Chapter 8
Real success is fulfilling what God wants
Matthew 16:25-27
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Everything a Christian does in life should include the attitude and outlook mentioned above, that we are to lose our lives for His sake. Only when we lose it will be truly find our own life. The point of that is the reason for pursuit of success isn't primarily for the purpose of meeting our wants and needs, but being part of fulfilling what God wants - His overall purpose.
When we measure our work, which we occasionally need to do, it should be done so first by seeing how our success is helping to build the kingdom of God. After sifting through how our businesses or pursuits are part of His kingdom, if we find it not being much, we need to readjust our thinking and look for ways to incorporate it into our lives. Wealth should be sought so we can help establish God's covenant, not for ourselves.
As the scriptures teach, if we seek His kingdom first, the rest will be added to us. True success will be the combination of both; not one or the other. Some people of course are called to live a more austere life, and as a result don't have a lot of money to give in building God's kingdom. It's not how much you give, as Jesus testified concerning the widow who gave a little, but it was everything she had. Rather, it's the heart and cost behind giving in those circumstances that please God, which should be our ultimate individual goal.
For most of us this isn't our calling, rather it's to help take care of our families and have enough left over to give to God's kingdom. If we're measuring success only by how much money we're taking in, we have already lost our way. It's not necessarily that we aren't saved, but that our efforts are only being conducted on behalf of ourselves, and not God, who has given us power to get wealth.
When we obtain wealth, the purpose isn't so we are seen as having God confirm whatever little kingdom God builds. It's the opposite. God is confirming and affirming His kingdom by blessing us with assets.
What this means is when we are blessed by God concerning the work of our hands, it's an act of grace on His part, not some type of special power we have within ourselves that makes us superior to other people. God has gifted us for a purpose, and that gifting is from Him, not innate within us. We have no basis to boast, but rather should be giving thanks for His grace He has given to us to accomplish His will on earth and for the wealth provided to build His kingdom.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a share and enjoying the goodness of God in this lifetime, but if that's all we do, we've truly lost are way and are only serving mammon. What we are to do is seek the favor of God and not what He can and will give us. When we seek to please and obey Him by faith, He can richly bless us with all sorts of things we won't be tempted by or think we somehow are the source of those blessings through our own wisdom or hard work.
This doesn't mean we aren't to learn and become experts in a specific field, but that in all that we do, even our study to become an expert, is a gift of God. Without Him we can do nothing, as the scriptures teach us. In the end, after doing our part, success or failure is determined by God. We must trust Him and rest in His sovereignty.
Success in this life
Isaiah 65: 17-24
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
These versus aren't referring to some type of post-resurrection heaven and earth, as it says people will continue to grow old and die. That won't happen after the resurrection, because we'll be in our new bodies, which will be immortal. There will be no death at that time.
With that in mind, the feedback from God for success in history will be long life, avoiding the curses coming from sin, wealth, rejoicing, growing obedience and justice, and an increase in population growth. Every Christian needs to think of these thinks as blessings, even while enemies of Christ look at them in many ways as a curse, because they think in ways that start with man being considered a parasite on the planet, rather than the very purpose God created, along with being created in His image.
Other blessings accompanying success include more influence, increased significance and reputation. This is all measured by the parameters of service God gives to us, which we should remain in. We must search to find our boundaries, and once we do, stay within them until and if God expands us beyond them.
Remember the consequences of Satan refusing to remain within his appointed boundary.
Success isn't something we attain to only individually, but these promises include society as a whole, especially Christian society. This is part of the problem that teach everyone can become wealthy. It's not really what the scriptures teach. What they teach is the blessings of God will come upon a people in response to obedience to His commands and laws. Not everyone is going to receive the blessings in the same way or at the same level, but society as a whole will enjoy them.
Measuring our success
Our success is overall measured by what was mentioned above, but success for us individually and God's people is determined by our response to the word of God. Real success that comes from God is that which is built upon the knowing and understanding of God's laws, and the application of them to all areas of our lives. That produces the fruits of success mentioned above.
A person or people may enjoy the blessings of God without obedience, which means eventually He'll remove the blessings if we don't repent and turn back toward Him in obedience.
We must not only experience the fruits of success, but it must be based upon the roots of success, which are revealed in the Holy Scriptures. This is why we are admonished Jesus that we shouldn't be those that may gain the whole world, but in the end, lose our souls. Success not built on the Bible isn't success, it's only the fruit of success. Knowing the difference is the wisdom all believers need to attain to.
The confidence we can have is this:
Isaiah 55
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
What this means is the Word of God, which is that revealed in the Bible, will be a success in history. That which God wants accomplished in this world, will be accomplished. This is about its impact on the earth. God isn't concerned about the heavenly realm, He's already got that under control, which is why Jesus taught us to pray that His kingdom should come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We need to pray that and expect He will answer it. He wouldn't have told us to pray in that manner if we weren't to expect it to be answered. God is after the same thing that is being done in heaven, which is complete obedience to His commands, will also be done on earth.
In history, not only in the afterlife or post-resurrection, the word of God will do what He has sent it to do.
Psam 119:33-37 says this:
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
This is the foundation and end of all success on the earth, to understand and obey God's law. We must do this in all our pursuits, including our pursuit of success.
Or as Solomon said in his conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The bottom line is we are to remember God's commands in this life and do them. There are no other expectations, and God will richly bless us as a people, and in many cases, individually. The difference is we won't be overwhelmed and destroyed by God's blessings, but will us them to establish His covenant.
No comments:
Post a Comment