What is Success?

Success means different things to different people. One thing is sure - success isnt always about money, or about what money can buy. In fact, the simplest definition of success is probably the best. Success is most commonly defined as the continuous accomplishment of personal goals. People have many types of goals for their lives monetary goals, spiritual goals, physical goals, intellectual goals, relationship goals, etc. Because the Bible has much to say about all of these, it can be argued that the entire Bible is a book all about success in one form or another. When you think about it, this is probably true. After all, God wants us to enjoy success in our relationship with Him, with others, with our finances, and in everything we do. Without a doubt, the Bible is the greatest manual on success ever written, and virtually every popular principle of success originates from this Book. Many peoples lives and careers require them to set financial goals for themselves. It is for these people that I have written this manual. Fortunately, God has a lot to say about the matter of success. In fact, I count more than 240 passages from the Bible on this very subject (some passages contain several verses). Most of these verses are included in this manual. The Bible clearly teaches us that if knowing God is your primary goal, then success will be the byproduct. This is as true in the area of finances as it is with everything else. Therefore, your motivation should always be to seek the Giver, and not just the gifts. However, as a true Father, God consistently promises that if you pursue a close and loving relationship with Him, and on His terms, the gifts will follow. It is my hope that this manual does more than just help you to accomplish your personal financial goals. My desire is to lead you into a closer relationship with the One from whom all of these blessings flow.

Soma Communications, Inc, 2002. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, without written permission from the publisher. Requests for permission or for further information should be addressed to gary@somacommunications.com

Secular Success
Everyone wants to be successful at something, and there are many books, tapes and seminars that promise to help you accomplish this. Some of these resources will motivate you, and help you adjust your attitude. Some of them will give you general lessons on developing successful habits. Others will instruct you on how to develop specific skills in your chosen field. Most of these resources are valuable for Christians and non-Christians alike. After all, there are many capable speakers and teachers that can provide you with a vast amount of valuable training. With all of this instruction commercially available there is very little that anyone can say that hasnt already been said thousands of times before. After all, there are countless books to read and thousands of tapes to listen to. If you purchased only a handful of them, you could probably digest 90% of what every motivational teacher has been drilling into us for the last 4000 years. In my opinion, the fact that any contemporary author can still find a market for his new success book is the result of a simple flaw of human nature. Most readers refuse to do what they learned from the last book they read, and virtually everyone is looking for the latest microwave recipe for success. Most people are hoping that the next new book, tape or seminar they purchase will be the magic pill that will unlock the power within. In reality, here is what usually occurs. Most books, tapes and seminars will give purchasers a momentary high. However, without any lasting change in their beliefs or habits, they will tend to float from one resource to the next, looking for their next fix. Now, it should be understood that there is a vast reservoir of energy and skills that are lying dormant inside all of us. And there are many secular methods for achieving success. All one needs to do is look at the likes of Donald Trump, Michael Dell or Bill Gates to see great examples of people who have become successful with one or more variations of these methods. And all of them accomplished great things in the world of business. Unfortunately, most Christians see this secular path as providing the sum total of what is required to hasten them toward their own desired goals in life. The only thing these Christians add to the mix is an occasional prayer to God for help and guidance. Apart from these few momentary prayers, they ultimately do nothing more than retrace the same seven steps to success that the rest of the world has followed since time began.

New Age Success

Some people use more than psychology to achieve their goals. Their methods include reaching farther into the spiritual abyss for their strength and power. Instead of going to their Father in heaven for assistance, they embark on a mystical quest which circumvents the Lord, and they inevitably seek aid from spiritual powers whose sole purpose is to distract unwary successseekers away from God. By attaching themselves to new age methods, many of these self-helpers ultimately find a very real, but invisible power, whose sole motivation is to lure them farther and farther away from their creator. Make no mistake about it; the devil plays only one game. It is called the The Game of Distraction. He doesnt care what you get into, just as long as its not Jesus. Sad to say, many Christians are attracted by these decoys as well. Understand that if something does not lead you closer to Jesus, it will always lead you away from Him. Anyone who thinks that he has accomplished something using new age methods will usually wake up to discover that he has purchased 1000 square acres of quicksand. Satans only goal is to make sure that every person on earth dies without a Savior. He will continue playing The Game of Distraction throughout your lifetime, approaching you constantly from different angles, and with different lures. As a result, you may end up perpetually chasing his bait until the day you die. It is a game of which the devil never tires.

The Limitations of Success Training

There you have it the two modern schools of success motivation. On the one hand there is secular psychology. On the other hand, there is new age mysticism. Occasionally, those who pursue one of these two methods will find themselves successful in one particular area of their lives, while experiencing the degeneration of several others. Though their finances may increase, their marriages may fail, their children might rebel, and their heath could easily suffer. In other words, it is possible to succeed in business, but to fail in life. The Bible has a warning for anyone who would search after knowledge from the teachings of those who have little or no regard for Gods counsel. Psalms 40:4 says, How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Total success must accompany a general attitude of well being. The fact is that success in one area of your life will go un-enjoyed if other areas of your life are in a state of disintegration. It cannot be denied that some secular and new age methods for success are very effective. And, quite understandably, they also work for most people who call themselves evangelical Christians. Unfortunately, both of these methods are based on the same common tactic. With secular success motivation, you dig deeper and deeper into your mind to summons the power and motivation you seek. With new age mysticism, you dig deeper into the spiritual underworld for the same thing. In my opinion, both are equally dangerous, because they are like any addictive drug. With secular and new age success motivation, you may temporarily find what you are looking for. However, before you come to your senses, you may also fall prey to a host of other effects that you will ultimately regret.

Successful Servanthood
There is, however, another completely different system of success training. Like the two forementioned methods, this one also achieves results. Unfortunately, most Christians are never exposed to it. This is strange, considering the fact that the Bible heavily endorses this alternative method for success. I call it Successful Servanthood. In fact, if you were to discard every book and tape that you have on the subject of success motivation, and use the Bible solely as your motivation manual, you will discover a complete and exclusive repository of success training without the requirement of any elective materials. (And this will certainly save you money on books, tapes and seminars.) It is from this perspective that this manual was written. The person who navigates their way through life using the concepts of Successful Servanthood may, in fact, end up in the same socio/economic strata as their secular and new age contemporaries, but they will arrive with every area of their life strengthened and intact. Successful Servanthood is the only system of success training that I endorse. The reason for this is simple. It is the only method taught and endorsed by God Himself. It is important to remember that Successful Servanthood is not a method. Otherwise it could be manipulated, and you could potentially fail at it. Moreover, it could bring you as much stress as any other method. Successful Servanthood is based entirely on your relationship to your Father in heaven. Manipulation is not only unnecessary, but it is not possible. As a Christian, you are given the liberty to choose any success program you wish. Whats more, you are free to eclectically choose various ingredients from several different schools of thought. But be warned when you use either secular or new age methods to plot your course toward your personal goals, you are on your own. Understand that your Father in heaven will only help you do what He promised to help you do nothing more. Therefore, your choice of motivational teachers is simple God, or this years best selling author.

The Difference in Methodologies

Whereas both secular and new age success methods are very similar, Successful Servanthood is, by itself, very different. In fact, from the worlds standpoint, Successful Servanthood is a rather illogical concept. There is very little about it that can make sense to the natural mind. Consider the following differences:

With secular success training, you are taught to master something. With Successful Servanthood, you are not the master. Instead you rely on the Master. With secular success training, you learn to control your destiny. With Successful Servanthood, you control nothing. God alone controls everything. With secular success training, you strive for financial independence. With Successful Servanthood there is no such thing as financial independence. You will forever be dependent on God. With secular success training, the most successful person is the one who has the most. With Successful Servanthood, the most successful person is the one who needs the least. With secular success training, you learn to do things for yourself. With Successful Servanthood, you remain a child, perpetually needing your Fathers assistance. With secular success training, you seek out what you need and want out of life. With Successful Servanthood, you seek God, and He supplies your needs. The result of secular success training is that the world will honor you. With Successful Servanthood, you honor God. What the world thinks of you is irrelevant.

Is God just interested in your eternal salvation?

To be precise, God is interested in every aspect of your life. If He werent, there wouldnt be so much written in the Bible about how to conduct your affairs from moment to moment. In reality, God is big enough to be interested in the smallest details of everyday living. While your eternal destiny may be the most important consideration, it is certainly not the only thing you have to think about. God both knows and cares about this. To begin, let us examine the nature of parenthood. As a Christian parent, your first desire is for your children to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Beyond that, you probably have a very great interest in many other aspects of their lives. It is your desire for them to do well in school. You enjoy watching them earn awards. You are thrilled when they excel in sports or other activities. You are happy to see them make close friendships, and to be part of a healthy social environment. You would like them to develop productive habits. Ultimately, it is your hope to see them successfully emancipated from your home at the proper time. Subsequently, you want them to develop successful marriages, with healthy, functional families of their own. Dont think that God is interested in any less when it comes to you. After all, He is infinite. This means that He has the capacity to focus His attention on both very great and very small details. While He is interested in the very large scheme of the universe, He is also concerned with the very small aspects of your humble life. To suggest otherwise is to deny the very definition of His omnipotent and omnipresent nature.

Our Earthly Fathers

Throughout this study I am going to use as our cornerstone the picture of a human father and child. I have always believed that this model provides a very tangible and concrete depiction of the nature of the relationship between our heavenly Father and us. Moreover, I believe that there are countless parallels between Gods divine Fatherhood, and the institution of human fatherhood that He created on earth. By looking at the subject in this way, you will soon discover that success in the Kingdom of God is as simple as success in the home of the ideal earthly father. However, inasmuch as there are many similarities, there are two major differences: 1. Your Father in heaven is perfect. He is much more powerful than your earthly father was, and He is infinitely wealthier. 2. Your Father in heaven always knows what is best for you, whereas your earthly father didnt. This means that your earthly father probably made a few mistakes in the process of raising you. Your heavenly Father wont. Matthew 7:11 says, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! If God is the creator of all fatherhood on earth, then you can expect earthly fathers to be a replica of His own Fatherhood. If it is the nature of our earthly fathers to help us, and to desire the best for us, we can expect our heavenly Father to want even better things for us. Why do you think that He is called Father? Why not just God? It is because He is a father in every way. If it helps you to understand, picture God in the same way that you would imagine an ideal father, with all of the love, help, discipline and guidance that would come from such a relationship. Develop that concept in your mind, and you will better understand more about the nature of Gods divine Fatherhood. Another very important principle to learn is that to be part of the household of God, we must first be born into this household. From that point on, we must remain as children inhabiting this household. Jesus said: Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14. While this passage is often recited to children in order to help them visualize their own place in Gods Kingdom, this is not what Jesus is teaching here. He is not trying to tell us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children, but rather to those who are like children; in other words, to such as these (or like these). In fact, what Jesus meant is explained perfectly by His statement in the previous chapter of Matthews Gospel. "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3. There it is. This very simple truth provides the foundation for you to understand the dynamics of how things should work in Gods scheme of life. From this moment forward, you must assume the role of a child. If you start to develop the idea of what it means to be a child in any healthy and functional household, you will develop a very clear understanding of what it means to be a child in the household of your heavenly Father. While many of us refer to ourselves as children of God, we have, in fact, totally forgotten what it means to even be a child, totally vulnerable and entirely dependent on someone else. Unfortunately, this very natural concept is one that must be relearned by most adults, and reassuming this role may not come easily for some. As we progress, keep this model of the archetypal father and child relationship at the top of your mind as I develop the concept of Successful Servanthood, because I will be constantly referring back to it throughout this study.

Gods House Rules

Each remaining section in this manual reveals a different principle of Successful Servanthood. If serving in the household of God becomes your ultimate goal, you will begin to assimilate each of these principles into your own life. There is no doubt that success will be the outcome. This is not just a possibility. This is Gods promise. As I said, there are many scripture passages referenced in this manual. All of them have something to do with success in this life. However, it is very important to point out that most of these passages require that you fully embrace Gods terms for success before He administers His assistance. Moreover, these terms are not negotiable. This is why you will notice that many of the promises of God follow the if/then equation. That is, if you will do this, then God will do that. Your Fathers primary desire is to have a very close relationship with you. You must also recognize that His conditions for your success are written only for those with a childlike attitude. Like any father/child relationship, this one grows by degrees. The more faithful you are to the terms of this relationship, the more likely you will be to see His very powerful hand working in your life. You must also understand that the Bible is not a book of magical incantations that summons God as if He were a genie in a bottle. After all, He is not a celestial Santa Claus. Just as any earthly father requires certain concrete conditions to be met before rewards are granted, you can expect this same attitude from your heavenly Father as well. How can four-year-old children achieve success in the homes of their fathers? Actually, the rules are very simple. To be everything their parents want, all little children need to do is love and obey their parents, and to stay home where it is safe. This very simple model contains the seed to understand every one of the principles that I will expound on in the pages to follow.

The Many Faces of Success

Sometimes the Bible talks directly about the subject of success (as in most of the verses included in this book.) However, if you look deeper into the Bible, you will discover that there are many stories about people who have lived successful lives simply because of their evident love for God, expressed through their obedience to Him. You will also discover that success came to them in many different forms. After all, there are many different ways to be successful. Ask yourself the following questions: If God blessed you, would you regard this as success? If God answered your prayers, would you count this as success as well? If you were rich in the Kingdom of God, would you think of yourself as a successful Christian? If you received something that God promised, would you consider this to be a successful moment in your life? If things in your life worked out for your good, would you feel like a success? If you felt that you had done something that God told you to do, would you feel that you successfully accomplished His task? If you lived a long and healthy life, would you consider this to be a successful achievement? And if people around you admired and respected you, would you consider yourself to be successful among your peers?

The answer to each of these questions should be yes. While these situations may have little or nothing to do with monetary rewards, all of them together define what true success really is. After all, there will be many times in your life when success will come knocking, but you wont be able to take anything to the bank. Consider the following: Joshua was successful because God gave him victories in battle. David was successful because he was called a man after Gods own heart.

Paul was successful in starting many churches. Solomon was successful in that God blessed him with wisdom and a peaceful kingdom. Moses was successful because God spoke with him directly, used him mightily, and answered his prayers. John was successful because He was the conduit through which the whole world would learn the depths of Christs love.

What I am saying is that success in the Bible shows up in many places, and it wears many faces. And as you can expect, in the Scriptures, there are many synonyms for the word success. Here are a few of them: Receiving Gods provisions Answered prayer A long life Good health Being rich in faith Inheriting Gods promises Being an heir of Gods covenant Fulfilling Gods plan Peace, joy, and victories in life

Some of the people mentioned above were financially wealthy. Some were not. However, the common denominator in their success was their love and their obedience to God. As you read through the Bible, you will find countless examples of successful servants, just like these. Whats more, the Bible is filled with teachings, stories and examples of successful living. While there are only a few verses in the Bible which specifically mention the word success, there are hundreds of stories and passages where faithful men and women lived successful lives simply because they loved and obeyed God.

Because most of the Bible has to do with one or more of these blessings, I contend that virtually the entire Bible is about success in one form or another. Since every page conveys something about how to live a successful life, I recommend that you read the Bible from cover to cover. In this book, God has provided us with a manual for successful living.

The Basic Question: Does God Want Us to be Successful?

Before I answer that question, lets ask one that might be a little easier; Do you want your own children to be successful? Your answer to this question may be a qualified yes, but only if the other aspects of their lives dont suffer as a result. When it comes to your children, prosperity, by itself, should not be your goal for their lives. Character development is what you really want them to achieve. After all, you wouldnt want your kids to attain wealth illegally, would you? You wouldnt want their success to ruin their disposition, or their families. In other words, you would want them to succeed for all the right reasons, having all of the right intentions, and with the right outcome. If everything in their lives fall in line with Gods entire will for them, then you would be overjoyed if your children appreciated the bountiful fruit of their labors. But then you might be just as pleased to see them become humble missionaries. Lets try another question. Would you be willing to take any steps to help your children achieve success? Most parents would do anything in their power to help their children become successful. After all, dont parents help their children with their homework? Dont they teach them how to ride a bike, or hit a ball? They might even help them paint the sign on their lemonade stand. Sure, you would help your children, but, once again, only if the ultimate outcome is positive overall. And if all of the circumstances were

favorable, you would probably do anything you could to help them. Now, lets think about our heavenly Father for a moment. Why would God give Himself the title of Father if He didnt intend to act in a way that would help us to understand the nature of His role in our lives? If He had called Himself an uncle, aunt, niece or nephew, we should then expect Him to act in a way that is consistent with our understanding of the title. But He doesnt call himself any of these. He calls himself Father. For this reason, we have every legitimate reason to expect Him to behave in ways that are consistent with what we commonly understand about fatherhood. Since God created the whole institution of Fatherhood, we can, to some degree, understand His fatherly nature by taking a look at the institution of fatherhood that He created. Just like our earthly fathers have household rules, God has rules for His household as well.

Moreover, as I pointed out, His assistance in our lives does not come without conditions. When we meet those conditions, He obligates Himself by His Word to help us. Fortunately, He is not like our earthly fathers, who were limited in both their power and resources. He is wealthy beyond description. He is the most supreme force in the universe. He is also very wise and very just, and He rewards anyone whose heart is completely His. The answer is yes Just like you want your children to be successful in life, God desires the same thing for you, but only under certain conditions. If you stop and analyze how your child can acquire your assistance, you will be able to understand how God intends to similarly deal with you as His child. If you have any concern that God is not interested in your success in this life, the following twenty-two verses should lay the matter entirely to rest.

Psalms 35:27 - The Lord be magnified, who delights in the prosperity of His servant. Psalms 118:25 - O Lord, do save, we beseech Thee; O Lord, we beseech Thee, do send prosperity! Psalms 106:5 - O That I may see the prosperity of Thy chosen ones. Jeremiah 29:11-12 - "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.... You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Psalms 68:6 - God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity. Psalms 37:22 - For those blessed by Him will inherit the land. Proverbs 8:20 - God says, "I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, to endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries." Psalms 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Nehemiah 2:20 - The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build. Psalms 71:20,21 - You who have shown me many troubles and distresses, will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth. May You increase my greatness, and turn to comfort me. Job 36:11 - If they hear and serve Him, they shall end their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 - When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy with his work, this is a gift of God. Third John 1:2 - Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. Leviticus 26:4 - I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Jeremiah 31:3 - Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. With loving kindness I have drawn you. I will build you up again. Jeremiah 33:6 - I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. Joel 2:26 - You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. Zephaniah 2:7 - For the Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. Psalms 107:38 - Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease. Proverbs 10:22 - It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it. Isaiah 30:23 - He will give you rain for the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be rich and plentiful. Psalms 67:6, 7 - The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

The Bible: The Role of Gods Word in Success

The Bible is where everything in our study converges. It is the total repository of what we believe about God, and about our role in His universe. Gods Word is what God has said. It is eternal. It does not change. Moreover, every one of Gods conditions for success depends on your obedience to His Word. While it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), it is equally impossible to have faith without knowing the promises that you are supposed to believe. Any desire to be successful in Gods economy starts with the knowledge of who He is, and what He has promised. For this reason, each of us should do more than just read these promises - we should bathe in them. This is true not because we think so. It is true because the Bible actually says so. To be specific, there are three verses in the Bible that clearly state that your level of success in this life will depend on the degree to which you willing to do four things. They are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Read Gods Word, and get to know Him Meditate on what He says Do everything He tells you to do Tell others about Him

Joshua 1:8 - 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. Psalms 1:2,3 - But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. Proverbs 16:20 - He who gives heed to the Word will prosper. Isaiah 48:17,18 - Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Faith: Where Success Begins

Just like a young child living at home, you have only four things to do in the household of God: 1) to know and love God; 2) to believe what He says, when He says it; 3) to obey Him, and 4) to love others. It should not be necessary for God to tell you something over and over before you believe it and do it. How did your earthly father feel when you made him tell you what to do repetitively? How does it make you feel when you have to do the same thing with your own children? A child who respects you and your word is a child who will act immediately on what you say. If you understand this, you will understand something very important about the nature of Gods divine Fatherhood. The picture on this page captures the essence of what I am talking about. The father in the pool loves his child. The child is 100% sure that his father will not drop him. To the child, the fathers faithful reputation and his word alone gives the child the courage to take the leap of faith. The Word of our heavenly Father should be just as reassuring to us. God tells us many times to take the plunge based on only one thing - His promise to catch us. When we need more proof than this, or we need to be told over and over, we demonstrate that we have little or no faith in Him. However, when we base our decisions on His Word alone, we exhibit the kind of faith that makes it possible for Him to work through us on our behalf. Consider how the man in this pool would feel if his child insisted that his fathers promise to catch him was not enough reason to leave the security of the side of the pool. If you can imagine the frustration that the father would feel, then consider how God must feel when we behave as if His very Word does not provide enough reason for us to act and obey. Once again, the Bible says that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). This should be a very easy concept for you to understand, since it is impossible for your own children to please you without having faith in what you say. Here we see a direct parallel between the fatherhood of God, and the nature of human parents. Just like the example of the swimming pool, faith is the key to any type of blessing from God. The following verses will further prove the validity of this simple principle, while showing the direct correlation between faith in who God is, and the blessings that He promises you.

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Hebrews 11:6 - Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Proverbs 28:20 - A faithful man will abound with blessings. James 1:6 - But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Matthew 17:20 - If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. And nothing will be impossible to you. Genesis. 18:14 - Is anything too difficult for the Lord? Psalms 37:9 - Those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Psalms - 71:14 - But as for me, I will always have hope. Matthew 21:21 - If you have faith and do not doubt... you will say to this mountain, "Be removed and cast yourself into the sea," and it will be done. Mark 9:23 - Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes." Mark 11:22-23 - Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Luke 17:6 - So the Lord said, "If your faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." Second Corinthians 5:7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight. Proverbs 13:2 - From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things. Proverbs 23:7 - As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Ecclesiastes 11:6 - Sow your seed in the morning, and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Luke 18:29,30 - Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.

Trust: Its Not What You Trust - its Who

The Bible defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1). Trust, on the other hand, is something that you specifically assign to a person. Look at the picture on the next page. There is only one way this child would even venture onto a bike without training wheels. She must be sure that her father will be there to catch her if she starts to

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wobble. Only when she believes that her father will protect her will she venture out on two wheels. From the looks of things, it is apparent that he has every intention of keeping his promise to catch her. After all, he is no more than a foot away from her, and he appears to be poised to grab her if necessary. There are two things that we already know about this situation we know that this girl will eventually lose control of her bicycle not once, but probably several times. Secondly, we know that while her fathers intentions are sincere, if the bicycle falls away from his reach, he will be incapable of snatching her in time to keep her from skinning her knee. While our earthly fathers were often incapable of fulfilling on their good intentions, our heavenly Father is very capable of fulfilling on His. After all, His arms are very long. And if He sends you off in any direction, know for certain that you cannot fall in any direction where He cannot catch you.

This means that you are totally safe with God. For this reason, to the Christian, lifes experiences are broken down into two categories successes and learning experiences. Failure is never the outcome of any situation that is under Gods supervision just learning experiences. God never gives up on you. Failure is nothing more than your decision to give up on God. Think about this - the little girl in this picture would never get on her bicycle if she received a letter from her distant father, promising her that he would catch her. She would only venture out if her father were running right beside her. By the same token, you will never trust God if you read the Bible as if you believed that He was watching you from a distance. You will only venture out if you know deep in your heart that God is right next to you. So what are you waiting for? Read these verses, and listen to Him promise to run right beside you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. Psalms 34:8 - O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. Psalms 37:3 - Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Second Chronicles 20:20 - Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed. Luke 18:27 - The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Psalms 34:22 - The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none who trust in him shall be desolate. Matthew 19:26 - With God, all things are possible. Luke 1:37 - With God, nothing shall be impossible. Psalms 40:4 - How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Psalms 84:12 - O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in Thee!

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Prayer: The First Act of Faith

Praying is believing. After all, if you didnt believe that there was a God, why would you pray in the first place? And since God is pleased when you show faith, He is likewise pleased when He hears you pray. Your reflex reaction to any negative situation should be to always fall on your face and pray first. If your father was a very powerful king, and you lived with him inside the castle walls, wouldnt you be constantly seeking his help to solve whatever problems came along? Wouldnt you do this the very minute you became aware of these problems? If so, why do we Christians wait so long to pray, especially since our heavenly Father is much more powerful, and much closer to us than any earthly king? To delay prayer is to demonstrate the exact opposite of faith. Not praying means that you simply, and momentarily, forgot that He was there. However, if you immediately pray about everything, it demonstrates to your Father that you have an unwavering belief in His consistent presence, His unfailing love, and His constant involvement in your life. He is always there, always watching, and always waiting to hear from you. Whats more, He will begin to deal with every situation in your life at the very moment you say, Dear Father As with everything else, prayer is the fundamental way to insure your success in the household of God. Moreover, these two subjects, prayer and success, are inseparable in the Scriptures. In fact, they are brought together in at least nine passages both from the Old and New Testaments.

Matthew 21:22 - And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. John 14:13, 14 - Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 1 John 3:22 - And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. Matthew 18:19 - Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened unto you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. (repeated again in Luke 11:9-10) Job 8:5 - If you would seek God and implore the compassion of the Almighty; if you are pure and upright, surely now He would rouse Himself for you and restore your righteous estate. Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly. Jeremiah 29:17 - Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you....Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. 1 Chronicles 4:10 - Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request.

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Obedience: The Outward Sign of Faith

It is quite simple to act, once you believe the one who is speaking to you. For example, as a child, if you believed your father, you did whatever he told you to do. Take a look at this picture. What you see is a child who is given a stack of plates to carry. We envision the father telling the child to put these dishes where they belong. Perhaps he is setting the table nearby for dinner. The child may have never carried this many dishes before. However, in the wisdom of the father, the child is ready to assume this task. If he were younger, the father might have given him only one or two plates. But in his maturity, he is now entrusted with seven plates. One thing is for sure the father will never give the child more plates than he can handle. And the child will never be asked to fulfill any task that the father knows he is incapable of accomplishing. Once you know that God is always right in what He says, you are then obligated to give Him your attention, to trust Him, and then obey every Word from Him. If you find yourself faced with an assignment that seems too difficult to accomplish, just remember that you would not find yourself in this situation if God did not feel that you were up to the task. And with the power that He alone can give you, your success is assured, but only if you are willing to meet His conditions. With obedience will come success. Once again, this is not a possibility. This is a promise. The verses below will make this point very powerfully.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 - Now it shall be, if you will diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you will keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and walk in His ways. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord shall make you the head and not the tail, and you only shall be above, and you shall not be underneath, if you will listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Psalms 119:1-3 - Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in His ways. Joshua 1:7-8 - Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to do according to all the law that Moses My servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you

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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. First Kings 2:3 - Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies...that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn. First Chronicles 22:13 - Then you shall prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. Second Chronicles 27:6 - Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God. Psalms 112:1-3 - Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands....Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalms 128:1 - Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor. Blessings and prosperity will be yours. 1 John 3:22 - And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Guidance: Our heavenly Travel Companion

If you believe that God is leading you in a certain way, you must also understand that He desires to accompany you along that way. This is what guidance is all about. He doesnt just send you somewhere. He accompanies you there, and He never takes his eyes off of you. Look at this photograph. Do you see a picture of a father who told his child where to go, or do you see a picture of a father who is taking his child there? If this is the way that our earthly fathers are, what else would you expect your heavenly Father to do? Do you think that the child in this picture is wondering which way to go? Not likely. Do you think that this child is concerned that he may not arrive at the proper destination? Of course not. Could you believe that he doubts his fathers sincerity or ability to lead? As silly as these questions sound, why then do we act as if we think that God would give us any less guidance? In reality, we should trust God more than the child in this picture trusts his father. And just like this young child, we can only grasp a small part of what God is all about. He is actually much larger than we can comprehend. Just like our earthly fathers, God understands that you have goals and dreams for your own life. To imagine this, think about how you would deal with your own children. If your son wanted to be on the track-and-field team, would you drive him to his track meets? Of course you would. If he chose football instead, would you drive him to the track meets? No, you would support him in whatever sport he chose. In other words, you would assist him toward the accomplishment of his own personal goals. Why should God be any different? In fact, He is not, and the Bible proves this. Just like your earthly father, God will help guide you in the way that you choose, assuming that all of His other conditions are met, the greatest of which is your love and devotion to Him. When you

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remember that He is all-powerful, you will realize that He also has the capability of making your personal goals an absolute reality. This is all part of what it means to be a parent. God is no less understanding about our lifes ambitions. After all, He is the progenitor of all parenthood. The Christian life is an interesting dichotomy of being both a child and a servant simultaneously. You dont flip from being one and then the other. You are both at the same time. This means that you have all the responsibilities of a servant while having all of the privileges of an heir. While helping you reach your goals, your Father also expects you to be in total submission to His aspirations for us as well. When it comes to His desires, God does not lay out his entire plan for us all at once. In fact He deliberately tells us very little about where He is taking us. Just like a car driving

in the dark, we can only see as far as our headlights will shine about 200 feet ahead. The reason that God gives us very little foreknowledge is so that we will be forced to exemplify His favorite personal character trait faith. God gives us every possible opportunity to express faith. He always puts us in situations where faith is the only option. When you get right down to it, Gods major purpose is not to give us what we want, or to even take us where we want to go. His major goal is to build our faith along the way. He is looking for us to demonstrate this faith as we journey through life. If He sees this faith growing in us, He is pleased. Only when He sees consistent, unfailing reliance on Him can there be the outpouring of blessings. We must remember that guidance only occurs when we demonstrate the faith that He will, in fact, guide us.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. Psalms 25:12,13 - Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. Proverbs 16:3 - Commit your works unto the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. Psalms 37:23 - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And He delights in his way. Psalms 48:14 - For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even unto death. Psalms 73:24 - You shall guide me with your counsel. Isaiah 28:26 - His God instructs him, and teaches him the right way. Isaiah 30:21 - Your ears shall hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way. Walk in it." when you turn to the right, and when you turn to the left. Isaiah 44:26 (God) confirms the word of His servant, and performs the purpose of His messengers. Psalms 16:7,8 - I will bless the Lord who has counseled me. Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalms 146:5 - How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Proverbs 8:34,5 - Blessed is the man who listens to me....For he who finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord.

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Righteousness The Right Path - The Right Relationship

When it comes to Biblical success training, there are more verses tying success to righteousness than any other subject in the Scriptures. This makes perfect sense, because righteousness (living a right relationship to God) is the purpose for which God takes you through every circumstance in life. It is because of your love for God, and your desire to live rightly, that you obey Him. It is for righteousness that you are humble, that you are charitable, and that you trust Him. All of this is summed up in the concept of righteous living. However, we cannot be righteous of our own accord. It is impossible for us to be like God without His grace working in and through our lives. This is why the photograph on this page so adequately emphasizes this point. Note that the father is holding his sons hand, and leading him down a very narrow road (notice the curbs, the sidewalks and even the sewer drains.) This is an excellent picture of the narrow road that leads to salvation that we can only navigate with Gods assistance. I believe that the verses in the section below provide the most powerful proofs that God fully intends to support us in this life, but only if we are determined to rise to a level of devotion that pleases Him. This is an extremely important condition that God places on His support. And yet, it is a righteousness that requires no more sophistication than that exhibited by a child. In other words, it is not a righteousness that you need to work on. It is a righteousness that is given to you only because of the relationship that you have as a child to your heavenly Father. God allows us to assume that relationship through the process of being born again into His family. Once that relationship has been established, the foundation for this righteousness is complete. Consider this - a young child does not need to learn to let his father run the household, and to guide all of its inhabitants. This is a frame of mind that is automatically embraced by every child. By the same token, letting God control our lives is not something that we Christians need to learn and relearn. Gods Lordship over our lives should be automatically accepted by all of us. There are literally hundreds of verses in the Bible admonishing us to be righteous. Additionally, there are at least twenty-two passages that tie the concept of righteousness to the subject of success in life. Those passages are all included below.

Proverbs 21:21 - He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. Matthew 6:33 - Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Proverbs 13:21 - Adversity pursues sinners. But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. Psalms 34:7 - The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their trouble. Second Samuel 22:21 - The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me. Proverbs 3:33 - God blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Proverbs 15:6 - Much wealth is in the house of the righteous.

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Proverbs 10:6 - Blessings are on the head of the righteous. Psalms 34:19 - A good person may suffer many problems, but the Lord will deliver him from all of them. Second Chronicles 15:9 - For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. Job 8:20 - God will not reject a man of integrity. Job 11:13-19 - If you would direct your heart right, and spread out your hand to Him; if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents; then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect, and you would be steadfast and not fear. For you would forget your trouble, as waters that have passed by, you would remember it. And your life would be brighter than noonday. Darkness would be like the morning. Then you would trust, because there is hope; and you would look around and rest securely. You would lie down and none would disturb you, and many would entreat your favor. Psalms 37:3 - Trust in the Lord and do right. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Psalms 37:23 - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And He delights in his way. Psalms 62:12 - Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done. Psalms 119:1-3 - Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in His ways. Isaiah 33:15,16 - He who walks righteously, and speaks with sincerity, he who rejects unjust gain, and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; he who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; he will dwell on the heights. His refuge will be the impregnable rock. His bread will be given him. His water will be sure. Jeremiah 17:10 - I the Lord search the heart, and examine the mind to reward a man according to his conduct; according to what his deeds deserve. Job 8:5 - If you would seek God and implore the compassion of the Almighty; if you are pure and upright, surely now He would rouse Himself for you and restore your righteous estate. Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly. Daniel 4:27 - Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue. Second Corinthians 9:10,11 - Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. Proverbs 8:32 - Now therefore, O sons, listen to me. For blessed are they who keep my ways.

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Fearing God: An Awesome Respect for a Just Creator

The Bible talks a lot about fearing God. Many people have a problem with this concept. After all, how can one be afraid of their father especially a perfect one at that? Lets make the concept of fearing God something that you can understand. Lets pretend that your father is a very powerful king who wrote all of the laws for his kingdom. These laws were written so that anyone who breaks them would be punished (prison, public service, time in the stocks, etc). As the kings child, you are not exempt from these laws. Moreover, you know that your father will never subvert his own laws. While he is a loving father, he is more than that. He is a just king, and he fulfills both of these roles without a single hint of compromise on either side. This means that he will administer justice as automatically as he will administer love. Even though your father may love you, he shows no partiality when it comes to his own laws. Whats more, if you are caught breaking the law, his police will arrest you, his judge will convict you, and his warden will administer the appropriate punishment. Therefore, it would be very advisable for you to maintain an awesome respect for this king, father or not. Now, lets bring your heavenly Father back into the picture. God will never go back on His Word. None of it will ever change not for you, or for anyone else. Moreover, your heavenly Father plays every one of the roles in the judicial process mentioned earlier. He is not only the lawmaker, but He watches everything with secret surveillance. He is the one who will pronounce your fate, and finally, He will be the one who administers your punishment. Take note that unlike the worlds system, you cant do anything in secret. You are constantly being watched. You will never get away with anything. Take note that I am not saying that God is going to send you to hell. However, you are certainly not above His discipline. Since nothing goes unnoticed by Him, you should soberly reflect on the gravity of your actions moment-by-moment. God even knows your thoughts, and so it is not just by your actions that you are being judged. Even your motivations are being scrutinized. This whole concept should strike a note of fear in anyone. And yet it is not a fear as one might have for an enemy who is constantly trying to inflict pain. It is, in fact, a fear of being disciplined by a father who loves us, and whose goal is to bring us into conformity with the perfect image of His Son, Jesus. Think of it this way your natural father may have loved you, but he probably also spanked you if you broke the rules. And while you may have loved your father, you also feared his administration of justice. This is probably the clearest example of what it means to fear God. He is a loving God, but He is also an equally just God. Even though He loves you, you can be assured that He will also punish you if you deserve it. On a grand scale, God loves the world (John 3:16), but because He is a holy and a just God, He cannot let sin go unpunished. And this is why most people will end up in eternal punishment. Remember God is as loving as He is just. Neither characteristic is greater than the other. Probably the best word to describe our attitude toward Gods awesome power to discipline us is the very word that the Bible uses fear. This concept includes the ideas of solemn reverence, awesome respect, and intense sobriety. It is a feeling that is much greater than your childhood fear of a spanking. It is greater than your fear of the policemans radar gun, or of an IRS audit, of sickness, or even of death itself. In fact, your fear of God should be greater than your fear of anything. After all, you cant escape His notice, and you cant escape His justice. You will always be caught, and you will always be justly disciplined. Now, what does this whole concept of fearing God have to do with success? It wouldnt have anything to do with it except for the fact that God says it does. Many times in Scripture, the Lord promises that He will bless those who fear Him.

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Think about what this means. God immediately turns what could be a potential negative into a positive. After all, wouldnt you expect this from a father who is as loving as He is just? While everyone should fear God, to His children He whispers an additional promise of an inheritance both in this life and the next. Picture once again the powerful king pulling his child aside and saying, Child, my laws are for everyone, including

you. But as my child, if you respect those laws, then I want you to remember something else - I am not just your king. I am your Dad. And you can expect to receive those things from me that only the kings kids receive. Would you like to hear God making this very same promise of blessings to you? You can. They are included in the seven verses below.

Psalms 145:19 - He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. Psalms 34:9 - O fear the Lord, you his saints. For there is no want to them who fear Him. Psalms 112:1-3 - Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands....Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalms 128:1 - Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. Psalms 25:12,13 - Who is the man who fears the Lord? .His soul will abide in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. Psalms 115:13 - He will bless those who fear the Lord, the small together with the great. Psalms 147:11 - The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His loving kindness.

Security: The Faithfulness of Your Father

If we know anything about God, it is that we will never be too big to fit into his arms. In fact, a good way to conceptualize the security that we have with God is to picture the average affluent home in America. In these situations, little children generally dont worry about having enough food on the table. Somehow, food just always seems to appear. They dont seem to worry much about what they will wear. Clothing always seems to be hanging in the closet. They dont give much thought to where they will sleep. They have always had a bed with a roof over it. While their parents may wrestle with the challenges of procuring food, clothing and shelter, children dont give it much thought. If you have children of your own, you know that there are certain entitlements that automatically come with being a child. Your children never have to be concerned with what they are going to eat or wear. These are things that you provide. Now, take yourself and your children out of this picture, and replace the characters with you (as the child), and God as your heavenly Father. The Bible clearly points out that your allowance as a child of God is to have your needs met. God will always provide the things that you require in life. These are things that you will never have to worry aboutever. In the Lords prayer, Jesus instructs us to ask God for our daily bread. He doesnt tell us to pray for our weekly bread or our monthly bread. This simple instruction belies two very important truths. First, God wants us to ask. And He wouldnt tell us to ask for something if He didnt intend to give it. After all, if you ask for bread, He wont give you a

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stone (Matthew 7:9). His promise is to provide what we need. Secondly, this is the only part of the Lords prayer that indicates that we should pray every day. After all, if we are praying for daily bread, then we will have to pray for the same thing tomorrow. This is the way that God insures that we will always acknowledge our dependence on Him. It is also His way of making sure that we dont wander too far away. As a natural child, you dont have to fill your pockets during dinner, and then take as much of it as you can to your bedroom to be rationed out over the next week. There will be food on the table tomorrow. It is very important for you to realize that the Bible does not develop the concept of financial independence - in fact, quite the opposite. God teaches that we are to be perpetually dependent on Him. This means that for the rest of our lives we will be just like a pre-schooler. After all, to use a popular phrase, it is the grown-ups who put bread on the table. It is the children who receive it

from their parents hands unconditionally. In the household of God, it is our heavenly Father who provides the bread. All we need to do is to ask. Your security in Gods household obviously depends on whether or not you are truly His child. If this is not the case, you will probably find yourself groping for other sources for security. If you are His child, you can be assured that your allowance for being His child will be to always have your needs met. Now, having your wants met is an entirely different matter, and one that depends on an entirely different set of conditions (as outlined in this manual). Every child born into a kings household is secure. Likewise, every child born into, and continuously residing in Gods household, is also secure. Furthermore, it is your Fathers desire for you to know just how secure your life actually is. That is why He has provided at least eight passages that stress this very point.

Psalms 34:10 - They who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Philippians 4:19 - My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Job 5:11 - He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. Psalms 121:3-8 - He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil. He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. Job 5:24, 26 - You will know that your tent is secure, for you will visit your abode and fear no loss.... You will come to the grave in full vigor, like the stacking of grain in its season. Psalms 91:9-15 - For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra. The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. (From the Lord) "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him, and honor him. Proverbs 4:12 - As you walk your steps will not be hindered. When you run, you will not stumble. Psalms 68:19 - Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Psalms 2:12 - How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

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Humility: Its a Small World After All

While there are only three verses which relate this subject of humility to success, it is obvious that God requires a total transformation of your life, wherein you assume your true role as His child/servant. The Greek word used in the Bible for servant is doulos. It can also be translated slave. And this is what we are. Think about this - as servants of God, we actually have no rights. What we have are privileges and responsibilities (something common to both children and servants), but no rights. After all, bondslaves own nothing. And if that is what we are, then it also means that what we possess in this world is not actually ours. Everything belongs to the Master. It is for this very reason that we cannot be proud of what we own, because we dont actually own it. There is nothing under your roof that you can brag about. You are simply minding Gods house. Therefore, if you have anything to boast about at all, boast about Him, and what He has done. After all, isnt that what little children do when they say, My dad is smarter than your dad? Since your father is the creator of the universe, this statement would be very accurate. Whats more, if you have anything at all in this world, it is because He has given it to you. If you lose anything, it is because He allowed it to be removed from your life. There is nothing that escapes His notice, or that He doesnt allow. A truly humble and obedient servant will not feel remorse over the loss of any possession. After all, you didnt really own it; God did. As a servant, the only reason that you would ever feel saddened by the loss of a possession is when it is the consequence of your own disobedience in other words, when you suffer at your own hand. And in these instances, you should be more saddened by your own personal failings than you are about the loss of the object itself. This will bring about a very healthy repentance, which will once again open the door to Gods grace One thing is clear from the three short passages below God does reward humility.

Psalms 37:11 - But the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity. Proverbs 22:4 - Humility and respect of the Lord bring riches, honor and life. Deuteronomy 8:18 - Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth. But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth.

Power: Its All in Who You Know

The world is a very hard place, and we are very soft in comparison. By ourselves we are very vulnerable. We can get knocked backwards very quickly. Where do we find the power to do anything in life - within ourselves? That is where the secular and new age teachers tell us to go first. If you are digging deep within yourself to find a repository of power, then you are drawing from a very shallow well. (All you have to do is look closely at the person in the mirror to understand that what I am saying is true.) The new age teachers may tickle your ears for a while, but they

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will never change what you really know about yourself. That is that you are only human, and you do not have a magic key hidden away somewhere inside of yourself. God alone is the key. Notice the child in this picture who is lifting a bar with no weights bolted onto it. This is a very accurate picture of us all. He is wearing his Dads shirt. He looks like a miniature replica of his father, but he is not nearly as strong as his father is. He is merely imitating his father, and there is a big difference. Look at what is sitting on the floor in the background. It is something that only the father can lift. When the workout is done, someone is going to have to put that big barbell back on the rack. It will not be the child. Whats more, his father wont even ask the boy for help. If you want to accomplish anything in this world, you will always have three sources of strength to draw on yours, Gods, or some other darker spiritual force. If you are determined to draw on your own strength, you will always be bound by your own abilities and by circumstances around

you. In other words, there will always be limits on your success. In the end, you may find yourself lifting no more than the child in this picture is lifting. If you are drawing on spiritual forces other than God, you may want to seriously consider the eternal consequences of your pursuit. Be assured that gaining the whole world is not worth the price of your soul. Life is short, and eternity is very long. However, if you draw on Gods strength, what can be accomplished through you will be unlimited. If you havent been overly impressed by the reservoir of strength and abilities by the person in the mirror, perhaps it is time for you to look towards heaven for your strength. God has been waiting for you to come to this conclusion for a long time. He has been waiting for you to admit your limitations, and to relinquish your burdens to Him. As I said, He is the most powerful force in the universe. You have nothing to worry about. The following seven verses should leave you in no doubt as to where your real strength should come from.

Psalms 84:5 - How blessed is the man whose strength is in God. Psalms 68:35 - The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Exodus 15:2 - The Lord is my strength and song. 2 Samuel 22:30 - For by Thee I can run upon a troop. By my God I can leap over a wall. First Chronicles 29:12 - Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Isaiah 45:2,3 - I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will shatter the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars. And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. Isaiah 40:29, 31 - He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.Yet those who wait for the Lordwill mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary.

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Giving: The Gateway to Receiving

Most people are surprised to discover how much of a connection there is between giving and receiving (from God, that is). To the natural mind, giving works like this I give something to you, and in return, you give something back to to me. It shouldnt surprise you to learn that giving to the Lord works in a similar way. When you give to anyone in the name of the Lord, your heavenly Father treats this is as if you were giving it to Him. This principle is taught in Matthew 25:40. The result is that God will reward you by providing for your needs (or, in some cases, your wants). It is interesting to note that in Galations 6:7 the Apostle Paul says that you reap what you sow. He did not say that you reap where you sow. This clearly suggests that you can sow in one mans field and yet, because God is the ultimate rewarder, you might reap in another mans field. When you are giving in the name of Jesus, you are giving to Jesus. And when that happens, you will start to see His grace working in your life. God is faithful to his Word. This means that He follows a very consistent model of giving and receiving. However, He follows a very atypical model when it comes to the measure that He actually gives. In other words, He does not necessary give you back the same amount that you gave to Him. Sometime He gives you more than you gave. This is because God is far wealthier than you are, and there is no need for him to ration His blessings. However, sometimes God gives you less than you gave. This is because God does not reward you according to the measure that you give, but rather the measure of your motives. All throughout the verses below you will see that Gods rewards are based entirely on the motivation of your heart. What He blesses is your consideration, your generosity, your kindness, your love for Him, and your defense of the poor. If you give with the wrong motives, you can expect to reap very little. Once again, you cannot manipulate God. Just remember - God does not reward people who give, but rather people with giving hearts. The parable of the widows mite (Luke 21:2-4) is a clear indication that God measures the size of every gift by the amount of love put into it.

Proverbs 19:17 - He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 11:25 - The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will be filled with new wine. Proverbs 22:9 - Whoever is generous will be blessed. Luke 6:38 - Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, it will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. Psalms 41:1-3 - Blessed is he who considers the poor. The Lord will deliver him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth...The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed. In his illness, You restore him to health. Psalms 112:5 - God will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs in justice. Surely he will never be shaken.

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Proverbs 14:20 - Blessed is he who is kind to the needy. Jeremiah 22:16 - "He defended the cause of the poor and needy, so all went well with him. Is that not what it means to know me," says the Lord. Daniel 4:27 - Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue. Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it." Mark 4:24 - With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more. Second Corinthians 9:6 - Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Hebrews 6:10 - God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him, as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

Diligence: Working as if You Believe

If you continue to believe in what you are doing, you will continue to do what you are believing. This is the very essence of diligence. Diligence is nothing more than obedience stretched out over time. Obedience is a single act. Diligence is obedience expressed over and over again. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. This is because working is the outward sign of an inward faith. Faith is observable to others (and to God) by what you do. If you work at something as if you believe, then it is obvious to all (including God) that you truly believe. In other words, the faith that He requires is a faith that must grow feet. If it doesnt, it clearly indicates that there was no faith to begin with. The children in this picture honestly believe that they are going to sell some lemonade. (They even have a computer to calculate their receipts.) They have spent a lot of time marketing their product, decorating their business, creating all of the aesthetics that attract the senses of their potential customers. There are fresh lemons in plain view. Even the pitchers have sliced lemons. There is no doubt that these kids have spent time and energy trying to apprehend a share of the available beverage market. Who gave them the idea to do this? Perhaps it was a parent. Perhaps they saw someone else do it. Could they fail? Yes, they could. Can they succeed if they dont try? No, they cant. Can they succeed if they try for five minute? No, they must give it time. While you cannot please God without faith, understand that you cannot please Him without diligence. In order to be successful at anything, you must work hard. In fact, hard work is a divine mandate. After all, the Bible says this at least eight times. As we all know, there is one thing very common to all hard work - its hard. Success is hard because it requires both time and work. Therefore, dont expect the path that you are following to be a walk through the park. God promises that the work will be hard. However, He also promises that the end result of this hard work will be a reward. Diligence is nothing more than faith demonstrated through obedience and many types of hardship.

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When you combine diligence (faithful obedience over time) with hard work, the result will be riches, abundance, profit, full wages and leadership. God wants more than faith. He wants more than obedience. He wants more than diligence. He

also wants hard work. If anything, this should make you feel good about the labor required by each task. But remember, work as if you believe. And if you believe, you will never surrender.

Proverbs 13:11 - He who gains money through hard work can make it grow. Proverbs 14:23 - All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Proverbs 12:24 - Work hard and become a leader. Proverbs 13:4 - The soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 10:4 - Diligent hands produce riches. Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent surely lead to abundance. Ruth 2:12 - May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.

Reliability: Letting God Know You Mean Business

This is as much a natural law as it is a spiritual one. (Actually, most universal truths started out as spiritual truths, and we human beings simply replicate them in the natural world.) As a child, you earn trust. You earn privileges. When you show God that you are consistently faithful over the small things He has given you, He will do what any parent or any employer would do. He will give you responsibility over more. Since you already know how this works in the natural world, simply translate it to your relationship with God. The same dynamics apply. Show God that you mean business. Go beyond the task at hand, and give Him an extra hour, an extra dollar, and an extra good job. He has promised to treat this type of behavior with an abundance of grace. There are three little verses that teach the concept of reliability very powerfully.

Luke 16:10 - Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. Matthew 25:21 - You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Proverbs, 3:9,10 - Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce, so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

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F.E.A.R.: False Expectations Appearing Real

Unlike the fear that we should have for God, this type of fear is different. This is a fear of something or someone out there in the world who doesnt love us like our heavenly Father does. Once again, think of yourself as a child of a very powerful king. As the king, your father cannot be overthrown. He knows all of the thoughts of his enemies, so He is never caught off guard. He can do anything he wants, and everyone must obey him. Above all, he loves you. How secure would you feel having a father like this? You would probably not feel very aprehensive about all of the meanies in the world. Look at this picture. This little girl is not just with her father. She is WITH her father! It is difficult to imagine that anyone could be any closer to another person. Do you think that she is about to go anywhere without him? Not likely. Moreover, is she going to let him go anywhere without her. Equally unlikely. While fear is a very natural reaction to lifes circumstances, as children we seem to know instinctlivly what to do. We put our parents between ourselves and whatever menaces may be lurking close by. So, why do we forget this as Christians? When life makes us afraid, why dont we do the thing that comes so naturally to a child? Now, the girl in this picture had two other choices. She could have either run away, or she could have positioned herself to confront her tormenter. These are the only options available to children who are not standing close to their parents. But for children who are never more than a few feet from their parents side, there is always a safety zone, where the parent becomes an impermiable shield against the hazards of life. Now, once again, lets bring your heavenly Father back into the picture, and ask yourself these questions - What situation could you ever encounter that He is not aware of? What problem could you face that He cant solve? What moment in your life, regardless how brief, does He not care about? What enemy do you have that He cannot defeat? Ah, you say, but even Christians have trials, pains and persecutions in this life. Yes, but I must be very quick to remind you of one very simple rule anything that your loving Father will allow you to experience is nothing that you need to fear. If this were not the case, He would definitely not allow it. This means that if He does not remove you from a situation, there is no reason for you to fear that situation at all. The only time that you need to fear anything is when you wander too far from your Father to rush back in time to put Him between you and your problem. To constantly fear is to constantly doubt that God is as big as He really is. This is a sin. After all, how would you feel if your four-year-old son or daughter constantly told you that they didnt believe you were going to provide the food they need, or any of the basics of life? Would this sadden and exasperate you to hear your own children doubt you like this? And yet this is what God hears from His children all the time. The way to solve the problem of constant fear is to change the way you see the role between you and your heavenly Father. He is like the a great king, only much more powerful. The Bible calls you an heir (Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:29, Titus 3:7). Only a royal child would be given such an ascription. If this is what you are, then understand that you will never have to worry about what the world might throw at you. The next step is for you to bathe in His promises. The opposite of fear is faith. And the Bible says that faith comes by hearing His Word (Rom 10:17). If you are having difficultly believing that God will help you in your most trying times, then you should probably ask yourself whether you believe the Bible at all, because God is very clear about what our reaction to trials should be. Read the verses below, and believe them!

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Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. John 14:27 - Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Proverbs 3:22-26 - When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked. For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being snared. Leviticus 26:6 - I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. Psalms 34:4 - I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalms 112:7 - Out of my distress I called on the Lord. The Lord answered me and set me free. With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can man do to me? Genesis 15:1 - Do not fear... I am a shield to you. Your reward shall be very great. Luke 12:22-32 - He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you. (Repeated in Matthew 6:31-33) Philippians 4:6 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Haggai 2:5 - My spirit remains among you. Do not fear. Zechariah 8:13 - I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.

Discouragement: The Occasional Bumps in the Road

Look at the picture on the next page. We can only guess what this is all about. It does not appear that either one of these people is attending to a physical injury. On the contrary, it appears that the father is giving his attention right where the child hurts the most - his emotions. Since both father and son have their hand on a bat, and since bats are implements used only by batters, it is safe to assume that the childs predicament had something to do with his turn at home plate. Perhaps the boy was crying because he struck out, or because he was the next batter up when the game or inning ended, and he never got his turn.

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Anyone who has raised children knows that they tend to cry about things for which there is no real or lasting damage. After all, small problems always seem large to small people. On the other hand, the father sees the big picture. His hand on the bat suggests that he is probably dealing with the childs immediate issue. However, his greater objective is to instruct the child about how to deal with very small disappointments that may seem very large at the moment. This snapshot of life has captured the picture of a father whom, while having a much larger understanding of lifes issues, has the compassion to deal tenderly with his childs momentary issues. As the child grows, and his world view becomes larger, he will cry less and less about issues which become smaller and smaller in the grand scheme of things. This is a parable of life itself. In our own lives we have a heavenly Father who sees the big picture. But just like this picture, we all have a very small window to the world, and our very small problems

may seem very large to us. Fortunately we have a God who cares about every one of our issues, no matter their size or significance. Whats more, His Word is always encouraging us to comprehend the eternal picture. And it is by this understanding that we mature and overcome lifes temporary hardships. It is interesting to note that God does not encourage us not to worry. In fact, He commands it. Simply put, to be discouraged is to sin, because God tells us not to. In the passages below, you will see that God always motivates us, not by telling us how insignificant our problems are, but by promising His help, and by revealing to us what lies beyond. He also promises that what strength He has, He will impart to us. Life will always be hard, and we will strike out more times than we hit the ball. But we will survive and thrive, because God will always be there. He will be at every one of our games, and he will dry every one of our tears with these words - Do not be discouraged. I will help you.

Psalms 40:5 - Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Jeremiah 31:16 - Thus says the Lord, "Restrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded," declares the Lord. Luke 18:1 - And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 - Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Psalms 118:13 - You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. Deuteronomy 31:8 - And the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed. Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 - For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, "Do not fear. I will help you."

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Wisdom: The Application of Knowledge

Wisdom has been accurately defined as the application of knowledge. In other words, knowledge is what you learn. Wisdom is your ability to use this knowledge as life pushes you through its many doors. Understandably, the best wisdom comes from the best knowledge available. And the best knowledge available comes from Gods Word. When we think of people who are successful in virtually every area of their lives, we picture individuals who are equally wise. However, lets not get the cart before the horse. In order to be successful, one must first acquire wisdom, and this principle is supported in Scripture. The greatest case for the virtues of acquiring wisdom comes from the book of Proverbs. In almost every chapter, Proverbs talks about the importance of becoming wise. However, there are five passages in particular that strongly link the concept of wisdom to the subject of success and security.

Proverbs 3:16 - Long life is in the right hand of wisdom; In her left hand are riches and honor. Proverbs 3:13 - How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. Proverbs 20:18 - Make plans by seeking advice. Proverbs 24:3-4 - By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 3:21,24 - Keep sound wisdom and discretion always in sight, and they will be life to your soul, and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely wherever you go, and you will not stumble. When you lie down you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

Hindrances: Self-Imposed Road Blocks to Success

By now we have learned that our heavenly Father has certain conditions on His blessings. To ignore these conditions is tantamount to rejecting these blessings altogether. As I have earlier stated, many of Gods promises are spoken in the form of if/then statements. That is, if you do this, then God will do that. In order to understand why God refuses to administer His blessings in our lives, all we need to do is read these same passages in the negative; in other words, If you dont do this, then God wont do that. All of this means that when we fail to live up to Gods expectations, we suffer as a result of our own actions. God always wants to take us to a higher level. We will always pay the consequences for resisting Him.

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As I said before, we have no rights in the kingdom of God. As servants, we simply have privileges and responsibilities. Success in life is an ongoing privilege. It is not an entitlement, and it is based entirely on your relationship with God. Because God judges both your actions and your motives, it becomes very important for you to bring your thoughts and attitudes into close alignment with His expectations. So why do we ever fail in this life? The answer to the question is found, once again, in the Bible. First, read through all of the passages in this manual, and compare your character with the expectations that God has for you. Remember

that He governs his household with an uncomplicated set of rules that are very straightforward. In addition to this exercise, the Bible also gives us a few additional passages which point out very clearly that God withholds His blessings in our lives based on the following five conditions: 1. Our disobedience 2. Our doubt 3. Our failure to ask 4. Our selfishness 5. Our disregard for the poor I have also included a very wonderful passage from the Book of Hebrews about the discipline administered by our loving heavenly Father.

James 1:7, 8 - For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 4:3 - You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. Deuteronomy 28:15 - But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Proverbs 21:13 - He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard. Malachi 2:2 - "If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name," says the Lord of hosts, "then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart." Hebrews 12:5-11 - My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Revelation 3:19 - 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent.

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Patience: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

God is never in a hurry. The reason that He often appears to wait until the last minute to answer our prayers is because He is providing us with a sufficient window in which to demonstrate our faith in Him. After all, if He worked all of His miracles in our lives without any delay, how would we ever have the chance to show the size and scope of our faith? Since God said that it is impossible to please Him without faith (Hebrews 11:6), then we would expect Him to delay His answers to our prayers in order for us to demonstrate that we really believe that He will do what we ask. Think of this waiting period as a gift from heaven. It is an opportunity to show God that we mean business. It is, in reality, a way to please Him. And if we are looking for ways to please our Father in heaven, believing in Him when we dont yet see our prayers answered is the best way to do it. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If you are hoping for something that you do not yet see, it is obvious that you are in the process of waiting on the Lord. During this period of time, you must be convinced that what you are hoping for will appear. Therefore, by answering our prayers later rather than sooner, God is actually giving us two things: He gives us what we pray for, and He gives us the chance to grow in faith at the same time. Therefore, both the gift and the waiting period are blessings! Now, think about this sometimes we dont get what we want. Could it be because God did not get what He wanted? Most often, this is the case. Are you waiting in faith, or are you waiting in doubt and impatience? If you really believe that God has all of your best interests at heart, you would never worry about whether or not you will receive what you ask for. If God wants you to have it, you will receive it. If God doesnt want you to have it, it is because you dont need it, or it wouldnt be good for you. In either case, it is nothing for you to worry about. All God instructs you to do is ask. If you receive what you request, this is wonderful. If you dont receive it, it is no loss. When you are faithful to God, and you love Him, you never have to worry about what you do or do not receive in this life. In all things God works together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). So, while you are waiting on that for which you are praying, here are several verses to help you get the whole thing in perspective.

Psalms 37:7 - Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Isaiah 40:31 - Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. Galatians 6:9 - Let us not weary of doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Second Chronicles 15:7 - But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work. Hebrews 12:1 - Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Ecclesiastes 11:1 - Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Hebrews 12:3 - For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

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Psalms 27:14 - Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord. Psalms 33:20 - Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. Isaiah 30:18 - The Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who long for Him. Lamentations 3:25 - The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.

Love: The Greatest Commandment and the Royal Law

One thing that we learn from the Bible is that being Gods children does not necessarily guarantee the kind of success that we desire in life. After all, in the parable of the prodigal son, the son was always his fathers child. However, it was obvious that his life was anything but successful while he was living with the pigs. Success is therefore the byproduct of a life that exudes both love and obedience. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15). This verse clearly teaches that obedience will always follow love, and not the other way around. Successful Servanthood is predicated upon our love for God, and our subsequent obedience to His Word. To the average Christian, trying to obey Gods Word may seem like an overwhelming charge for any one of us to keep. After all, consider the daunting task of having to scour all 31,102 verses in the Bible for the expressed purpose of obeying every single commandment. What hope could we ever have of pleasing God with such an impossible mission? Fortunately, Jesus rescues us from utter hopelessness by making it very simple to meet Gods conditions. First of all, He describes eternal salvation as an event, not a process. In John 3:3, Jesus said, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jesus also describes the kind of life that should ensue after rebirth by summarizing the entire law in only two commandments. Instead of having to memorize and observe every statute in the Bible, Jesus told us that we could satisfy Gods most fundamental expectations by doing only two things: loving Him, and loving each other. In Matthew 22:37-40, He said You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it; ' You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. In this teaching, Jesus is quoting two Old Testament passages. The commandment to love God is found in Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus calls this The Great Commandment. The second commandment, to love others, is found in Leviticus 19:18,19. Several years after Jesus said this, the Apostle James called this second commandment The Royal Law (see James 2:8). By condensing the law into two simple commandments, Christ has totally liberated us from legalism. Once we are born again, obeying The Great Commandment and The Royal Law is the sum total of our obligation to Him. Please note that I am not saying that loving God and/or loving men is your ticket to heaven. Christs death on the cross is, and always will be the only way to be saved. This ticket is Gods free gift to you, but it is invisible. This is not the kind of gift that you can see, hold in your hand, or be perceived with any of the senses. It is nothing that you can see in anyone else, as if it were a

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behavior, an action or a lifestyle. There is only one way to receive and redeem this gift. It must be entirely on faith. Salvation can never be attained by mere actions or attitudes, good intentions, or even a lifetime of the same. Whats more, neither loving God nor loving your fellow man will ever buy you a ticket to heaven. You must first receive Christs death on the cross, and his ultimate resurrection as the payment for your own sins. This is the invisible gift of salvation your ticket to eternal life. Once this gift is received by you in faith, from this point forward, Gods only requirement for your daily conduct is to do nothing more than love. As we transition from the Old Testament to the New, both eternal salvation, and the instructions for daily living have become incredibly simple. What a very great relief this brings. Obedience to God has now become extraordinarily practical and attainable. Pleasing God is nothing more than a simple demonstration of unforced affection. Life itself has now become refreshingly uncomplicated. To satisfy our Father in heaven, all we need to do is Love Him, and love others. Moreover, He promises that in so doing, we will procure whatever blessings would flow from His hand. But be warned. Gods order for successful living is love first, obedience second. Throughout history, men have tried to obey as many of the commandments in the Bible as is humanly possible. However, obeying God has never caused anyone to love Him. While the Pharisees obeyed as much of the law as anyone could, they neither loved God nor men. The disturbing reality is that we all could suffer the same degenerate state of mind if obedience to Gods commandments takes precedence over our love for Him. Just because we go through the motions of obedience, or just because we try to be good Christians, does not mean that we love Him, any more than obeying the law put a love for God in the hearts of the Pharisees. It would also be very tempting for us to treat the teachings of Jesus just like the Pharisees treated the Law of Moses. If we made a law out of His teachings, we would be doing nothing more than replacing one set of rules for the other. The outcome would not make us any better than the Pharisees. Without love for God, obedience to the

law will not please Him not even some new Christian Law, based on the teachings of Jesus. Christian legalism has never stirred anyones heart toward God. In fact, over time, many Christian organizations have replaced their love for God with a set of rules that ultimately enslaves the members of its community. To these people, the only thing that the New Testament adds to the Old Testament is one-third more rules. I should also point out that obeying all of the verses in this book will not bring you any closer to a life of Successful Servanthood, unless there is first a heart-felt surrender and love for your heavenly Father. Do not be too quick to assume that your behavior in this life is any indicator of your love for God. In the end, your obedience, your traditions, and even your conservative lifestyle may not benefit you any more than these things benefited the Pharisees. In other words, dont assume that your actions demonstrate any more love for God than theirs did. After all, they were probably much better at obeying Gods rules than you will ever be. You may ask, Well, why then would I live as righteously as I do if I didnt love God? That is a good question. You might want to ask the Pharisees why they lived the way that they did. While there is very little doubt that their righteousness exceeded yours, they had no love for God in their hearts. Again I say, dont hastily assume that your righteousness means any more to God than that of the Pharisees. What hope do we have that our eternal fate will not be as grim as theirs, except for the merciful and saving grace of Jesus Himself? This brutal and stark comparison between you and the Pharisees should underscore the enormous dependence that all of us have on the grace that God extends toward each one of us. Regardless how great we seem to our peers, there is not one of us who can come to God, except with every particle in us crying out for mercy, in humility and contrition. Once God hears that cry, He is faithful to relieve us of the condemnation that the law brings us, including all of our New Testament laws. The true Christian life is nothing less than pure liberation. All we have to do is to receive Christs

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finished work on the cross, and to subsequently love both God and others. No wonder Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30). Unfortunately, too often our Christian walk does not look too much different than our lives before we trusted Christ. Upon entering the Kingdom of God, most of us simply trade one type of strife for the other. To begin with, many of us are reluctant to abandon our pursuit for worldly success. And to this continued strife we add the additional burden of trying to be good Christians. If we were in bondage to the worlds system prior to Christ, we certainly havent done much to improve the situation after our conversion. We only aggravate it by adding more rules. This type of Christianity will not bring us any peace, nor allow us to feel much different than we did back in our former lives. We add to the chore of pleasing men the additional burden of trying to please God. While Christs blood may be enough to buy our salvation, our conversion and our subsequent life in the Church does little more than add strife to an already stricken life. It is Gods desire to eliminate strife in your life not to add to it. It is His intention to provide you with those essentials in life that we have always been required to provide for ourselves. It is His further desire to remove all burdens from us, except the responsibility to love. To fulfill The Great Commandment and the Royal Law, we must look once again at the parent/child relationship. If you understand the love that transpires between a parent and a child, you are not far from grasping this concept. Pleasing God means nothing more than to love Him as a young child would love his parents. It is not a complicated love. It is extremely simple. To obey Gods commandments without first loving Him and His human creation reduces the principles taught in Successful Servanthood to a method. When this happens, all of our labors to become successful will be entirely futile. Every one of our efforts to please God, and to procure His blessing in our lives, will be spent in vain if our behavior does not begin with a love for our Father in heaven, and subsequently a love for others. All of our deeds, as Paul says, will merely replicate the sound of a clanging cymbal (First Corinthians

13:1). Be sure that no one can clang their way into heaven. There are 30 verses in the Bible which specifically command us to love God (18 of them are found in the Old Testament, and 12 are found in the New Testament). Among these commandments to love Him, success in life is promised to be the byproduct in at least 10 of them. (These verses are included below). Yet, here is an interesting thought. While there are 28 verses in the Bible which specifically command us to love others, only one of these verses is found in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18,19). This is the verse that Jesus cites as being the secondgreatest commandment (or The Royal Law). Now, if this is Gods second-greatest commandment, why is the subject of loving others otherwise virtually ignored until the advent of Christ? In other words, why is the subject of loving others almost absent from the Old Testament? The obvious implication is that loving others is a state of compassion that can only be perfected through the person of Christ Himself living within us. It was not until Jesus walked on the earth that love for others could be fully perfected in the lives of men. Without the Spirit of Christ working in our hearts, we tend to be hardened against the plight of other human beings. The teachers of the Law in the first century had little use for the solitary Mosaic commandment to love others. It was Jesus Himself who shook the dust off of Leviticus 19:18,19. From the moment the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost, this obscure Old Testament passage became the second-most important commandment in all of human history. In the last 2000 years we have seen the Church take up this charge valiantly. To this day, Christianity is the only religion on earth that has fully embraced (and even institutionalized) the concept of loving people of various cultures. Christians have sent out 100 times more missionaries than all other religions combined. In addition, Christians have started 100 times more hospitals, schools and relief organizations than all other religions combined. The sad reality is that loving others has never become a fully embraced doctrine of any other religion. Loving others, especially people of other cultures, is a foreign concept to all but those who follow Christ.

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The Great Commandment and the Royal Law are so important, that even Jesus Himself ties our eternal salvation to these two commandments. Read Luke 10:25 - 28: And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered and said, " You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."

The bottom line is that both eternal salvation and successful living are predicated on our knowing and loving God, and on our love for others. And since, according to Jesus, all of Gods commandments are all fulfilled in both The Greatest Commandment and The Royal Law, then our attempts to be successful servants would count for nothing if we ignored either one of these two mandates. Without love, not only is salvation hopelessly impossible, but so is Successful Servanthood. Moreover, this is not just a logical assumption. This is what the Bible teaches. The verses below will demonstrate the strong connection between love for God and successful living.

Deuteronomy 30:16 - If you love the Lord your God, and walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. Deuteronomy 7:9 - Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. Deuteronomy 11:13,14 - And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. Deuteronomy 11:22 - For if you are careful to keep all these commandments which I am commanding you, to do it, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him; then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. Deuteronomy 19:9 - If you carefully observe all this commandment, which I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in His ways always-- then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three. Judges 5:31 - Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord; But let those who love God be like the rising of the sun in its might. Deuteronomy 30:20 - Live by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. Daniel 9:4 - And I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, "Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.

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Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. James 2:5 - Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Conclusion
By now you have probably realized that success in the Kingdom of God is something quite different from what you had originally imagined. In the economy of God, your aspirations for success must disappear behind your aspirations to know your Father in heaven. Once this focus changes, your goals for success will probably change too. After all, you cannot become more like God without your goals for life becoming more Godly. I am not suggesting that as you begin to take on the appearance of Christ that you wont still have personal agendas. The reality is that you will always have personal goals for this life, regardless how rich your walk with Christ is. However, when God transforms you, you may end up with a completely different set of goals. This is not only acceptable, but it is desirable. After all, if it is God who changes your priorities, who should complain? Once again, in all things God works for your good (Romans 8:28). When change happens, success, to you, will probably change in its definition. You will find yourself wanting to be a part of what He is blessing, rather than asking Him to bless what you are doing. In the household of God, the only way to be truly successful is to take your eyes off of success itself, and fix your gaze firmly onto the person of Jesus Christ. Once this relationship has the highest position in your heart, you will most likely have an altered set of priorities, and a new and exciting direction in which to walk. God is fully aware that you have a life to live on this earth. He knows that the various aspects of this life must have balance. He is also fully conscious of the fact that your financial life must also be balanced. Not only does He care about this, but He promises to do something about it if you will trust Him as much as little children trust their parents. Just remember that your aspirations in this life should never be your major focus. As Jesus said, Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you. Therefore, let your mind relax, and let God take over. It is no longer your battle. God is responsible for the results. You are only responsible to go through the motions. What does the story of the prodigal son teach us (Luke 15:11)? After all, when we leave Gods care and supervision, we are doing the same thing that the prodigal son did. In this parable the father was very wealthy. Away from his fathers house, the son soon found himself surrounded by poverty, living and eating with the pigs. Upon returning to his fathers house, he once again had all of his needs abundantly met. Moreover, he was given the best clothing, and even a ring (a nice touch). He was also fed the best meal available. Most importantly he was in the company of much love. The lesson here is that the son should have never aspired to be anything more than his fathers dependent, and living perpetually under his roof. This parable clearly teaches us the same principle that I have maintained all along that success in the household of God depends on you living forever as Gods child, obeying His rules, under His supervision, and with His provisions. Before the prodigal son left his fathers home success to him probably had one particular definition - having lots of money, and living only to please his physical senses. It is quite apparent, though, that he did not find the success he sought. Here is the real question; was the prodigal son successful after he returned home? The answer is yes. The son soon learned the true meaning of success - that it was predicated on living in the household of a very wealthy father. From this perspective, even the servants of the household were successful, because all of their needs were met as well. Everything that the young man sought in life, he received only when he returned

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home. In this passage, Jesus is clearly teaching us that we should never see ourselves as anything but our Fathers dependents. The benefits of living life in this way will be joy and security. If you are living outside of your Fathers house at this moment, then do what the prodigal son did

come back. If you have been living with the pigs, dare to trust God with every aspect of your life. Surrender every dream and every goal to Him. Your ultimate purpose in life should be to learn what every four-year-old child already knows. This is where you will find true success.

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