Success and Failure Blog

Mark 1:14b-20 (NIV)   “The Calling of the First Disciples”

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.  When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

What does it mean to follow Jesus today?

Are you following Jesus? How?

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Taking into consideration the previous quote by John Wesley, is being a follower of Christ an obligation or an opportunity?

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook explains our followship of Christ in this way, in her book,  Live Like You’re  Blessed,

“God wants us to love and trust Him despite our lack of understanding.  This is the definition of true devotion.  (Our) devotion to God requires steadfast love and loyalty to Him.”

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through

Death Valley,

I’m not afraid

when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd’s crook

makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner

right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me

every day of my life.

I’m back home in the house of God

for the rest of my life.

What does it take to stand firm on the word of God?

Refuse to decompress or deflate. When someone punches the breath out of you, inhale. Let God’s spirit breathe new hope and life into you. Believe who He says you are, not what others say to defame and degrade you. You are a child of the King, bow to no negative circumstance or critical diatribe, stand up!”

Steps to Stand Up

• Believe who God says you are, not what detractors label you.
• Stand up with stand up people; stop sitting down with negative, “ain’t it awful” folks.
• Leave the sitting chair of your past behind; decide your future…
• When you get “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” don’t give up…stand up!

Click for  more information about Dr Suzan Johnson Cook

This is advice given by Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, in her book,  Moving Up! Dr. Sujay’s Ten Steps to Turning Your Life Around and Getting to the Top!

Now let’s see what the bible says on the same subject:

Colossians 2:5-7 (niv)

For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Paul tells the Colossians to be firmly rooted, built up, and established in their faith, just as they were instructed. When we have a firm foundation in our faith, we can withstand any attacks. Jesus said, Matt. 7:24-25 “…Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and {yet} it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.”

The danger that Jesus warned us against when we don’t have firm roots is that we will burn out. He said that the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy… Matt. 13:21 yet he has no {firm} root in himself, but is {only} temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.  Without firm roots, the heat of difficulty will cause us to fall away.

Paul knew the importance of believers getting built up, firmly rooted, and established in their faith. This would equip them to withstand the heat and storms of life.  It would also protect them from something that the Colossians were battling at that very time: those who were trying to delude them with persuasive arguments.

Bible study notes taken from rondaniel.com (click the link for more information)

2 thessalonians 2:14-17

He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

What is believing to you?

In the Christian faith we have a statement of belief called the…Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God the Father, Almighty.  Maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.  Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mar,: suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried.  The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, : the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

My Hope is Built

words by Edward Mote, 1834; music by William B. Bradbury, 1863

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

The gospel song “Stand” as sung by Donnie McClurking also admonishes us that when all of our other struggles and trials get to us, we can always turtn to the Lord and just STAND!

“Stand” sung by Donnie McClurkin

Have you ever stood up for what you believed in, even when it was very hard?

The easiest thing for us to do as Christians should be to stand on the promises of God, as demonstrated in this wonderful hymn of the church.

Standing on the Promises of God

Words & Music by R. Kel­so Car­ter

1
Standing on the promises
of Christ my King,
Thru eternal ages
let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest
I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises
of God my Savior;
Standing,standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2
Standing on the promises
that cannot fail,
When the howling storms
of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of
God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

3
Standing on the promises
of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally
by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with
the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

4
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Most people you know would not come right out and say that they are planning to fail in all they do today, but according to the old proverb, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” How many of us actually have a plan for our spiritual lives today? If you are serious about your future, you should have a plan which includes a personal mission statement. It can even be written in the form of a letter to God, if you prefer. Your personal mission statement may include any or all of the following items:

– a declaration of your goals and objectives for your life

– a vision of what you would like to be doing in the future

– a statement of who you would like to become.

Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook gives these pointers for shaping your mission statement in her book,  Live Like You’re Blessed,

1. Make it holy; use the letters in BLESSED to remind yourself what you want your life to contain B-balance L-love E-energy S-spirit S-success E-encouragement and D-devotion to the Lord

2. Stress the positive; note what you desire in an affirmative manner and don’t dwell on the negative experiences in your life

3. Recognize your gifts and how you can use them to accomplish your mission

4. Give yourself a reasonable time limit; 2 to 5 years is acceptable

5. Use inspirational quotes to remind yourself of who you want to become.

As you work on your mission statement keep these words in mind from Jemiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.