Mark DeJesus's Blog, page 124

#039: Confronting Unworthiness and Lack of Confidence [Podcast]

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In this week’s episode, we are going to address two questions that came in that have to do with unworthiness and lack of confidence. 

1. Our first question comes from James Staskelunas from Middletown, Connecticut in regarding to the issue of worthiness and unworthiness. 

- Are we worthy or unworthy?

- Are we simultaneously worthy and unworthy at the same time?

2. Our second question comes from Lyn Wojcik who lives in Wethersfield, Connecticut, dealing with the subject of confidence struggles, especially in relating to subjects she is not very knowledgeable about.

- What does it look like to be a learner of things, but still have confidence?

If the player does not appear, click here to listen to the episode. 

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#038: How Should We Act Around the Opposite Sex? [Podcast]

Our subject today comes out of a question that was submitted to us, regarding how to interact with the opposite sex.

Question: How do you handle friends of the opposite sex in your relationship or marriage? What should the boundary lines be, especially if you have had a friend for years who is an X boyfriend or girlfriend. What do you do when your significant other is threatened by them when nothing is going on? Do you just trust your boyfriend/girlfriend? or do you give up your friends and put your mate first? Also what do you do when your boyfriend’s friends hate his girlfriend?

In this episode, we tackle a number of areas, including:

How should the opposite sexes see each other?
What are some healthy boundaries for single people? Married people?
How do you interact with healthy boundaries with the opposite sex?

Click Here to Listen to the Episode Online

Question: What questions do you have when listening to his episode? What did you feel was helpful? 

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Confronting Blocks to Change Part 2: Check the Price [Audio Teaching]

In this 7 part series, I want to teach you in Starting Off a New Season Differently. Whether its the beginning of the year or a new chapter that you want to open up, I dissect the 7 main reasons why people do not break through into true transformation and change in their life.

In this part two, I uncover the fact that most people DO NOT COUNT THE COST properly when seeking to make change or venture out into new territory. They go about life mostly winging it with very little intention about what they are going to set their hearts towards.

In this audio teaching, I want to show y0u:

To understand the cost involved in life.
What happens when people do not count the cost properly.
How to count the cost and break through into change!

Starting Off a New Season Differently p2 NOTE

Click Here to Download Audio Teaching

Question: In what ways do you need to properly count the cost in life? 

 

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#037: Is God Angry? [Podcast]

Today’s episode is based on a question that was submitted via “Ask Mark” on our web site.

Question: Why do some Christians focus almost exclusively on scary side of Gods attributes like Gods anger, his wrath, repentance of sexual sins (as if they are worse than other sins), burning in hell, are you ready for the rapture, etc? Should we disregard the extremely negative fearful picture they paint of God? These christians rarely mention his love.. Is there a balance or something…I’ll be honest they scare the %#*@ out of me if I’m having a weak week.

Click Here to Listen to the Show Online

Question: What questions come up after listening to this episode? Send them in and we may address them on our show! 

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“Bitter Free” Crowdfunding Campaign Ends This Sunday!

Thank you in advance to all of you who have donated to getting the book “Bitter Free!” launched and helping us to build resources that lead people through inside out transformation.

To date, we have received a little over $1500 by mail. Add this to our current online donation of $1,000 and we are right about half-way to our goal of $5,000.

There is still time to give towards this project. We would love to see the final goal met in this last week. Would you prayerfully consider giving towards this work?

Click Here to Read More About This Exciting Project

 

 

 

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Addressing Substance Addictions [Audio Teaching]

Confronting battles of addictions to substances, such as alcohol, smoking and other drugs (legal and illegal).

In this audio teaching, I address the subject of addictions, giving an exhortation on the programming that addictions bring to your life. I also get into specifics of the battlegrounds that include smoking, alcoholism, legal drugs and illegal drug addictions.

Scriptures Referenced:

2 Corinthians 6:12

2 Peter 2

Click Here to Listen or Download this Audio Teaching

Question: What insights regarding these battles did you find helpful for yourself or others that you care about, who may be struggling with addictions? 

 

 

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#036: What Do You Do After You Sin? [Podcast]

In today’s we are going to address a question that was sent in regarding what do we do after we sin? It is a question absolutely anyone can relate to and we want to dive right in and share with you some insights on how to deal with the mess-ups, sins and yucky feelings that go along with it.

Question: I have a question for a podcast, what do you do immediately after you sin? Is there a period of mourning? Do you just get up say sorry and praise God and go out preaching the gospel 5 minutes later? There seems to be a “yucky” feeling that lingers…I lost my temper one day and said some mean demeaning things to someone close to me, I quickly apologized, then like 5 minutes later a non believer that I developed a friendship with called and wanted to talk and I ignored them because I felt guilty and hypocritical from losing my temper and swearing moments before…it can apply to many areas of sin and I’m sure we have all experienced it.

Click Here to Download Episode

Question: What parts of this episode has helped you the most? 

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Would You Help Me Release My Next Book? Here’s How!

I am incredibly excited for this upcoming book project, slated to be released late this month, on the subject of forgiveness, conflict and anger. This book is incredibly easy to read, yet profound and practical. In this book project, entitled, “Bitter Free!” I outline the work of bitterness and how it infiltrates our lives.

For this particular project, we are asking everyone in our tribe to help contribute to this launch. It will not only help us release the book, but also fund resources for upcoming audio and video resources that are needed to spread the word and help set people free!

Click Here to Donate to This Project

Up to date, we have received $1800 in support! So why doesn’t this show on the crowdfunding web site? Many people graciously responded, but sent in checks instead of posting online. Although this is very generous, we also want to encourage everyone to donate online. The site is safe and secure and it helps for people to be encouraged by the increments of giving that are taking place.

In anticipation for this book release, here are the chapter titles:

INTRODUCTION

10 Reasons Why You Need This Book

1    OFFENSE, UNFORGIVENESS & BITTERNESS

Sins We Often Overlook

2    RESENTMENT

The Record of Wrongs

3    RETALIATION

Pay for What You Did!

4    ANGER, WRATH & RAGE

A Passionate Flame or Fiery Inferno?

5    SHUT THE DOOR

Exposing Open Doors & Triggers to Anger

6    ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Confronting and Overcoming Anger

7    HATRED

I Withhold Love from You

8    VIOLENCE & MURDER

Destroying Others Through Words & Actions

9    HOW TO FORGIVE ANYONE

Living the Bitter-Free Lifestyle

10  TALKING IT OUT

Effective Conflict Resolution

11  LIVING IT OUT

Manifesting the Forgiving Lifestyle

Join us in this campaign effort!

Click Here to Donate to this Project

 

 

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What I Was Willing to Do For Freedom, But Many Are Not

This year will mark 20 years I have been in full time work of helping and ministering to people. Since 1995, I have helped many people grow, while traveling into various level of transformation myself. In 2004, I entered into one of the biggest chapters of transformation when I began to overcome daunting anxiety, depression, physical infirmities, as well as personal limitations. The freedom I experienced not only changed my life, but also catapulted me into new areas of writing, teaching and coaching others for inside out transformation.

Yet over the years, I have noticed very few people actually want to do the work necessary to enter into new levels of freedom. Somehow, Americans think they can enter into amazing levels of change without having to put anything on the line, pay a price or walk through intense seasons of pain. I have come to the conclusion that so many would rather live as victims, blaming their circumstances or other people, rather than taking personal responsibility to go after freedom in their life, even if the cost is huge.

There were some very specific things I had to be willing to do, that were key elements in my transformation process. These points I believe are critical to the long-term fruit of absolute transformation.

1. I had to value the process.

We love instant, miraculous changes, but the majority of them happen in a process of time. We love the “and suddenlies” of the Bible, but we take little account to the years, the heart-ache, the tears and sacrifice that led up to those incredible moments.

2. I had to be willing to invest money on resources and be willing to sow into the Kingdom.

I notice a lot of people asking for help, but rarely want to do anything financially. I was willing to buy any teaching resource, book or material out there that spoke truth to my battles. I traveled on my last dime to places that provided hope and sound teaching to help me walk into healing and freedom. I was willing to sow my finances into churches and ministries that ministered to my life in any way. Financially investing into people that help you is a critical part of the process and it honors the time, effort and sacrifice that went into providing hope.

3. I had to humble myself to be taught.

Some area of stinking thinking needs to be addressed if change is possible. I was broken to the point where I said, “God, if its in your Word and I have not been seeing it or applying it, show it to me so that I can be changed.” Little did I realize that God would answer that prayer, but I had to be willing to be taught.

Pride is one of the greatest deterrences to transformation. The moment we think “we know something” is the moment we cap our growth curve. I chose to always remain a novice, never arriving and always seeking to learn from others. To do this, we need to humble ourselves and become teachable, especially with the people God puts in our lives to instruct us. With your desire for transformation, God will usually place people in your life to bring instruction, correction and guidance for your personal renovation.

4. I had to be willing to be corrected.

This is where most people no longer grow. They want to change but they refuse to be corrected. I had to learn to let God use people to bring correction into my life; to be spiritually and emotionally “filleted” without being defensive. The only way I could truly learn to be a son before my Father in heaven, was that I was able to be corrected by Him and the people close to me in my life.

5. I had to be willing to go through horrific days.

The toughest days are the ones that formed me the deepest, but they also could have wiped me out. When I was willing to walk through those dark days and stay the course, it built in me a resilience that I would need all my life.

Life is not easy and neither is transformation. If you invite change into your life, expect all hell to break lose. This is satan’s automatic response to resist the work of God from shining forth in your life. Many do not understand the importance of carrying an overcomer’s heart. They back down and their character is not forged deeper.

6. I had to be willing to forsake comfort.

One statement that I had to learn in my life is that “God’s number one concern is not my comfort, but my transformation.” Change and comfort rarely ever go together, so I had to learn to be “comfortable with the uncomfortable.” I quickly noticed that people in this generation are constantly scurrying towards places of comfort and pleasure in their life, so they never saw and reached for the greater potential in their life. This is mainly because they were not willing to pay a price. I had numerous people come to me and say, “I am all in! I want to jump all the way in and see change in my life.” But soon they were taking out by the discomfort that came their way. Unfortunately, many choose ease over transformation.

7. I had to be willing to let go of anything.

I find that true deliverance and freedom in life often comes with a letting go of things that either harm us, limit us from greater freedom or simply become idolatrous hinderances to our spirituality. When faced with the chance to go all in for transformation, I had to be willing to let go of anything, my pride, my reputation, toxic relationships, what people thought of me, my addictions, my comfortable habits and lifestyle. When Jesus initially spoke to people, He was always “all-in” with his approach. “Sell everything you have, let the dead bury the dead, leave your father and mother,” all spoke to the absolute surrender necessary when walking in God’s transformative power. Many want the fruit of blessing, but don’t want to go all the way in with God in the process.

Question: Which of these becomes the most challenging when it comes to transformation and change?

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Confronting the Blocks to Change Part 1: Check Your Eyesight [Audio Teaching]

In this 7 part series, I want to teach you in Starting Off a New Season Differently. Whether its the beginning of the year or a new chapter that you want to open up, I dissect the 7 main reasons why people do not break through into true transformation and change in their life.

In this part one, I uncover the fact that most people HAVE NO CLEAR VISION in their journey. They go about life mostly winging it with very little intention about what they are going to set their hearts towards.

In this teaching, I will help you to see the following:

The importance of walking with clear vision in your life.
What revelation does to open up our understanding, see ourselves and our future more clearly.
How to practically enter a new season with fresh vision.
Step by step, I walk you through how to frame out the vision and put it into practice in your day to day life.

Starting Off a New Season Differently p1 NOTE

Question: As you listen to this teaching, in what way is God helping you to have better vision for your life?

 

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