TODAY’S DEVOTION (MONDAY 11TH MARCH 2024)
“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 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 71ST DAY OF OUR YEAR OF IMPACT.
The God of Heaven and earth has been merciful to us. Glory be to Him for a beautiful day that he has given us. We shall rejoice and be glad in it.
Day unto day the LORD has been demonstrating His goodness in our lives, and His faithfulness has given us hope for the future.
Indeed, if you do not have this God by your side, I don’t know what evil and sudden destruction you will not have in your life. He is such an insurance to burry your life in. He will never allow the enemy to declare a party over His own.
All who walked with Him in the days of the Bible, lived very secured, visionary, effective, and productive lives. Simply put, they lived very fulfilled lives, made possible by His Word and Spirit; and there is nothing as exciting as living a fulfilled life.
God wants you and I to live very fulfilled lives, not necessarily successful lives as the world defines it. Do not forget, we are not of this world. So, we are not to be controlled by their definition of things.
Understand that a fulfilled life is not necessarily a successful life by the world’s standards. The world measure success very differently, God also measures it differently, and the Bible is very clear on that.
For instance, Lazarus in the story of “The Richman and Lazarus,” was not successful by the world standard. But he died fulfilled. He made Heaven. But the rich man was successful by the world standard.
He had servants, dogs, and all his heart desired. But he was not fulfilled. He died and went to hell. God wants us to live fulfilled lives, not successful lives defined by the world. The Bible says,
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37 NKJV
Gaining the whole world is the internal crave, drive, vision, or passion of an average man. Only the truly regenerated do not have that in them.
When you gain the whole world, even if it is at the expense of your soul, you are called and adjudged successful or even fulfilled, by the world. You are celebrated, lifted, and honored.
SADLY, THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE WANTS, HENCE FIGHTING, LIVING, AND EVEN KILLING FOR IT.
Most even sell their souls for it. They exchange what makes them acceptable to God for it. They exchange their morality for it. Some even exchange their sanity, families, integrity, and even relationship with God for it. Others will never care even if they lose their place in Heaven for it.
The world might call what you got by selling your soul success, but God judges differently. In His judgment, you failed, you are not fulfilled. If you are to gain the whole world, it should not be at the expense of your soul.
However, it is clear that there is no way you can still keep your soul intact if you vision is to gain the whole world. The reason is because, the human system is so corrupt that there are things you can never become or achieve, except you sell your soul.
Friend, God wants us to lead very fulfilled lives, not very successful lives, as the world displays it.
To be fulfilled is to actualize “God’s will” for your life, (in this life) in such a way that you do not miss eternity with Him in the next life. In the kingdom of God, a fulfilled life is a life that is spent doing all of God’s will for it.
Sadly, many of us in the Church today strife to be successful by the world’s definition, instead of fulfilled!
For instance, in gospel ministry, everyone wants to ride the best ride, live in the best house, command the largest crowd, be called to the statehouse of our nations to preach, and be sought after by the rich and mighty.
That is our version of ministry success. Hence, allowing the gospel of greed and covetousness to fill our hearts.
But there was a time the rich and mighty sought the audience of Jesus in John Chapter 12:20-26, but He never gave them the audience.
That is not to mean that they were not important to God. He only demonstrated a truth to us.
THE TRUTH OF NOT MEASURING MINISTRY SUCCESS BY THE WRONG STANDARDS.
The Bible says He preached the gospel of dying to the disciples instead. The message there is, when we become famous in ministry, we should embrace a posture of dying daily not going after the rich and mighty who seek to live in our space.
It is important for all ministers of the gospel to note that ministry in Heaven’s success standard, is measured by how much of “God’s will” is being done through it, and nothing else. It is not about the quality of crowd you attract, but the will of God that is being done through you.
If seeking success by the world’s standards the way we do today was it, Jesus would have accepted them into His ministry and made some of them pastors, basically to retain them, and then use them to satisfy a carnal crave for great financial returns, like we see done in so many churches today.
He would have consequently, ended up piercing Himself with many sorrows like so many pastors have done today, and defeating why He came to the earth.
You see, we will always pierce ourselves with many sorrows each time we seek to be successful by the world standard.
God’s success standards are different. They are measured according to divine will, not human assessment. How much of God’s will is being done through you is what Heaven looks at when measuring your success, not how much money you may be making, or spectacular things you may be achieving.
In the Kingdom of God, there is what God calls “good success,” and there is what God calls “bad success!”
Good success is a success that will lead you to Heaven. Bad success is a success that will lead you to hell. It is governed by greed and covetousness. It is a success that is achieved by using men as tools, and trading the eternal for the earthly.
But good success is different! It is a success that will lead you to eternal rest with Christ. It is not governed by greed and covetousness but by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
OUR DEVOTIONAL TEXT THIS MORNING SAYS
“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”
Good success begins with a RIGHTEOUS WORD from the LORD, and continues with a RIGHTEOUS WORD from the LORD, and ends with a RIGHTEOUS WORD from the LORD, and nothing else.
It is activated by seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jesus spoke about this success,when He said in Matthew 6:32-34….
“For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (NKJV).
In other words, Jesus was saying that, there are things that can only be added to our lives, when we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first, or when we live our days seeking it only.
Sadly, our spiritual blindness is not letting us see this scripture clearly. It is not letting us see that Good success is a product of righteousness not struggles!
If you want good success in your marriage, righteousness is the key. If you want good success in your ministry, righteousness is the key. If you want good success in your business, righteousness is the key.
If you want good success in your career, righteousness is the key. If you want good success against your enemies, righteousness is the key. The Bible made it clear in proverbs 14:34 that, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (NKJV).
The easiest way to sow a seed of reproach into your life, as you live your days, is to seek success the world’s way. You could become so rich and famous after that, but the eternal harvest or results you will reap, will be terrible.
LET THIS SCRIPTURE BE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?” Mark 8:36-37 AMPC