Formula For Success
      What is success? Different people & cultures have other definitions of success. A place like India has a caste system which often makes our Western & U.S. definition of success impossible. No class mobility there to speak of. But here it’s defined as moving up from having less to a place of having a better standard of living. Better education, job, residence, auto, & less debt, etc. And finding one’s NICHE can be a real benefit in this process. Consider the five elements below as a concise & simple Formula For Success.
  Self-Discipline. Just the word Discipline is key here. All military services promote this because they know without discipline, their force will be disorganized & weak at all levels. Personal focus on one’s time schedule, exercise, and diet is vital to one’s personal success.  See Proverbs 12:1
  Knowledge. Any advanced society promotes education. So does any success-oriented family. Is it surprising that Solomon (supposed to be the wisest man ever) promoted knowledge? “Does not wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice? . . . For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.” Proverbs 8:1 & 11 Then moving on in that chapter to V. 22-36 is a CLASSIC treatise on the value of wisdom. And a couple hundred years later, one Hosea had this tidbit for us. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . .” 4:6
   Work. The human body & mind are made to work. Whether we are sweating it out over books, or doing physical labor, it just feels good to work & accomplish something useful each day. Not many folks get far without work. Sadly our U.S. society is not emphasizing the work ethic these days. Nowadays work is almost something to be ashamed of. I believe it is honorable & God blesses it. Even the man who cleans gutters & the motel maid has God’s attention.
   Money Management. They say there are two ways to have more money. Make more or spend less. Whether that’s true or not, I have found that we either manage our money or it manages us. And there is a credit system that promotes debt. Scripture says, “the borrower is the slave of the lender.” Proverbs 22:7 Slavery never ended – it just changed its suit. Now it’s a voluntary predicament thru excessive debt. I believe minimizing our rent, mortgages, auto debt, credit card debt, etc. is vital to personal success & freedom. For a simple & effective way to reduce credit cards, take 2 at a time & scrape dog poop off the floor with them. Throw them in trash with the poop.  
  Faith. Last but not least, we have a world-famous Book that says MUCH about faith & personal success. And our adversary can promote all kinds of falseness about God’s material blessings if people just remain ignorant of Bible teaching. See Psalms 37:25-26, Proverbs 13:21, 16:20, 28:19 Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19 Then FAITH can be the catalyst to help the individual find their NICHE – that position where he/she can be MOST successful. See “Faith” link #75.
     When the above elements are blended together in a person’s life, they will promote the maximum success for that person. And I find it interesting that SUCCESS & FREEDOM are married together. I like the feeling of Freedom, so if I could give one more tidbit to this "formula for success"' I'd say minimize housing cost to be within one's means.  That major budget item is what appears to keep millions of folks in the "hand to mouth" mode till they die.  See "Home Ownership Technique."  link 106
     Now for no extra charge, a recent thinker said this, "Judge your success by the degree that you're enjoying peace, health, and love." H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  And in order for this Formula For Success to be a true “Gospel-note,” it has to connect with ultimate success. That is being received into God’s best place when we “meet the undertaker” – (inevitable for all.) It’s sad when folks have real worldly success & die, but without Christ’s salvation. “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and lose his own soul?” J. C. - Matthew 16:26 The best WIN-WIN is to have success in life, THEN go to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” John 14:6   Choose Jesus, He is alive.

Other interesting titles:  www.gospelnotes.org                                                          * * F. J. Stone * *  
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