What Are You Believing?

Announcer 0:00

Welcome to a special edition of Get the Hell Out of Your Life with Ron Myers. What you believe about God and what you believe about yourself shapes the way you live. But are your beliefs moving you forward or holding you back? Today, Ron will encourage you to trust what God says about you, that you are loved, forgiven, accepted, and complete in Christ. From that secure identity, you can take your next step with faith, not fear or striving. Here's Ron with today's topic: belief.

Ron Meyers 0:27

Did you know your life will eventually move in the direction of your strongest beliefs? So today I want to share one of my signature beliefs. When you believe what God wants you to believe, you are destined for success. Let's open up the show with this question. What are you believing? Belief is invisible. You cannot touch it. You cannot put it on a scale. You cannot walk into Walmart and buy a box of it. But you can recognize it when somebody has it. You hear it in the way they talk about tomorrow. You see it in how they respond when the phone rings with bad news, when business struggles, when somebody else tells them no, or when their plans fall apart. After all these years, one of my greatest life lessons is this what you believe about yourself, about God, and about your situation will influence what you do next. Two people can face the same problem. One says, I'm finished. The other says, This is hard, but I will find my next step. Same problem, different belief. Different response, different possibilities. You see, belief shapes behavior. Behavior creates movement. Movement produces experience. Experience creates evidence, and evidence strengthens belief. That is the road we are going to travel today.

Biblical Optimism In Real Pain

Ron Meyers 1:55

I am not telling you to pretend your problems are not real. And I am certainly not saying that if you think enough happy thoughts, the universe is obligated to give you everything you want. No, my confidence is not in the universe. My confidence is in the one who created it. I call that biblical optimism. Biblical optimism says that even when my life is not working according to my plan, God has not stopped working. Romans 8 28 tells us that God works all things together for good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It does not say everything that happens is good. I have lived long enough, and I'm sure you have too to know better than that. Some things hurt, and some things are unfair, and some things will devastate you. And some things make absolutely no sense while you are walking through them. But please hear me. Do not confuse, I cannot see what God is doing with God is not doing anything. Those are two entirely different beliefs. Faith does not deny the pain. Faith refuses to let the pain have the final word.

When Someone Else’s Fear Spreads

Ron Meyers 3:21

That brings me to a story I have never forgotten. More than 20 years ago, while I was managing a Christian radio station, I kept a Bible on my desk called the Positive Thinking Bible, inspired by the teaching of Norman Vincent Peel. I loved that Bible. One day a preacher walked into my office, saw it sitting on my desk, and said, You need to throw that away. And I asked him why. He said, That is false teaching. And I remember sitting there thinking, wait a minute, the Bible is full of hope. When we follow what Jesus teaches, that sounds pretty positive to me. But there was a problem. I was a relatively new believer, and he was the preacher. His words got inside my head, and I began wondering, wow, what if he's right? What if I am missing God? What if I'm doing something wrong? I thought about it for days and then I did something I regret. I got scared and I threw that Bible away. More than 20 years later, my experiences and more importantly, my walk with Jesus have taught me something. I do not have to be afraid every time another Christian disagrees with me. I can listen, I can pray, I can open scripture, I can seek wise counsel, I can talk with Jesus, and I can use the discernment God gave me. Sometimes I can simply say, I appreciate your opinion, but we disagree. Not every disagreement has to become a battle. Today, when I look back, I realize that preacher had no earthly idea what God was doing. And frankly, neither did I. And the good news, I got a new copy of that Bible in the mail just a few days ago, and I love it. I tell you that story in this message about belief because you've got to be careful about allowing somebody else's fear to become your belief. People will tell you that you cannot do that. They may even say you are too ambitious, too optimistic, too different, too old, too young, too inexperienced. But they do not know about the conversations you have had with Jesus. They do not know what he has been placing in your heart, and they do not know where he may be taking you. Now don't misunderstand me. We all need wise people in our lives. Stay teachable, know your Bible, listen to people who love you enough to challenge you. But ultimately, your relationship with Jesus cannot be outsourced. Your journey is between you and Jesus.

Grace Builds A Secure Identity

Ron Meyers 5:52

After all these years of following Jesus, I have discovered that if you want to talk about some positive talk, talk about grace. Grace says your worst day does not get the final word. Grace says your past does not have to determine your future. Grace says you can fall and get back up. Grace says you are forgiven. Grace says God loves you before you get everything figured out. Grace says God can take broken pieces and create something beautiful. And Romans 8, verse 1 says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That truth alone puts concrete into your belief system. When you know that you are loved, forgiven, and secure in Jesus, you stop spending your life wondering whether one mistake has disqualified you. You become free to learn to grow and pursue what God has placed in your heart. Positive believing rooted in Jesus is not pretending everything will happen exactly the way Ron wants it. Good grief. I'm sure glad that's not true because I sure have had some boneheaded ideas. I have failed many times, but failure taught me to learn, adjust, and keep plowing. Somewhere, sometime and someday, the lesson begins to make sense. I believe with my whole heart that this is the greatest time to be a believer. Not because the world is perfect, but because God is still moving through ordinary people who are willing to say, Jesus, here I am, use

Rewrite The Story In Your Head

Ron Meyers 7:44

me. Now let us make belief practical. Each one of us has a story playing inside our head. People like me never get ahead. I'm too old, I'm too young, I'm not qualified. Oh, nothing works for me. But then you've got to ask yourself, where did those stories come from? Maybe a teacher, a parent, a boss, somebody who hurt you or a failure from years ago. You repeated the story so many times that it started sounding like the truth. But the voice you hear most often is usually your own. If you spend all day telling yourself why you cannot do something, don't be surprised when you stop trying. Romans 12 2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Maybe somebody listening today needs to fire the narrator who has been telling your story. Maybe it is time for a rewrite. Instead of saying, nothing ever works for me, say, I do not understand this yet, but God isn't finished. Instead of saying, I am a failure, say that attempt did not work. What can I learn from it? Instead of saying, Well, it's too late, Ron, say, Jesus, what can we do with the time I have today? Changing your words is not magic. It changes what you notice, what you attempt, and how quickly you get back

Adjust The Strategy Not The Purpose

Ron Meyers 9:09

up. The first three years of Ron Myers productions were hard. I was ready to quit, throw in the towel, and head to Atlanta for job opportunities. But something inside me kept saying, do not quit, keep learning. Then I had an idea. Instead of wearing myself out trying to produce over 15 events a year, I would slow down and concentrate on three major events each year. And that strategy, it changed everything. I had more energy, the events improved, the business started making money, but that idea came after many mistakes. I was desperate enough to pray, Lord, what do you want me to do? I'm sick and tired of being tired. I need help. And then the help came, not as a suitcase of money falling from heaven, but as an idea and the courage to act upon it. That experience taught me something important. Belief does not always mean holding tighter to the same plan. Sometimes belief means trusting God enough to adjust the strategy without abandoning the purpose. You are here on purpose for a purpose, and you are not a copy. You are an original. Look at your fingerprint. How many people have your fingerprint? None. You are a one of a kind. You are one piece of God's enormous puzzle. If you refuse to become who God created you to be, the picture is missing something only you can bring. Your new story can begin here. God has a plan for me, and I am ready to discover it. I am destined for success with Jesus at my side. Not success as the world defines it. Success with God means becoming who He created you to be, using what He gave you, serving the people He puts in front of you, and faithfully taking the next step.

Realism Versus Resignation

Ron Meyers 11:24

Somebody may be thinking, Ron, you have to be realistic. Sometimes we do. If you have $5 in the bank, you don't write a check for $5,000 and call it faith. That is not faith. That is going to create an interesting conversation with your banker. But sometimes when people tell you to be realistic, what they mean is do not expect too much. Be careful with that. Realism and resignation are not the same thing. Realism says this is difficult. Resignation says, therefore, it is impossible. Realism says, I do not know. Belief says, hey, let's find out. Realism says there's a mountain. Belief says, what is the first step of climbing that mountain? That is disciplined optimism. It is not denying the darkness. It is lighting a candle anyway. It is not pretending you are not afraid. It is refusing to let fear make your decisions. It is not saying everything is wonderful. Some days are rotten. I've had days when I didn't want to go to work or even leave the house. But when I felt down for the count, I knew the bell had rung and Jesus was saying, Ron, get up off the mat, buddy. We are not finished.

Take The Next Step In Fog

Ron Meyers 12:40

And here's where belief becomes movement. Action creates evidence. You do not have to feel confident before you move. We tell ourselves, when I feel confident, I will start. When I know enough, I will start. When I get enough money, I will start. When I am no longer afraid, I will start. And 10 years later, we are still standing there waiting. My experiences have taught me that readiness is often found on the road, not before you get on it. Picture yourself on a road covered in fog. You can only see 20 feet ahead. You can stand there demanding that God remove all the fog, or you can walk the 20 feet you can see. And when you get there, you can usually see the next 20 feet. That is how Jesus has led me many times. He rarely hands me the entire blueprint. Usually he gives me enough light for the next step. Then I have to decide: do I trust him enough to take it? To make that phone call, send the email, fill out the application, write the first page, start the plan, have the conversation, apologize, forgive, or try again? Friend, take the step. Action gives you something. Sitting still never will. New information. Maybe it works, maybe it does not. Either way, you have learned something. You can adjust, you can change direction, you can keep moving. You cannot steer a parked car. And some of you have decided a door's locked when you have not even turned the handle. You assume they will not hire you. Nobody will listen. The idea will not work. You are not qualified. Ah, it's too late. Do not allow assumption to become a prison. Turn the handle, knock, ask, try, believe, explore. And if that door does not open, well, you try another one. One of my life lessons is that rejection is not always rejection. Sometimes it is redirection. A closed door does not always mean stop. Sometimes Jesus is saying, not this one, keep moving. Instead of immediately asking, why is this happening to me? Try asking, Jesus, how could you use this? What can this teach me, Jesus? What can this develop in me? Where am I being redirected, Jesus? And what if this is not the end of my story? Friends, I've looked back all word over my life and seen situations that made no sense while I was living them. Later, I saw the connections, the people, the timing, the lessons, the preparation, and unexpected opportunities. And I find myself wondering, could some of this have been rigged, not rigged against me, rigged for God's purpose? I could not see it then, but God could.

Become Evidence For Someone Watching

Ron Meyers 15:50

There is another reason your belief matters. Somebody is watching you. Your children, grandchildren, employees, coworkers, spouse, friends, they may be quietly wondering, can somebody like me make it? Maybe God wants your life to become part of their answer. Leadership does not always happen behind a podium. Sometimes leadership is somebody watching how you respond when life does not go your way. They watch you lose and get back up. They watch you face disappointment and you keep believing. They watch you make a mistake and you own it. They watch you trust Jesus when you do not understand what he is doing. One day, somebody may say, I watched you. I saw what you went through. I saw that you did not quit, and it made me believe that maybe I could keep going also. My friends, that is success. That is influence, that is purpose. You became the evidence somebody else needed. That's why I chased stories on get the hell out of your life. I have over 300 stories, and they are evidence that people who were down for the count rose again, and now God is using them. Let's bring this home.

One Belief To Challenge This Week

Ron Meyers 17:14

Belief shapes behavior. Behavior creates movement. Movement produces experience. Experience creates evidence. Evidence strengthens belief. When you walk with Jesus long enough, something begins developing inside of you. Not arrogance, not wishful thinking, but trust and faith. You can say, God has been faithful before, so I can trust him with what's next. Or you can say, I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who I am talking to today. I don't know where this road leads, but I know who I am following. I don't know how this problem gets solved, but I will take the next step. I cannot see everything God is doing in my life, but I will keep believing and having faith while he does it. Here's your next step for this week. Identify one belief that is holding you back. Just one. Write it down. Maybe it's I'm too old, I'm not good enough, I've I have failed many times, nobody will give me an opportunity. Underneath that statement, write this question. What does God say? And then find God's truth that answers the lie. And then have a conversation with Jesus about it. Jesus, this is what I am believing. Is it true? What do you say about me? What do you want me to do next? Then ask yourself, if I truly believed God, what would I do next? Not next year, not someday, but next. One call, one conversation, one decision, one step, then take it. Do not wait until you are fearless. Do not wait until you are certain. We walk by faith, not by sight.

Break And Sponsor Message

Ron Meyers 19:06

Let's take a break. I will be back in a few minutes to close out today's show.

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You're listening to Get the Hell Out of Your Life with your host, Ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles, and real hope.

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From Craig.

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Can Salvation Be Forfeited?

Andrew Farley 20:25

Can a Christian stop believing and thereby forfeit their salvation? The short answer to that is no. We can't, and here's why. Salvation is more than getting your sins forgiven. It's more than a ticket to heaven. God is more than a banker canceling your debt. He's more than a travel agent booking you for a new destination. He has done something radical and powerful within you at the point of salvation. What did he do? Well, you were crucified, buried, and raised. You became a child of God with a new heart, a new spirit, and God's spirit living in you. So are you going to wake up tomorrow and potentially just stop believing? No, you're a believer by nature now. In fact, Ephesians 6, verse 24 says, you have an undying love for Jesus Christ. Can you believe that? That tomorrow and next week and next year you will never stop loving Jesus. You have an undying love for him because he put it there. So I've heard it just as you have. Oh, God will never leave you, but what if you leave him? The truth is you won't. If you're truly born of God, born of his spirit, then you have an incorruptible and undying love within you. And that's a beautiful thing. God deposited his love, he poured out his love in your heart by faith, so that you would be secure forever and never, ever stop loving him. That's the truth. And when we realize this, it changes the way we We look at God, but it also changes the way we feel about ourselves, recognizing we are in something that is unshakable and unbreakable. I mean, sure, there are people that abandon church. There are people that abandon a congregation, they're wounded, they're harmed, maybe even abused by a religious group, and they walk away from that congregation. But you know what? Even though they walk away from a group of people, they never walk away from Jesus because wherever they go, Christ lives in them forever. He says, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you. And now we can add to that simple truth, Ephesians 6.24. You will never stop loving Jesus.

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Daily Conversations With Jesus

Ron Meyers 23:19

As we wrap up today's show, I want to remind you, my friend, your life is not shaped only by what happens to you. It is also shaped by what you choose to believe about what happens to you. If life has taught me anything, it is this. Do not let a temporary circumstance become a permanent belief. Do not let yesterday right tomorrow. Do not let somebody else's opinion become your identity. Do not let fear convince you a door's locked when you haven't even tried the handle. And do not confuse God's silence with God's absence. He is still there. In your story, it isn't finished. There are still doors you haven't knocked on, ideas you have not tried, people you have not even met, lessons you have not learned, lives you have not touched, and assignments you have not discovered. So believe. Move, learn, adjust, and believe again. And before I go, let me return to where we started. Have your conversations with Jesus. Make it a daily habit, especially in the morning. Before you pick up the phone, before you check the news, and before social media tells you what you're supposed to be angry about. Take time. Talk to Jesus. Tell him what is on your heart. Tell him what worries you. Tell him what excites you. Ask Jesus, what are we going to do today? Who can we encourage, Lord? What do you want me to believe today? Keep that conversation going as you drive to work, walk through the grocery store, sit at your desk, or lie in bed at night. Jesus does not want a five-minute appointment on your calendar. He wants a relationship with you. And when you do not know what to believe, talk to the one who already knows the whole story. Friend, if today's message has encouraged you, please share it with somebody who needs to believe again. And if God has given you a story that could encourage somebody else, I want to hear it. Visit the promoter.org and click share your story. Your story may be the evidence somebody else needs to keep going. I have lived these lessons. I have made mistakes. I have celebrated victories. I have had doors slammed in my face. I have been terminated. I have been bankrupt. I have been knocked down. But I refused to quit. I got back up and I kept going. I lived it, I survived it, I learned from it, and now I'm passing it on to you. Through all of it, one truth remains: Jesus is faithful when we are faithless. I will be back next week with another grace-filled episode of Get the Hell Out of Your Life available wherever you listen to podcast. So keep believing, my friend. Keep moving, keep having those conversations with Jesus, and above everything else, keep your eyes on him. Remember, you were created on purpose for purpose by a God who loves you more than you can imagine. Now go and live like you believe it.

Support The Listener Funded Ministry

Announcer 26:59

Today's show was produced by Ron Myers Ministries, a listener-supported ministry. For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website, thepromoter.org. And would you prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible donation so that we may continue to share stories of God's amazing grace with the world? And join us next week for another broadcast of Get the Hell Out of Your Life. Real people, sharing real struggles, and offering real hope.

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