How successful are you? To answer that will depend on what you call success. What the world calls success and what God calls success may be two different things.
In the eyes of the world, success is making lots of money, being at the top of your company, or being a very popular singer or sports star, etc. The question then becomes, Are they fulfilled? Has the success of the world made them a better person?
In the eyes of God, success is a whole different set of measurements. Success in God’s eyes is anyone who lives under high standards and brings fulfillment to others. Success in God’s eyes is family, relationships, church, work, and community. These bring fulfillment and joy to everyone.
When God blesses a person and they become successful, there is danger involved. They may become too busy for God with their blessing. Success may make that person feel that they don’t need God, and then they become independent of Him. I have seen this happen to people who God has blessed. Yes, there is danger in success, unless it builds character and integrity.
On the other hand, success with God brings many wonderful things. It keeps us balanced and humble. It keeps us worshiping and praising God. It keeps us grateful and faithful. We know that without God our purpose and blessings will stop. The other amazing thing is that as we grow as a Christian, money and things become less important, and people and God become the center of our lives.
Life is a test. We were born for a purpose. According to the Old Testament, more people failed the test than passed it. We are tested everyday over and over again. We are tested first in our relationship to God. Then we are tested in our families, our workplace, our financial dealings, and on it goes. We are constantly having our character and integrity tested.
Life is also a journey of experience and knowledge. Knowledge teaches us facts and figures. Experience teaches us reality. The combination of experience and knowledge helps us make our daily choices, and there are many to make. All choices have consequences, some good, and others may be bad. All during this journey we rely on God’s Word for good advice and knowledge.
Finally, life is a mission for Christians. We are here to serve, not to be served. We are to evangelize and disciple lost people. We are to worship God and praise Him. We are to pray for others and for constant guidance. We are to fellowship with God and people. We are to strive to be Christ-like in all things. The mission and how we carry it out will be the true picture of success. To the world it may not look like success, but in God’s eyes it is. And He is who we are to please.
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 3:13-15
See ya in church,
Bud
Promises, promises, promises; it’s an election year. Our want-to-be new leaders are touching the hearts of the people with promises. Boy does some of this stuff sound good, no, great! The politician’s tongue is firing out promises like a machine gun.
They are promising a chicken in every pot, a coat on every back, a shoe on every foot, and on and on it goes. Change is the cry of the want-to-be, but they never explain what that means. And how gullible people are! Let’s take it from those who have and give it to those who don’t have. What a joke!
Politicians continue to make promises they can’t keep, and they know it. But people put their trust in them only to learn the real truth later. They have been had again by a slick-tongued spin doctor.
This country is a great country, and our freedom and constitution make it possible for politicians to run wild. Don’t get me wrong, some of our leaders are good, moral, honest men and women. But they are few and limited in power. The nature of politics provides a base for power and corruption. It takes a strong person of character and good morals not to be overtaken in Washington.
The whole election thing would be funny if it was not so serious and damaging. Look at the waste of millions of dollars to campaign in order to get elected, the slander of the other people who are seeking the same office, the mean-spirited ads on T.V. to put the other party down, and on and on it goes. The people who could really lead this country never get a shot, either because of lack of money, or they are just not interested. How true it is: “A little leaven, leavens the whole lump.”
Our system of government was designed so that people who lived, worked, and died in a community could represent that community. It still happens on a local level, but not on the national level. Politicians move to a state so they can run for office in that state. They neither know the culture nor the people. They represent themselves, not the people. It’s only a stepping stone to a lifetime of political power and wealth. Did you ever meet a poor politician? I rest my case.
Our system needs an overhaul; it needs to be fixed. I don’t know how to do it, but God has given someone brains and courage enough to do it. We still have good, moral, smart people in this country who can make a difference.
Here is my point. We are a democracy, not a socialist government. We have prospered by free enterprise and hard work. We have fought our wars and protected our citizens. But democracy is everyone’s business. Free elections are a part of our freedom.
Our new generations of politicians are leading us into socialism. Take from the productive and give to the poor. Socialized medicine, socialized welfare, etc. Socialism encourages laziness and corruption, but far worse, it takes away our free choice. It hasn’t worked in other parts of the world, and it won’t in America.
Every citizen must get out and vote. It’s our right and privilege. It’s time for the grass-roots people to speak up and stand up. As Christians, we must pray for good leaders. Then we must continue to trust God and obey our leaders.
Chaplain Bud
Whatever happened to common sense? The definition is “normal intelligence, sound, practical judgment.”
Normal intelligence, practical judgment makes sense to me. Where is it today? Have we become so intelligent that we are no longer practical? Has our education moved us beyond common sense or has our technology done this to us? Something has for sure.
God’s design for life is very simple. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do onto you. Have no other gods before you. Love
the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your minds. Love your enemy, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Paul also wrote to the church at Thessalonica: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thess 4:11-12
Christianity requires discipline to learn of God and His teachings. But much of Christianity is plain, common sense too. Somehow we have, like the Pharisees, made the Christian life difficult or cheap. What is so hard to understand about: “If you love me you will keep my commandments?” It’s just good common sense. Jesus is saying that your obedience proves your love for me, and your disobedience tells me you don’t love me. It’s just that simple. But no, we become spiritual lawyers and twist the scripture. It’s really simple. It’s plain black and white; no gray areas and no cheap grace.
Common sense teaches us to understand the teaching which states, “You can’t serve two masters.” Why is this true? I believe it’s because it’s a matter of the heart. What do you desire and love most? The love of money produces greed and selfishness. Love produces giving and sharing. Like oil and water, the two don’t mix.
The world and our American culture make it very difficult today to be a Christian and to live to please God. Cheap grace and false teaching is accepted as normal. The narrow way is too hard. The broad way that leads to destruction is too easy. I believe true Christianity is the exception.
If you just stop and think (something we Christians don’t like to do), the simple basic truths of the Bible are nothing more than principles and promises. The Word is very clear on who is blessed and who is not. The Word is very clear on who is obedient and who is not. The Word is very clear on who will enter heaven and who will not. It’s just common sense.
Christianity is not growing, not because it has lost power or authority, but because we are trying to serve two masters. It can’t be done.
Take time in the next few days and examine your heart. Does your faith and the way you live line up with God’s Word?
See Ya in Church
Bud