Today we continue our series entitled, “Pursuing Grace-Based Success!”
Here are our foundational scriptures:
(Ephesians 2:8-10 ERV)
8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.
9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about.
10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.
(1 Corinthians 1:30,31 NLT)
30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
(2 Timothy 1:9 NKJV)
Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. You must learn to define success the way God does.
— God is a completely purposeful God. He does all He does on purpose and with His set purpose in mind. He sent you to this planet at just the right time, and He sent you for His intended purpose. Therefore, you can never be a success, in His eyes, until and if you do what He sent you to this planet to do.
— Godly success is about doing the right things, the right ways, for the right reasons, and hoping to achieve the right results. To be clear, the results should be focused on bringing glory to God.
— You should ask yourself: What am I doing? Why am I doing it? How am I going about it? What do I want to get out of it? In the end, am I doing this because God wants me to do it? Am I doing this to advance His Kingdom? Am I doing this with His motives? Or am I doing this for selfish reasons?
— Pursuing Godly success is about searching my heart concerning my focus, aim, methods, and intent. If my heart is not pure, my actions will not be aligned with God or His plans/purposes.
— I can pursue a godly thing but pursue it in ungodly ways and with selfish motives. Or I can convince myself that I have godly motives and godly ways, but I’m pushing on the wrong thing. Either way is wrong. To be a success in God’s eyes, I need to be doing the right things for the right reasons and in the right ways in hopes of getting the right results. The ultimate result is to bring glory to his name.
At the end of your life, you want God to say about you what He said about David. The Bible says:
(Act 13:36 NIV)
“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.”
— David served God’s purpose in his own generation.
— He did what God sent him to this planet to do.
— He left the impact He was supposed to leave.
— He was not perfect. He made his fair share of mistakes. But in the end, he completed his assignment. As a result, he fell asleep and gave up the ghost.
— David did not die because he was sick. He did not die because he was old. He did not die becuase of a freak accident. David just died because he was DONE! That’s how I want to go!
*** David was a success because he fulfilled God’s purpose for his generation. That’s it. David was rich. But he was not a success because of money. David had power and fame. But he was not a success because of either of those things. In God’s eyes, David was a success because he did what he was sent to the planet to do. It’s that simple.
2. When you stand before God on the day of judgment, your works will be tested by the fire.
(1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NLT)
10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
— This has nothing to do with you going to heaven. The only reason you go to heaven is because Jesus is your Lord.
— This is not a salvation issue. This is a discussion about what you did with the ONE LIFE God gave you.
— The text says that your works will be placed into two piles. One pile will be labeled: gold, silver, and jewels. This pile will contain the things you did for God because God was leading you to do it, and you did it the right way. The other pile will be labeled: wood, hay, and straw. This pile will contain the things you did on your own, or you did in the name of God, but you did not it the right way. Both piles will be tested by the fire.
— Only the things you did for God, the right way, will stand the test. The way the older saints would say it is, “Baby, only what you do for God will last!“
— When you stand before God it will be too late to influence the piles. But you can do that now. Search your heart. Check your ways. Ask yourself penetrating questions. Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Am I truly living for God? Is my life ALL ABOUT HIM? What will God say about what I am doing and why/how I am doing it?
*** If you don’t like your answers to these questions, it’s time to make some changes.
2. God’s formula for success.
(Joshua 1:8 KJV)
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
— When the time came for Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, the Lord made it clear to Joshua that the grace was already on him to succeed. Joshua needed to provide the faith. If he did, God promised Joshua would be both prosperous and successful. What was true for Joshua back then is true for you today.
— God told Joshua to keep His Word on his lips continually. In order to do so, the Lord instructed Joshua to keep the Word on his mind. If you keep the Word of God on your mind, day and night, you will have no option but to have the Word of God in your mouth. Whatever is ON your mind continually with be IN your mouth consistently. This is the way the Lord expects us to live.
— After telling Joshua to keep the Word of God ON his mind and IN his mouth, the Lord made it clear that Joshua was then supposed to DO what he was meditating on. The Bible is not a textbook to study. The Bible is a life-book to live. Your learning MUST turn into living. Your meditation MUST turn into application. Anything less is merely lip service.
— God’s formula for success for Joshua was simple. Joshua was supposed to keep the Word of God on his mind and in his mouth, and he was then supposed to go out and DO what he was meditating. It worked for Joshua, and it will work for you.
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for dealing with me concerning my definition of success. I know You made plans for me before the world began. I know I was born for a reason, and that reason is Your divine purpose for my life.
I search my heart this morning. I only want to do what You want me to do and then do it the right way.
I do what is right becuase it is right, and I then do it right.
I am on my planet to bring glory to Your name. And that is what I will do.
I live for You every second of every day. Your Word is in my MOUTH, my MIND, and it is the foundation for my METHODS.
When I get to heaven, I want to hear You say, “WELL DONE,” so I live for Your glory right now!
My life is ALL ABOUT YOU! This is how I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
