In my last post http://davebosquez.com/theemergingman-3/
I presented two worldly definitions of success.
Now I would like to offer for your pondering what was revealed to me in God’s word concerning success.
As I searched, questioned and turned over leaves and rocks in the Word of God, a few pieces of information kept appearing in the searches, but one more than any other.
Joshua 1:8 (NIV – New International Version)
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Balance that against Matthew Chapter 6 and WA – LA! you have… confusion?
In my post http://davebosquez.com/theemergingman-2/ I referenced 1 Peter Chapter 5 verse 2. It describes being willing “as God wants you to be.”
There is your Godly definition of success.
Ok, I am willing, but to do what?
The Bible talks about being “called”, having a “calling” and also describes “gifts”. Gifts being “apportioned” as The Spirit deems. There doesn’t seem to be any argument against either of these words in Christianity or most other religions for that matter.
I found in my personal experience the hard part was deciphering what “calling” or “gift” I was given and found that to be the case with most people also. With the amount of information an searches being done on ‘success’ I don’t think I’m alone but in the proverbial ‘same boat’.
As I was studying Joshua though, another verse kept popping into my head.
Deuteronomy 8:18 “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
Now I know he is talking to the Israelite’s here but the ‘for it is he who gives you the ability to produce’ was sticking out very prominently, like a neon sign.
What if we used the word ‘art’ instead of wealth? Or ‘science’, ‘literature’, ‘comedy’, ‘music’, or maybe ‘joy’ or ‘happiness’.
God gives us the ability to produce and enjoy all of these things and more.
When they were building the tabernacle in the desert God stirred the peoples spirit and ‘those who hearts were willing’ brought all the supplies needed to build it. So much so that Bezalel had to tell Moses to tell the people “quit bringing stuff”, because they had so much.
Also, to build the tabernacle and everything that went with it, he gave Bezalel and Oholiab skills and abilities and other workers the abilities needed to get it done.
The Lord say’s about Bezalel in Exodus 31 …
“Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.”
God chose him, sent him, trained him and provided for him to complete the job that He wanted done at that time.
Pretty successful endeavor I think as the tabernacle lasted the whole time they were in the desert.
Now, was there hard work involved? I think so, but I also know the feeling of doing something when God is with you and the utter satisfaction you can feel when that job gets done. The hard work ain’t so hard, time flies by and the result is better than you expected.
As walking with Jesus is a one on one relationship, you need to get to know Him in order for Him to reveal you to yourself through His Word.
In my post http://davebosquez.com/theemergingman-2/ I talked about my experience helping kids for the last 20 years and how I did not recognize the fact that God had me doing what he wanted done at the time.
To my detriment, my lack of realization and my being afflicted by discouragement caused me to pursue being a ‘business man’, a goal I had since I was a kid. So I was ‘busy’ trying to ‘make it’. I can’t help but wonder if things would have been better if I was totally focused on what God wanted me doing at the time.
I have a verse God has given me, that for now is my drum beat. Haggai 1:13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.
I believe now I am a messenger of The Lord, a messenger bringing a message of life through my writing.
A knight even, as I hear from my kids that there are ‘trolls’ out there who will be more than willing to ‘attack’ my work, my message and it’s presentation.
As I walk with the Lord through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ and ’emerge’ through ‘the lingering battle smoke’, I will use my writing the same as the Israelite’s used the twelve stones from the Jordan. They will serve as memorials of where God spoke to me. To encourage me and strengthen me. In order to bring you His message of life. The Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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