Philippians chap 2 vs 12-18
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me
Its a long process in life to go from a little boy to a man, in physical life and in your walk as a christian.
We start out as little children just taking the simple and easy things of the word of God and applying them to our life. Things that have happened to us along the way have shaped us and made us into what is acceptable before God
A little boy in third grade was making a gift for his mom. He poured his heart and soul into the gift, He felt the gift was inadequate. You see he did not have any talent for art or building things. This was evident in the gift he made. But he made the gift with love, he wanted his mom to really like the gift and hug him and tell him thank you. He put the gift in small package and stapled the paper around the gift. He walked home from school. dreading what was going to happen. He walked into the house and found his mom in the kitchen. He told his mom , "happy mothers day mom", then handed her the gift. His mom opened it up and looked at it and said thats fair and said thank you.. The little boy was crushed he would never again take a chance and do anything like that for his mom or anyone else. This incident cut the young mans heart, he felt betrayed and unloved.
There was another little boy, growing up in the same neighborhood. Like the other little boy he spent time at school making a mothers day gift for his mom. He took the gift home to his mom and she hugged him and told him thank you and then proudly displayed it to her friends. This little boy grew up confident and unafraid of life,, he could actually love someone and not feel insecure about it. He accomplished a lot by the worlds standards, but he did not concern himself with the cares of this world, he committed his life to Jesus and never looked back. He has been successful because of what the Lord has done for him.
The other young man often made bad choices, he used drugs and became and alcoholic and would have died. Had it not been for the Lord seeking him and bringing him back from the edge of death. The young man became a Christian by surrendering his life to Jesus and realized that he had just gave up his life and gave up his rights and his pride and envy and simply lived a life that some would say was not successful. But if you ask him he will tell you , I have been successful.
Funny about reading your bible, first off you have to read it and second you have to apply the teachings to your life. In reading my bible, I find that success is not how much money you have in the bank or how many toys or how big and fancy your home is. Success is measured by a man who walked upon this planet and did not own a home or a car or even a smart phone. He owned a coat to stay warm with and then gave that away. He came upon a man one day and asked him , do you want to see and the man said yes Lord, and then the Lord healed him. The Lord went out and preached the kingdom of heaven and walked in great love. I am not a bright man but I would call what Jesus did a success.
As far as accomplishments, well Jesus died upon a cross for "our sin" and for "your sin" and then rose from the dead 3 days later and proved to the world that this man, a carpenter from Nazareth was indeed God. Jesus stands at the door of each man and womans heart and ask "can I come in."
The problem with toys and money and some relationship is that they go away they do not last. This life in the body you have now will not last. The Lord offers eternal life in heaven.
This video on here is for my wife, she is kind and honest and a woman of integrity. The Lord has blessed me. Just click on the link and it will put you on the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xzaivDbu9c
