By Dennis Petersen © 2012

In our materialistic world we sometimes forget the common sense reality that we all know deep down that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). The ultimate expression of life is not something you can necessarily measure by a paycheck or the car in your driveway.  It’s not about the amount in your bank account or the glamour of your dwelling.  In my opinion, the big question is: “are you living the good life?”

It’s clear that God has put inside of man the conscious desire to have a good life.  King David wrote Psalm 34:12, “What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?”  And then proceeds to give some extremely wise counsel on how to achieve that ‘good life’ by watching our words and our actions while we pursue peace.

  Here’s what we must ask constantly. “What, for me, would be a good life?” In fact, go a step further and ask “What, for me, would be a great life?”  And, if you don’t want to fall into a ho-hum roller-coaster of highs and lows, from boredom to anxiety, you have to keep going over and over your list.  It should include things like: personal development and spirituality, economics and financial well-being, health and vitality, relationships and recreation.  What would constitute a good life for you?  Before we look at a short list of some of the most valuable characteristics of ‘the good life’ how would you like to have a simple roadmap to steer you in the right direction toward that good life – just in case you may find yourself a little lost on some back country dirt road that isn’t exactly the smooth highway that you were expecting at this stage of your journey?

Every one of us eventually discovers the reality that we all have choices about how we live our life.  Those choices are formed by many factors and we might tend to think that external experiences, over which we have no control, might be the most important.  However, our attitudes, our philosophies and our beliefs have proven to be so instrumental in determining our course in life, that many who have mastered their lives best have discovered that what Jesus said is literally true: “..all things are possible for one who believes” (Mk 9:23).

Today, let’s explore some possibilities.  Let’s see what it takes to make the changes in our lives that can truly make a difference in our outcome – the results of our choices, the results of what we truly believe.

Let’s consider four Powerful Things that are sure to turn your life around.  When I read and heard this little list from the late Jim Rohn, I was inspired to write down some additional thoughts that I hope will reinforce your determination to discover the pathway to your own better future.

If you believe in ‘fatalism’ and think you can do nothing to make changes in your own life, you might as well quit having any hopes, dreams or ambitions for anything right now.  Why would you pursue anything with honest ambition?  Too many people these days have already succumbed to being mediocre when they could be exceptional.  They get confused about the power of goals, not realizing that the improved person you become in the pursuit of those goals is vastly more valuable than the rewards of achieving the goals.

The Day That Turns Your Life Around

If you truly want to be all that you were created to be, then maybe it’s time to make this the day that will turn your life around.  It might begin with these four powerful words.

First is Disgust.  It’s a powerful negative emotion.  When you get to a point where you can honestly say with conviction that “I’ve had it” you will begin to chart your course on a different path.

Get to the place where you believe yourself when you say that you will not continue to do or experience the negative outcomes that you have in the past.  Get to the place where you decide to find out what changes you must make in your life to experience the results you are determined to have no matter what.

When you’re willing to get the advice, read the books, meet the people and do what it takes to make the difference… that’s when you will start to turn your life around.

Commitment is the key attitude here.  Are you disgusted enough with your past or your existing results to determine to do the actions that will change your results?

If you keep doing what you have been doing all along, what makes you think that you will keep getting anything different than the results you’ve been getting for longer than you would like to admit?

You don’t have to be as brilliant as the famous 20^th Century scientist, Albert Einstein, to see that doing the same things over and over while expecting different results is insane!

So doesn’t it make sense to stop doing the activities that produce results you don’t want?  Do you honestly believe that?  Then why not determine to figure out what changes you need to make and then just choose to make those changes?

Adding an action to your disgust is a powerful way to tell your subconscious that there is no turning back.  Cutting off your old dependencies is a good action: Tearing up the credit card, giving away the things that tie you down, putting a reminder to yourself on your mirror, making a promise to someone who will hold you accountable – all these are ways to help you reinforce your disgust.  And you might even have to change your environment.  Unplug the TV if you have to.  Put it in the closet or give it away if it’s the thing that has been draining your valuable time, preventing you from finding a seminar to learn new skills that could change your life.  Join a new group.  Meet new people.  Quit hanging out with the people that you know are poisoning your beliefs and attitudes.  Take it upon yourself to do the actions that will commit you to your goal to change your life for the better.

Next is To Decide to do it.  The day and the moment that you make a self-determined Decision is the marking point that puts the pathway to your new life on the map.

Think about it.  If you were to go home and make a list of decisions tonight – decisions that you cannot allow yourself to back out of or renege on – it could keep you busy for the next five or ten years with life changing positive new inputs in your life.  What do you need to decide to do differently to put you on that path Continue reading What does it take to Live a Really Good Life – A Life filled with Legacies?

It has been said a generation that does not know history has no future.

By Jim Lynn – Copyrighted 2012

On my radio show, Reclaiming Your Legacy, I recently (May 2012) interviewed my well informed ministry friend, Jim Lynn, about what the collapse of the dollar means to you.  Please listen to that interview on KFIA.com.  Access it in the Podcast-Local Program section.  Find our program title.  Click on the archive and select the May 8, 2012 show.  Below is an introductory report to introduce you to what is ahead very soon.  More than any single influence we have known in our lifetime, this unraveling of events will change the way everyone in today’s generation lives

Warning: Be careful not to allow “Cognitive Dissonance” to keep you from taking action on this information.  The warning of a coming invader could not be more real in causing you to “grow up” very fast in taking charge of your future.  In coming days I will be giving you links to other important resources of high value to share with your loved ones.  Please be sure you have requested to be on my opt-in list at www.ReclaimingYourLegacy.com

Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself. The naïve proceed and pay the penalty.” (see Isaiah 26:20)

Prologue

Most Americans know by now something has fundamentally changed the

U.S. banking system and our economy. That something is a black hole of

government spending and debt that can have but one outcome. While we

may not know the details, large numbers of people know the end result and

aren’t waiting around to see what happens or for help to arrive. People are

actively now preparing for the inevitable bankruptcy of the United States

government and collapse of the U.S. dollar.

The purpose of this report is to explain and give you information that can

literally make the difference between life and death. You already know we

are going to go through hard times…You already know you must be wise in

how you spend your money…And you already know you are going to have

to make plans on how you make your income both before and after the

collapse…The question is…Will you and how will you?

I did not write this report as some “Doomsday Prepper,” locked and loaded

for whatever comes our way. Rather I wrote it as a Christian concerned for

God’s children, one who has studied the subject and sees heartache ahead.

My admonition is that after reading this report, you discuss it with your

family and Church and pray for guidance.

Few Understand How Big and Bad it really is

Few people in the U.S. understand how our monetary system works (Thank

the government run school system for that). And the few people in political

power who do understand it are keeping quiet: Not because of the trillions of

dollars our country owes, but because of what is going to happen BECAUSE

of it. They are scared to death.

The greatest life-changing event of our lifetime, a total collapse of our

monetary system, will happen sometime this decade. Words like “hardship,”

“struggle,” and “calamity” do not come close to describing what we as a

nation of individuals and families will experience.

It matters not which political party is in power. I sincerely hope you

understand this. The matter is out of their hands to prevent. The U.S.

Congress may slow the progress of the inevitable default and bankruptcy of

the federal government, but no one can stop it from happening.

America is in deep, deep trouble. The federal government is over $16

TRILLION dollars in debt. This debt is so huge; it is almost equal to the

debt of all other nations on Earth…Combined! Here’s the thing: The debt is

more than can ever be repaid without destroying our standard of living.

Whatever savings and underlying net worth millions of people may claim

will be systematically destroyed in the process. No one is telling us this.

How is this possible?

What we call money today is an abomination unto God. The monetary

system we use now (fiat currency) was conceived in iniquity and born in sin

(Proverbs 20:10). Time was when our paper dollars were redeemable in real

money (silver and gold), but no more. What we call a dollar today is no

more than a deception, a broken promise.

U.S. Government

Compare the paper dollars below. The paper dollar on the left is a Silver

Certificate; the paper dollar on the right is a Federal Reserve Note. Our U.S.

monetary system was once on a gold and silver standard. Our paper dollars

were Certificates that could be redeemed for actual silver or gold coins in

any U.S. bank. The assurance people had that their paper dollars could be

redeemed in silver or gold was stated on the face of each Certificate. For

example the $1 Silver Certificate below reads: “This Certifies That There Is

On Deposit In The Treasury of The United States of America One Dollar In

Silver Payable To The Bearer On Demand”

As long as people could redeem their silver and gold certificates for actual

silver and gold, they knew their paper dollars were safe and sound. That is

no longer the case today. The U.S. monetary system works now like a Ponzi

Scheme. Today instead of Silver Certificates we carry around I.O.U’s.

Take a U.S. dollar out from your wallet and look at it. See where it says

“Federal Reserve Note?” That word, “Note,” means a debt exists against the

dollar bill you are holding, and every other dollar in existence. In other

words, U.S. dollars are nothing more than monetized Debt Notes…Empty

IOU’s.

The government abandoned our silver and gold standard required by the

U.S. Constitution. Our monetary system is now based on debt, not silver or

gold. This means the government must continually borrow and therefore

print and circulate ever more Federal Reserve Notes in order to function, or

else the entire system will collapse. Each new dollar Note printed has one

dollar of debt plus interest of more Debt Notes accrued against it. We are

borrowing Debt Notes into existence (from a private corporation called The

Federal Reserve Bank), and paying for them with more Debt Notes that do

not exist yet. There is nothing of substance or value backing these notes.

We have to print and borrow ever more Debt Notes (paper currency) in

order to pay off (roll-over) the interest on existing debt. This means even if

the government confiscated every Debt Note dollar ever printed or created

by a keystroke, there still would not be enough dollars in existence to pay off all debt.

Our national debt is now so huge; the government is no longer paying down

the principal owed. Even with low interest rates it’s all the government can

do just to pay the interest owed to keep America afloat. When interest rates

once again rise, as they will, making future interest payments on the debt

will eventually become impossible. There will not be enough dollars to both

pay the debt and run the government.

Debt based monetary systems work until eventually there is so much paper

currency in circulation the paper is rendered worthless. As the sheer quantity

of these dollars find their way into the economy, they lose purchasing power

causing everything we buy to go up in price (product inflation).

This explains why, for instance, a box of Kellogg’s Corn

Flakes that cost .99 cents back in 1980 costs $3.99 today.

Same product, there simply are more dollars (debt notes)

competing for the same box of cereal which increases its

price. Inflation is insidious in that it robs us of our ability to

maintain our standard of living.

The U.S. Treasury must now borrow $4.1 BILLION dollars every DAY just

to pay the interest on our $16 trillion dollar debt. It does this by selling

Bonds to investors. Of course creating and borrowing more Debt Notes just

adds to the debt. It also explains why our government must always raise our

taxes to keep functioning. This CANNOT continue for much longer.

As the national debt grows, paying the interest due will soon become

impossible, as the payment will become greater than the entire national

budget. Either that or investors will stop buying Bonds long before the

interest rate earned from those Bonds no longer keeps up with inflation.

Eventually, the rate of inflation will increase so rapidly, no one will want

U.S. dollars: Not investors, business people, consumers…No one!

Coupled with the economic depression we are already in, America cannot

last, as we know it for much longer. Consider where we are:

•An average of 23 manufacturing facilities a day closed down in the

United States during 2010. Overall more than 56,000 manufacturing

facilities have shut down since 2001.

•As the economy unwinds, more and more job prospects disappear.

Right now for every job opening in America, there are 5.5

unemployed Americans.

•67 million Americans (that’s 1 of every 5) receive some kind of

financial aid directly from the federal government to the tune of 2.6

trillion dollars annually (that’s more money than the federal

government takes in from taxes for the entire year).

•Over 46 million people are receiving food stamps (23% more than

just 3 years ago). 1 of every 4 homeowners is under water with their

mortgage, due to home values falling.

We are no longer the land of the free…We’re the land of the afraid!

And for good reason…

Things are going to get much worse for the economy as a whole, and for life

in America as we know it. The debt crisis will get far nastier than we can

imagine, and go on far longer than we can imagine before there’s any hope

of a real recovery.

Continue reading The American Debt Crisis – What it Means to You

By Dennis Petersen

Adapted from: True Success in Times of Change
By Tom Morris, Nightingale-Conant Corporation

The Bible teaches followers of Jesus Christ to ask God for wisdom when you realize that you lack it, and trust that He will give it to you.

How do you think that wisdom is found?   Can we really believe that there is wisdom for the way forward from where we are right now?

When the seemingly overwhelming crises of the world are swirling around us, how can we find a well-lighted path into some sort of sustainable future that we all want?

Joshua chapter one sets the stage after 40 years in the wilderness, facing one of the most challenging times of change that any people has ever faced.  They were facing constant conflict and stress.  In Joshua 24 Joshua summarizes that “we will serve the Lord.”

At the start of the years long project to conquer the Promised Land God says in Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

If we are honest, we all want success.  When discouragement is all around us, God promised Joshua success when he kept his eyes on God and His Word.  Could it be that God’s wisdom for those who are asking for it can come from a message like this that is delivered in a timely season?

Tom Morris put together a list of seven conditions for success that are strikingly universal and basic to practically any situation.   These keys serve to lay a foundation for the most deeply satisfying and sustainable successes in life.  We should apply them to every challenge, opportunity, endeavor, or relationship.

The 7 Cs of Success

(1) A clear CONCEPTION of what we want, a vivid vision, a goal clearly imagined.

(2) A strong CONFIDENCE that we can attain that goal.

(3) A focused CONCENTRATION on what it takes to reach the goal.

(4) A stubborn CONSISTENCY in pursuing our vision.

(5) An emotional COMMITMENT to the importance of what we’re doing.

(6) A good CHARACTER to guide us and keep us on a proper course.

(7) A CAPACITY TO ENJOY the process along the way.

There are no doubt other key concepts associated with success, but they can almost all be listed as components of one or more of these 7.   These 7 Cs give us a logical and comprehensive framework for success.

Let’s take a moment to look at each concept. Start with our need for a goal or set of goals.

(1) A clear CONCEPTION of what we want, a vivid vision, a goal clearly imagined.

No matter where we live or what we do or who we are… every facet of our lives that anticipates successful achievement of something needs us to think as clearly as possible what we want to accomplish and what we’d like to see happen.

It’s not enough to say “I want a job.”  We must target what kind of job and where we want to work.

I’m reminded of the advice given to Alice in Wonderland (by the Cheshire cat – wasn’t it?).  If you don’t know where you’re going it doesn’t matter which way you go.  You’ll surely get there.  But it may not be where you’d like to get.

True success starts with an inner vision.  Sure, it’s incomplete at first.  But the vision for your goal will grow once you define it.  Just as Adam was given a defined goal to care for and develop the Garden of Eden, our world (as we find it) is just the raw material for what we can make of it.  God created us to use our creative energies to bring unique expression to the world He made.  It’s part of the condition of man to be made in the “image” of God – to be creative.  It’s part of His nature and our nature to be creative, artistic and expressive.  When we have clear goals in our minds and express them with our words and actions (like writing them down) then we start to develop structure for our actions.

So what do you want?  Get creative and think about where you want to go and what you want to be.

Did you know that if you choose to delight yourself in your Creator, He expressly promises to actually GIVE you the desires of your heart?  That’s in Psalm 37.

“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Is it possible that if we make a habit of pleasing and worshipping Him, He actually arranges things for us to think about goals and desires that originate from the heart of God Himself?  Isn’t it interesting to know the origin of the word “desire”?  Think of it.  “Sire” means “to father.”  “De” means “of”… so “Desire” means “of the Father.”  Could it be that our ability for creative expression — in dreaming about and planning goals — is a direct reflection of being created in the image of God?  If you are delighting yourself in the Lord He is promising to impart those heart desires and help you see them fulfilled.

[If you are interested in participating in our Legacy for Life Business/Ministry Team to help important ministry causes like this program to broaden their impact… and be well rewarded for your effort… I’m looking for a motivated self-starter who likes to empower people and lead others to discover solutions to many of life’s challenges in today’s world.  Call me to arrange a brief phone conversation at (866) 867-9943.  Let’s see if you might find a place on our leadership team.  This will open up new horizons for you as you see some things I’ll show you online.]

(2) A strong CONFIDENCE that we can attain the goal.

Jesus tells us in Luke 12:6-7 that “you are of more value than many sparrows.”

If confidence is in any way related to faith, then how do we develop stronger confidence… stronger faith?  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word.  Let’s face it, the more we listen to and think about whatever we choose, the more knowledge about it we gain and the more confidence or faith we have in those words and concepts.  What’s our inside attitude?  It is absolutely the foundational key to outside results.

Are you launching a new enterprise?  Do you desire to seek a new direction?  You need upfront faith in what you’re doing.  Do whatever it takes to learn about your goal to have the faith, the confidence and the reassurance that you will arrive at your desired destination.   If we lack experience we may have to work hard to generate a confident attitude.   Is it worth it?  You bet it is.  Get the coaching and the education with someone who has been there before you.  In the process, you will raise your prospects for success. If you want confidence … then develop competence.  Let you natural curiosity urge you to dig deep in your study of the things that will help you achieve success in reaching your goal.  Will this guarantee success?  No… but your faith will compel you to take the risk anyway. And what if you fail?  You’re just one step closer to success.  You must fail.  It’s part of the pathway to success.  You will learn much and become stronger in the process.

(3) A focused CONCENTRATION on what it takes to reach the goal.

The Bible tells us to do whatever we do with all our heart as a direct service to God and not just ourselves or other people.  Aim to please God no matter what you do… it’s the best thing you can do to assure success in reaching your goal.   Concentrate on your goal with focus.   When children are raised to succeed at little goals and then expand to bigger goals, they will be prepared to dream about even bigger goals as they grow up.  It’s important to understand that big dreams can lead to big disappointments if we don’t learn how to chart our way forward. Continue reading Keys to True Success in Challenging Times of Change

The History and Legacy of Thanksgiving?

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” —Psalm 100:4-5

Who do you suppose are the people represented in this painting?

First Pilgrim Thanksgiving

A thankful heart is a content heart.  More than that, I give thanks to God for all the sacrifices of those who have gone before me and even protect me now to make possible all that we experience in our lives (my life) today.

Would you like to know some of the The History and Legacy of Thanksgiving?

The article about the history and legacy of Thanksgiving Day is introduced and linked just below the following comments… I hope you like it… dp

If we want to be the kind of people who are characterized by thankfulness, then we must make sure that we focus on it, and not just on Thanksgiving Day, but all through the year.

Here are a few key thoughts you can use to become more thankful:

Time. Set aside time every day to be quiet and to reflect. We live in the fastest-paced time ever. From the moment we awake to the moment we collapse into bed, we tend to go full speed and rarely slow down.  Let’s pause at a private time of day to free our minds from the tyranny of the urgent.

Thought. Deliberately think of the many blessings that you have. Living in a consumer culture, how often do we reflect on what we already have? Take some time each today and everyday to think of one or two things you have that you typically take for granted.  Then take a moment to give thanks to God for them.  Maybe try writing a list of those things each day and share the whole list with a loved one at the end of the week.

Generosity. Be generous toward someone with less.  Repent of any envy you have toward someone with more.  Envy breeds jealousy rather than contentment. How can we break that cycle? Be generous to someone less fortunate than you.  Offer to help someone do something that will help them prosper in the future like applying for a job or learning a new skill.  Go volunteer at a food bank – do it during the year, not just on a holiday. Do you think that will remind you of how good you really have it?

Ask. Ask a friend: “What are you thankful for?”  It might be amazing to hear the answers.  What a special bond of friendship could develop with your friend when you focus on such a simple question.

Acknowledge. Lastly, tell at least someone you love: “I’m thankful you are in my life.”  Let’s face it… We rarely take time to express to those close to us what their life means to us.  Why not take a moment today to write them a note?  On Thanksgiving Day, why not put your hand on their shoulder, look them in the eyes and tell them.  Let them know what they mean to you, and in return you’ll begin to create the possibility of deeper, richer, more fulfilling relationships with those you love.

Of course, we should do what we can to make the most of the day we call Thanksgiving, but wouldn’t it be a shame if the only time we reflected on our blessings was that one Thursday in November? And the answer is, of course! So let’s do our best to be aware of the many great gifts that we have each and every day of the year. As we do so we will see our hearts soar and our minds more and more at peace as we regularly remember and remain aware of our good fortune. Continue reading