Date: Thursday, July 10, 2014
Today's Chapters: Proverbs 15-17
Message Title: True Success

I was reading an article about a well known business closing nationwide, and people have been analyzing why the company failed. Many sited that the trend was over, one person called it a myth to follow your passion to be successful at one thing because trends and competition will destroy you. Now, I have never been one for trends, and to be honest, I got out of my box once and make the biggest mistake of my life. While trends come and go, they are not what make us successful, and competition, who does not like competition? True success comes from three things, Jesus, Vision, and Skill, without all three, no amount of passion or trend will make us successful for very long. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-14.

Many people talk about God, and have faith in Him, but few talk about Jesus, which is sad because if you have faith in God you should certainly have faith in Jesus, after all He is God. Those who are not afraid to admit they love and follow Jesus get God's attention, those who refuse to even believe in Him will fail eventually. “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” - Proverbs 15:29-33.

Humility is a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God. We should look to Jesus and have a sense of unworthiness toward Him, then thank Him for all He does for us despite any lack of faithfulness to Him. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:1,2.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in life to deal with is humility, we've all been there, and it's not fun, but we should never discount those humiliating moments, they all teach us something, we will never be honored by God until we are first humiliated. I am not talking about being a fool, but until we face some humility we really keep making foolish decisions because we are thinking and acting with our heart. Fearing God helps us think God's way and not our own, truthfully, we already know what we need to do, it's the heart that kept us from doing it in the first place. “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” - Proverbs 16:1-3,6-9.

God knows the way that we take, and if we are walking with Him, He will direct our steps. Will we hit bumps in the road on the way? Of course, life has a great way of placing bumps even in the road God leads us on, but with Jesus walking by our side success comes out of bumps. “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.” - Proverbs 16:17-20.

Pride is the root of many failures in life, if we just learn to not be so stuck on ourselves we would admit our defeat, then with God's help get back up to accomplish bigger and better things. If we ever want to accomplish anything in life we must have a humble spirit because that is what sends us to Jesus and gives us vision to put our skill to good use, and see success no matter what trend the world is in or how much competition we have.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.

Today's Prayer: God, Hearts all over the world are broken, Lord, mend their hearts and help them to humble themselves before You, comfort them and give them hope for a better tomorrow. Also, keep my heart tender for You, help me to let go of burdens that carry me from past afflictions, keep me humble and patient, give me Your grace to be forgiving, and let me lean not on the decisions of my heart, but seek the right ones from You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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