smacked-around, the ones who might feel disqualified… and un-blessable. We promise, that qualifies you above all else.
Listen in…
… the party’s just getting started.
- +
📻 www.Jenkins.tv/blog/168 or your fav podcast provider.
+++++++++++
For more info…
👉 Find balance and grow in each area of your life at www.Jenkins.tv/21
👉 Join the #HilltopHangout Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Talks mentioned in this chat with Lance include:
📻 Three talks on the Holy Spirit—
Power from above =
… to reveal Jesus =
Powerful intimacy =
📻 The talk about the prodigal son =
And…
📺 The #SoulWholeness book + video course— www.Jenkins.tv/SW
The first thing my friend Ingrid showed me as we began talking was her Bible— the one she had when she was 21. Inside, she wrote an inscription, something she believed God told her…
“I love you and I want you to be free.”
⭐️
Ingrid was around alcohol her entire life. Casually.
She tried it when she was 12— and immediately spit it out.
“That’s important,” she says, “because we learn that it’s an acquired taste. We don’t naturally like things which are harmful to our bodies.”
(The good news is that if it’s a learned behavior, you can unlearn it or replace it.)
Eventually, she acquired the taste and began drinking more…
Especially as she got older (it became more of a crutch, as if often does).
And as she got remarried (into a fabulous family of extroverts who never meet strangers, always invite everyone Into the home, and constantly pull out more chairs for more people).
“It was just the perfect storm,” she says.
She found a path forward and quit.
And, her husband, who had been her “drinking buddy,” quit with her.
⭐️
Today, Ingrid coaches clients on how to be free of alcohol. And, she does so from a position of grace and empowerment, by helping people change their mindset and their beliefs about alcohol.
She helps people explore questions like…
👉 Does this really relax me?
(No, alcohol messes up your sleep, jacks up your cortisol, messes with your adrenalin, and creates anxiety… then, you drink more to take the edge off… but, you create a bigger problem by drinking more. Before long, you’re just feeding the beast.)
👉 Does this really serve me?
(Most of the time, the honest answer… is no.
It doesn’t reduce anxiety, it doesn’t create mental clarity, it doesn’t make you feel better.)
In other words, she doesn’t lead with “will-power” or deprivation— two things which don’t, long-term, work.
👉 Does this really numb out the bad stuff?
(Sure, but you can’t selectively “numb.” If you’re hiding yourself from the bad, you’re also hiding from the good. You need to be able to experience both, so you can navigate life wholly.)
⭐️
On the other side of her freedom march in this area, Ingrid found more confidence in her decision-making ability. And she discovered she could be happy without being propped up by any external thing.
Most people find the same…
She leads structured groups for 3 months and meets with clients 1:1.
She finds that groups allow people to support and lean on each other— and see that they’re not alone in the journey.
She also provides—
👉 a video each day
👉 written prompts
👉 journaling exercises
⭐️
This reminded me of 1 John 1:7, where we’re told that if we walk in the light we find true connection with each other— and cleaning.
And of James 5:16, where we’re told to confess… to each other… so that we can experience healing.
And of Galatians 5:1— it is for FREEDOM you’ve been set free…
++++
Links…
Need better habits in your life? Check out the new app at www.Jenkins.tv/app — we’ve partnered with Oola to bring you an incredible resource that helps you define your purpose, live with less stress, and accomplish more.
Soul Wholeness is the latest book + video course on the site. The soul is uniquely different than the spirit— and is the place where habits and emotions and feelings dwell. Learn more about the project at www.Jenkins.tv/SW
My friend Barbara has always been an event planner. Even when she was a kid, she planned parties and hosted everyone— gifting them with an experience that just made things “better.”
In college, in fact, she studied event management and even took a specialized (read: adapted for her) course plan towards earning her Master’s.
That led her overseas where she planned and hosted events at one of the best venues in the city…
But, of course, life happens.
And things aren’t always as rosy as they seem.
Late in her 20s, Barbara began doing some soul searching. Now at home staring a family, she found herself excited (new blessings) and depleted (new revelations) all at once.
(Such is life, right? As we often say: Life is beautiful, and life is also hard.)
In a short time frame, Barbara:
- Lost her 2.5 year old niece (and walked with her sister through that journey)
- Lost two family members to suicide
- Lost her closest guy friend
- Saw her own marriage end
In other words, life imploded.
⭐️
By the way, Barbara has a certification in the “Science of Happiness” from Berkley. She coaches individuals— and corporations.
(Happier employees are more productive employees— and that increases the bottom line and helps everyone.)
In time, Barbara boomeranged back to her original passion— events. But this time she did so with a healthier perspective, one informed by past experience and one shared from her position of health rather than a position of unbridled hustle.
Then Covid hit— and all of the events were placed on standby. And then they were postponed…
⭐️
During 2020 Barbara had an idea— what if she used the same knowledge (and science) she used to create great events to deliver the “event” in a box?
Happy Event Co morphed into the Happy Box Co.
The “boxes” feature items from local vendors (who were also struggling with the pivot during the pandemic), and have become an ongoing feature Barbara continues to create.
And, of course, it was all built on the science of happiness.
They feature products designed to:
👉 boost dopamine (a “goal” chemical)
👉 lean into your body’s desire for serotonin (calms you down when you’re stressed— and can be achieved in healthy ways rather than over-induling on chocolate or other sweets that lead to “crashes”)
👉 works with the colors that bring fun (i.e., yellow and pink are fun, red is aggressive!)
👉 acknowledges that oxytocin (in a good way) illicit trust— and benefits the giver and the receiver of a gift.
👉 understands who mirror neurons work…
⭐️
Barbara said she just knew this was something she was supposed to do…
… yet, she wasn’t so sure where the idea came from (Was it God? Was it her? She was hesitant to say…)
I took her to 1 Corinthians 2:16— which says, “You have the mind of Christ” in most modern versions of the Bible.
A better translation is, “You have the IMAGINATION of Christ.”
That is, the supernatural deposits ideas in each of us… some of us, with a science-backed (and supernatural empowered) destiny to bring the fun…
⭐️
I asked Barbara for a few things, practically speaking, everyone can do each day to elevate the fun…
✅ Your music matters. In the same way sound sets the environment at a party or a play or any other place, it can set the mood for your day.
✅ Dance. Even if you don’t know how to. It’s impossible to be miserable while you dance.
✅ Small things. Notice them. And do them. Like the cup of coffee you like. Or the sunset. Or the walk. We often think that happiness comes in one big bulk gain. It doesn’t. It comes in small does, added up, over time. Keep your tank full.
✅ Go outside. Sit in the shade and enjoy the breeze. Go to the park. We need vitamin D AND nature…
✅ Colors. Don’t do drab every day. Break the monotony (plus, when you look better, you feel better).
✅ Smile at people. And even talk to strangers. It’s almost impossible for them to NOT smile back.
✅ Create a small “reward” to look forward to. And then enjoy it (i.e., something you’ll do at the end of the day, when work is done, etc.)
Notice, nothing above costs money….
_________________
Links for this show
Barbara’s website: www.HappyEventCo.com
For more: Read Shawn Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage: https://amzn.to/3aowCi0
Take the free 21 day challenge— www.Jenkins.tv/21
Freedom is found when you no longer need to self-protect…
🎭
In this talk we discuss the third— and final— soul wound(s) of the Soul Wholeness series, guilt and shame.
It’s a nasty tag-team duo that works like this…
🧐
We’re born with a moral compass— an internal rudder of right and wrong. When we violate our personal conscience, soul wounds can occur. Moral Injury, a soul wound akin to PTSD, is often the result. Rather than eliciting a fight or flight response, MI creates feelings of guilt and shame.
Here are the main ideas to listen for—
👉 “Moral Injury” occurs when we violate our code of morality, that is, of right and wrong. The result... is guilt & shame.
👉 The uncommon cure for Moral Injury— for guilt & shame— is mature love.
Now, pause right here…
… the ODDEST part of this reality is that so often we inflict the people closest to us with the most “immature” versions of love.
Those are the people we seek to berate, belittle, and bash…
And that leads to the final observation—
👉 In relationships you can choose intimacy or control, as well as transparency or hiding... but not both.
True love expels fear with great intensity, creating space where people own who they are and move forward to who they’re designed to be.
The all-too-uncommon cure for guilt & shame is receiving forgiveness— unconditional love— from someone the wounded person believes has the moral authority to grant that forgiveness.
💙💙💙💙
Listen in…
Putting this into practice has the potential to revolutionize… well… everything.
To change the fruit, (first) take care of the root—
🌳🌳🌳🌳
In this talk we continue the Soul Wholeness series…
… and discuss the topic of soul ties.
Here’s why: Issues arise when we attach our hearts, for any reason, to the wrong place. When we do, bad fruit always emerges. When we connect our hearts in the right way to the right things, beauty emerges.
💙💙💙
Here are the main ideas of this convo:
👉 The “fruit” we see in our lives is a result of the unseen “roots.” To grow better fruit you must nurture better roots.
👉 Addiction happens when we attach our hearts—
❌ To the wrong things, or
❌ To the right things for wrong reasons
And, note: we can find ourselves “addicted” to many things. In fact, over 2/3 of the people who seek addiction help do not have a chemical dependency.
👉 The cure for bad “roots” = knowing and walking in your true identity. When we get this healthy, good fruit emerges.
💙💙💙
Dealing with soul ties isn’t about legalism; it’s about walking in freedom— so that nothing hinders us from embracing who we’re designed to be.
++++
Again…
To change the fruit, (first) take care of the root—
It’s impossible to ride a bike— at 20mph+ — while looking BACK over your shoulder.
Straight up, if you try it, you’ll crash 90% of the time.
Same is true in life.
It’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to live forward while constantly looking back over your shoulder.
Here’s what that observation has to do with soul health…
We’re designed to grow by exploring the world around us. But, we bump into painful experiences as we do. So, we create (often unconscious) rules to protect ourselves from future pain.
In other words, we create a default mechanism, internally, to try and RIDE forward while steering based on the past…
That doesn’t make TOTAL sense (it makes SOME sense, for sure). The pavement in the past doesn’t always best predict the landscape ahead…
Some of the “rules” and reference points we create ARE ACTUALLY functional (and help us), others are dysfunctional (and hinder us).
In this talk I reference three rules of human nature, related to soul health, govern how we uniquely approach the world.
Then, we’ll go farther. We’ll discuss how these rules can create ruts— both good and bad.
- Functional rules = friends = help us (don’t touch a hot stove, fear of heights, walking down dark alley)
- Dysfunctional = foes = hinder us (lack of trust in relationships, fear of failure, etc.)
In the the end, we eventually get more of what we expect, creating a “flywheel” of momentum.
In other words, if we don’t work through the “triggers” we discussed in the previous video (linked below) also we often find ourselves constantly living from “soul memory,” something much like muscle memory.
How does it fit with soul health?
Well, in the same way you can’t ride the cycle by always looking over your shoulder, you can’t drive through life by constantly staring over your shoulder. Peak back when you need to…
But live “ahead,” leaning forward…
++++++++++
Learn more at the link here— www.Jenkins.tv/freedom3
Get the audiobook free by reviewing the app. Details at www.Jenkins.tv/LL
Video course referenced at www.SoulWholeness.online
Brandon Lazarre is the founder of Your Purpose Coaching, and serves as a life coach with a unique angle towards helping you discover your specific design…
… that design, in turn, launches you into your purpose.
🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹
Brandon uses the analogy of an arrow— and says we’ve all been created, like arrows, differently than other arrows.
Some arrows…
🎯 Explode and cause a big “boom,” like Rambo.
🎯 Others are like those with which you hunt deer— they resemble a precise surgical scalpel.
🎯 Still others are more blunt— like practice arrows.
But they’re all needed, each of them (and others) fulfilling a specific purpose.
His tagline is…
⭐️Everyone is created by God to create something that only they can create.⭐️
🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹
Brandon outlines 5 characteristics which help you define your purpose— and see what your arrow is like (again, all of them being unique):
✅ Personality
He uses the DISC profile for this assessment, noting that each of us favor two of the following…
👉 D = Dominant / directive… prefer tasks, and work well with groups.
👉 I = Influencing / Inspirational… prefer to help people, and work well in groups.
👉 S = Steady / faithful… prefer to help people and do well alone.
👉 C = Detail oriented… prefer tasks and work well alone.
✅ Passions + Interests + Talents
Brandon likes to set these items “on the table,” too, so we can see the bigger picture and learn more about who we are.
✅ Spiritual gifting
This is what he refers to as the “X-factor,” and is where the supernatural kicks in…
… and it fits well with his tagline…
⭐️ Everyone is created by God to create something that only they can create.⭐️
✅ Struggles
Brandon breaks our struggles into two categories…
👉 Past brokenness shows us pain points the Lord can use from our journey to encourage, equip, and empower others…
👉 Barriers highlight temptations and fault-lines we might face in the present.
It’s important to be aware of both.
✅ The overlap of time + place + people
Finally, the trifecta here acknowledges that many things in life are an issue of sovereign convergence. When we see these things aligning, we can recognize the hand of God moving— especially when the areas above (personality, passions, gifting, struggles) all speak into the same situation…
Bottom line = you’re made for more. You’re designed for extraordinary, so don’t settle for ordinary.
+++++++++++
For more info…
👉 Brandon’s website = www.BrandonLazarre.com
👉 Reach Brandon (call + text) = 205-362-1610
To learn more about your gifts + calling…
👉 Check my book LifeLift at www.LifeLift.online
👉 Find balance and grow in each area of your life at www.Jenkins.tv/21
👉 Join the #HilltopHangout Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
My friend Randy has been working on a book, Immerse, for the past few months. This one is all about finding confidence in your faith, by learning who you really are…
… that, in turn, provides you with certainty.
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Randy and I began this conversation by talking about butterflies— and how a caterpillar enters a cocoon and emerges as something totally new— something so radically different that there’s no correlation between what was “before” and what is “after.”
So it is with us (2 Corinthians 5:17).
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
That leads us to the first main idea of this discussion— faith is NOT about behaving a certain way, it’s about BECOMING who we really are, who we’re designed to be.
Randy refers to the book of Ephesians, where Paul reminds us—
✅ We were dead (chapter 1)
✅ We are not only not alive, but we are God’s workmanship— His art— His artistic expression— to this world (chapter 2).
Furthermore, we were planned before time began…
This means that God had insight into our destiny long before our mess-ups, mistakes, and mash-ups. That is, grace is bigger than any blunder you’ve made (or even any blunders done against you).
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Our unique transformation— into who we are, restores what was lost with the Fall. Adam and Eve…
❌ Lost life (they eventually died, though not at that precise moment of their sin)
❌Lost light (they began walking in darkness, their minds clouded to the truth, confused as to what was really happening)
❌Lost love (they built barriers between each other and God, distance entered relationships)
Jesus uniquely restores each of these areas…
✅ We receive life from Him.
✅ We walk in the light with Him.
✅ We experience— and then share— His love.
Randy reminds us that each of these three highlight things John clarifies as “certainties” of our faith (see 1 John 5:13).
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Furthermore, John says that— as we walk into our new creation identity—
✅ We desire Scripture, and allow the Word of God to wash over us…
✅ We love others…
✅ We don’t love the things of the world— not because we “force ourselves not to,” but because our desires, our cravings, change.
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
And there’s more…
We learn that…
✅ We’re forgiven (of all past, present, and future sin) (see Hebrews 10:14).
✅ We are brought into a household, the family of God.
✅ We have a different citizenship…
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Again, it’s all based on the notion that the same grace that saves us is the same grace which ALSO empowers us to live the life we’re created for…
++++
For more info…
👉 Find Randy’s website at www.BeRefreshed.org
And…
👉 Download by free book, Redemption, about radical faith, at www.Jenkins.tv/R
👉 Find balance and grow in each area of your life at www.Jenkins.tv/21
👉 Join the #HilltopHangout Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Two of the joys we most crave— freedom from guilt & shame and authentic community— exist in the place which seems scariest, the light. Those who are willing to “go there” discover true freedom comes not in hiding, but in realizing there’s nothing more to cover-up.
++++
For years— probably a decade or more— I was told I needed to share my story with others.
“There’s power in it. And healing,” I was encouraged. “Your words will set people free.”
A family member felt certain that owning my story would set me free, too.
The problem was that my story was… well… I didn’t want to confront it. I didn’t want to admit what was there, buried somewhere between all the pages. In order to share your story with others, you’ve got to admit that it is, in fact, your story.
Parts of it were hurtful, painful, and self-incriminating. Parts of it were embarrassing. They were at the time, anyway.
I was afraid that in sharing I would suddenly find myself not accepted but rejected. And, as you might imagine from a guy who reveals that he’s “defensive” on a psych eval, relationships have been a fragile thing for me. I didn’t want to deal with the “distance” with which people often inflict punishment when you disappoint them. Rather than dealing with with truth— and moving into the light— I was content to live in the shadows.
As such, I got cozy there. I made my home in the dark for decades.
Trouble is, there’s no freedom in the places we hide— just a lot of fear. Whereas we think that walking into the light causes fear and that living in the hidden places provides safety, the opposite proves true.
1 John 1:7-9 is a passage that’s come to mean a great deal to me (NIV, emphasis added):
…if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Scripture promises us that when we walk in the light (i.e., the “open”), two things happen: cleansing and community (John refers to “community” as “fellowship”)…
Are those not two of the things we most crave…
👉 A clear conscience?
👉 A community of people who, though imperfect, each hope and believe and call forth the best in each other, empowering the entire group to be who we’re designed to be?
Those two are found in the open, when we own our stuff, and begin stepping forward…
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
+++++++++
Links
Take the PTSD Self-Check at www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
Learn more about the book, the video course, and more at www.Jenkins.tv/SW
We each have a body, a soul, and a spirit. It’s easy to confuse the soul and the spirit, but distinguishing each from the other is essential to walk in total health.
++++
One of the most difficult aspects of navigating life is the constant tension between what we believe in theory to be true— and what we “know” in reality to be true.
For instance—
The Bible tells us we are complete in Christ (Galatians 4:19), but we often feel empty.
The Bible tells us we are forgiven and that God doesn’t even remember our past sins (see Hebrews 8:12), but we sometimes still feel guilty.
The Bible tells us God is doing something in us and that He will complete it (see Philippians 1:6), yet we often feel stuck— like we’re not really getting anywhere.
Oddly enough, the Bible actually embraces this tension. For instance, Hebrews 10:14 says, “... He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified...”
Notice the two— seemingly opposite— realities:
The work is complete (“He has perfected…”)
We are in process (“…those who are being sanctified.”)
Though this sounds like one massive contradiction, it starts making sense once we understand there are multiple “layers” to us. As we learn to live from the right “part” of us, we find ourselves empowered to move through the lenses of the invisible truth rather than focusing on the visible reality staring us in the face. That, in turn, begins changing what we see.
I know. It sounds super-confusing.
+++++
We must recognize there is an “outer person” and an “inner person” to each of us. In some sense, we do. But, most of us don’t realize the Bible also teaches that we are comprised of a body, a soul, and a spirit— and that the soul and the spirit are two different entities. That is, the “inner person” can be subdivided even more.
We intuitively understand that in order to be healthy we must take care of our bodies. That’s a given. But we’ve also got to take care of both aspects of the “inner person.” In other words, health involves not only spiritual wholeness but also soul wholeness, because the body is different than the spirit and the spirit is different than the soul.
We often confuse “soul” and “spirit” as the same. They are different. Hebrews 4:12 says (emphasis added),
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
According to this passage, the Word of God “divides us,” so we can effectively discern what is spirit and what is soul.
It’s easy to separate the “body” from the “spirit” or the “body” from the “soul.” But delineating the “soul” from the “spirit” sometimes proves a bit more difficult.
The word piercing in the Hebrews verse in the original Greek language is more akin to a precise surgical scalpel than a wieldy William Wallace-like battle sword bludgeoning someone. That is, sometimes it requires close and careful attention to discern which part of us is soul and which part is spirit. Reality is far more nuanced than “black and white.”
++++
Let’s briefly discuss the differences between the spirit and the soul— because this concept is foundational for walking in soul health…
The Spirit is the part of us which immediately renews when we awaken to God’s grace. As well, it is the part of us that is “one” with Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:17 tells us, “Whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit” (NIV).
This spirit is the true “inner man” we want to live from. It is the key to pulling the unseen world into the visible world around us. The problem is that the spirit is often hidden beneath or behind the soul.
And, whereas the spirit is quiet, steady, and humble, the soul can become aggressive, outraged, and opinionated. Quickly. In other words, the soul is the internal part of us that’s still “in process.”
The soul is comprised of the following:
-
The mind, which includes our thoughts
-
The will, which includes our desires
-
The emotions, which includes our feelings
Are those not the parts of us that cause the most problems and create the most chaos?
In this talk we break it down and begin stepping towards total health…
_____
Links for this talk =
The Soul Wholeness book + other info is available at www.SoulWholeness.com
The 5/7 online event info is at www.SoulWholeness.online
Join the Facebook group I mentioned, the #Hilltop Hangout, at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
The resurrection isn’t only something that happened to Jesus, it’s something that also happened to you.
+++++
Here’s why and how…
Jesus not only died in our place, He also lived in our place…
That is, He gives you His death and He gives you His life… and more— that’s actually just the tip of the iceberg.
Let me explain…
500 years ago, Martin Luther taught that Jesus walked among us and lived as a man from birth all the way to age 33 in order to capture the essence of being a truly alive human, one who lives fully to the glory of God. He lived a lifetime of obedience that neither you or I have.
Then, at the Cross, He doesn’t just give us His death, sacrificing His blood for ours. No, He gives us His life, too— the resurrected life.
Further, He doesn’t only gift us that resurrected life, He offers us full credit for all of His obedience, thereby taking all of our sin on Himself in the process.
This, Luther concluded, is what Paul meant when he penned, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).
Luther called it "The Glorious Exchange.”
Or, as some translators term it, "The Wonderful Trade.”
For sure, it’s a trade-up for whatever we’ve had…
And, once you understand it, it TOTALLY changes how you see your identity, who you are...
Paul says that— in light of the bigger reality of Jesus’ work on our behalf, everything we’ve been included in— we should no longer “regard” anyone according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV)…
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
That is, we shouldn’t value people based on what they look like in their mortal bodies-- the surface appearance.
(That's what everyone looks at-- the "outer shell"-- but there's so much more, so Paul tells us to look deeper, go internal and look eternal.).
How could we? There’s obviously so much more that’s true that we can’t see!
Jesus continues calling us to look at the things that are eternal, to the places in each of us where He’s already done that greatest work. He intends to infuse all of our lives, every bit of reality, with that…
You see, our physical bodies are simply our containers, the temples that carry around the Spirit-beings we truly are, the more-real-than-real versions of ourselves that transcended time and participated in everything Jesus did.
It's kinda mind-blowing, but we'll make it super-simple and pleasantly practical in this talk...
… recorded Easter Sunday, sitting in the office, reflecting on the weekend…
__________________
Links for this talk =
Some of this info is in chapter 3 of my LifeLift book-- learn about the book at www.LifeLift.online or purchase it on Amazon— https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
Join the Facebook group I mentioned, the #Hilltop Hangout, at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Jesus did what He saw the Father doing. He was the exact replication of the Father such that when we see Jesus, we see the reality of what God is like through both His words & His deeds.
God doesn’t simply reveal truth to you so that you can study it; He reveals Himself to be encountered and experienced.
When He shows you another facet of Himself (in this book or anywhere else!), He's inviting you to receive it. And, I guarantee, God is better experienced than merely explained.
Moreover, He invites you to receive it— in full— right then, in that moment. There’s no waiting, and He doesn’t give Himself in pieces (see John 3:34). He gives Himself— and His gifts— completely.’
We often think (because we’ve been taught) that we must “step it up” and “believe harder” in order for the Lord to do a great thing in us. I’ve heard some pastors at a well-known church say, “Dig in deeper” and “go after God.”
But, the Bible tells us clearly that faith isn’t something we generate— it’s something that comes to us (see Romans 10:17).
The gifts we receive by faith come from a faith that is also a gift in and of itself!
Galatians tells us we actually live the life we live now by the “faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20).
Look at the King James Version. Most other translations miss this one and suggest that it is faith in the Son of God. The KJV rightly denotes that God Himself places the faith there. It is His faith working in us!
The gifts we receive by faith come from a faith that is also a gift in and of itself!
If the Lord places within you a desire for freedom, it is His invitation for you to receive it. And it is His faith alive in you which makes it happen!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Download the free ebook on this website at https://www.jenkins.tv/R
Buy the paperback on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2EdbdKD
Join the free Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
In the final talk in our Life Planning series we discuss time management— and the reality of tradeoffs.
🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳
We’ve got to be honest with ourselves; we can’t do everything.
And, a yes to one thing is most often a no to something else (and vice versa— a no now empowers us to say yes later).
We shouldn’t see this as restrictive, but as freeing…
… so freeing that we actually place things on our calendar.
You see, our calendar reflects our stewardship of our most valuable currency, time. In the same way our bank statements reveal what we value, so also do our day planners.
🗓
So, if it’s important, protect it… budget it… steward it…
Just like money.
Although, here’s reality, time might be an even MORE valuable asset that cold card 💰, because you can always make more money— yet no one has found a way to develop, save, find, or create time…
This talk will help you define— and then focus on— the things which matter most, so that you can build a life that truly matters.🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
Links mentioned in this talk—
If you just dropped in on this talk, review the previous talks...
Download the free PDF of the planner— www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Purchase the Advance paperback book mentioned in this talk on Amazon— https://amzn.to/33Hy0ZU
Join the Oola group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Wherever we focus our time + energy will grow— for good or bad. So, it’s important that we focus on the things we want to grow.
In talk #3 we dive deep into the law of the harvest, that is, sowing and reaping. And, we see that it works in every area of life.
🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎
Sowing and reaping is a principle implemented on the 3rd day when the power of seed bearing plants were spoken forth by God (Genesis 1:11). You know the principle: like begets like based on something already inside the first of the “likes.”
Somehow, we've just assumed that “seed” only works in biology. However, “seed” is a principle of creation which works in every area of life.
This is what Moses meant when he taught “Whatever you put your hand to prospers” (Deuteronomy 15:10).
Here’s how it works…
✅ You reap WHAT you sow…
So plant the right thing.
✅ You reap it WHERE you sow it…
So plant it where you want the seed to grow…
✅ You reap MORE than you sow…
So, rest assured— for good or bad— your efforts will be multiplied!.
✅ You reap AFTER you sow…
So don’t delay. Start now. The sooner you sow, the sooner you the harvest comes.
Plus…
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
Though we cannot control the harvest (like a farmer), we can manage the cultivation process. We can faithfully do the work set before us, even the unglamorous and simple…
Small actions doing regularly, over time, have incredible results. So, we should never underestimate the power of simply showing up with our best selves and faithful tending to our field.
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
++++++++++
Links mentioned in this talk—
If you just dropped in on this talk, review the previous talks, beginning...
Download the free PDF of the planner— www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Purchase the Advance paperback book mentioned in this talk on Amazon— https://amzn.to/33Hy0ZU
Join the Oola group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
In talk #2 of the Life Planning series we discuss the soundtrack which plays in our heads.
Who’s got a bad one, sometimes?
✋
And, who needs to change the story they tell themselves?
✋
Yeah— all of us at one point or another…
Here’s why…
👉 We’ll live from the story that’s playing there moreso than any other thing. Whereas many of us are quick to “shut up” someone who speaks against us, we need to learn to manage our own negative self-talk as well.
Read that again.
Slowly.
Manage. Your. Own. Negative. Self. Talk.
😬
This doesn’t mean we deny reality or cease being honest with ourselves. Rather, it acknowledges that our thoughts— and our mindset— are important factors in how we live.
Many times, we react negatively to our circumstances because they seem mundane. We compare our “normal” with other people’s “highs.”
But, when we look at reality, we see that the supernatural most often happens amidst the ordinary. Understanding this frees us to embrace the small blessings of everyday life— and even plan for them.
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
Links mentioned in this talk—
If you just dropped in on this talk, review the previous talk...
Download the free PDF of the planner— www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Purchase the Advance paperback book mentioned in this talk on Amazon— https://amzn.to/33Hy0ZU
Join the Oola group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
Many of us hate goal setting, but we know we should do it. That is, living with intentionality is better than “doing random” or just “going with the flow.”
🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
But maybe there’s something about how we’re often taught to set goals that unsettles us moreso than the idea of goal setting itself.
In this 4-part series, we break it down and offer another way to look at things, empowering you to move from where you are to where you’re designed to be.
Here’s where we begin…
In talk #1 we learn that there’s a certain rhythm to Creation— a way things just “work.” Specifically, the universe runs on rest, on intentional bursts of on and then “off.”
But two things knock us off balance—
👉 Anxiety
👉 Identity issues
This tag-team duo keeps us from taking that much-needed reset (we need it daily, weekly, and even annually). The result is that our bodies don’t rebuild physically, we don’t reset mentally, and we don’t regulate very well emotionally.
That knocks us out of whack. Big time.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
When we step into the intentional rhythm of Creation, we live from a a different center.
Furthermore, we begin to see a blur between what is truly sacred and what is secular. That is, we discover that any activity can be holy and set apart for supernatural use. This frees us to stewards the gifts and time and calling that we’ve been given…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
And once we understand that, we’re ready to truly begin living the life we’re designed to live.
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
Links mentioned in this talk—
Download the free PDF of the planner— www.Jenkins.tv/FreePlannerPDF
Purchase the Advance paperback book mentioned in this talk on Amazon— https://amzn.to/33Hy0ZU
Join the Oola group at www.Facebook.com/groups/AndrewEJenkins
If any one thing is characteristic of ALL of us, it’s likely that inner struggle we feel…
“I want to do this, but I know I should do that…”
Or-
“I don’t know WHY I did that thing right there— I’d already decided I wasn’t going to…”
We do this with “big” things and “small” things, with actions we would classify as sins and everyday occurrences as simple as sleeping in too late, fudging on the diet, loosing our temper, letting something fluster us, or even allowing something to get under our skin…
Paul wrote about it in Romans 7:14f— “the good the I want to do, I don’t do… and the evil I don’t want to do… I find myself doing that!”
Who can relate?
🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Yeah— all of us, in some way, if we’re honest…
❌ That’s the bad news.
✅ The good news is that Jesus was tempted in every way we’re tempted (Hebrews 4:15). That means, yes, He faced— and beat— the same struggle…
And, then He actually DEFEATED it on our behalf.
Theologians use the term “bondage of the will” to refer to this tension…
… and it goes ALL THE WAY BACK to the Garden of Eden.
🌳🌳🌳
Whereas Adam gave away his freedom- and ours- in the garden, Jesus regained it. And Jesus has returned it to you.
Here’s what happened: Matthew says that Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but as You will... (see 26:39f.).”
Notably, this is written in the context of Jesus wishing there was another way to secure our redemption- another way besides facing the Cross.
(In other words, even then He faced that same internal tango between this/that + that/this.)
👉👉👉
Before praying, Jesus tells us disciples that they should “watch and pray” with Him. He says that the spirit is willing- but that the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
Yes, Jesus sensed the internal tug-of-war that we all experience. The “good” in you (God’s Spirit) wants to walk the perfect path God has ordained- no matter how difficult it may be. The flesh, though, often wants another route.
(Don’t emphasize the weakness of the flesh— Jesus didn’t. Lean into the strength of the Spirit!)
When Jesus laid down His will in a DIFFERENT Garden, His obedience became ours— because His life is now our very life….
Want to be free of the inner struggle?
That’s the subject of this week’s talk—
It’s easy to spiritualize the promises of God (detaching them from real life) or even futurize them (punt them to the after-life).
Especially when things look bleak.
Especially when things have looked bleak for a long time (we often think we won’t be disappointed if we feel that things are just *supposed to be this way, that things don’t get better until it’s all over).
I do it all the time… I think, “Geez, things will eventually get better.
🤷♂️ But what if there are lessons available now?
🤷♂️ And what is some of the glory + beauty that we hope for in the future is ALSO for today?
I was reading one morning and noticed something…
The early church looked at it OPPOSITE way that we do— they were SO CERTAIN that the promises of God were for the present that they even relegated to after life to unnecessary.
That’s right. No resurrection. No after-life. No heaven.
Paul corrected their theological error (1 Corinthians 15) and, in doing so, showed us something remarkable.
👉 We don’t have to pick and choose.
👉 The gifts of God are for later… and they’re for now.
Our hope is eternal. It transcends the present to work in the future, it redeems (and restores) our past… and it’s good for right now, wherever we are.
Without faith, it’s impossible to “please God” (Hebrews 11).
That’s what the Bible says, anyway…
It also says that obedience is essential in order to please God (John 15).
Makes me wonder…
How many times have people felt beat down, squooshed down, the life-sucked-out-of-them, and spiritually vaporized all because…
👉 they didn’t have enough faith, so (they were told that because of that) they weren’t healed?
👉 they didn’t “trust God” enough, so (because of that, they were told) that situation that was bleak got even worse?
👉 they had some unrepentant, hidden sin or misdeed (like Job’s friends wrongly accused him of), so God couldn’t turn things around…?
It seems so odd, doesn’t it, once you spell it out on paper…
… yet, this is the stuff many of us believe.
I want you to notice something…
Something about FAITH and OBEDIENCE.
💡 Both of these actions are the RESULTS, the natural overflow, of encountering His radical grace + unconditional love.
💡That is, they don’t create dynamic spirituality, they’re the RESULTS of an authentic encounter.
We need to shift the burden…
… off of each other, and onto grace….
Because FAITH and OBEDIENCE are the effects of a supernatural encounter, not the causes of it…
I talk about it here.
Too many times we view ourselves based on our past.
We do this with all kinds of sins, shortcomings, failures, and missteps…. this labeling ourselves on the past rather than our potential.
We do this because we understand that those things were actually once part of our identity. In fact, in the case of sin, the sins emerged from who we were.
Sin is personal— it doesn’t exist apart from people.
Here’s the good news, though. Cleanness is stronger that uncleanness. Grace is stronger than grit and grime.
You might understand it better like this…
💡light overpowers darkness
💡And, it doesn’t struggle to do it, either.
💡Whenever and wherever light is near, darkness simply disappears.
💡Moreover, when it does, that darkness is actually transformed into something completely different.
Stop looking at your past. God sees your potential.
And that’s good news for all of us…
The word “convict” can mean “to cast judgment as to guilt” or it can mean “to convince” (i.e., people in prison are called convicts, but beliefs we hold dear to use are often called CONVICTION).
Which one does God do to us— because we read the the Holy Spirit convicts us…?
Does He do the kind that is punitive?
Or does He do the convincing kind…?
My thoughts =
You’re not being punished…
When things are going quite as you planned, it’s easy to think there’s some cosmic judge behind the scenes, seeking to “mess up” stuff on your behalf and “give you what you deserve.”
(Especially in the area of RELATIONSHIPS & MONEY!)
Maybe you’ve even done the negative self-talk about that kinda thing…
“I’m so ________________________ [insert the negative phrase of your choice here].”
Been there, done it, have the t-shirt.
Let me offer you this perspective…
The voice inside of you (some people call it the Holy Spirit) isn’t here to convince you that you are bad, evil, janked-up, etc…
In fact, there’s one who IS called the accuser…
On the other hand, the Spirit convinces- ahh, let’s just say it, convicts- you that you are righteous.
Not wrong. But righteous.
Here's where I get that:
👉 Jesus took all judgment on Himself (John 12:32), 2,000. Years ago.
👉 The Holy Spirit takes what is His and gives it to you, constantly reminding you (read: convincing / convicting you) that sin has been handled and you are righteous (see John 16:12).
That’s right, the Holy Spirit persuades you about righteousness. He doesn’t do this by giving you a pile of bad things you've done or a checklist of good deeds which you need to do.
Rather, the Holy Spirit does this by convincing you- by convicting you- that you are free to be who you were created to be.
🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of His grace, which He made abound toward us...” (Ephesians 1:7-8).
+++
Redemption— in the ancient world— meant “freedom.”
We toss it around, along with other “church words,” without really thinking too much about it…
But the word is deep.
And, as Jesus was called our Redeemer… it was a word that linked Jesus to freedom- to a freedom from the yoke of bondage.
Furthermore, redemption not only means “freedom,” it means freedom now in this life, not later after you die…
++++
This week’s talk is up and (after a short intro last week) it starts a new series of talks…
About redemption.
+++
Redemption is a common “Bible word,” a term we read a lot and even mention a great deal, but it’s one of those words we don’t really understand.
The word was in common use in the ancient world. Specifically, the word redemption “was used in slave markets to refer to the price paid either to purchase a person, or to purchase that person’s release.”
We toss it around, along with other “church words,” without really thinking too much about it…
But the word is deep….
Outside of the church today, we see the word used in pawn shops. When someone comes to “free” their property which has been held; they pay the redemption price and their property is loosed to them.
(You’re probably beginning to make theological connections even now.)
And, as Jesus was called our Redeemer… it was a word that linked Jesus to freedom- to a freedom from the yoke of bondage.
But, there’s something we need to catch ABOUT redemption…
In seminary I learned about “the law of first mention,” a precept that tells us to really comprehend something in the Biblical narrative, we need to dig deep into the first time we see the word or concept introduced.
To understand the redeeming work of Jesus and to comprehend everything achieved by His blood, we need to travel way back through the Old Testament to the book Exodus. The story of Israel's freedom provides incredible insight into the life Jesus offers each of us.
In this talk, we discuss what it means that—
👉 Thousands of years ago, a people living in real time + real space found themselves in a jam, with no way out…
👉 God intervened, and redeemed them in their lifetime (I.e., they didn’t wait until they died + went to heaven to experience what He had for them)
👉 It wasn’t an easy journey, for sure… but was something they had to proactively choose
👉 The people closest to Jesus looked back at THAT story to define what Jesus did for us, 2,000 years ago…
This story is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
In THAT story, we learn that redemption not only means “freedom,” it means freedom NOW in this life, not later after you die…
“Christ became for each of us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
+++++
A few years ago I read Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning. In that book he reminds us of some of the perplexing truths in Scripture—
-
“All things work together for the good” (Romans 8:28).
-
“All things are made beautiful in His time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Notice— Paul (who wrote Romans) does say that all things are good. Rather, he contends that all things— even the worst of all things— work together in our favor.
Manning suggests this includes the horrible things other people (i.e., government officials rolling over and asking for payoffs in order to follow the laws they’re elected to actually adhere to, people turning against us), as well as the sins we commit.
Even then, at our own worst moments, God works on our behalf.
Though waiting is often involved— and thew “new” doesn’t appear overnight— God often uses these times to impart something to us that can’t be acquired ay other way.
Lots of uncertainty in our stories…
Sometimes you wonder who’s writing the script, right?
Keep stepping, walking forward….
You have access to the Author (and Finisher)—
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Yes, the best way to live forward is to look back and remind ourselves of who the Father says we are, to evaluate our place in His story, and to stay in close proximity to the Author and Finisher of our faith.
And, you have His very mind—
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Plus, you have the ability to not only know what He desires, but you also have the capacity to walk it out—
“… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).
Easy?
No.
But, in the midst of the chaos and confusion that each day brings… we already know the end of the story.
Have faith.
Be grateful.
One day Jesus spoke to the religious elite (Luke 15). The people who were in “church” every Sabbath. The ones who kept the most definitive rules and measured others on their moral compass.
They wondered why Jesus consistently did what I just mentioned- left those who thought they had it all together to befriend those whom we’re all sure don’t.
Instead of just answering the question, He told the story of a man who had two boys. One was bad, the other was “good.” The young, “bad” one actually wished his father dead. So he could get on with his life apart from the rules. Kind of like a “God doesn’t exist” thing.
The older one persisted in the rules. He kept it together.
Of course, everything came crashing down for the young one. It was predictable. The rate of depression, divorce, addiction, and even suicide is documented and backed by colorful charts with big numbers. (The elitists probably cheered or at least smirked when this happened in the story.)
Jesus wasn’t done with the story, though.
That poor “wretch” of a son came to his senses. It would be better to go back and be a simple servant, he thought. So that’s what he did. He’d become a statistic; now he needed redemption.
Turns out, his father was looking for him. And ran to him. And instead of stoning him as culture- and religious rules- demanded, the father didn’t even let him apologize.
No confession of faith. No verbal repentance.
There might not have been one. The young son wasn’t heading home to be a son; he headed home ONLY because he was hungry. Destitute. It was a shallow transformation, at best.
Until, the father...
He gave this son a ring of authority. And shoes. And a robe.
And a party.
Not to the exclusion of the relationship he had to the other son, the “good” one. But along with it. Turns out, they were all family.
Yeah. Jesus told that story to religious elitists who assumed they were IN and others were OUT, and that Jesus had missed it by seeking those who had been deemed “out.”
Look at it…
Jesus called both rebels and rule-keepers to abandon their lesser identities and embrace their roles as sons & daughters of the king. When they experience the lavish love of their Father, the natural response is to overflow that connection to others.
Everyone in the body of Christ has a special purpose, something they offer that only they can bring. Learning how to encourage people to fulfill their destiny enhances their life and it blesses the church as a whole.
Answering some of the commonly asked questions about spiritual gifts not only helps us clarify what the gifts are, but it also empowers us to serve our purpose with even more clarity and confidence.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online .
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
God’s will for our lives can’t be reduced to a formula, as the true treasures of the Kingdom are found in relationship.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
Discovering your purpose includes working through the areas of instructional obedience, your natural talents + created design, and— then— your spiritual gifts.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
Understanding the reason we’ve been gifted highlights their highly relational nature.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
Spiritual gifts are different than natural talents, they aren’t confined to or defined by positions and titles, and they’re not constrained to the four walls of the church.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
The New Testament authors spend more time defining spiritual gifts and describing how to use them than they do providing us with a definitive list as to what the gifts are. As such, and since the gifts are relational, any way in which God chooses to express Himself through us might be a venue for our spiritual gifts.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
Spiritual gifts are the presence and power of God expressing Himself through His redeemed children to empower them for the work of ministry to the church and mission to the world.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
We each have a unique design— natural talents, abilities, and the bent Proverbs speaks about which are given to us when we are born. Understanding that design is part of discerning God’s call on our lives.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
As individuals, Christ lives in us. As a group, He is us. The church is the body of Christ. Each of us has a unique role as either an equipper of the saints or as a minister.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
We often presume the “will of God” is something that’s hidden, something only few people can find. However, God reveals several things in Scripture which He clearly says are His will for each of us. As we seek His specific plan for our lives, it’s best to begin with the things He’s clearly said.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
In the same way that Jesus is the perfect expression of the Father, revealing Him completely, Jesus is also the perfect expression of the written Scripture. As we mirror His image, so also do we express the black and white of the printed page in living color.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
The Holy Spirit provides us with a greater focus on Jesus, power to witness on His behalf, and increased intimacy with the Lord.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
The Holy Spirit always reveals Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has come to us so that we might join Him in doing the same.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
The role of the Holy Spirit is an often misunderstood and frightening concept (because of how it is often misrepresented). Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to His Church so that she may experience His ongoing presence, accomplish His mission, and experience a greater intimacy with Him.
Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online
Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F
We’re not only called to do the things Jesus did, we’re empowered to do them in the same manner He did them— full of love, power, and self control…
💙
A lot of people hide from each other... in friendships, at the office, in marriage... we tend to "keep something back," lest we be revealed for... well... something less that what we project that we are...
Maybe you don't do it, but I bet you know someone who does...
And that leads me into the subject of this week's talk.
Over the past two years one of my favorite verses has become 1 John 4:19-- "Perfect love drives out fear.”
Now, that word perfect doesn't mean "without flaw," it means, "living up to its full potential," that is, "over-exerting and overflowing to do the best that it can." In other words, it's mature.
Not flaky.
Not subject to the whims of our culture.
Not subject to mis-definition, blame-shifting, or pop-psych "hot words.”
It's solid. Stable. Secure. You can trust it and be confident in it.
John tells us that mature love— the love that reaches its full potential— dominates fear. It doesn’t incite fear or insecurity; it eliminates it. As such, real love makes people feel safe.
I reviewed several translations to see how they communicate the term “casts out.” Here are four ways translators describe what perfect love does.
Drives out fear (NIV).
Expels all fear (NLT).
Casts out fear (ESV).
Banishes fear (ISV).
In other words, this kind of love is strong.
Here’s how intensely it creates security: the same word used of “casts out” fear is the same verbiage used throughout the New Testament to describe how Jesus treated demons. When He bumped into them, they had no choice but to leave. He expelled them. He forced them to go. He eliminated them.
It’s a great analogy. Mature love, the God kind of love, does the exact same thing to condemnation, fear, and shame.
Perfect love drives fear away with this same passion. Fear has no choice but to leave when people are loved in this way.
They don't need to self-protect.
They don't need to feel ashamed...
They don't need to avoid or hide.
They know they are accepted.
One of the biggest issues with sin is that it distorts the image of glory we’ve been designed to carry.
(This is one of the life lessons I’ve learned the hard way, BTW— school of hard knocks.).
The greater issue is this: sin creates a distortion of our unique form, of the greatness we were given from the very beginning. Sin keeps us from seeing who we really are. Sin hinders wholeness, completion.
It holds us back from out destiny.
The word hamartia (the Greek word for "sin") actually means "without form." That is, the word sin doesn't mean "failure." Rather, actually means that we've walked away from our true identity, the blueprint we were given from the beginning of time.
BIG IDEA— >> If you get your identity right-- if you walk in your true design-- the morality takes care of itself. In fact, all of the other issues do, too.
So, when he writes about sin, Paul calls us to something greater than a do/don't mentality… he beckons us to elevate ourselves above the rules of right vs. wrong and walk in the beauty of who we were designed to be (Romans 15:15).
In ancient literature, the word meros ("form," the root of martia) is often used of blueprints— that is, designs for buildings. If the design isn’t solid, the final product is distorted from what was intended by the architect.
Paul reminds us that we have a perfect design. Sin isn’t just a moral issue, then; sin is a decision to walk away from our eternal design.
I love how, rather than appealing to a legalistic “do vs. don’t” mentality, Paul calls us to something greater... to shine as the people we really are.
That’s the subject of this talk…
The risen Jesus now lives in us, expressing Himself through each of us to the world.
Get this: you carry the image of your Creator. We know that. The Bible tells us everyone was created in God’s image. That’s why we see all human life as sacred.
A few posts ago I mentioned that Jesus is the image of God. If you want to know what God is like, well… you look at Jesus. He reveals God completely.
As odd as it sounds, though, the Bible insists over and over that you actually reveal what Jesus is like.
I know. Tough call. We know what we’re really like. Yet Scripture argues this: To encounter what Him and see what He is like, people only need to encounter you. That’s right. You.
You don’t need to go get reconnected to a source. You don’t need to get “re-filled.” You are full. And once you understand that, it makes all the difference in the world.
Listen in...
The difference between the old and the new is so radically different that no part of the first would make you possibly think it could become the second.
For virtually every day one summer I wore my day-camp shirt when I was a kid. It was from a church camp. Yellow with green words. And a green outline of a butterfly.
The shirt displayed the 2 Corinthians verse we just discussed on it, written in small print, on the front. The words NEW CREATION were highlighted to stand out, somehow signifying something about the butterfly.
Think about where butterflies come from— because this illustrates the point perfectly. A weary caterpillar makes its way to a branch, creates a cocoon, and hibernates. In time, although it seems that nothing has happened, the insect struggles and pushes its way through the hiding place…
A completely different creature emerges— something so incredibly better and qualitatively different that there’s no recognition between what existed before and what exists now. In fact, the discrepancy between the old and the new is so radically different that no part of the first would make you possibly think it could become the second.
One of the guys in a 12-step small group I attended last year told me this: “Somewhere I read that a caterpillar doesn’t just go into a cocoon and grow wings. Instead, everything about that caterpillar dissolves… into nothing. It goes away. It’s just goo that’s left. Then, miraculously, once it’s nothing, the Lord starts rebuilding it into the butterfly.”.
“It’s almost like the caterpillar has to lose it’s life— or what it thought was its life— in order to find it,” I said, recalling Jesus’ words from Matthew 10:39.
That is the Gospel. This is the life you’ve been given. It’s a totally new life, a resurrected life, an unrecognizable life which is void of any semblance from the past.
Yes, we’ve exchanged our old life for the life of Christ. We haven’t just traded the current version of ourselves for a clean version.
Why does it matter?
It matters b/c it makes all the difference in the world…
Jesus not only died in our place, He also lived in our place…
That is, He gives you His death and He gives you His life… and more— that’s actually just the tip of the iceberg.
Let me explain…
500 years ago, Martin Luther taught that Jesus walked among us and lived as a man from birth all the way to age 33 in order to capture the essence of being a truly alive human, one who lives fully to the glory of God. He lived a lifetime of obedience that neither you or I have.
Then, at the Cross, He doesn’t just give us His death, sacrificing His blood for ours. No, He gives us His life, too— the resurrected life.
Further, He doesn’t only gift us that resurrected life, He offers us full credit for all of His obedience, thereby taking all of our sin on Himself in the process.
This, Luther concluded, is what Paul meant when he penned, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).
Luther called it "The Glorious Exchange.”
Or, as some translators term it, "The Wonderful Trade.”.
And, once you understand it, it TOTALLY changes how you see your identity, who you are...
Paul says that— in light of the bigger reality of Jesus’ work on our behalf, everything we’ve been included in— we should no longer “regard” anyone according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV)…
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
That is, we shouldn’t value people based on what they look like in their mortal bodies-- the surface appearance.
(That's what everyone looks at-- the "outer shell"-- but there's so much more, so Paul tells us to look deeper, go internal and look eternal.).
How could we— There’s obviously so much more that’s true that we can’t see?
Jesus continues calling us to look at the things that are eternal, to the places in each of us where He’s already done that greatest work. He intends to infuse all of our lives, every bit of reality, with that…
You see, our physical bodies are simply our containers, the temples that carry around the Spirit-beings we truly are, the more-real-than-real versions of ourselves that transcended time and participated in everything Jesus did.
It's kinda mind-blowing, but we'll make it super-simple and pleasantly practical in this talk...
Jesus not only reveals what the Father is like; He also provides us with a mirror-image of who we’re designed to be.
We live in an era in which the time and space between the Kingdom of God and planet earth has disappeared. Though often unseen, the Kingdom is now present.
The true measure of revival isn’t what happens in a moment, it’s what happens over time. The supernatural is a lifestyle.
Kintsukuroi.
Google it.
It’s a Japanese art form in which broken pottery is repaired. Rather than restoring the piece to look as if it’s never been damaged (which is, really, impossible), the artisan injects gold into all of the cracks as the pottery is being put back together. The flaws are accentuated, celebrated. In other words, not only are they not hidden, they’re actually highlighted.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
No. The scars don’t determine the shape or design of the vessel… they don’t control it’s purpose, but they’re there. And they’re there to see.
The “new” version of the pottery looks like the old, but better. It’s simultaneously more raw and more beautiful than the original, “untainted” version.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can’t miss Paul’s analogy that we’re earthen vessels, pottery with some sort of majesty inside, waiting to come forth (see 2 Corinthians 4:7f.).
And the way it comes forth? By facing- and working through- the hard things (2 Corinthians 4:8f.).
Maybe that’s why Paul delights in weaknesses- because that’s where strength shines (2 Corinthians 12:10). That’s where grace shines brightest.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Grace + healing + wholeness… is the gold. It means our imperfections now serve a greater purpose than the pain and shame originally created.
But… the hitch…
In pottery, the gold can only be placed where there are cracks to be filled.
❌ No crack, no space.
❌ No space, no gold to fill the void.
✅ Brokenness is THE thing to which grace almost exclusively bonds.
Sometimes, Jesus heals instantly. Other times, He teaches people how to be well. Sometimes, Jesus touches us and we are dramatically changed in that moment. Other times, He imparts His wisdom to us so that we can “walk out” the freedom.
Now, think about what this really means, practically. Let’s move it from theory to real life:
👉 Jesus can heal lung cancer, but He can also teach us about the ills of smoking.
👉 He can cure diabetes. He also shows us how to eat better.
👉 He can heal sexually transmitted diseases. He also provides us with directions on how to live whole and healthy lives, as well as experience the joy of true intimacy with one person.
👉 He can heal us of the dozens of physical nuisances that we’ve grown to tolerate. Or, we can take His directions and experience what it really means to be alive!
As far as it relates to emotional wholeness…
It’s possible— and even highly probable— you’ll find healing through the process of walking it out. Too many people wait to get struck by lightning, that is, for a supernatural event to occur that suddenly becomes their breakthrough.
_What if that doesn’t happen? _
_Is all hope vanquished? _
Of course not. We can still therapeuo our way there. We can claim our freedom and begin the process of sorting life and fighting for wholeness.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. We celebrate that day every year with fireworks, swimming, long days at the beach, and more. That is the day our Founding Fathers claimed our freedom.
But we weren’t yet free.
They claimed freedom before anyone saw the finality of it. You see, the military campaigns of the Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 until 1783. It took years of walking in a freedom that didn’t yet exist in order to truly be free.
Don’t miss the parallel. You might have to stake a claim and begin your freedom march before there’s evidence, as well.
And, even if the miracle happens, you want to walk the lifestyle anyway, right?
What if grace is something that we impart on behalf of God— not just something God imparts?
— for the past few years or so I’ve studied PTSD + Moral Injury (guilt + shame). A lot of people we think are struggling with the first actual carry the second.
Here’s what’s odd— sacred and secular practicioners all agree the 2nd group needs to hear the words “You’re forgiven. You’re accepted. It’s the past.”
And others even need the words “I love you.”
Who has such authority to gift these words?
It depends on the person who needs it. It might be:
A pastor, a priest, or a rabbi
A former coach
An officer or soldier someone served with- or even people who served that they don’t know personally
Someone else they perceive as an authority
It must be someone they believe, sense, or feel has the authority to impart forgiveness. It is at this point the healing process often begins.
If you come from a faith tradition like me, you might have just winced a bit when I suggested that coaches and soldiers and teachers and anyone else can dispense forgiveness. I know, that sounds strange.
But… during Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees regularly scolded Him for forgiving people. In their mind, only God could do that.
In response, at the end of His time on earth, Jesus did something incredibly interesting. We find it in John 20.
After they discovered the empty tomb, the disciples hid in the Upper Room- afraid they might be killed, too. Jesus appeared to them behind the locked doors, showing that our emotional duress (i.e., even fear itself) doesn’t hinder Him from finding us.
John tells us He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.
Then, He declared, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld” (John 20:23 ESV).
Clearly, He expanded the power of imparting forgiveness farther and wider than the religious elite of the day dreamed possible. Not only could God in Heaven forgive sins, but His Son certainly could (Mark 2:10-11). And not only could that Son forgive sins, but all the King’s sons and daughters could.
Perhaps this is why Jesus said that “all men will know you are My disciples… by the way you love one another” (see John 13:34-35).
Love communicates something nothing else can. Love is the greatest revelation possible to an unbelieving or desperately-wanting-to-believe world. Love creates sacred space where much-needed healing happens.
(And, remember, sacred and secular professionals alike agree that freedom is found in forgiveness.)
Moral Injury occurs when our conscience (which tells us the distinction between right and wrong) becomes broken…
It happens in MANY ways—
👉 when soldiers are commanded to (or must) do something which violates “rules” they’ve been told in the past (i.e., “Thou shalt not kill,” but then you must fire on someone to protect + save the lives of others)
👉 survivor’s guilt— when someone makes it through something that caused someone else to become seriously injured or die (especially if “we should have been there”)
👉 even witnessing tragedy, causing us to question the “rightness” of anything in the universe…
It’s complex.
And it’s real.
It results in overwhelming feelings of guilt + shame…
In music, the rests are as important as the notes you play. Life is the same way. There’s a definite beat to Creation that works well for us when we embrace it.
Here are the main ideas:
✅ The created order is built on a rhythm of “off” and “on.” We’re designed for bursts of work and pauses for rests.
(Part of living a life of balance means there are definite times of Sabbath and rest, those moments of complete OFF.)
✅ Five signs highlight when we *might be living out of rhythm.
Sign #1 of 5 = You can’t get quiet, don’t want to be alone, etc.
Sign #2 of 5 = You feel sickish or sluggish for no reason.
Sign #3 of 5 = You’re “short” or snippy.
Sign #4 of 5 = You feel depressed or down, and you can’t figure out why.
Sign #5 of 5 = You’ve recently endured trauma or “hard things.”
When I used to play sports, I learned quickly that we somehow “revered” and honored the injured. A few times a year, at wrestling tournaments, for instance, someone would “get the wind” knocked out of them.
Either they fell to the mat too hard, or got pinned in a whimsical way…
When this happened, everything in the entire gym- even on multiple mats- stopped.
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People took a knee.
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They were silent.
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They created sacred time + space for the man to catch his breath.
And this happened throughout the entire gym. People who were chattering would get a friendly tap to invite them into the sacredness of that moment.
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Even if they were rivals.
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Even if they didn’t know the man that was injured.
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Even if they were in the middle of a conversation or busy doing something else important.
Everything stopped.
The fact is that we’ve all gotten the wind knocked out of us in some way. But, because we can still physically breathe, we continue pushing forward. We go "back to the mats," even though we're wounded.
Or we encourage others to do so, even unintentionally...
During this talk, I’ll explore what it means to create space to deal with emotional hurts in the same way that we deal with physical wounds…
You see, emotional hurts and pains… well, we tend to avoid stopping for them. In fact, we’re encouraged to “man up” and push forward. We’re told not to talk about them, not to appear to be weak, not to slow things down.
Sometimes, the most sacred thing we can do is to just his the pause button.
More in the talk here >>>
To change the fruit, (first) take care of the root—
🌳🌳🌳🌳
In this talk we discuss the topic of soul ties.
Here’s why: Issues arise when we attach our hearts, for any reason, to the wrong place. When we do, bad fruit always emerges. When we connect our hearts in the right way to the right things, beauty emerges.
💙💙💙
Here are the main ideas of this convo:
👉 The “fruit” we see in our lives is a result of the unseen “roots.” To grow better fruit you must nurture better roots.
👉 Addiction happens when we attach our hearts—
❌ To the wrong things, or
❌ To the right things for wrong reasons
And, note: we can find ourselves “addicted” to many things. In fact, over 2/3 of the people who seek addiction help do not have a chemical dependency.
👉 The cure for bad “roots” = knowing and walking in your true identity. When we get this healthy, good fruit emerges.
💙💙💙
Dealing with soul ties isn’t about legalism; it’s about walking in freedom— so that nothing hinders us from embracing who we’re designed to be.
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Again…
To change the fruit, (first) take care of the root—
🌳🌳🌳🌳
Maybe it’s time to change the story in your head…
… not to deny reality, or step away from it…
… but so that you can, rather, actually see MORE of what ACTUALLY…
You see, many times we see what we've already decided we'll see. In other words, seeing is believing, yes. But, often, believing is seeing.
See how that works?
—>> If you're looking for reasons why you'll get a bad outcome, you'll likely read everything through that lenses.
—>> If you believe you're going to succeed, that you're going to have a great outcome, you'll (likewise) look at everything through that lenses.
This is especially true when past hurt is involved. If you’re looking for mortar fire or bullets or people to shun / hurt / abuse / take advantage of you, etc… well, you’ll likely see what you’ve already decided to see.
Internally, your mind will subconsciously kick into over-drive, scanning the universe for hints and clues to back up what you've already determined to be true. Then, that will become the grid whereby you view reality.
(And, the truth is that every now and then reality will actually match your perception completely, thereby giving your false impression enough credibility to continue.).
Change the narrative.
See the half full part of the glass, and that the cup is filling + flowing to over-flowing…
… not that there’s a famine of goodness, that all the substance is disappearing…
We’re designed to grow by exploring the world around us. But, we bump into painful experiences as we do. So, we create (often unconscious) rules to protect ourselves from future pain.
Some of the rules are functional (and help us), others are dysfunctional (and hinder us).
In this talk I reference three rules of human nature, related to soul health, govern how we uniquely approach the world.
Then, we’ll go farther. We’ll discuss how these rules can create ruts— both good and bad.
Functional rules = friends = help us (don’t touch a hot stove, fear of heights, walking down dark alley)
Dysfunctional = foes = hinder us (lack of trust in relationships, fear of failure, etc.)
In the the end, we eventually get more of what we expect, creating a “flywheel” of momentum.
In other words, if we don’t work through the “triggers” we discussed in the previous video we’ll find ourselves constantly living from “soul memory,” something much like muscle memory.
How does it fit with soul health?
Well, in the same way you can’t drive a car by always looking over your shoulder, you can’t drive through life by staring in the rearview mirror. Gaze back when you need to…
But live “ahead,” leaning forward…
Physical therapy isn’t for the purpose of staying physically injured, it’s for the purpose of walking in health + wholeness.
Emotional therapy is the same…
Perspective: Emotional health (in fact, health in general) isn’t so much about what’s wrong with us as it is about what’s right- and walking into what’s even better. In our medically-driven, diagnosis-prone Western world we’ve been conditioned to look at problems rather than seek solutions.
And, we’ve been trained to “fix issues” rather than walk in wholeness.
This applies to emotional health, too.
Whenever I speak to a group about emotional wholeness, many people assume that my goal is to convince people they have emotional scars which need healing. That’s simply not true.
Therefore, my goal is never for people to “get a diagnosis.” Or even to take a psych eval. I’m simply honest about my story (I took a psych eval) because, well, that’s my story.
My goal is to help people walk in freedom. Period.
If a diagnosis or even just an evaluation is the path to freedom, so be it. Many times, it's not, though. In fact, most of the time simply having the information is enough.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk about this ^^^ and define what PTSD is, what it looks like, and more…
The power of the mind is that you see exactly what you’re looking for…
True story-
In the book Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior (now, think about that title!), Ori & Rom Brafman write about the effects of pre-existing beliefs and how they effect our ongoing belief patterns- even when confronted with new information to the contrary.
They write about a visiting lecturer, a guest teacher at MIT. As an experiment, the teacher lectured 70 economics students at the prestigious university. Now, you've gotta think- if anyone is not going to be irrationally swayed by something, it's going to be this bunch of smarties. Right?
Well, all 70 students were given a bio on the visiting professor. The bio was a page long and detailed the profs accomplishments. The students were instructed to review it before listening to the lecture.
The only difference was this:
*Half of the students had a bio that said the guest teacher was "a very warm person.”
*The other half had a bio that said the prof was "rather cold.”
That's it. No differences otherwise. The students all listened to the same lecture, and then were asked to grade the professor.
The results were amazing!
*The half that received the "warm person" bio wrote how great the teacher was. He was funny. He made them laugh. He told great stories and made things applicable. He actually made economics exciting!
*The half that received the "rather cold" bio said the teacher was aloof. He was self-centered. He was rigid, inflexible, and boring. Oh, and he was formal. Stiff. Lifeless.
Did they not sit through the same lecture at the exact same time? Of course they did. What happened?
Quite simply this: the students saw what they already believed to be true.
We tend to look at symptoms, but the Bible calls us to look at the root causes.
So, yes, Jesus said things like, “You’ll know them by their fruit…” That is, you’ll know what kind of people they really are by what manifests around them.
But, He reminds us that what you see on the outside- the fruit- is really an overflow of what’s going on beneath the surface.
John writes about this in 3 John 2. He prays prosperity and health for us (i.e., like the Blessing of Abraham). But, he says that those things directly correlate to how our soul is doing. In other words, our soul is the thermostat (not the thermometer). It controls the outside, the external…
Because of this, we have hope in this life, not just the life to come (see also 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and Romans 6:6-11). In other words, total salvation starts now.
Two of the joys we most crave— freedom from guilt & shame and authentic community— exist in the place which seems scariest, the light. Those who are willing to “go there” discover true freedom comes not in hiding, but in realizing there’s nothing more to cover-up.
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For years— probably a decade or more— I was told I needed to share my story with others.
“There’s power in it. And healing,” I was encouraged. “Your words will set people free.”
A family member felt certain that owning my story would set me free, too.
The problem was that my story was… well… I didn’t want to confront it. I didn’t want to admit what was there, buried somewhere between all the pages. In order to share your story with others, you’ve got to admit that it is, in fact, your story.
Parts of it were hurtful, painful, and self-incriminating. Parts of it were embarrassing. They were at the time, anyway.
I was afraid that in sharing I would suddenly find myself not accepted but rejected. And, as you might imagine from a guy who reveals that he’s “defensive” on a psych eval, relationships have been a fragile thing for me. I didn’t want to deal with the “distance” with which people often inflict punishment when you disappoint them. Rather than dealing with with truth— and moving into the light— I was content to live in the shadows.
As such, I got cozy there. I made my home in the dark for decades.
Trouble is, there’s no freedom in the places we hide— just a lot of fear. Whereas we think that walking into the light causes fear and that living in the hidden places provides safety, the opposite proves true.
1 John 1:7-9 is a passage that’s come to mean a great deal to me (NIV, emphasis added):
_…if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. _
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Scripture promises us that when we walk in the light (i.e., the “open”), two things happen: cleansing and community (John refers to “community” as “fellowship”)…
Are those not two of the things we most crave…
👉 A clear conscience?
👉 A community of people who, though imperfect, each hope and believe and call forth the best in each other, empowering the entire group to be who we’re designed to be?
Those two are found in the open, when we own our stuff, and begin stepping forward…
🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
+++++++++
Links
Take the PTSD Self-Check at www.Jenkins.tv/PTSD
Learn more about the book, the video course, and more at www.Jenkins.tv/SW
Over the past few months I’ve pondered 1 John 4:18 over and over. Here are two translations-
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (ESV).
“Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection” (Passion).
I want to highlight three things from the verse above:
Perfect love
Casts out fear
Fear = not yet perfected in love
Perfect love
The word used in this passage doesn’t infer we’ll always love each other without flaws, rather it suggests we will love each other maturely. The Greek word for “perfect” here is th3e same world used for “complete.” Paul uses the same word in Colossians 1 when he says that he endeavors to present “every man complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). The word translated is telios, meaning “reaching their full potential.” Or, “fulfilling the purpose for which it was created.” In the same way Paul longed for his congregants to live their purposes, John wants us to “love our purpose.”
What does that kind of love look like?
Well, a telios love pushes fear out and makes massive space for grace.
A la 1 Corinthians 13, it hopes for the best, believes in the best, and never fails- even when the other person being loved clearly falters. In fact, this love keeps no record of wrongs at all. It actually endures and abounds all the more aggressively when sin is present (see Romans 6:1).
How did He love the Church? How mature- telios- was His love? He abandoned all of His rights and offered her everything.
Casts out fear
John also tells us that mature love dominates fear. It makes people feel secure.
Here’s how intensely it creates security: the same word used of “casts out” fear is the same verbiage used throughout the New Testament to describe how Jesus treated demons. When He bumped into them, they had no choice but to leave. He expelled them. He forced them to go.
Perfect love drives fear away with this same passion.
This, of course, is the exact opposite of what we most often do. Rather than driving fear away from the relationship and communicating, “Hey, come in close… tell me what’s really happening…” we actually invite fear and place it on the person like a cloak of shame.
Let’s be honest. We often like it when others have a “healthy” measure of fear, because it allows us to control the relationship, to maintain the upper hand.
The more you exercise control, the less intimacy you experience. The more you hide, the less vulnerability you share. Fear kills both intimacy and vulnerability.
That said, let’s ask another question: What makes us feel afraid?
Quite simply, we fear punishment.
John says it clearly, “Fear involves torment” (1 John 4:18).
We believe we’ll be hit with emotional (or physical) distance, abandonment, or shame. As such we hide as an act of self-preservation and self-protection.
Fear = not yet perfected in love
John tells us that the one who is afraid has not been made complete in love. Now, it’s easy to look at that person and say, “Hey, it’s your fault. You need to get whole. You need to get healthy. I can’t provide your emotional needs.”
There’s some truth to that. You cannot be responsible for another person’s emotional wholeness.
At the same time, however, you can create an environment in which grace abounds. And you should when you’re in covenant relationship. This means that wholeness is both their responsibility and it’s ours. In other words, if they’re afraid, YOU may be the one who’s not loving perfectly / maturely. Love may not have yet done it’s work IN you, as it’s not yet doing it’s work THROUGH you.
No, I cannot control your belief patterns and response. Yes, I can represent the presence of Christ to you, giving you space to come clean and walk into the person you were designed to be. In other words, even though I cannot “perfect” you in love I can provide space that gives you the greatest possible chance of the Lord doing that work in you- by loving you “”perfectly." And you can do the same for me.
Here’s what I’ve seen / learned firsthand:
If people don’t feel secure with you, they’ll fish for compliments and affirmation.
If they do feel secure, they’ll reveal their flaws.
Notice the shift. The first has to do with performance and reveals the relationship is on a performance criteria. They don’t know that you love them, so they’re seeking verbal evidence that you do. The second option reveals grace. They know they’re loved, and they know they have the grace to come clean.
More in the talk…
Waiting, though hard, creates sacred space where great things happen. Waiting can be a time when God does something to you so He can then do something through you.
Yes it’s a period when- many times- we wonder if God even sees us. Many times, even, we want to blame Him for what’s happening while we wait…
If we’re going to blame God every time something bad happens, we also have to credit Him every time something good occurs. This act of maintaining a divine balance sheet, a “God” scorecard, is an odd game to play. Eventually, you learn that there aren’t many tidy answers. You let go of the need to understand everything, and you simply let grace do its great work…
Over the past few months it hit me: rest is part of the rhythm of life. In the same way that good music depends on the times when the instruments are NOT being played (think about it- if there are no “rests” the you simply have noise), so also does life depend on the times when we’re off.
This is a principle that goes all the way back to Creation…
We think of our days as daylight and then nighttime. But, in the Creation story we read this refrain over and over- that there was “evening” and then “morning.” In other words, days originally began with night time, not daytime… they began with rest, not activity.
This is why Jesus was pulled from the Cross before sundown. The Sabbath began as soon as the sun dropped. That was the sign of a new day… the rest.
Here’s where it gets interesting in the Creation story…
Adam was created on the 6th day- at the end of the day. By the time he’s scooped from the dirt, God has been busy making all the animals that fill the earth (see Genesis 1:24). That is, Adam is created at the END of the 6th day.
Then comes the seventh day…
Which begins with evening (rest)…
Followed by morning (and a complete day of nothing but… yes… rest).
In other words, the first 24-plus hours that Adam was around… rest.
The story of Eve’s creation is interesting, too. God creates her from the side of Adam. He does so while Adam sleeps (Genesis 2:22).
Paul tells us that “woman is the glory of man” (1 Corinthians 11:7). That is, when we see her shine, we can presume that the man has lived his calling- that he has promoted her, elevated her, and loved her well. He shines by causing her to radiate.
It’s interesting, though. She’s the crown of Creation (the final jewel that’s created), and she comes FROM the man. Adam was required for her to be made.
Yet Adam slept through the entire process. That is, the greatest thing he ever participated in happened WHILE he rested.
What do we see?
We’re made for presence- not performance.
The Bible tells us, “God is _________.”
Yeah, you can complete that sentence. Everyone can.
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We’re so familiar with the phrase that we forget love is both a commitment of unconditional covenant and it is an emotion. God, committed to us, is emotional, too.
Throughout the New Testament we read truths like-
Jesus was distressed with the Pharisees (Mark 3:5)/
Jesus was moved with compassion (Mark 6:34).
Jesus was full of joy through the Hoy Spirit (Luke 10:21).
Jesus was sorrowful and troubled (Matthew 26:37-38).
Jesus lingers even now, because the Lord is patient (2 Peter 3:9).
In God (Jesus is God) we see the full range of emotions- even the ones we typically consider to be “bad” or “taboo” ones- expressed in a healthy way.
There aren’t bad emotions. Again, notice Jesus Himself experiencing the “bad” ones-
Jesus wept multiple times throughout His ministry, including at Lazarus’ tomb (John 11:35) and even over the city of Jerusalem itself (see Luke 13:35, 19:41).
Jesus became angry on several occasions. He overturned the money changers’ tables in the temple, after taking the time to make a whip to loosen the sacrificial animals (John 2:15, Matthew 21:12). He expressed His indignation when the disciples brushed the little children way from Him (Mark 10:14).
Besides, we see emotions throughout the Bible-
Solomon tells us, “There is a time to weep and a time to laugh… a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Notice both extremes of the emotional scale are present.
Paul acknowledged that we grieve, but “we do not grieve as those who who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). That is, the emotion is present- even if we express it in a different way than others.
When I grew up (and even until recently), I was confused about emotions. They could be dangerous. We could be deceived or led astray by them. We should never rely on our feelings, in other words. To say it another way, “You shouldn’t let the caboose pull the train.”
Remember this picture?
Maybe there’s some accuracy to that. But the truth is that faith can lead us astray, too, if that faith rests on the wrong thing. Facts- if they’re the wrong facts- can derail us as well.
For years I wanted to run from emotions rather than running towards them. It seemed safer, easier. Yet the way towards health and healing is actually to move straight into the emotions rather than trying to navigate around them.
Leif Heitland, a Bible teacher, locked-on to this notion of God’s feelings. He writes, “I often ask God to share His emotions with me because I know He is an emotional God- full of compassion, joy, and many other feelings.”
Sometimes these feelings are “negative.” We become broken for other people, as we see them dealing with pain.
Sometimes we become broken for ourselves. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve broken down and cried as I’ve worked my way through my story- as I saw the hurt done to me, as I saw the pain I inflicted on my wife, as I realized how much I have exposed my children to spiritual and real danger.
The Scripture shows me that God can be found in those emotions, though. And that seeking the Kingdom often involves not simply doing things out in the world but also in doing the tough, deep work of the soul.
Further, James says to “Count it all joy when you endure trials” (James 1:2). I historically assumed he referred only to the external pressured we face. Perhaps he does. Or perhaps he refers to internal trials, too. The reality is that externals most often place weight on the soul.
I do know that James promises something to those who endure the dark night. In James 1:3-4, he says to consider it joy-
“because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
That is, in the tension God takes us to the “end” of ourselves, to a place where we can no longer rely on our personal resources. At that point, He takes us to a place where He produces something new and substantial inside us.
The Bible communicates something astounding about Jesus: the One in whom was “life” was deeply acquainted with sorrow and grief (Isaiah 53:3). I’ve had my share of pain; you have, too. Somehow, when we connect with others who’ve been where we are, something resonates and hope is delivered…
In fact, rabbis believed that when a story of redemption was told, the telling of the story carried the same power that was present in the original event which the story references. You’ve seen this happen before…
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It’s why you hear about a healing miracle and faith rises…
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It’s why you hear of a restored marriage and you gain confidence that the same could be true for you…
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It’s why you hear the story of someone’s financial breakthrough, and you suddenly sense that something more is possible for you, too...
Here’s the deal. As powerful as it is when we hear that others have been where we are- and that they have come out on the other side of the story- the Scripture teaches us that Jesus has been everywhere we’ve been, too (see Hebrews 4:15). For that reason, He’s able to sympathize with our weaknesses- even as He continues makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:22).
It doesn’t mean things are easy…
And, yes, right now we live in the tension. A big one. A tension of the pain (acquainted with grief) and the joy (that all things WILL work together for the good, per Romans 8:26-28).
We get enamored with external things- the things “out there.” The truth, though, is that the INSIDE changes before the OUTSIDE ever does. In fact, the greatness of what’s going on inside of you determines the altitudes you’ll reach in the world around you.
In this episode of the podcast, we take take the fifth (and final) rung of the ladder…
Remember, with each rung we go higher AND closer to realizing our dreams…
- What = the idea
- How = implementation
- Why = inspiration
- Who = interdependence
- You = individuality
Once you understand the power of the mind… and how it literally creates destiny, some of the most popular Bible verses make EVEN MORE sense. Things like…
- “Take your thoughts captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- “Be transformed… by renewing your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).
- “Be anxious for nothing…” (Philippians 4:6f).
- “Think on things that are pure, lovely, of good report…” (Philippians 4:8).
When we really believe that we can do these things… that we CAN take thoughts captive, that we CAN transform ourselves by proactively recreating what’s in our minds… that we CAN choose peace over anxiety and stress… that we CAN select the object our our thoughts… we begin to see just how powerful we are.
And when you do that, you realize that the biggest part of the dream isn’t just achieving the goal, but it’s the process of transformation that occurs in you as you do…
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Links mentioned in this episode include www.TheLadder.info and www.EatSleepAdvance.com
Look at EVERY significant turning point in your life- the good ones AND the bad ones. Most of them probably have MORE to do with a RELATIONSHIP than any other factor…
Someone believed in you…
Or someone steered you in the wrong direction…
Someone called forth the greatness in you- or shared with you an amazing idea that TOTALLY transformed your outlook on an opportunity…
Or someone else wounded you in some way…
You see? No blaming here. Just observing…
Relationships have POWER. Tremendous power.
Whereas we tend to plan life around “what” we’ll do… or even “how” we’ll get it done…
… the biggest defining factor is… yes…
RELATIONSHIPS!
I’ll be honest. I never would have thought this one was true. I would have thought talent, position, money, experience… that those would get you higher, farther, faster…
Time + Experience proves it to be true, though >>>>
True power is in the presence of real, raw relationships!
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Links mentioned in the show- www.TheLadder.info for the free download AND www.EatSleepAdvance.com for the updated event info.
Everyone seems to ask it these days- it's a "buzz word" that few of us really unpack. In this session we unpack the "why," putting it in the context of everything you do...
PEOPLE that know WHAT they want to do get further than people who don't have a clue!
And people that understand HOW to do that thing... well... they go higher, still...
Yet those who go the farthest, the fastest... and endure... they have a grasp of what's driving them. They're in touch with their WHY.
In this lesson, you'll uncover the thing that drives you! You might even know what it is. Or, perhaps it's eluded you...
Either way, you won’t just know what your dream is (or what your dreams are- remember, you probably have dreams & goals for multiple areas of your life), you’ll actually feel those dreams.
Think about it...
The heart. Most of us don't get in touch with our feelings that often, do we?
I remember sitting through some counseling sessions in the last year (yeah, been there, done that, highly recommend it). The counselor constantly handed me a chart- a sheet with a list of dozens of "feelings" listed on it.
"How do you feel today?"
I'd look at the chart. It was helpful. Really. Sometimes a feeling is just a sense... an intangible. Putitng a word to it helped.
During those sessions I became increasingly aware that, often, I don't know what I'm feeling! Yet, our feelings were given to us by God. And, when channeled in a healthy way, they can been incredibly beneficial!
If you get in touch with your feelings, you can actually "see" what's driving you. Here's the truth: Business is hard work. So are relationships. And marriages. And most things worth pursuing well. In every thing you do there are ups and downs. And having our feelings nailed down for each- the core- empowers us to embrace the right things more fully while letting go of the wrong things more freely!
This is the lesson where we pull out the ladder and start climbing. And, of course, once it's out, it stays on stage for the remainder of the workshop.
We’ll keep adding labels and concepts to that ladder for each of the remaining sessions. This tool will become your go-to when talking to friends, your business partners, and others! And, it will help you clarify what you’re doing, deciphering if it aligns with your deepest aspirations, and help you continue making forward progress.
But, first of all, we've got to get in touch with the heart- and uncover the thing that drives you.
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Links mentioned in this episode include www.TheLadder.info and www.EatSleepAdvance.com
We’re all busy. It’s almost a #HumbleBrag in our culture to actually BE busy. I mean, no one actually LIKES being so busy that they can’t keep up with what’s going on, but we carry our jam-packed calendars around like badges of honor.
That can be a HUGE problem with it comes to pursuing your dreams.
You see, dreams require time. Concentrated, high-octane time. Some of your “best” time. And your energy. And your focus.
At the Advance, we actually use juggling as an example to illustrate this. It never fails. Whenever we call someone onstage and let them start juggling, whenever they juggle beyond their capacity, they don’t just lose the last ball that was added… they drop them all.
You can make the correlation. Less is better. Less is actually “more.”
“More” just… well… it causes the entire thing to fall apart. It creates anxiety, it causes your skill level to actually diminish, and it’s a lot more difficult to live at that level of movement than a SLOWER pace at which you can actually achieve MORE.
You see, if we juggle too much, we end up not doing anything well. That means, well, we get frustrated in multiple areas of life.
Once we understand the reality of tradeoffs, though, and realize that we actually MUST choose which balls to juggle… and that we GET to choose (meaning that we actually pick some up and set the others DOWN)… well, things start humming.
Even better, we learn that we can achieve for more with even less effort than we thought due to the nature of FOCUSED efforts done consistently well…
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Links mentioned in this episode include www.TheLadder.info and www.EatSleepAdvance.com
The first step in living any dream is to decide what that dream is. Sounds obvious, right? I mean, how are you going to go ANYWHERE if you don’t first have a destination?
My wife and I go on a date every week. Sometimes, we get into this debacle… perhaps you’ve been there:
“Where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know. Where do you want to go?”
Suggestion made.
Reply = “Anything but that!”
Been there? Done that? (This works both ways- sometimes she makes the turned-down suggestion; others times I do it!)
It’s frustrating, isn’t it? It kinda stalls out the first part of the evening.
And, the truth is that this kind of thing can keep you stalled out in life, too.
Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). They lose heart. They grow faint and weary. They find themselves hopeless. They find themselves in despair.
In this episode of the podcast I talk about success- and how it’s simply a recipe. That brings two items of great news-
Great news #1- it’s a proven process. You can look at what others do and you can follow along, getting similar results.
Great news #2- there’s no shortage. Often, we look at success as if it’s a lottery ticket. If someone else wins, that means you didn’t. It means you CAN’T, in fact… that it’s IMPOSSIBLE.
Success isn’t like that, though.
There's enough to go around. We can all win. We can all help each other. We’re not in competition.
OK- just covered a lot…
Listen in. Great stuff, I promise :-)
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Note: download the Advance info at www.TheLadder.info
One of my favorite events of the year is coming up, so I'm taking a short break from the Redemption series. Advance arrives every 5-7 months, depending on the time of year, and is designed to empower men to move from where they are to where they’re destined to be. It’s not a retreat… it’s an Advance.
In this episode I’ll tell you a bit about what we do and how…
And introduce you to the concept of The Ladder, tell you the stories of how this thing (“accidentally”) came to be, and share with you how to go deeper and higher at the same time…
Ah… about The Ladder. Lots of talk about climbing ladders and making sure you go up the right one. This one’s short, though. On purpose. Because we REALLY believe this…
*Your dreams are HUGE (inspired by God Himself and placed inside of you, waiting to burst forth).
*Your dreams are within reach…
Join us on the journey…
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Access the free PDF or the online Advance at www.TheLadder.info
Learn more about attending the live event at www.EatSleepAdvance.com
Paul encouraged us to not stray from the simplicity that is found in Christ. His thought was, well… we tend to make things infinitely more complex. We tend to move towards complex religious systems.
Jesus, on the other hand, came to make things easy.
Follow me here…
Moses received the Law- ten commandments which, in Hebrew, were expressed using only ten words (they have a far more economical language than we do).
613 more laws were then added to explain what those ten words meant. They had moral laws, civil laws, and religious laws.
You’d think that would be enough, but no… well intended leaders created the Mishnah, the oral tradition built around the laws, to explain what each one meant…
That wasn’t enough, either. Enter, the Talmud.
Then the legal comments added by scribes and lawyers (and their “fences” and “hedges” around the law).
And, then along come the rabbis…
Jesus drops into this tradition of the rabbis, and picks up some of their practices- So, we see Jesus do things like:
- Binding and loosing (and passing the same power to His disciples)
- “You’ve heard it said… but I say…” (the “go to” formula rabbis used to compare and contrast their positions on matters
- Fulfilling Torah, that is, showing the essence / heart of it
A rabbi’s system of thought was known as a “yoke.” Jesus came with a simple, though (read Matthew 11:28-30) NOT a yoke that bound people with a heavy burden (see Matthew 23:4).
We see His disciples make the yoke lighter in Acts 15 (see 15:8-11,28-29) and in Galatians (see 5:1).
If religion is weighing you down, it’s not the yoke of Jesus, for sure… because Jesus came to make it simple, easy…
The Bible outlines a few contradictory things about us- things that we need to hold in tension.
First, everything that happened to Jesus has already happened to us. We were crucified with Him, we died with Him, and we were buried. We also arose with Him AND we’ve been seated with Him in Heaven.
That means that, right now, we’re “here” and “there” at the same time. This is our current experience.
Second, the Kingdom of God is a kingdom- not a democracy. It functions with rank, order, and spheres of authority. I know, authority is a misused and bloated term in our culture… but, under the lead of a benevolent king in which the first is last, the greatest serve the most, and honor and humility win the day, the Kingdom of God is the ideal…
We actually want to see it THIS Kingdom manifest.
However, we find ourselves in the middle of a conflict. A spiritual war of sorts.
But, rather than fighting FOR the victory, we must remember that we live FROM victory. When we live from the 3rd realm (seated in Heaven), we’re free to love… to honor… to grace… and to empower…
We’re not striving… we’re receiving…
And we’re not “against” things so much as we’re “for” things…
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For the worksheet related to this episode, go to:
https://www.jenkins.tv/threerealms
There’s a rabbinical tradition that says Moses’ burning bush was always burning. Or, at least, that it had been burning for quite some time before Moses stumbled upon it.
Furthermore, tradition says that God was there and was READY to speak the entire time. It was only after Moses stopped and “came in close” that God reveals Himself to him…
(In the same way, it's believed that God is always looking... waiting... wanting to reveal Himself to us...)
The name of God that’s revealed here is interesting, too. The name, YHWH, is actually unpronounceable. It’s the sound of breathing- like a whisper. It a real sense, that name shows us that-
*You can’t fully place God’s identity into a single word (like they thought they did with names), and
*You can’t begin to understand God apart from relationship. From close relationship. From close enough to hear the sound of a whisper.
There are two kinds of healing. At least.
This may sound strange- even in Heaven we'll choose health + healing.
(For definition purposes, I refer to "healing" as something God does AND "health" as something you do, OK? Just to keep the terms straight... Anyway...)
Think about it. Health + healing was available in the Garden of Eden AND we see the "leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" in Heaven (see Genesis 1:29, Ezekiel 47:12, Revelation 22:2).
When Jesus walked the earth, He healed people in two ways. First, He performed miracles (iaomai). Second, He taught people how to be well (therapeuo) (see Matthew 8:15f., Acts 28:8-9).
In other words, health is how things began AND it's how things "end” AND it’s how Jesus + the apostles outlined things to work. It IS your destiny, in other words, a destiny you can choose now.
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More info?
You may also like the free healing eBook + 7 videos:
https://www.jenkins.tv/healing-free-ebook-offer
Jesus marvels at great faith, but a lack of faith never restrains Him.
Somebody told me this more than once: "If you don't have enough faith, Jesus can't move."
I've even seen this belief used to blame people for their own lack of healing, lack of provision, lack of other good thing their Heavenly Father is supposedly holding back from them.
Simply because they don't have enough belief?
Is faith really the most powerful force in He universe? Even stronger than the hand and bigger than the heart of God?
Hardly. Jesus commended great faith, but He never criticized a lack of it to people desperately needing His touch.
The bigger issue in the Bible... is HONOR.
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In this episode I reference The Healing Workshop. Get the free eBook + access to 7 videos here:
https://www.jenkins.tv/healing-free-ebook-offer
Somewhere, we bought the line that poverty is noble, that sickness is a blessing, and that Heaven is when things really start happening in our favor. Yet, a quick look at the Father of our faith shows us something radically different...
In fact, Paul writes that one of the reasons Christ redeemed us was "so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles..." (see Galatians 3:13-14).
What does the blessing include? Well…
*Health, vitality- see Genesis 12:14, Genesis 14:14f., Genesis 21:1f., Genesis 17:1f., Genesis 12:10, 20:1
*Financial, abundance- see Genesis 13:2, Genesis 14:14f., Genesis 14:18, Genesis 12:16, 20:14)
*Spiritual awakening- see Romans 4:1f., Genesis 12:1f.
Here’s the deal: Abraham's blessing "caught" his descendants in this life, while they were still living. They experienced the presence and power of the Kingdom of God now. In this life. As a person walking this planet.
Furthermore… and this is the best part… YOU are aligible for the blessing. It’s YOURS (see Galatians 3:29, 4:6).
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Note: you can read more or watch a short video about this topic on my blog here:
https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/prosper-in-everything
Salvation isn’t just Jesus’ name (the name Jesus / Yeshua literally means “He saves”), it’s what He does. Furthermore, Jesus not only saves us FROM certain things, He also saves us TO an amazing life.
The word in the New Testament used for “save” is sozo (this part of the Bible was originally penned in Greek). That word means far more than being “saved” from sin, though. The word is used to denote-
*forgiveness of sin, guilt, and condemnation
*physical safety
*spiritual freedom / deliverance
*physical healing
*raising the dead
Jesus moves us beyond a life of rules and legalism AND moves us into a life of supernatural meaning and spiritual power. In this episode we discuss what that looks like.
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In this episode I mention The Healing Workshop. You can access the free healing eBook and seven free videos here:
https://www.jenkins.tv/healing-free-ebook-offer