THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSFUL LIVING

THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSFUL LIVING

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Exodus [KJV] 3:14… God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM …

Mark [GW] 8:31-38 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life. He told them very clearly what he meant. Peter took him aside and objected to this. Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Jesus said, "Get out of my way, Satan! You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think." [Note Rom.12:1-3] Then Jesus called the crowd to himself along with his disciples. He said to them, "Those who want to follow me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me and for the Good News will save them. What good does it do for people to win the whole world yet lose their lives? Or what should a person give in exchange for life? If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

  Would we like to live successfully in 2017, and even for the rest of our life? Do we want our loved ones to be live successfully? And what of our nation? Of course we do!

  Success is measured by profit. But what definition of profit would that be?

  Success by God’s measure is precept contrary to unregenerate mankind’s concept of success; there’s constant tension between His wisdom and man’s philosophy of being an accomplished person. And it is a conflict common to all Biblically conscientious people.

  Paul, in writing to conflicted believers at Rome and Corinth, explained that our faith is not to be based on human wisdom, but on God’s; wisdom that is not held, adhered to, taught, or demonstrated by world rulers and/or philosophers. (Example – Acts 26:28) Their being here today, soon gone, replaced with changing measure, whereas Jehovah God is forever constant Eternal King. (Ex.3:14; Rom.12:1-3; 1Cor.2:5-6; 1Tim.1:17; Heb.13:8)

  Reading God’s Word we see many that lived successfully in and by God’s measure, pleasing Him in both pleasance and suffering, and profiting exceedingly; beginning with Abel some faithful disciples living in conflict with mankind’s standard of success paid dearly by man’s determination. (Gen.4:1-8; Heb.11:4)

  Here today in the USA is no exception. Each and every individual, follower of Christ or not, is confronted with the two opposing measures of success: Principle versus welfare. Throughout our history those living successfully by God’s measure were respected, howbeit grudgingly at times.

  This has been altered and continues to change. Those of us living success the King’s Way (Jn.14:6) are increasingly seen as hindrance to otherwise accomplishment. According to those that are anti-Word we present archaic narrow-minded ignorant thinking that is an obstacle to progressiveness; a ‘Live and let live in the pursuit of happiness.” A mantra of open-minded liberal tolerance promoting a non-judgmental attitude allowing wholesale permissiveness moving then to justification of manner.

  As followers of Christ we have been moved gradually from respected to being humored for market dollar and vote, from regard to increased ridicule, and now experiencing cases of persecution and prosecution. More than ever before in our nation we are individually and corporately faced with the question of correct and proper successful living.

  What if conditions worsen? What if life in the USA does come to commonplace cruel mockings and scourgings, imprisonment, torture, living destitute . . . will we then live by God’s measure of success? (Heb.11:36-40)  

EBB4