• Signs of Depression
• Depression Healing

The best self improvement tips are truly at your fingertips all day, every day, if you own a Bible.  (Don't turn away, this is good stuff!)  If you read instructions on putting together a bicycle, why not read God's instructions on living life?

Perhaps you have read your Bible before and didn't find the answers.  Maybe you didn't think it applied to your life today.  Or perhaps you have gone to church all your life and didn't find the answers.  Now you are searching in other directions for the advice you think you need.

What self improvement tips do you need? Spending too much money? It's in the Bible - Look in Proverbs.  Having marital problems?  Look in Ephesians.

You can do this all day long, treating the Bible like a list of self improvement tips, and you will probably get the same results you got from other means.  A long list of things to do and a long list of things not to do.  Who has the energy?  If this is all you get from your church, I recommend you find a new place to worship.

Try something new for a change.

Excerpt from The Life Cycle:

The best advice anyone ever gave me was when Dr. Stephen Manley, of Cross Style International Ministries, told me that if I REALLY wanted to know God, to open my Bible and pray before I read.  He said to say simply, "Jesus, I want to know the truth about you."  I did that and I meant it.   From that time on, when I read my Bible, words would seem to jump off of the page at me.  I would focus on those words and study other scriptures pertaining to them.  I would try my best to think about them all day as he advised, although it was very difficult.  In spite of constant distractions, I began to understand what I was reading, more and more every day.  Do this and, if you mean it in your heart, there is healing in your near future.

The reason it works:

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. NIV

This scripture is referring to Jesus Christ.  God's word actually manifested through Mary, into a baby boy named Jesus.    Mary's words were also vital to this manifestation.  Why is this so hard to believe?  God's words created the world, so why could they not manifest into a human being.

Think of it this way.  Could it have been someone's words, that made you the person you are today?

By focusing on Jesus and reading God's word, you are replacing what the world has taught you with the same power that created the world; His words. These words will grow, like a spiritual seed within you.  The seed will grow and eventually manifest in your life.  This manifestation will change your nature from within and work its way out.  When this starts to happen, you will find yourself giving self improvement tips to others for a change!  Ready to move on?

Now, for starters, pray the prayer above (if you mean it) and read the book of John.  Read it again.  I'll bet you learn about how much Jesus loves you!