Before I take advantage of a high return private opportunity I want to answer YES to all these questions … they are explained in detail below:

• Key #1 – Have I put 10% or less of my net worth into the wealth creation opportunity?
• Key #1 – Have I put 10% or less of my net worth into the wealth creation opportunity?
• Key #2 – Does the business owner/s have control of my money?
• Key #3 – Has the business owner ever built a successful business?
• Key #4 – Do I know what my annual return will be, when it will be paid, who is paying it, if there is a performance bonus
• and when the capital will be repaid?
• Key #5 – Will this opportunity give me a passive return?
• Key #6 – Is the term at least 3-5 years?
• Key #7 – Do I know who is responsible for providing quarterly reports?

Plus two bonus Keys!

• Key #8 – Is there a proper legally binding loan agreement or contract?
• Key #9 – The person behind the private opportunity is not a close friend?

I get about one joint venture or capital raising request per week across my desk.  I could ignore all of them… but I don’t!  I know that some of these ventures are incredible passive income opportunities.  I have even done some of these ventures myself in the past and have experienced both the good and the not so good.  The question is:

“Should you take advantage of these types of higher risk, higher return opportunities?”

“Absolutely!”

Why miss out on passive returns which are often 20% plus per annum just because of ignorance!  Risk is always minimized with the correct knowledge.

Like all wealth creation opportunities friends, work colleges, accountants and even government departments will try to discourage you from any opportunity that could actually create wealth!  For nearly 30 years I have created wealth from the stock market yet many people are so fearful they will never look at that opportunity… and their fears are always based on false information. Their own paradigms do not allow them to accept that people can actually get rich so they try to prevent others from doing so!

Just like investing in the stock market there are rules and guidelines I always follow when taking advantage of these types of opportunities.

Here is my checklist:

Key #1. NEVER put more than 10% of your net worth into speculative ventures!

Very often people make the mistake of looking at an opportunity and because it appears so good and so certain, they put most or all their life savings into it.  This is plain stupidity and greed… yet I have seen many intelligent people do this.  90% of your wealth creation should be in quality real estate and blue chip shares, a maximum of 10% should be in speculation such as start up business ventures, inventions, speculative shares and high leveraged trading.  People get greedy and ignore this basic rule and sadly, when they lose they blame everybody else except themselves!

Key #2. Who has control of your money?

This is an extremely important question because very often people will put their hard earned cash with someone they don’t even know.  The biggest money scams have third parties doing the capital raising so that it is harder to trace your money.  ALWAYS make sure that your money is going directly to the business owner and that you know and trust the business owner.

Key #3. Is your money secure?

People always assumed that their money was safe in a bank or even in property.  We have  sayings such as “As safe as money in the bank” and “As safe as houses!” In recent times in the US we have seen neither is true.

The most important component of taking part in private opportunities is that you know and trust the business owner.  A person you know and trust and have even done business dealings with before is far more likely to care about you and your money than a bank where you are just a number and a profit centre!

One of the best guarantees is that the business owner has started and built successful businesses before.  If the person has never run a business before but has a great idea, chances are the business will fail and you will lose your money.  If the person wants to develop a property but has never done a successful property development before, stick your money in your pocket and run regardless of how good it sounds!  Remember, a person cannot outperform their self-image.

Key #4. Am I going to get a return?

We all know there is no such thing as an absolute guarantee of return … history shows us all investments have failed at some point whether it be banks, government bonds, property or shares.  It is knowledge and wisdom that allows us to avoid the losses and make the profits!  In private opportunities we must know what the potential return is.

If you are buying equity (owning a percentage of the business) you must do thorough due diligence.  Ask for both best case and worse case cash flow projections, go through each cash flow projection and make sure they have allowed for their own wages, legal and accountancy fees, computer software and hardware, taxes, office expenses, marketing and have at least a 10% contingency buffer per annum.  Check out the validity of their market research.  Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions … it’s your money!

Being a lender is much simpler. Find out exactly what your annual return will be, when it will be paid, who is paying it, if there is a performance bonus and when the capital will be repaid.  The returns may appear to be lower than many equity opportunities promise; however they won’t be pie-in-the-sky returns either.

Key #5. Is it a passive return?

When comparing returns you must always consider the value of time.  When you are putting in your time and effort to achieve a return on your money you always want a higher return than you get from passive investments.  Why?  Because your time is something you cannot get back!

A passive income is income you get without any of your effort.  Remember Robert Kiyosaki’s game CashFlow? The rat race is working for a living, to exit the rat race you have to build your passive income to beyond your living and lifestyle expenses.  A fifteen percent passive annual return is better than a thirty percent aggressive (or active) annual return if you have to spend hours (your life) each week and only obtain the thirty percent return sometimes.  Always make sure the return with private opportunities is passive and does not require any input on your behalf.

Key #6. What is the term of the private opportunity?

For passive opportunities you want it long term not short term.  You have probably seen My Money Tree calculator … For many years I have shown it in my stock market seminars to explain the power of compounding … Wealth Rule #3 in my “7 Steps To Unlimited Wealth” CD & Workbook program says ‘Use the Power of Compounding’.

If you invested a single amount of $100,000 at 25% return over 10 years and simply reinvested the return you would have almost $1,000,000 at the end of the 10th year!  If you are seeking to take advantage of higher return opportunities make sure you have the option of leaving your money in there for at least five years.  Remember … Passive income gets you out of the Rat Race!!

Key #7. Ensure that proper reporting and accountability is in place!

One of the most challenging aspects of private opportunities is not being informed of what is happening.  I experienced this first hand as a business owner when I delegated the responsibly of writing and sending reports to my General Manager.  They failed to send out the reports when they were supposed to.  People who had purchased profit share units started to get concerned about what was happening.

Even though the business was on track to exceed profit expectations this allowed the then sacked General Manager to sow discord amongst the unit holders and eventually ruin the business opportunity for everyone, costing each person their hard earned dollars.  In hind sight I should have dismissed the employee much earlier and taken responsibility for the reporting.  Proper reporting and accountability is imperative and vital.

You must make sure you know how often the reports will be given (I suggest at least quarterly) and you must know who is accountable for providing those reports BEFORE you take part in the opportunity.  If the reports are not forthcoming on time, demand them.

Ok, I said there were 7 keys To creating wealth with Private Opportunities … there are two more I have to share with you!

Key #8 Is there an equity contract or loan agreement between the two parties? You MUST ensure the contract has in it everything you agree on and that you have a signed and witnessed copy by both parties.  Don’t ever enter an equity or loan agreement without having a legally binding contract.

Key #9 DO NOT EVER hand over your hard earned dollars to a friend to invest in a great idea they have heard about! You will lose two things … your money and your friend!  ALWAYS remember that a person can never outperform their own self-image about money!

I trust you find my checklist helpful and that as you build your wealth, it guides you to make wise decisions.

If you have any questions or comments about creating wealth with private opportunities please send those to me via the comments section below.

Your Words Can Wound Others or Heal Them.

Our words should be like a silver box with a bow on top

“Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.” – Prov 12:18

I wrote the above 2 lines on my Facebook profile, here is a comment I got back from a friend: Define “thoughtless words” & “wisely spoken words” it depends on how someone recieves the information or whether they are actually listening. It is all perception after all.

Here is my response:

I think every single human being knows in their heart when they are speaking thoughtless words or wise words to another – its not perception, you know it in your spirit. If you don’t know then pray to God for wisdom! There is so much BS piled up these days about “its not good or evil, it just is” or “its just their perception.” Its time to get real and stop blaming others and shovel away the BS we have piled around our lives to protect us from truth!

The King James version of the bible writes it this way – “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” The word piercing (thoughtless) is translated from the Hebrew word “madqârâh” which is a wound. So thoughtless words are words you say to another which cut or hurt them … no perception it that!!

Wise comes from the Hebrew word “châkâm” which is translated wise, wise hearted, to teach wisdom. So ‘wisely spoken words’ are what we say to another which will build them up, imparts wisdom to them.

A child translated it this way: “Don’t say bad words to others which will tear them down, but let every word that comes out of your mouth be like building blocks to each other. Our words should be like little silver boxes with a bow on top!” (Read ‘Silver Boxes’ by Florence Littauer)

Of course some will want to argue, mainly because they have the attitude that if something needs to be said then say it, regardless of how it affects others.  I challenge them to get wisdom.  What I have written above is taken from the Book of Proverbs, written by the wisest and richest man ever to live – the only trillionaire we know of in history!  Solomon said “Wisdom is the principle thing, above all else get wisdom!”

David Schirmer’s Preparing for Great Wealth and Abundance

This is a webinar I did for my Complete Stock Market Course Students on prepare to receive prosperity over the next decade.  We can have all the knowledge and even be at the right place at the right time and still miss out on wonderful opportunities.

This video explains why we do that and how to get ready to receive abundance and prosperity in 2011 and beyond!  Enjoy.

For a complete FREE audio recording of my 3-day Science of Getting Rich seminar valued at $997.00 go to www.SignpostsToFreedom.com

Ted Williams Shows Your Circumstances Don’t Control Your Outcome!

Ted Williams knows what ‘doing it tough’ means, after a decade of drugs, alcohol, homeless and penniless.  Are you going through some crap in your life right now?

Sometimes in life we find ourselves in circumstances which overwhelm us to the point we can’t see a way out.  There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no hope of a better future.  Before I share my insights watch this video, an interview on MSNBC’s Today Show with a homeless man Ted Williams, The Voice:

Some things to ponder:

Homeless man Ted Williams holding sign

Ted Williams is the epitome of what I have been sharing for years and what The Secret DVD and The Secret book are based on.  If you apply the lessons learned from the short interview with Ted Williams it will change your life forever.

1. Never look at your circumstances as being the truth, or all that is possible.
   Ted Williams was homeless, hungry, penniless, a beggar, an alcoholic, a drug addict, a ‘reject’ in society; in fact his circumstances where probably far worse than yours … yet he knew he had a great voice; he knew that if he got the right person to listen he would get a job.

   Your circumstances don’t decide your outcome, you do! Only focus on what you desire, not on the present appearance of things.  Wallace D Wattles said over and over again in his book ‘The Science of Getting Rich’ that in order to achieve any degree of success we must ‘Think the TRUTH regardless of appearances.’ If you haven’t listened to my seminar you should, it’s free!: www.SignpostsToFreedom.com

2. Be thankful to God for everything you have and all that you are.
   Sometimes we feel so low that it seems we have nothing to be grateful for!  Ted Williams is grateful for life every day, he is grateful for his voice, grateful for the food and shelter he had, grateful for his Mum and his family.  Having gratitude is only part of the equation, this homeless man gave vocal thanks to the Lord!  Something many ‘spiritual’ people miss out of the equation.

   David in the bible knew the power of praise … he said many times in Psalms (Songs) to praise God.  Ps. 66:1-3 “Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth.  Sing forth the honor and glory of His name; make His praise glorious! Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works!”
   Ps. 67:5 “Let the people praise You, turn away from their idols and give thanks to You O God.” Ps 144-150 is just full of praise to God.  As Ted Williams said, he now acknowledges God everyday in all his ways: Success without God is failure.

3. Believe that you have a God given gift … believe God.  
   I’ll be straight down the line here … I don’t know how people get by without a real relationship with God.  I don’t mean a religious knowledge of God and sin but a ‘father/son’ relationship.  We live in a world of doubt and fear and disbelief and it leads to so much stress and anxiety.  God says ‘fear not for I am with you … I will not leave you or forsake you.’

   If you are going through some ‘Ted Williams’ type experiences I urge you to call on God, even if you don’t yet believe He exists!  Is 59:1 says it so well: “Look! Listen!  God’s arm is not amputated – he can still save you.  God’s ears are not clogged up – he can still hear you.  There is nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.  Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God.  Your sins got between you so that he doesn’t hear.” WOW … God doesn’t move away from us, we simply ignore Him and then he cannot help us.

4. Have a 5-year Vision!
   Ted Williams knows what he wants in five years from now … to be a Program Director and to have his own apartment.  What’s your vision for your life five years from now?

   “Where there is no vision, people perish.” - Proverbs 29:18  Without a vision for our future we slip back into hopelessness and despair when faced with life’s challenges.  Make sure you have an empowering vision.  For Ted Williams to have a home is very empowering for Ted!  What will empowering and excite you for the next 5 years and beyond?

5. Take Action!

   
   

   

   Sign Ted Williams was holding

   Ted Williams may have ‘the golden voice” but nobody would know unless he took some action.  Too many people think all they have to do is mediate or pray or have faith and they will achieve their dreams … then they get disheartened and disillusioned when it doesn’t seem to work, often blaming other people for their failure.  The Law of Attraction is biblical, it’s a universal law … it works all the time whether a person believes it or not.  “Faith without action is dead!”

When you live this way you will be misunderstood by the many, you will even be laughed at, despised and even mocked by those closest to you.  Those ignorant of the Law of Attraction will try to drag you back into their world in which they call ‘Reality’, often accusing you of ‘taking on too much’, ‘daydreaming’, ‘having your head in the clouds’ or straight out ‘lying’ about your situation.  Yet, once truly understood, it is the only way to live.

I want to leave you with these couple more pearls of wisdom:

• Speak only what you want, not what you don’t want.  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it, for death or life.” – Proverbs 18:21
• God’s decree regarding your future: “I know what I am doing.  I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.  Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

Get In The Right Place To Receive

I was born in Mackay, Queensland, Australia at 5:26am on December 23, 1962 … that made me 48 yesterday.  (If you’re an astrologer then that information could give you a few insights!)

Yes, December 23 was my birthday so yesterday I decided to have a ‘do nothing’ day!  Well, not really a do nothing day but a day in which I just did something different … something just for me!

I thought I would share with my friends just how I spent the day:

1. I started my birthday by sleeping in! If you know me well you will know that I normally go to bed well after midnight almost every night (yes, some nights I forget what time it is and I realize that the sun is rising and I should get some sleep!!)  I normally have between 4-6 hours sleep … yesterday I had 9!
2. After having a late breakfast together with my darling wife Lorna I sat down at the computer and read my emails and Facebook messages.  I was humbled and felt very blessed by all birthday messages from my friends around the world.
3. My wife gave me a gift voucher for a massage for my birthday so we heading out to Doncaster Shoppingtown and I went straight for my massage.  I had just completed four seminars in as many weeks and standing speaking for 8-13 hours a day takes its toll on the body.
4. Lorna went off to finish some Christmas shopping for our boys.
5. When I finished my massage I did my most favourite thing in the world … I sat down at a good coffee shop, I ordered an extra hot latte and read my favourite book. 
   I guess you are wondering what my favourite book is?
   If you know me well you will be able to guess!  It’s not Think & Grow Rich or The Science of Getting Rich or even The Secret, though they all rate highly.  The most amazing book ever printed is the Bible, and within that book my most loved book is Paul’s letter to the church in the city of Ephesus. 
   As I read Ephesians through yet again I received even more revelation.  I wondered how many people had actually read this book.  Regardless of your spiritual beliefs or convictions there is so much wisdom and truth that can be gained from this book. 
   Sometimes in our own little world when things don’t work out how we would have liked we can feel isolated, alone and lonely.  Even as I read the first few paragraphs (verses) I reflected how truly blessed I am … Did you know that God had you in mind even before He laid the foundations of the earth?   Did you know that God’s love for you surpasses any human comprehension?

As I read Ephesians I felt compelled to share my birthday with you, not to boast or puff myself up in any way, but rather to give you hope in a sometimes seemingly hopeless world.  Here is some of what I read:

“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.

“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!

“He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

“It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.“ (Ephesians 1:3-14 The Message Bible)

Even if you don’t realise it or understand it or even believe it, the creator of the universe loves you and thinks more about you then anything else He has ever created.  You and I are so special to God that He desires to give us the very best that creation has.  Further on in Ephesians Paul wrote: “God can do anything you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Eph 3:20)  WOW!  That’s huge!!!

God doesn’t care where we have been, what we have done, how messed up we are, what our beliefs are or how much we have screwed up our lives … all God wants is for mankind to accept Him as their spiritual father and accept Jesus Christ as His son and acknowledge that He has done everything there is to be done, the price is paid … God just wants to pour out His abundance and generosity to us.  We are the ones who prevent God’s goodness flowing to us.

Of course, I went to bed last night reflecting on all the gifts and blessings God has poured out to me and my family.  I couldn’t help wonder how I could help others experience the same in the fullest measure possible.

Thank you for your birthday wishes and may you have a wonderful Christmas season and an abundantly blessed 2011.

Love NEVER fails!

When my wife and I were in the US recently we were amazed by how many people we met who were either divorced and single or remarried.  This was not a judgment of a person, rather an observation which alarmed us.

We were both brought up to believe that married was “until death doth part!”  We belonged in a church where people were excommunicated or at least punished if their marriage failed.  I don’t believe in either, nor do I believe that a person should live in condemnation or be judged if they choose to separate or divorce.

I do believe that many people, especially Christians, go into a relationship with a lack of knowledge about love.  In fact, I would go as far to say that most people don’t understand love!

The side effects of this lack of knowledge are devastating.  It does not just cause emotional trauma and lifelong issue associated with the loss of love, it causes:

• loss of business,
• loss of finances,
• loss of productivity,
• loss of creativity,
• low self-worth,
• sickness,
• eating disorders,
• even death to name a few!

The effect a divorce has on children is so massive we cannot comprehend it.

Here are some startling facts:

According to Nationmaster.com, the USA has the highest annual divorce rate in the world – 495 per 100,000 people, UK is #4, New Zealand is #6, Australia is #7 and Canada is #8!!  USA is twice as high as Australia.  Italy comes in at #32 with 27 people per 100,000 … that’s one twentieth of that of the USA!!  Want the harsh reality … that is 1,584,000 divorces per year in the USA alone! WOW!!

Here is another sad fact:

One in every two children now goes to bed in the USA without a father to tuck them in! The effects of a child not knowing a father’s presence and influence is horrific … maybe that’s an article for another time.

No wonder the bible says that “My people perish because of the lack of knowledge.”

We MUST start learning, living and teaching people about love.  I’m not speaking about the emotion of love but rather the God type of love or ‘Agape’ … unconditional love.

Love is the most powerful unseen force known to man.

You can have everything else in the world but if you don’t have love in your heart you are empty, lonely and will experience hell on earth!  If you have unconditional love, no matter what else you lack, you will feel on top of the world … heaven on earth.

The opposite of unconditional love is not hate but rather selfishness.  Love says “How can I bless you?” when selfishness says “How can I get for me?”

Love is a decision not an emotion.

To decide comes for the Latin root of ‘de’ and ‘cide’ which means to cut off – so a decision means to cut off all other possibilities.

Imagine the effect on a relationship if, when people went into it, they both cut off all other possibilities.  That means when the going got tough they knew that there was no other option other then make it work.

• What if you never quit on the other person?
• What if you put their needs before yours?
• What if you only saw the best in them at all times?
• What if you never kept score of the times they mess up?
• What if you never questioned their intent?
• What if you never got mad at them because you loved them unconditionally?
• What if you never looked back but only looked forward to the perfect outcome?
• What if you understood love and lived it each day?

The most potent characteristic of God is that He is love, love is God’s nature.

Do this … Just for today, regardless of what you are going through or how angry people make you feel, give everyone you meet a loving compliment (or smile or wave).  If you can’t think of what to say just say, “Did you know that God loves you?”  Let me know what happens!

Oh! … and by the way … Did you know that I love you?  And God loves you.

“Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love – make it your aim, your great quest …” (1 Corinthians 14:1)

“What is the greatest power known to man?”

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog on The Greatest Secret … in fact, those who have attended our “My Abundant Life” seminars or purchased the CD series will know the answer … Love!

Recently Rhonda Byrne (producer of The Secret) released a book called “The Power.” Guess what it is all about?!?

You might be saying, “How can love be the greatest power? Is it greater than faith?”  Absolutely … let me show you.  Read and meditate on the following passage:

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

“If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” (The Message Bible – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

I’m not speaking of the emotion of love, but rather the decision and lifestyle of love.  Yes, love is a decision. Often two people will ‘fall’ in love but never make the decision to love, they get married and wonder why they fight constantly, then divorce.  They never made the decision to love each other!  A decision means to cut off all other possibilities!

The Greek word ‘agape’ in the bible is translated as ‘love’; however the true meaning is ‘the God kind of love.’

We read on from the above scripture and we get a better understanding of agape love:

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. (The Message Bible – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

I don’t know about you, but as I read this I check myself off against the list and I find myself saying “God teach me how to love like you love!”  In fact, this is the only commandment that Jesus gave in the new testament:  “But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;” Matthew 5:44

Put the same love passage in 1 Corinthians 13 from another rendition and in first person and it is even more impactful:

My love endures long and I am patient and kind;

I’m never envious nor boil over with jealousy; I’m not boastful or have a high opinion of myself.

I am not arrogant and inflated with pride;

I am not rude and I don’t act unfairly.

God’s love in me does not insist on my own rights or my own way;

I am not self-seeking;

I am not touchy or fretful or resentful;

I take no account of the evil done to me, I pay no attention to a suffered wrong.

I do not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoice when right and truth prevail.

I bear up under anything and everything that comes, I’m ever ready to believe the best of every person, my hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and I endure everything without weakening.

My love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.

Did you know that there is no fear in love … the bible says that “Perfect love (agape) casts out ALL fear.” (1 John 4:18)

If you have fear in your life you have to ask the question, “What or who do I not love?” A fear can be in the form of jealousy, hatred, revenge, anger, disease, poverty, lack, guilt, depression, competition for what someone else has, afraid of the future etc.

Love activates faith! (Galatians 5:6)  Faith without love is nothing more than the sound of a creaking gate, a noise that fades away to nothing.  “Now faith, hope and love abide in us; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

We cannot know agape love with knowing God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).  Maybe one day we should look at the character of God as most people have a warped and incorrect understanding.

Please feel free to comment below and share your insights.

The Secret DVD and book revealed to many people the Law Of Attraction (LOA).

Rhonda Byrne, nor any of the other 25 Teachers (including Esther Hicks), discovered the Law of Attraction. It has been available to man since his creation. In fact, it is a law of creation which God put into place long before the earth existed.

Many people, of all religious beliefs and walks of life still don’t believe in LOA.

Like all other laws of the universe which God put in place, just because a person is ignorant of the law doesn’t stop the law from working to its fullest capacity at all times. You may not believe or know about the law of lift, yet it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You may not believe in God, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist.

Simply put, the LOA is “What I believe and speak I create.”

So is The Secret (which was never really a secret) the greatest power on earth?  Absolutely not!

I heard Bob Proctor say in his “Born Rich” seminar once that faith was the greatest power known to man. I have to disagree with him. Yes, faith is a mighty power. If fact the bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). Actually without faith it is impossible to believe God exists.

Abraham (in the bible … not Esther Hick’s group of spirits) is called the father of Faith. Abraham believed whatever the God said; he acted on God’s word and Abraham was made very rich, and he was made the father of many nations, later know as race of people called the Jews.

• Jesus said to a sick woman who believed in Him and touched his clothes, “Your faith has made you whole (totally healed and complete).”
• He also said to his disciples, “All things are possible to those who believe.”
• Paul the apostle said, “We walk by faith, not by sight or appearances.”
• He also said, “For it is by free grace you are saved through your faith.”
• Jesus also said, “When you pray, pray believing that you already have it and it will be yours.”

It would seem than that faith can do just about anything!

Many people think “all I have to do is believe and I can have it.” Hang on a minute … that’s not true. Faith without action is dead, nothing, zip, zilch!

I get emails which read something like this: “I’ve watched The Secret 53 times and keep believing in the law of attraction yet nothing has changed. I’m still sick, broke and unhappy.” That is like sitting on the floor cross legged with your fingers shaped in a circle and humming, expecting the money to drop out of the ceiling!!! Now that is just plain dumb!

So faith without action will not help you get what you want let alone your dreams and goals. Faith with action is a mighty power, it will feed the hungry, heal the sick and mend the broken hearted … but it is not the most powerful force know to man!

So what is?

Read my next blog to find out the most powerful force on earth. With it you can have whatever you desire, without it you are but an empty noise!

Shortly after The Secret first came out, The Secret Version 2 was Released …

The Secret DVD & Book

… and the first version was NOT allowed to be sold!!  Many people who have watched The Secret actually watched the second version of the DVD.  The first version had Ester Hicks in it, the second version doesn’t!

I don’t profess to know what went on between Rhonda Byrne & The Secret team and Ester & Jerry Hicks.  Being reasonably close to Rhonda Byrne and her sister Glenda, plus the Drew Harriott’s (The Secret Director) then girlfriend is a daughter of our client, I was privy to some information which most do not know.

I have been around long enough to know there is always three sides to every story … Rhonda’s, Ester’s and the Truth!  I have never personally spoken to Ester or Jerry and have nothing against them as people.  They do a great work and I honour them for who they are.  I do not take on some on their beliefs as they are contrary to what I know as the truth … and then again, nor do I uphold everything on The Secret or what some other Secret Teachers believe.

From time to time I hear and read some real rubbish!  One of those is that Ester maintains the The Secret was handed to her from the Ester ‘Abraham’ spirits and that other Teachers on The Secret and Rhonda Byrne stole The Secret from her!!  Here is what someone posted on their FaceBook Wall today:

“I am a great fan of Esther & Jerry Hicks, please understand Abraham was the first to teach “The Secret,” yes-the info was basically unfairly stolen from Abraham-channeled from the wonderful Hicks!! She/they are phenominal. Keep up the good work for Abraham, Ester, I am proud of you regardless of what anyone thinks. I was/am a ‘different’ child.”

As you guessed … I could not resist responding … here it is:

“That is so far from the truth it is ridiculous.

How do you explain The Secret being taught by Zig Ziglar, Og Mandino, Napoleon Hill, Wallace D Wattles, Thomas Troward, Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ and Moses (plus many others) long before Ester Hicks was heard of or even born?

I had never heard of Ester Hicks or the ‘Abraham’ spirits when I first started applying The Secret (long before Rhonda Byrne called it The Secret).

Apart from the obvious, how can someone steal that which is not owned by any human but rather given directly by God (not the Ester’s ‘Abraham’ spirits).”

Let me also suggest that there is a “money side” that hasn’t been told truthfully, and that the real facts to why Ester Hicks was cut out have nothing to do Ester been given The Secret or that it was stolen from her.  Just some ordinary common sense will tell you someone is using fantasy to cover up fact.  And I’m amazed by the gullible people who fall for it.

• Have you ever wondered why it was scheduled to show on ‘free-to-air’ television around the world simultaneously on February 12, 2005 and two weeks before (even after massive advertising campaigns) it got pulled …
• then in May it got release via the internet and DVD??
• Did you know it wasn’t able to be purchased online in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea until version 2 came out!?!??!

Hmmmm …. Something to think about!

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah ‘s Ark

Noah's Ark - The Woodpecker Has To Go

1. Don’t miss the boat
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat
3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark
4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big
5. Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done
6. Build your future on high ground
7. For safety sake, travel in pairs
8. Speed isn’ t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs
9. When you’re stressed, float a while
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!