“Mom,” he asked, “did you ever try?”

It was his first attempt to win a trophy for swimming. He was successful and won first place. After receiving his prized possession, his mother said, “I’m so happy for you. I never won a trophy.”

“Mom,” he asked, “did you ever try?”

God created each of us to succeed. But we can never succeed at anything until we try something. And whenever we want to accomplish anything, we need a good place to begin. We find that “place” in the first words of the Bible: “In the beginning - GOD?.”

Beginning with God means that before we try to do anything we seek His will. God promised Joshua great success. He told him that no one would be able to stand their ground against him, promising, that “I will not fail you or abandon you” as long as you live. But with His promise He gave him a warning: “study the Book of the Law continually? obey it?and only then will you succeed.”

The promise that God gave to Joshua works for us, too. However, God places the same limits on our success as He did Joshua’s: “Study My Word continually, obey it, and only then you will succeed.” If we begin with God’s Word, we will end with God’s blessings. Surely, that is the definition of success!
Prayer: Lord, help us to realize and remember that success is all about You and never about us. May we be faithful to Your Word and then enjoy Your blessings! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Joshua 1:1-9 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

The founder of a successful company was being interviewed by a reporter from a large daily newspaper. His first question was, “What does it take to succeed?”

After a moment’s thought he replied, “The same thing it took to get started. A sense of urgency and excitement.”

That answer is certainly true if one wants to be successful in developing and managing a business. And it is also true if one wants to succeed in the Christian life.

No one has ever expressed this truth any more powerfully than the Apostle Paul. Hear him, “...I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: I am straining to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling me.”

God has one goal for everyone - that we will become like Christ! And if we choose to achieve that goal it will take all of our energies just as it took all of Paul’s energies.

Paul said that he focused on “this one thing” - this one goal. He had the mind and heart and focus of an athlete in training. And when athletes are in training, they set aside everything that is harmful or hurtful and anything that might distract them or destroy their commitment to their goal of victory.

The Christian formula for success must include urgency and excitement as well as dedication and focus.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to make those adjustments in our lives that are necessary if we want to be successful Christians. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: …I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14