Are You Really Successful?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” Joshua 1:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Many people have the wrong idea about success. Someone overheard this conversation:

“You know you’re successful if you’re invited to the White House.”

“No, you’re successful if you’re in the Oval Office, the red phone rings, but the President is so interested talking to you, he doesn’t even answer it.”

“No, success is if you’re talking to the President, the red phone rings, he picks it up and says, ‘Here—it’s for you!’”

Now that, in the eyes of the world, is success.

But not necessarily so. You can be important, or rich, or notorious—even have power and still not be successful.

What is success? Listen very carefully. One definition of failure is “succeeding in the wrong thing.” That’s failure. A wise man has said, “Whatever a man does without God, in that situation he will do one of two things: Either fail miserably or succeed more miserably.”

May I ask you three questions about what you’re doing right now? Everybody’s going somewhere. If you get to where you’re going, where will you be? I’m not just talking about Heaven or Hell; I’m talking about what we call in this life. Second question: If you accomplish your goals, what will you have? And here’s the big question: Are the things you are living for worth Jesus dying for?

ACTION POINT

Success is simply the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. Ask yourself, “Am I actively seeking to know God’s will?” Be diligent to find out what it is.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Forgiven for Jesus’s Sake

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)

In knowing what is right, God does not consult any authority higher than himself. His own worth is the ultimate value in the universe. Therefore, for God to do what is right means acting in a way that accords with this ultimate value.

The righteousness of God is the infinite zeal and joy and pleasure that he has in what is supremely valuable, namely, his own perfection and worth. And if he were ever to act contrary to this eternal passion for his own perfections, he would be unrighteous — he would be an idolater.

How shall such a righteous God ever set his affection on sinners like us who have scorned his perfections? But the wonder of the gospel is that in his divine righteousness lies also the very foundation of our salvation.

The infinite regard that the Father has for the Son makes it possible for me, a wicked sinner, to be loved and accepted in the Son, because in his death he vindicated the worth and glory of his Father.

Because of Christ, we can pray with new understanding the prayer of the psalmist, “For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great” (Psalm 25:11). The new understanding is that, because of Christ, instead of only praying, “For your name’s sake, pardon my guilt,” we now pray, “For Jesus’s name’s sake, O God, pardon my guilt.”

First John 2:12 says, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake,” referring to Jesus. Jesus has now atoned for sin and vindicated the Father’s honor so that our “sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.”

God is righteous. He does not sweep sin under the rug. If a sinner goes free, someone dies to vindicate the infinite worth of God’s glory that the sinner defamed. That is what Christ did. Therefore, “For your name’s sake, O Lord” and “For Jesus’s name’s sake” are the same. And that is why we pray with confidence for forgiveness.

John Piper 

Bible Study

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. 

18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.  - Psalm 25:17-18

14 If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity. 

15 If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction.  - Job 10:14-15

Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.  - Isaiah 3:11

18 "Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me 

19 and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave. 

20 Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer 

21 before I go-and I shall not return- to the land of darkness and deep shadow, 

22 the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness."  - Job 10:18-22

Do You Live in Victory?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers.”

Deuteronomy 6:23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Can you imagine a young Israelite boy born in the wilderness, born during their forty years there? He hears people talk about Egypt, what it used to be. He hears about Canaan, what it ought to be. His folks have come out of Egypt, but God brought them out that He might bring them in…to Canaan. But now for forty years, they are going around in circles! This kid looks around—his mom and his dad are not living in Canaan; they’re not living in victory. What is he to think?

What about in your home? In your life in Christ, are you just circling around? Stuck in a rut? Off in the ditch? Or do your children see a vibrant, personal relationship with the God who parted the Red Sea and is answering your prayers today? Do your children catch you on your knees?

ACTION POINT

I’m convinced the reason the devil ensnares kids from good Christian families is, the parents have come out of Egypt, but they’ve never gone into Canaan. They’re stopped in the desert, going ‘round and ‘round in circles. Live in the victory Jesus died to give you. Make sure your children see you living in victory.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Jesus Will Trample All Our Enemies

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24)

How far does the reign of Christ extend?

The next verse, 1 Corinthians 15:25 says, “He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” The word all tells us the extent.

So does the word every in verse 24: “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.”

There is no disease, no addiction, no demon, no bad habit, no fault, no vice, no weakness, no temper, no moodiness, no pride, no self-pity, no strife, no jealousy, no perversion, no greed, no laziness that Christ will not overcome as the enemy of his honor.

And the encouragement in that promise is that when you set yourself to do battle with the enemies of your faith and your holiness, you will not fight alone.

Jesus Christ is now, in this age, putting all his enemies under his feet. Every rule and every authority and every power will be conquered.

So, remember that the extent of Christ’s reign reaches to the smallest and biggest enemy of his glory in your life, and in this universe. It will be defeated.

John Piper 

Bible Study

13 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 

14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.  - Daniel 7:13-14

25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 

26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 

27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.'  - Daniel 7:25-27

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. - Ephesians 1:19-23

25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27 For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. - 1 Corinthians 15:25-28

You Must Be Filled

BIBLE MEDITATION

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

What will it take to heal our world? I’m convinced we’re facing one of three things: revival, ruin, or the return of Jesus Christ. I pray God it will be either spiritual revival or the return of the Lord Jesus. But if it is a spiritual revival, how will it come about?

“Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” And what is the will of the Lord? “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:17-18)

People have tried everything. There is only one answer for a world in the need our world is in. The will of the Lord is that the church of the living God be filled with the Spirit of the living God. This alone is the answer.

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? It implies continuous control by the Holy Spirit. The emphasis is on “be filled,” not “get filled.” “Be” implies a continuous control by the Holy Spirit. The fact that you were filled with the Spirit doesn’t necessarily mean that you are filled with the Spirit.

ACTION POINT

Oswald Sanders said, “There is no such thing as a once-for-all fullness. We may, and should, be filled with the Spirit again and again.” Yesterday’s experience is no good for today. Being filled is a day-by-day experience. Ask God to fill you with His Spirit today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers