Prov 16:18 (NIV) Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. You are only going to win in life and in eternal life if you can unlearn those things that are hurting you and learn those things that empower you to win. The more you trust yourself and what you know, the less you will grow spiritually. The more you think you know, will block off all you need to know. John 8:31-32 (NIV) To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you HOLD TO My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will KNOW the truth, and THE TRUTH will set you free.” Only those who are open to Jesus’ teaching will be able to learn how to be a child of God.

Mat 18:1-4 (NIV) At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The more you are successful through world training, human effort, and human talents, skills, abilities, and gifts, the harder it is going to be for you to be a good student with Jesus. Jesus only teaches those who are open to His teaching.

James 4:1 (NIV) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? As long as you are your main interest, you will use techinques that you think are best for you. You won’t be able to in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Mat 7:12a). You will find yourself trying to get Jesus and Christianity to make sure YOU get YOUR needs met. If your focus is on you, your receptivity to training will be all about YOU and YOUR needs.

Mat 6:31-33 (NIV) So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these THINGS WILL be given to you as well. Suppose you gain the whole world and lose your soul; would you consider yourself successful? Mat 16:26 (NIV) What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If it is mainly about you, then others get left out of the plan.

James 4:2 (NIV) You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. Have the advertisements and social standards addicted you to what to wear, what to eat, what to get and own? Are you pursuing THINGS thinking that if you get them THEN you will be happy? If you seek first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, do you believe that all these THINGS WILL be given to you as well? Do you believe that being a river rather than a lake will bring happiness into your life?

You do not have, because you do not ask God. Are you sure you want anything that doesn’t come through God? Do you want a career that God doesn’t want you to have? Do you want a job that you didn’t ask God about? Do you want goals, plans, and strategies that you didn’t get from God? Do you want to keep trying to find happiness through the world, your body, or the devil? Learning to get everything by asking God will bring FAR MORE than happiness. But, we all TRY to apply these Christian principles to motives that look good to us but don’t to God.

Jer 17:9-10 (NIV) The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Learning to always ask God for things is just the beginning. Learning to allow God to check your motives is also very important. James 4:3 (NIV) When you ask, you do not receive, BECAUSE you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. From this course on, Jesus will be helping you with your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength of will. You will be taught things that will be so powerful that you will be more than willing to give up world training, body desires, and satanic temptations.

Jesus has a wonderful plan for you; He has made sure you were born with the right type of body, with the right parents, in the right place on this planet, at the right time, with the right gender, and with the right talents, likes and dislikes, life classes, circumstances, and experiences to get you ready for your future. He is making sure you get the best Biblical training so He can empower you to be the very best there is in Him. But, for you to get into this very best for you, there are some things He has to teach you; there are some things He has to do to you, for you, in you, and through you. He has properly prepared you for all those things you need so that you can reach your full potential.