012: The Self-Help Trap: What I Spent 25 Years Searching For
Release Date: 04/04/2025
Seek And Grow Rich
In this episode, Brett opens up about a powerful realization he had regarding sin—not just as the obvious wrongdoings like greed or immorality, but as disobedience to God's Word. He revisits the story of Adam and Eve, emphasizing that their sin wasn’t some moral failure but rather failing to obey God’s specific instruction. Brett shares how this truth convicted him personally, prompting him to reevaluate areas where he wasn’t fully surrendering to God—particularly in trusting Him with his finances. Brett also reflects on a teaching by John Bevere, which illuminated the nature of...
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In this episode, Brett shares a personal and powerful reflection on surrendering finances to God. Inspired by John Bevere’s Honor’s Reward, Brett opens up about the ongoing challenge of fully trusting God with his finances, particularly through tithing. Though he recognizes the biblical principle of giving the first 10% of income, he confesses the struggle between trusting God and covering essential bills. This tension becomes a springboard for deeper transformation as Brett seeks to align every area of his life—including business and ministry—with God’s kingdom. Brett also reveals...
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In this episode, Brett reflects on a powerful church experience that left him weeping for today’s generation of young men. During his third visit to a vibrant new church, Brett sensed a deep burden from the Holy Spirit after noticing a significant absence of young men among the congregation. Reflecting on societal shifts since the Industrial Revolution, Brett shares his concern over how fatherless upbringings and cultural confusion have left many young men lost, sedating themselves through unhealthy escapes. He also highlights his personal spiritual growth, inspired by John Bevere’s...
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Feel Distant from God? This One Shift Brought Me Closer Than Ever In this episode, host Brett invites listeners to refocus their lives on seeking God first, especially in a world overwhelmed by worry and self-reliance. Brett shares his personal journey of faith renewal, including his daily Bible study routine and how it has transformed his perspective. He emphasizes the importance of being fully reliant on God and cultivating a relationship with the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding. Brett reflects on how the teachings of Jesus, especially in passages like the fig tree story in...
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In this episode, Brett revisits the deeply intertwined topics of stress, offense, and forgiveness, sharing how his spiritual journey has transformed his response to life’s challenges. Inspired by John Bevere’s teachings—especially The Bait of Satan and The Awe of God—Brett reflects on how offense and unresolved bitterness are subtle but destructive traps that pull believers out of alignment with God’s will. He shares that true forgiveness and the ability to handle offense don’t come from willpower alone but through being filled daily with the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the...
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In this episode, Brett shares a personal and spiritual journey centered around the healing power of nature and the upcoming Eternal Life Plan workshop. Brett opens by providing an update on the workshop’s evolution—from a comprehensive deep-dive into life planning to a more focused beta session centered around writing your Judgment Day Story. This exercise challenges participants to envision what they hope Jesus will say to them about how they lived in five key areas: faith, fitness, family, finances, and fellowship. It’s a call to self-reflection and alignment with God's purpose. Brett...
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In this episode, Brett shares a personal reflection on his spiritual journey—from being a Christian who drifted due to worldly distractions, to realigning his life around eternal priorities. Brett opens up about his past reliance on self-help and personal development strategies that emphasized self-reliance over God-reliance. He acknowledges how even though he was baptized over 25 years ago, the cares of the world—work, routine, and personal loss—choked out his spiritual growth. A major turning point came a few months ago when he fully surrendered to God, committing to seek Him with all...
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In this episode, Brett opens up about a transformative shift in his faith journey. After being drawn into personal development through network marketing years ago, Brett recently realized how deeply rooted in self-reliance that world can be—contrary to what Scripture teaches. He shares how an email triggered a powerful awakening: we are not called to rely on ourselves, but fully on God. Brett dives into the contrast between two types of eternal judgment: the White Throne Judgment for the unsaved, and the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers. Drawing from Scripture and John Bevere’s Driven...
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In this episode, Brett reflects on his personal journey from self-reliance in the personal development industry to surrendering fully to God, aligning with Matthew 6:33. Brett shares a touching conversation with his 82-year-old mother, revealing a side of her faith journey he had never heard before. Their exchange about prayer, memory challenges, and God's understanding presence reinforces the power of family, faith, and generational stories. Brett also dives into the impact of digital distraction on our spiritual lives, referencing a podcast episode from John Bevere featuring his pastor, who...
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In this episode, Brett opens up about his personal walk with God and the ongoing shift from self-reliance to full dependence on the Lord. Inspired by Matthew 6:33, Brett reflects on a moving encounter at a local park, where a spontaneous moment of prayer for two children—one autistic, the other visibly recovering from illness—opened his eyes to God's deep love and the power of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Brett also challenges the influence of the self-help industry within both secular and Christian circles. He warns that the cultural rise in self-centeredness, self-promotion, and...
info_outlineIn this episode, Brett shares his excitement for the revelations and insights he has gained in his journey from self-reliance to God-reliance. He discusses how his past search in the personal development industry left him unfulfilled and how he now finds true wisdom and transformation through deepening his relationship with God. He emphasizes that he is not a "podcast preacher" but rather someone sharing his journey and discoveries to help others grow spiritually.
Brett highlights the importance of moving away from self-help’s mindset-focused approach and instead embracing heart transformation through God. He shares key resources that have impacted him, such as the Ocean’s Church Podcast and John Bevere’s teachings (The Awe of God and Driven by Eternity). He also explains his process of analyzing self-help books to align their teachings with biblical principles.
A major insight from this episode is the realization that mindset alone cannot bring lasting change—true transformation begins with the heart. He references Romans 12:2 and explains that fixing the heart through surrendering to God leads to a renewed mind and purified speech. He likens the Bible to a treasure map, full of wisdom that leads to a life aligned with God’s will.
Key Takeaways:
- From Self-Help to God-Help – Brett shares how he has transitioned from self-reliance in personal development to fully depending on God’s wisdom and guidance.
- Heart Over Mindset – True transformation begins with a surrendered heart, not just a changed mindset; renewing the heart leads to renewed thoughts and words.
- Biblical Alignment of Self-Help – Brett is researching and refining self-help principles to align them with biblical truths, ensuring a focus on God-reliance.
- The Bible as a Treasure Map – Instead of just reading for knowledge, Brett encourages listeners to treat the Bible as a guide to discovering God’s purpose and wisdom.
FREE RESOURCES
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My faith revival started with the Oceans Church podcast. I have never been to a church that has such powerful teaching in my life and has made a huge impact on me. If you aren't attending a local church I highly recommend you start listening to Pastor Mark Francey.
Messenger X App - A great resource by Messenger International started by John and Lisa Bevere. You can watch videos and listen audio books for FREE to grow in your faith.