I’m gonna keep on telling folks about Jesus. I’m gonna keep on writing and keep on loving and pointing folks to Calvary. I found Jesus, and let me tell you, brother (and sister) that’s enough for me. (Lyric taken from “I’m Gonna Keep On” by Bill Gaither (My Edits).
Secular motivational speakers have many catchy phrases and promising ideas, but they can’t offer their seminar participants Jesus so they can’t give them the Holy Spirit to watch over their souls and minds. The Holy Spirit is given only to those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior to comfort them and to help them renew their minds.
Okay, this email is a little longer and it’s something that’s been brewing in the back of my soul for years. I just got so encouraged to share it with you and the Lord let me put it all down in this email. Praise the Lord!
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2 Corinthians 10:4
I have to tell you about an experience I had back in the early 90s while meeting with a headhunter. His office was in a building not far from where a really famous (I won’t mention his name, but he’s even instructed/advised US Presidents) secular motivational speaker’s office is located in the UTC area of San Diego. The headhunter mentioned this motivational speaker by name and then told me, “You know, that guy doesn’t live a thing he’s teaching.”
Honestly, that didn’t surprise me.
A few years ago, I walked into the North County San Diego office of another world-renowned motivational speaker – he also teaches about how to overcome fear, become successful, etc. I was telling his receptionist I knew all about fear and how to overcome it when the actual motivational speaker himself stepped out of his office right behind her. He took one look at me and kind of shrank back a little bit in his spirit – He had a big question mark all over his face and body. It was really odd. At that moment, I knew this man didn’t have Jesus and was merely sharing a lot of secular information with anyone who’d listen.
Yesterday, I was listening to a youtube video. The video was the testimony of another young fellow who was, at one time, supposed to be the next Zig Ziglar. Although this young man never attended college, he’d read and studied a lot of the available worldly motivational material including the material of the men who have their offices in the San Diego area.
Why am I telling you this? Well, the young man who was supposed to be the next Zig Ziglar said he now advises people not to spend a dime on all the motivational material he’d put out over the last several years, and that the people who’d attended his seminars had wasted their $1k entrance fee. He said that what he was teaching them never really did much for him and didn’t really work in the end. In the end, he lost everything including his marriage…And, nearly his life. He’d finally realized all that information had just filled his life with strife and stress. It never had brought him any peace.
So what finally did work for this young man?
Jesus.
With Jesus, we have the supernatural information, the Word, and weapons to walk in real newness of life. It’s true for anyone who will do the Word, for anyone who will act on Jesus’ teachings.
This world’s motivational speakers will probably not tell you to praise and thank God in all things, that God is able to work all things together for the good of those who love Him, and that God can truly teach them to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Fellow Christians, we have been given the greatest teachings and blessings in the universe – And, it’s all free. Because Christ has overcome this world, as His children, we can overcome this world.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39
Oh, thank you, Jesus! Thank You, precious Holy Spirit, for helping us to be truly set free as You live in us and teach us God’s ways.
God please bring the secular motivational speakers to You. Open their eyes to Jesus.
God bless you all,
Mark