Success?

 Well, I guess the best answer to that is because I love and care about all people, and we all want to be a success, right?  So I want to talk to you about SUCCESS and YOU. 

 Before I talk about your success, I want to share a brief story with you about a lovely single mother of 3 children who had a bad accident as a result of a poor decision she had made.  Let’s call her Mary.  Mary goes to a company cocktail party/dinner and had a few cocktails before dinner and then she had to leave for an emergency before she ate and/or gave the alcohol a chance to wear off.  The sun was low and in her eyes and for a split second she could not see and she accidently hit and killed two children crossing the street.  When the police came she failed the breathalyzer and ended up having to go to court where she was convicted of driving under the influence and for the manslaughter of two little children!!!!   Mary was sentenced to 6 years in prison and a fine of 1.5 million dollars.  Could happen to any of us!   Pretty scary thought hah!!?

I have a good friend in Mary’s hometown who just happens to be her judge and he tells me that if Mary goes to a specific attorney named Jessie that Jessie will be able to get her sentenced reduced to 3 months in jail, and get her fine reduced as well.  Jessie also knows a very wealthy person who has a heart for single mothers and will pay off the reduced fine for her!!  

Don’t you think that Mary would want me to tell her all about my friend the judge!!!???   Well, I know it does not sound like it, but it has to do with sharing success with you. 

I think that before I discuss success, I also want to tell you about the bridge!!!
A bad storm has washed out the bridge just around the corner on highway 99.  You are cruising at 65mph down the highway and if you don’t stop you will drive off the bridge and plunge to your death in the river.  Would you not want me to warn you about the bridge???!!! 

So now let’s talk about -------SUCCESS-----------HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASSURE THAT YOU ARE A SUCCESS!!?   We all want to be a success, right!!??……..CAN I SUGGEST TO YOU HOW YOU CAN BE A HUGE SUCCESS!?

First, I think we need to define success. Is it a great career, power, money, fame and/or a great family? I think most people would call anyone or all of those a successful life, but what about you, what do you call success??  Let’s suppose you attain all that……..what then?  You hear all the time of athletes, entertainers and multi billionaire entrepreneurs (some who also have great families) who achieve all that and they are still not satisfied, happy or content and are searching for more. The reality is that none of those things can guarantee contentment, a lack of worry, a good night’s sleep or true happiness and joy.  But you know what can guarantee all of that?  It is knowing the Lord Jesus, (the ultimate owner of it all who has control over it all) as your best friend and Personal Savior.  Nothing gives you more joy, peace and success than that relationship with Him.  After all, it is the only thing that goes with you when you die, none of the other things that people think of as success can go with you.  He is the creator and owner of the entire universe and your life is in His hands.  He has promised to provide you with all things you need, and to work all things (good or bad in your life) for your good and His glory!  And He is always does exactly that as He is faithful to all His promises to those who know Him personally.  God is the one who defines success and He says that success is being conformed to the image of His Son Jesus and bringing Glory to God the Father.  It has absolutely nothing to do with how much money you have or what a wonderful family you have or how much power/influence or fame you have. You leave all that behind when you die.  BUT when you surrender your life to the Lord and live in His will and for His glory, then your life here becomes full of peace and joy, and your ultimate success comes when you die and get to spend eternity in heaven with Him where there will be no more sickness, or pain or suffering or tears and you will live forever in a mansion in a place beautiful beyond your wildest imagination. But you need to receive Him as your personal Savior to qualify for that kind of success.  As the Lord says, believe on the name Jesus and you will be saved. He also says:  See that you do not gather for yourselves treasure upon the earth, where rust and moths destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Receive Jesus as your Personal Savior and live your life to glorify Him and the Father, and you will be a huge success.  Get yourself the manual for a successful life, the bible, God’s Word of instructions to His creation. Get into a good bible teaching church, give your life to Christ, be born again and become a new creation in Christ. You can also feed your soul truth with some great bible teachers such as David Jeremiah with Turning Point Ministries or Robert Jeffress with Pathway to Victory.  Both can be found online at Oneplace.com.

 The greatest investment you can make to assure yourself success is the investment in your soul.  Invest in your soul by feeding it the truth of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Remember if you seek the Lord with all your heart you will find Him.  So seek Him with all your heart!!  Faith only comes by being in God’s Word.   Romans 10:17 says: If you are not in the Word of God, you will never have real faith in anything that is true and lasts forever.  If you draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to you. James 4:8  

Seek the Lord; receive his incredible gift of salvation, because He paid the price for your failures/sins. You will not only be much happier, but you will be a real success! 

I’ll end just saying if I had a cure for cancer, I would want to tell everyone about it. I have the cure for sin so I am trying to tell everyone how to be cured of sin.