TODAY IS…

an ideal day to be successful.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

Jeremiah served as God’s spokesman to Judah for 40 years. He was poor, was taken into prison, was thrown into a cistern, and was rejected by family and friends alike. Yet he spent his life courageously proclaiming the Word of God even though no one listened. He was largely ignored because the messages he delivered foretold of the bad things that would happen because God was becoming tired of people not doing what He required of them.

In the eyes of the world, Jeremiah was viewed as being a failure. Surely those with greater material wealth had more blessings from God than Jeremiah. Why would anyone follow, or listen to, someone who was poor?

The Bible teaches us that material wealth is not a sign of success in the eyes of God. Obedience and faithfulness are what make us successful to God, and it is God’s approval only that should matter. Life today is not all that different, on many levels, than life in Jeremiah’s time. People don’t seem to learn, and don’t seem to listen. The people in the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been exiled to Babylon for their sins, and the people in the Southern Kingdom of Judah were headed for a similar fate.

But still they refused to open their eyes and see disaster coming, and they refused to open their ears to hear Jeremiah’s warnings.

It is the same today, if not worse. After all, we have the benefit of all of the teachings of the Bible and some of us still insist on measuring success in dollars and cents instead of obedience and faithfulness to God.

Even knowing, as we do, that there are many people with tremendous wealth who are lost and lead sad, miserable lives, we still fall short of understanding. We fail to see that many people with very few material possessions live their lives with joy because of their love of the Lord. Being obedient and faithful to God makes us successful in His eyes.

Look to the Bible to guide you to success. “The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey His voice and keep the commands and decrees in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.” (Deuteronomy 30:10 NLT).

There is no greater measure of success than the approval of the Lord.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson