"For then you shall prosper and succeed in whatever you do."
This sounds like a great promise, doesn't it? All we have to do is read, meditate upon and obey God's Word and we will prosper and succeed in whatever we attempt. Do you believe it?
In our selfishness we read this promise as a way to get whatever we want...it's almost like we've found the magic formula to satisfying all of our personal desires. But when you realize that when you read, mediate upon and obey God's Word, that transformation occurs, then you also realize that the desires that you will have once so transformed will be anything but selfish or self-motivated. As Robert J. Morgan puts it, "As we meditate on God's Word, our minds are improved. They are God conditioned. We begin thinking more as he thinks, looking at life from His point of view. As we're transformed by the renewing of our thoughts, we become successful in those things God appoints for us to do."
Is that disappointing to you? Would you have preferred to have your selfish, earthly desires fulfilled? I hope not...for transformation into a God-like thought process should be our highest priority and the one that, as we slowly attain throughout the sanctification process of our entire Christian life, brings us the most joy and the most peace in our lives.
If our plans are to align with God's plans and thereby assure our success, don't we need to know what God desires? Here's a few things that I know from His Word that God desires or that please Him:
This sounds like a great promise, doesn't it? All we have to do is read, meditate upon and obey God's Word and we will prosper and succeed in whatever we attempt. Do you believe it?
In our selfishness we read this promise as a way to get whatever we want...it's almost like we've found the magic formula to satisfying all of our personal desires. But when you realize that when you read, mediate upon and obey God's Word, that transformation occurs, then you also realize that the desires that you will have once so transformed will be anything but selfish or self-motivated. As Robert J. Morgan puts it, "As we meditate on God's Word, our minds are improved. They are God conditioned. We begin thinking more as he thinks, looking at life from His point of view. As we're transformed by the renewing of our thoughts, we become successful in those things God appoints for us to do."
Is that disappointing to you? Would you have preferred to have your selfish, earthly desires fulfilled? I hope not...for transformation into a God-like thought process should be our highest priority and the one that, as we slowly attain throughout the sanctification process of our entire Christian life, brings us the most joy and the most peace in our lives.
If our plans are to align with God's plans and thereby assure our success, don't we need to know what God desires? Here's a few things that I know from His Word that God desires or that please Him:
- He desires all to be in relationship with Him (2 Samuel 14:14, "Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.")
- He desires His people to live righteously without a spirit of anger (James 1:19-20, "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.")
- He is pleased when our spirits are broken over our sinfulness. (Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.")
- He is pleased when we serve Christ in righteousness, with a spirit of peace and joy. (Romans 14:17-18, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God.")
1 comment:
God is the magic formula to solve our problems. Our Heart receives the benefits of knowing, reading and studying God's word. We do profit from his Love. God knows our heart and our sincerity. We can't believe that we will prosper in this life here on earth without God's presence in our heart and mind. I want to please God in all the ways you have referenced from the Bible. When we become transformed through the Word of God and the belief of Jesus Christ, we will prosper and succeed, because our success will be our life in Heaven. We do need to know God's desires and that is why Scripture is such an important part of our Walk with God leading us through our daily lives. We do need to be careful as we study, carefully absorbing all of God's desires and understanding what he has for our success.
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