GO:
Joshua 1:8 tells us:
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
I've not done an exhaustive study, but in the King James Version of the Bible, the word success is only mentioned once.
Funny that a concept so important in today's world would only be mentioned one time!
I decided to look in the New King James Version to see if it was mentioned more often. There were 10 references, most often as a root word, think "successive," and all instances were in the Old Testament.
Why? Could it be that as New Testament believers, we are to put to death our earthly natures as the apostle Paul told the Colossians? It's hard for a dead man to be successful!
Just something to think on!
It matters as to what you define as success. Our American culture defines it as having money and power. Those are not good goals for the believer. Don't get me wrong, money is a tool, and we can certainly use money in ministry!
I know God blesses His children with money sometimes. Look at how He blessed Abraham and Solomon!
[STOP]
My five minutes are up, but as usual, I have more to say!
Instead of looking at the word "success" as our culture looks at it, why not think of it as the culmination of reaching our goals? After all, we work very hard to reach these goals. We don't want our efforts to be wasted, right?
It wouldn't be very smart or productive to start out doing something and not make every effort to actually accomplish what we started out to do.
Joshua 1:8 tells us how we can crush those goals:
1. Talk about the Word.
2. Think about the Word continually.
3. Be careful to do what the Word says.
That's it! Talk, think and do.
If you do those things, your way will be prosperous. I think that means the journey getting there will yield all sorts of gifts. And when you get there? You will be fully equipped for everything you are called to do.
Isn't that what success really means?
~~~
I'm sharing this post at the following communities:
Five Minute Friday
Grace&Truth
Inspire Me Monday
Kelly Balarie's Purposeful Faith Link-Up
#TellHisStory
~~~
Are you on Instagram? If so, please drop by. I post new content frequently. You can find me here: jerralea
I appreciated reading your insight on the word success.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is success in death,
ReplyDeleteand it's much closer than you know.
Just ask those who rew last breath
in defense of the sacred Alamo.
They went to stand for independence
of the Texan land they cherished,
willing to accept the sentence
that they courted ere they perished.
They knew that help was far away
and Santa Ana had every boon,
but they yet chose to fight the day
that ended in their bloody doom.
They died to deguello, black flags unfurled,
but "Remember the Alamo!" saved their world.
'Deguello' was a Moorish bugle call, adopted by Spain, which meant, "to cut the throat", and indicated that no quarter would be given.
#1 at FMF this week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2019/09/your-dying-spouse-677-broken-to-joy-fmf.html
Hmmm- definitely seems like "the Word" is the key:) Knowing it and obeying it - that is the way to success of any definition. Always enjoy stopping by your blog! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteTalk, think and do.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! Sometimes we as Christians forget that worldly things can seem so innocuous as 'success.' God doesn't measure it the same way we do!
ReplyDelete