BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES FOR A SUCCESSFUL, BALANCED & FRUITFUL LIFE
If we could gather together the world’s most renowned philosophers and the most successful individuals on the planet and the wisest men around, how many would attend such a meeting? And if these giants wrote any books, how many would read those books from cover to cover? How many would take the opportunity to learn from the most successful people that ever lived?
Well, I invite you upon such a journey! And you CAN read about their failures and their successes in "the World’s #1 Best-Selling Personal Development" book throughout history --- the Bible.
Sadly, the world’s best seller is also probably the least read book in the world. Why?
There are basically 3 reasons why people do not read the Bible:
1. Because most people think of it just as a religious book and nothing more. These people don't want to be "religious." They might consider themselves "spiritual" though, but that would probably not include reading the Bible.
2. The Bible is confusing. Many will start out reading it, only to get to Genesis chapter 5 and get bogged down with all the begetting. Then they quit. But, in fact, the Bible can be confusing. Most translations are not in the original order; most people do not understand the context of the times, the mannerisms, the idioms, the geography of the land, etc. So what was taken as understandable by the readers of the day is foreign to so many now.
3. Most importantly, though, most people do not consider the Bible to be Relevant in their lives for today. But, you see, the Bible is the inspired writ that not only teaches us about God, it also teaches us about life, for it is THE blueprint on how to be successful in all areas of life: marriage, business, health, parenthood, government, military tactics, goal setting, relationships, stewardship, finances, community service, and, yes, even on becoming a better individual through spirituality and personal development (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). In fact, the Bible is the #1 personal development of all time!
Allow me a moment to digress here so that I might give you a brief background to my perspective. I was called into the ministry in March, 1972 at the age of 19 and licensed to preach at the age of 21 by a Southern Baptist church. Having been raised Baptist that was THE religious lens by which I judged everything. If something did not fit my Baptist theology, I simply argued against it and rejected it.
From 1975-77, I was introduced to and led toward the Charismatic movement, challenging my Baptist paradigm. After that, if something didn’t fit my Charismatic theology, I again simply argued against it and rejected it.
I was later ordained by an independent charismatic church in 1977 and over the next 3 years I was introduced to two new theologies. The first was in the area of spiritualizing the Scriptures (known as types and shadows) and learning to challenge quite a bit of my Charismatic theology. Once again this was an illuminating time during my Christian experience and my spiritual consciousness expanded. The second theology during that time was one that is unimportant now, but one that did lead me astray for a number of years, causing me much sorrow.
In the 1990s I was introduced to a philosophy called Personal Development that looked at the scriptures as life lessons. At first this was difficult for me, for I judged it as watering down the gospel and trying to justify wealth (or mammon as I understood it then). Since it did not fit into my theology (a theology I admit I was struggling over anyway), I set it on the shelf. I was reintroduced to it again in the next decade.
Then in the fall of 2005, the Lord called me to be a Balanced-Life & Spirituality Coach, a term I was completely unfamiliar with and a professional field I was unaware of. This reintroduced me even more into the Personal Development field and again I struggled with it --- until I was again challenged by a new, completely separated theology concerning the Scriptures (at least new to me, anyway), which filled in a lot of blanks for me and allowed me to understand the Personal Development teachings from a biblical point of view.
The basic premise of Personal Development teachings is actually a biblical concept: “As he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). In fact, the entire book of Proverbs (the Wisdom book) is about living this life wisely and its principles are obviously throughout the entire Word of God.
It took me a number of years to try to read the Bible without my “religious” glasses. In the last 18 months, the Scriptures have come alive as more than just a religious, theological text. It IS a history of God dealing with humanity, but once one begins to look beyond that veil, one can start to see the lessons and principles behind the history, lessons and principles that reveal God’s overall purpose of His creation in this life, as well as the next.
I now look at the Scriptures as biblical applications for an increasingly balanced and fruitful life, covering ALL aspects of this life, in order to have a truly abundant life (John 10:10). My purpose is NOT to convince you of my philosophy; my purpose is only to challenge you to stretch your mind to possibly look at another angle to the Scriptures and how they might apply to your own life. I am not an expert in this, but I would love to share what I am beginning to understand. Is that fair? Then let’s proceed.
I use Biblical Principles as the blueprint for a Successful, Balanced and Fruitful Life --- Biblical Personal Development. Although a Christian himself, I do not consider the Bible to be simply a Christian book or even a religious book primarily. Long before God revealed Himself to humanity in Christ, long before God revealed Himself through Moses to Israel, God revealed Himself personally to Adam, Noah, and others. Therefore the Bible is not just a Christian book or a Jewish book, but a book for ALL humanity, a Book of Life blueprint for the successful, balanced and fruitful life!
By providing Biblical Principles & Personal Potential Development Strategies to Navigate Optimistically Beyond Life’s Experiences for the enjoyment and inevitable success of an increasingly balanced and fruitful life, NOBLE Strategies empowers you to become your own Navigator!
NOBLE Strategies examines the Balanced and Fruitful Life Experience in 4 life-compartments:
* Spirituality & Personal Development * Relationships (family, friends, coworkers, etc) * Health & Fitness (including leisure and fun activities) * Financial Accountability & Career (including avocations as well)
Jesus said He came to bring us life and that more abundantly (John 10:10). Life is more than the afterlife; it is also for life in this present age, in this condition, to enjoy the earthly benefits He has bestowed upon us. For example:
Do you realize that "the American Dream" is actually "the Biblical Ideal"? Proverbs 31:10-31 references the virtuous wife. But in really looking at the lifestyle described here, I'd like for us to reconsider these scriptures as an examination of an entire family of influence and wealth.
In these tremendously powerful verses, we find this wife has worth far above rubies. She is absolutely trusted by her husband; there is no fear of her betraying him or hurting him in any way. But notice verse 11: HE lacks nothing of value (New International Version). This is a wealthy family!
She is a capable and intelligent woman, selecting wool and flax and works with her hands to develop it. She goes wherever she needs for her family's food, does whatever she needs to, feeding not only her family, but her servants as well. This is a wealthy family!
She is a businesswoman, buying land and planting vineyards from the profits of selling part of it. She's into real estate! This is a wealthy family!
She is a strong woman. And she is a giving woman, helping the poor. She clothes herself and her family well. This is a wealthy family!
She is not only finely adorned and wise with business, she opens her mouth with wisdom also, and speaks kind words to all. She is never idle, does not gossip, is not discontent, and never yields to self-pity (Amplified Version). Although charm and grace may be deceitful and beauty can be vain, her charm, grace, and beauty are not held by any of this. This is a wealthy family!
Her husband is an influential man also, sitting with the elders or overseers of the city. He is proud of his wife and praises her. He and their children call her blessed, for they themselves are blessed by her. This is a wealthy family!
This woman is a spiritual woman; she fears the Lord and worships Him, as does all her family. She has earned her reward and this is a wealthy family! This wife and, indeed, the entire family is wealthy in all four compartments of life: business/career/wealth; health and fitness; relationships; spirituality/personal development. Financially wealthy and philanthropic; full of energy via a strong work ethic and eating the right foods; an devoted wife with an adoring husband and children who praise her and help her; and one who not only worships her Creator, but has a great self-image of who she is.
This is a wealthy family, not just in terms of monetary worth, but also because of the love they all have for each other, the productive lives they lead, the children that are a heritage of the Lord, and for the spiritual bond that ties them all together. Is this not the ideal family? Is this not the fulfillment of the American Dream? Is this not the true picture of the Biblical Dream of a family of God? This is indeed an influential and wealthy family!
That is what the Scriptures are all about; that is what this website is all about.
YOU, TOO, CAN NAVIGATE OPTIMISTICALLY BEYOND LIFE'S EXPERIENCES & LIVE AN INCREASINGLY BALANCED & FRUITFUL LIFE!
