Okay maybe I am confused but if so answer this. MacArthur wrote a book "Our sufficiency in Christ" in which he speaks against self-help, psychology, and all that nonsense. If you have not read the book you are familiar with his position I bet. MacArthur says that we do not need self-help for the Bible is more than enough which is the teaching found in Psalms 19. So why rely on me to get it done and to do this and that when the focus should be God and getting it done though his power? Zig, Andy Andrews, and others use self, and human power, and not God and his power.
If someone needed to get a better paying job, if someone needed to find a new church to use their gifts more, then they need to take action, but they need to rely on God and his power in helping accomplish it. While God may not provide a better paying job, the truth is that He may. Self-help types would say that God did not provide a better paying job, because the person wanted it had a bad attitude or did not dream or focus enough, or had a bad self-image. But those believing in the LORDSHIP OF CHRIST will say that Christ is Lord and He may not give a better paying job, because it may not be His will for the moment. It has NOTHING TO DO with me and my self-image or attitude!
The same can be said for finding a spouse. Ziglar would say I need to dream, focus, get a good attitude, and work on my self-image, and God will then find me my dream spouse. But I say that I need to PRAY, work on my relationship with God, and do all that I can to find one (go on dating sites, singles groups at church, local dances and events for singles, etc) and if it is Gods will He will provide a spouse. Finding a spouse may not have anything to do with me, but its all about God and his timing.
I believe its not all God, but its also me. But I believe God is a MAJOR part of the equation here, and Ziglar misses the point because he seems to focus far too much on self-image, self-esteem, and what not.
Please explain.
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I enjoyed Zig's seminars all 3 times I attended. I really liked that he took time in his motivational speaking to glorify God and talk about his Christianity.
In this post, the OP kinda reminds of the fellow who was being flooded and the fire truck offered to take him out. The fellow said "Go away, God will provide!" As the water rose higher a boat came and he said the same thing. The water rose so the fellow had to go to the rooftop, a helicopter came and was told the same thing. The water rose and the fellow was swept away and drowned. When he went to Heaven, he asked God "Why, did You not provide for me?" God shook His head and said, "I provided three different times with a truck, boat and a helicopter."
I think it a shame that so many Christians expect God to do everything for them, when God has supplied many of us the talents and skills we need but do not use because it is difficult or in most cases we are lazy.