Daily Huddle - Sat Mar 13, 2021 Successful

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Are you successful?  Do you wish you were?  What would it take to be successful?  How do you know?  Have you ever found success elusive?  Have you ever reached and attained the success you crave, and somehow it didn’t satisfy you?  Have you ever reached success only to find out there’s ‘a whole nother level’ to get to?  Why do you think a midlife crisis is so common?  Are so few people successful?  Successful people speak of a shift in their own life, a turning point in their desires, what drives them... from success to significance.  Isn't it funny, the wealthiest people in history – end up giving away most of their wealth, if not to charity, their former spouse.  Then at the end, at their death, to their family that remains.  They leave every penny behind.  Would you rather be loved or successful?  Can you be successful yet not loved, and it mean nothing in the end?  Can you ever be both, are they the same thing?  For most people - success is like beauty – it’s in the eye of the beholder; success is like a mirage – the oasis is just dust; and success is so fleeting…  Far more difficult than getting to the top – is staying there.  So why is success so elusive?  What even is it?  What makes you successful, and how do you sustain it?  How do you make sure that success in the beginning is success in the end?  Most people don’t know what success is.  Some say it’s having money, others say it’s having time.  Some say it’s having friends.  Some say it’s fame and glory, others say it’s leaving those pressures behind.  Some say it’s being happy, other’s say it’s accomplishing whatever you set your mind to, still others say it’s having enough money do what you want when you want to do it.  If you notice… most people’s definition of success has to do with them, what they desire or feel they need, not others, what others desire or need.  And certainly not God.  While He doesn’t need anything, He definitely wants you to be successful – because He loves you, and He created you for it!  He is the definition of success, and He alone defines it.  Was Jesus successful?  Not really.  He had no money, He died broke and homeless.  (Even he said, when someone wanted to follow him -  “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.)  He had no wife, no children, no grandchildren.  He was the most hated man on earth by those in power.  When it came down to it, he had no followers, no friends (they all ran out on him when it counted the most), even his own Father turned his back on him.  He had no power, He wasn’t Caesar, Ceasar had never heard of him, he couldn’t stop his own execution, and he was innocent of what they accused him of.  He died young, broke and friendless.  Isn’t it funny how our minds can assume the opposite of what is true.  First He wasn’t powerless – He had all power, He just chose not to use it.  He didn’t die broke, or homeless, the world belongs to Him, every blade of grass, every rock, every mountain, hill, tree and sea – every house on every street, every barrel of oil, piece of gold, and bitcoin and every dollar in every bank…  Because the world is His and all that is in it belongs to Him...  Because He created it, and sustains it by his own hand.  All earthly wealth and all earthly power is His – and He gives it to whomever He choses.  He raises one up and takes another down.  He wasn’t wifeless – the body of Christ is His bride.  He wasn’t friendless – He became friendless so you and I could be called His friend.  He didn’t die, He just passed through death and the grave and hell itself, so he could take the keys and set the captives free.  So you and I might have life and have it more abundantly, and have it for eternity, that we could be called the sons of God – joint heirs with Him, victorious forever!  If "things are not as they seem” was ever true, this is the time.  Jesus Christ was and is the most successful man ever in all of human history.  All of creation and time itself revolve around Him.  And one day… of this you can be absolutely certain – every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.  So if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and success is in the eye of the definer.  What really is it?  Who says?  God says.  What made Jesus successful?  He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  "Therefore God raised him to the highest place and gave Him a Name above every name – that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is LORD."   What made David successful?  God said concerning him… I have found David, son of Jesse a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do.  Success is not what it seems, and true success is not what you want, you don’t even really know what you want.  Success is what He wants for you.  When you know that God has a purpose for you (you can know that it’s good – He said it).  And you know that He also said He will fulfill the purpose He has for you.  When you lay down your own version and definition, and you ask Him, so you know His plans for you, (and you can know that they are good)... When you walk in His plans and His ways – you will be blameless in His sight - so on that day… you will hear, “Well Done, good and faithful servant.  You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge over many things.  Enter into the joy of your master!”   That’s success.  Nothing else matters.  Success is not what people think it is.  It’s what God says it is.  “What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his soul.  You were created for something.  You were created for a purpose, and you were created for success.  Just like your Dad, just like your Savior, just like your Comforter, but they weren’t created like you… they created you.  They have always been One - the One True God - and ever will be.  Success starts and ends with obedience.  The more you know your Creator, the more you can know the purpose and plans He has for you - the success He created you for.  Praying that PRISM today has you hearing His voice, that PiVAT today has you knowing and doing His will - His plans for you, and that your Daily Call has you overcoming every day – so His success for you is all you ever know.  Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Life Purpose and Direction.  His Word will always encourage you in His success, and His success for you. 
 
Love you all,
dad