This weekend I heard of another well known minister that confessed to a moral failure.
While this is indeed horrible, I was saddened by a post I read on Facebook about pastors. The point was made that TV Evangelists have rendered their calling insignificant due to the many failures we've seen.
I must acknowledge the facts here. It seems commonplace now for a pastoral confession to a moral failure to appear on social media. The local news doesn't even care about it anymore!
Thank God for mercy...and thank God for grace. There's a toll to every marriage, every church and every church member that's affiliated with each of these men.
We need to wake up to the plans of the enemy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, May 05, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Best Advice...
Recently I was asked what was best advice I can give to a startup. I had to think about it for awhile since I don't really consider myself "older".
But, here it is: Ask a lot of questions. If you need help, just ask. So many times we think we need to present ourselves as more knowledgeable than we really are. The truth is, we aren't. And most of the people around you know it already!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Breakfast with Zig
I have a confession to make.
I am not where I thought I’d be. I am positively unhappy with my current life goals. Yes I meant to write that. I am “positively unhappy”. I know that sounds a bit contradictory but in reality it’s the way we all should live. Let me explain…
A couple years ago I had the pleasure of breakfast with one of my all time heroes, Zig Ziglar. He’s obviously reached many goals I too want to reach but that’s not the only reason he’s one of my heroes. And on this particular morning I was about to gain great insight into one of the many reasons Zig Ziglar was the success he was.
Now I must admit I have let setbacks in my career affect me. Financial hurdles and rejection are never in anyone’s plans. When you’re on the stage with the applause roaring and books selling in the back it’s a great feeling. It’s easy to feel like you’re on top of the world. You feel invincible. Inevitably that feeling is quickly followed by some negative input that quickly yanks you back down to earth mentally and emotionally and at the same time has a way of sucking the very life out of every positive statement or accolade you just received. Sometimes it seems we’re on a roller coaster of emotion reaching new highs and dropping to what seems to be a new lows.
We strive to reach the next goal whether it is more money, more publicity or the elusive next great album. Its just part of the ride in this career path we’ve chosen. But that doesn’t mean it gets easier! At one point in our meeting that morning Zig wanted to show me something “very important to his success”. In the lobby of his offices Zig has placed many photos on the wall. Some were from meetings with famous celebrities and some you’d never heard of. Some were simply a piece of paper with someone’s name on it inside the frame. It was “Zig Ziglar’s Wall of Gratitude”. If you spent any time at all around Zig Ziglar he was quick to point out he was just a country boy from Mississippi. And he was also quick to let you know how blessed he was to have so many friends he was grateful for. Zig Ziglar learned one vital key to success. It didn’t matter how many books he sold, how big his audience was or who he knew. He always gave gratitude to all the people who spoke into his life.
Keeping gratitude forefront in your life is just as important as tenacity and determination. Zig Ziglar never mentioned anything to me about staying motivated. In fact, he spent most of the time only talking to me about gratitude and how important it was. He was convinced the best thing in his life was when his wife said yes! At the time I was going through a rough time trying to push harder in my career as a speaker. I wanted so much more and felt like I was failing more than I was succeeding. And Zig Ziglar left me with these words. In fact it was the last words I’ll hear from Zig Ziglar since he’s passed on. Zig’s great insight into my career failings was this: “Don’t worry Gene, even Moses was a basket case in the beginning”. So there it was. The great Zig Ziglar made a joke about my career!
But I do know it was exactly what I needed to hear. I was taking life way too serious and trying way too hard to be motivated like I thought I should be. In fact, it seems I’m always reading a book or listening to a speaker motivate me to accomplish my life goals. Don’t get me wrong I love being motivated. There’s nothing like reaching a goal and accomplishing something. In reality though, I am the guy that will procrastinate a project until the last minute. I usually regret it because of the extra stress I caused myself too. Does this happen to you too?
Read this excerpt from Robert D. Smith’s book about motivation. I think he really hits the nail on the head when it comes to motivation:
You may be hearing people say, “TAKE action!” “Do something!” We all know how difficult it can be to get someone to make a move, especially ourselves. But how do you get yourself— or anyone else— to do it? Let me give you a hint: it’s definitely not a question of motivation. Why? Because motivation is a myth. Believe me. You cannot motivate people to do any one thing. Even yourself. Never try to motivate yourself or anyone else to increase productivity. Instead, do the opposite: Increase your productivity, and then the motivation will follow. Smith, Robert D. (2013-01-01). 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course For Mastering Your Life Right Now (p. 51).
At the beginning I said I was positively unhappy. It’s really okay to not be satisfied where you’re at in your career path. But more importantly we need to keep the proper perspective.
Every time I get too stressed or too uptight about where I’m at career-wise I realize I need to step back and listen to Zig Ziglar tell me about gratitude again. Let’s all relax, take a deep breath, and spend more time with gratitude than we do with motivation. Productivity will lead to motivation eventually.
Most of all remember this: “Don’t worry, even Moses was a basket case in the beginning”.
I am not where I thought I’d be. I am positively unhappy with my current life goals. Yes I meant to write that. I am “positively unhappy”. I know that sounds a bit contradictory but in reality it’s the way we all should live. Let me explain…
A couple years ago I had the pleasure of breakfast with one of my all time heroes, Zig Ziglar. He’s obviously reached many goals I too want to reach but that’s not the only reason he’s one of my heroes. And on this particular morning I was about to gain great insight into one of the many reasons Zig Ziglar was the success he was.
Now I must admit I have let setbacks in my career affect me. Financial hurdles and rejection are never in anyone’s plans. When you’re on the stage with the applause roaring and books selling in the back it’s a great feeling. It’s easy to feel like you’re on top of the world. You feel invincible. Inevitably that feeling is quickly followed by some negative input that quickly yanks you back down to earth mentally and emotionally and at the same time has a way of sucking the very life out of every positive statement or accolade you just received. Sometimes it seems we’re on a roller coaster of emotion reaching new highs and dropping to what seems to be a new lows.
We strive to reach the next goal whether it is more money, more publicity or the elusive next great album. Its just part of the ride in this career path we’ve chosen. But that doesn’t mean it gets easier! At one point in our meeting that morning Zig wanted to show me something “very important to his success”. In the lobby of his offices Zig has placed many photos on the wall. Some were from meetings with famous celebrities and some you’d never heard of. Some were simply a piece of paper with someone’s name on it inside the frame. It was “Zig Ziglar’s Wall of Gratitude”. If you spent any time at all around Zig Ziglar he was quick to point out he was just a country boy from Mississippi. And he was also quick to let you know how blessed he was to have so many friends he was grateful for. Zig Ziglar learned one vital key to success. It didn’t matter how many books he sold, how big his audience was or who he knew. He always gave gratitude to all the people who spoke into his life.
Keeping gratitude forefront in your life is just as important as tenacity and determination. Zig Ziglar never mentioned anything to me about staying motivated. In fact, he spent most of the time only talking to me about gratitude and how important it was. He was convinced the best thing in his life was when his wife said yes! At the time I was going through a rough time trying to push harder in my career as a speaker. I wanted so much more and felt like I was failing more than I was succeeding. And Zig Ziglar left me with these words. In fact it was the last words I’ll hear from Zig Ziglar since he’s passed on. Zig’s great insight into my career failings was this: “Don’t worry Gene, even Moses was a basket case in the beginning”. So there it was. The great Zig Ziglar made a joke about my career!
But I do know it was exactly what I needed to hear. I was taking life way too serious and trying way too hard to be motivated like I thought I should be. In fact, it seems I’m always reading a book or listening to a speaker motivate me to accomplish my life goals. Don’t get me wrong I love being motivated. There’s nothing like reaching a goal and accomplishing something. In reality though, I am the guy that will procrastinate a project until the last minute. I usually regret it because of the extra stress I caused myself too. Does this happen to you too?
Read this excerpt from Robert D. Smith’s book about motivation. I think he really hits the nail on the head when it comes to motivation:
You may be hearing people say, “TAKE action!” “Do something!” We all know how difficult it can be to get someone to make a move, especially ourselves. But how do you get yourself— or anyone else— to do it? Let me give you a hint: it’s definitely not a question of motivation. Why? Because motivation is a myth. Believe me. You cannot motivate people to do any one thing. Even yourself. Never try to motivate yourself or anyone else to increase productivity. Instead, do the opposite: Increase your productivity, and then the motivation will follow. Smith, Robert D. (2013-01-01). 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course For Mastering Your Life Right Now (p. 51).
At the beginning I said I was positively unhappy. It’s really okay to not be satisfied where you’re at in your career path. But more importantly we need to keep the proper perspective.
Every time I get too stressed or too uptight about where I’m at career-wise I realize I need to step back and listen to Zig Ziglar tell me about gratitude again. Let’s all relax, take a deep breath, and spend more time with gratitude than we do with motivation. Productivity will lead to motivation eventually.
Most of all remember this: “Don’t worry, even Moses was a basket case in the beginning”.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Faith, Finances and Flawed Thinking
Over the past 35 years in ministry I've seen many musicians, singers, songwriters, ministers, evangelists, and their entourage cruise through major ministries and churches gleaning what seemed like thousands and thousands of dollars if not millions from the faithful few. I walk a tight rope with businessmen and ministry...but the truth is they're as much connected as they are different. It seems many of us have lost sight of true riches.
Our future is not simply a set of events waiting to happen that we have no role to play in. It’s not a script with your name on it that you’re predestined to follow. The future can and will be whatever God has designed for you to become, as you WORK OUT His plan in your life. That includes finances!
What’s the difference between people who fulfill their destinies, their callings and those who don’t? The only significant difference is that people who become all they were designed to be are willing to set challenging and rewarding goals and work toward those goals. Understanding that fact alone is worth vast riches to you!
There is a passage in the New Testament that defines true riches:
Luke 16:9-13 NIV
9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
To sum it up..."It's a HEART condition." Today the popular opinion among many is to go the opposite direction. This is equally destructive! We know through scripture that "where God guides, He provides". But as we see in Hebrews 11:8 even Abraham had to get moving before he knew where God was leading him.
Remember Jesus? It costs money to feed and lodge 13 itinerant preachers. Many people knew that, and gladly supported the cause. But as with a number of contemporary ministries, there was corruption within. The trusted treasurer turned out to be a liar and a thief (see John 12:4-6).
Let me wrap this up like this: Even though there is a very present problem of corruption in ministries, it is biblically legitimate to be supported by donors and sales:
"Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? . . . Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:7, 14). So while it IS INDEED all about souls and fulfilling your calling...you have to be equipped and that takes money!
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 NIV.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your destiny...
- Gene Bailey
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
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