 Success
God
is successful!
He never fails, quits, or changes. God's success pattern is his word. God
speaks his will, his desire. Then, his word returns to him - but not empty or
void. God's word accomplishes his desires and achieves his purpose.
God wants his people to live a life full of success. Failure is from God's
enemy, never from God. God gave us the principles for success:
- Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my
servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
that you mat be successful wherever you go. Joshua 1:7 (NIV)
- Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
God gave Joshua a simple plan for success: meditate on God's word night and
day, and then do what it says!
More Specifics...
Many years later, David confirmed God's success plan, and provided additional
details, in Psalm 1.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand
in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day
and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in
season and whose leaf does not whither. Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore
the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the
righteous.
For the Lord watches over the righteous, but the way of the wicked will
perish. Psalm 1 (NIV)
Notice that David says meditating on the law of the Lord (God's word) causes
everything to prosper. But the psalm begins with the caution to disconnect from
the world's way of thinking and acting. You won't receive God's blessing,
success, and prosperity by following the advice and example of ungodly people.
These people may appear to have attained success, but it's the world's success,
not God's. And the world's success is deceptive and fading.
Treasures In Heaven
Jesus taught us to lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-21 and Luke
12:33). Success and prosperity in this world is subject to loss, destruction,
decay. That's the law of sin and death. But a treasure in heaven is not subject
to any decay or loss. Jesus said your purse would not wear out, and your
treasure would not be exhausted!
Principles
- Seek success God's way, not the world's way.
- The world's way will perish.
- God's way never fails.
Practices
- Meditate on God's world continually. This means not only to read it, but
you roll it over and over in your mind; to speak it to yourself; to
contemplate it.
- Do what God says.
- Lay up a treasure in heaven by giving.
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Faith
in Action