Another factor that contributes to how we define success is our walk (or lack of walk) with God. As Dawn said, at one time all the worldly trappings was her target and defined success for her. But that was changed as she allowed God to “take over” and be on the throne of her heart. Other factors that contribute to our definition of success may even be experiences and/or life stages.

How do I define success? My definition of success encompasses all of the above factors and then some. I believe that success lays in the accomplishment of earthly goals–money, job position, family, home. If I did not, I would not strive at my work and at play everyday. I also believe that success is the fulfillment of God’s calling, whether it is missions, evangelism, teaching as well as a successful walk with God through prayer, Bible study, worship, and so forth. But for me there is a common thread that ties it all together. In everything I do, I want to bring glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31). If I fail at this, then I have not been successful in anything.

However, I now define success as fulfilling my purpose for which God has called me - to tell others about a God who loves them so much. I define success as having a fruitful and godly marriage. I define success as leading my children to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and modeling a life that gives glory to God for them. I define success as having one more day to “do it all over again” but this time to “get it right.”

“No, it isn’t for lack of money that there are 1,568 peoples with no missionaries. It’s because we have so much. The comforts of the West have made us soft and cautious and fearful and indulgent and self-protecting, instead of tough and risk-taking and bold and self-controlled and self-sacrificing.”– (Piper, October 26, 2008)

I have to pray, “Lord forgive me!”

This week’s lesson and your comments remind me so much about Sunday’s sermon taken from Exodus 3:4-10. You started off the sermon with an insightful observation. For me, it was a revelation! Last Tuesday, Election Day 2008, the United States elected its first Black president, Barak Obama. This was 40 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous last speech (YouTube video of speech) and the day before his assassination. King said that he had seen the Promised Land. He would not complete the journey there, but he had seen the future. Likewise, Moses led the Israelites as they wandered 40 years in the desert before they entered the Promised Land. Coincidence? God is still in the process of bringing His people into the Promised Land.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is a powerful, modern-day example of what God’s love can do through the life of a Believer. God’s love compelled King and a generation of believers to love in the face of hate, hope in the face of despair, and fight for righteousness in the face of fear.

How does God’s love compel us to live for Him, to live up to our Godly potential? Here is a reminder of the main points from last Sunday’s sermon:

God has an intentional plan for each of us.
God understands where we are and what we are going through.
God desires to deliver us from our Egypt (Those things that keep us in bondage)
Nothing can stop the power of God from setting us free. (Pharaoh has to let us go)
God will bring us into our promised land. (The abundant life in Christ)

I “feel” Paul when he says in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”

For this week’s lesson, I asked why is it important for a believer to have security in the knowledge that once saved, always saved. Here is a practical example of why it’s important.
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Dawn,

We are getting ready to begin our second day on the field. The first day was challenging for our team (we divided into two teams) but we managed to led 178 to the Lord. Our group total was 362 for the day. It was challenging for us because of the impact the genocide had on the village we were in. We were not allowed to knock on doors or go into homes and villages, but had to remain in the streets and the market place. Also, we we were not allowed to take photos and some would not give us their names after they received Christ. They are still untrusting because of what they suffered in 1999.

There is also a strong Seventh Day Adventist influence in this village. Many of them believe they must work their way into heaven and were not very receptive to the gift of grace from God. There were many who said they were Christians but did not know if they were heaven. They said because of the bad in the world, they will not know until that day when they die. It is very difficult to disspell their strong beliefs. It seems they have just enough knowledge about the gospel to be dangerous to themselves.

We are returning to the same village today please pray about these two matters. Also pray for the children, I have not seen so many in one small village. There were many in Uganda when I was here two years ago but not like this. There are hundreds of children who followed us everywhere we went.

I have to go now. I will talk to you soon.

Love,
Chris

When we adopt a “holier than thou” perspective and allow religious practices, structures, and formalities to constitute “perfect” praise for a perfect God, we stray from the close relationship He calls us to develop with Him. As Christians, we must actively work to overcome our inherently sinful nature and accept God’s forgiveness made possible through Christ’s death and resurrection. A comparison of our own sin to that of others gives us a false premise that God looks less condescendingly on one type of sin than on another. Scripture tells us that God abhors ALL sin, and He cannot exist where sin does.

In addition (as our very own Simeon Church Commitment that we read every Sunday dictates), we should continually practice condemning the sin, NOT the sinner.

Love God, love self, love others.

Peace.

Please, keep the comments coming. I am looking forward to receiving more feedback from you and others.

I love the website and the layout. Jacquelynn and I will be sure to keep you posted on our experience with the site.