His head and His hair were like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire. His feet glowed like a burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in the furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. Revelation 1:14-15 (AMPC) I believe that if Jesus walked the planet today, He wouldn’t be accepted by many Christians because He would not be what is widely considered “Christ-like.” As silly as that seems—Christ being unlike Christ—it’s true! We often picture Jesus as being loving, peaceful and patient, and He certainly did embody those characteristics. However, we ignore His confidence, inspiring leadership, team building skills, undeterred passion and unparalleled ability to impact the world. We see Him as …

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor from one degree of glory to another… 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMPC) When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Second Corinthians 3:15-18 contains a beautiful message. It begins by talking about the veil on the minds and hearts of those who don’t know Jesus, making it impossible for them to understand God’s Word. But when people begin a relationship with Jesus, “the veil is stripped off and taken away” (v.16, AMPC). They become brand new creations, able to know and understand the truth …

[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ… 2 Corinthians 10:5 (AMPC) When people face storms and difficulties in life, they often fail to look within to overcome it. It’s so much easier to point the blame outwardly at other people and circumstances. But the blame game only leads to a long list of excuses—and an even longer period of time remaining stuck. Actually, your ability to change and move up to a new level isn’t limited by people or circumstances. The biggest battle you face takes place within you. Our verse today highlights …

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (AMPC) When your back is against the wall and it’s time to come out fighting, where do you focus your energy? Are you fighting a war with the devil…or are you fighting to know who you are in Christ? Some people engage in what they call spiritual warfare, which focuses mainly on binding demons to keep them from attacking certain parts of their lives. According to today’s verse, we certainly are in a war, but it’s not about fighting things outside of us. The strongholds don’t represent an external force coming against us. They are …

“What do you mean, ‘If I can?’ Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” Mark 9:23 (NLT) Everybody hits a plateau at some point in life. We all go through times when we feel stuck—but we can learn how to deal with these feelings and move past them. Those in leadership positions especially need to learn to break through barriers, because to not go on is to abdicate leadership. Leaders need to be in front, spearheading the charge. If you are no longer in front, you are not leading. When it comes to pushing past a plateau, simply developing your skills is not the answer. Don’t get me wrong—skills are great. But all true growth begins with believing. The key to getting past …