SUCCESS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

Beth and I shared our story, “Spongebob and the Professor” earlier this week for a class of Junior Nursing students at Cedarville University.  As a part of our story we share the time in our journey that included a season of “worldly success and prosperity”.

 

When we get done telling the students about the “house, the cars, the trips, the first-class stuff”, we ask them a pointed question, “what defines success?”

 

We get a myriad of answers every time we lecture.  But often the answers include, “getting what you want”, “advancing in the field”, and “recognition”.  And often because this is a Christian university we do get the students that say, “finding and embracing your purpose” or “being used of GOD”. 

 

Yet often, even these kids equate success through the world’s lens.

 

That is why today I wanted to share a little insight from Frangipane regarding SUCCESS; how to really define it.

 

“Our success in life is determined by one primary objective: how functionally transformed into Christ's likeness have we become? If He sees that we were forgiving even when wounded; if He sees in us a heart that holds fast its faith even in times of adversity; if He finds us to be truly repentant and genuinely humble, even when we could boast; and if He sees we are... committed to a life of love, we will have fulfilled the purpose of God. We will receive a great reward. If, however, the Lord sees in us a soul easily offended or that we blame others for our joyless, angry attitude; if He scans our inner man and finds we are self-righteous and judgmental; or if our conscience alternately either accuses or defends ourselves, then we will render an account for our life at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 1:29, 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27).

Thus, it is of the utmost importance that we settle the eternal goal for our lives. - Frangipane

 

The outward man does indeed suffer wear and tear, but every day the inward man receives fresh strength. These little troubles (which are really so transitory) are winning for us a permanent, glorious and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain. For we are looking all the time not at the visible things but at the invisible. The visible things are transitory: it is the invisible things that are really permanent. - 1 Corinthians 4:16-18 (PH)

 

So the true measure of success is fairly clear.

Are we more like Jesus today than yesterday and will we strive to grow more closely to Him and His persona tomorrow?

 

1 John 2:6 ESV

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

 

So let’s ask ourselves some questions:

Have I bought into the world’s view of success like my fresh faced college kids or am I seeking more? 

How do I handle the tough times?  Am I judgmental or do I walk as He did with grace? 

Do I allow HIS joy to be my strength or do I succumb to the pressures with anger and dissent?

Am I seizing life's opportunities to appropriate Christ or mostly coasting?

Am I focused on the VISIBLE or the INVISIBLE?

 

Today friends let’s set our minds for “real success”. By letting Him…

…become greater and greater, (while we) become less and less. John 3:30 (LB)

 

I love you all!

Have a blessed weekend!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)