Mindset For Success

So tremendous, however, were the revelations that God gave me that, in order to prevent my becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a physical handicap—one of Satan's angels—to harass me and effectually stop any conceit. Three times I begged the Lord for it to leave me, but his reply has been, "My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely." Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ. I can even enjoy weaknesses, suffering, privations, persecutions, and difficulties, for Christ's sake. For my very weakness makes me strong in him. - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (Phillips) Why would a person who had fully committed to building Christ's church during his time on this earth have to experience this type of suffering? How does my response to suffering compare to Paul's? And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, sayin...

Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong; but if you do right and suffer for it and are patient beneath the blows, God is well pleased. This suffering is all part of the work God has given you. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps: He never sinned, never told a lie, never answered back when insulted; when he suffered, he did not threaten to get even; he left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. - 1 Peter 2:20-23 (Living Bible) Because we live in a fallen world, suffering will be a part of our lives, as it was in the life of Christ while on this earth. We may also face suffering as a consequence of sin in our lives or as a result of executing God's will in a world that hates the message of Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear that Christians will, at times, have to endure unfair treatment in the pursuit of Christlikeness. "If the world hates you, know that it had hated me before it hated you. I...

Be humble then before God. But resist the devil, and you'll find he'll run away from you. Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Realize that you have sinned, and get your hands clean again. Realize that you have been disloyal, and get your hearts made true once more. As you come close to God, you should be deeply sorry; you should be grieved; you should even be in tears. Your laughter will have to become mourning, your high spirits will have to become heartfelt dejection. You will have to feel very small in the sight of God before he will set you on your feet once more. - James 4:7-8 (Phillips) Christ wants a child's heart but a grown-up's head. He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate, and teachable, as good children are, but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to be alert at its job and in first-class fighting trim. - CS Lewis With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to gi...

Let me add this, dear brothers: You already know how to please God in your daily living, for you know the commands we gave you from the Lord Jesus himself. Now we beg you—yes, we demand of you in the name of the Lord Jesus—that you live more and more closely to that ideal. For God wants you to be holy and pure. - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3a (Living Bible) I asked her what was so scary about unmerited free grace. She replied something like this: If I was saved by my good works -- then there would be a limit to what God could ask of me or put me through. I would be like a taxpayer with rights. I would have done my duty, and now I would deserve a certain quality of life. But if it is really true that I am a sinner saved by sheer grace -- at God's infinite cost -- then there's nothing he cannot ask of me. - Timothy Keller For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified [separated and set apart from sin]: - v 3a 1. that you abstain and back away from sexual immorality; v 3b Are my wo...

And because of what Christ did, all you others too, who heard the Good News about how to be saved, and trusted Christ, were marked as belonging to Christ by the Holy Spirit, who long ago had been promised to all of us Christians. His presence within us is God's guarantee that he really will give us all that he promised, and the Spirit's seal upon us means that God has already purchased us and that he guarantees to bring us to himself. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God. - Ephesians 1:13-14 (Living Bible) When we received Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit entered our lives to begin the work of transforming us into Christ-likeness. When the Holy Spirit is in full control of our lives, He will expect our obedience to the written Word of God. But it is part of our human problem that we would like to be full of the Spirit and yet go on and do as we, please! - AW Tozer Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old na...

But God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ himself is the center of God's wise plan for their salvation. This so-called "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in his weakness—Christ dying on the cross—is far stronger than any man. - 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 (Living Bible) Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it. - Matthew 7:13-14 (Living Bible) All religions base their belief on how to enter heaven in one of two ways: Human Achievement - a belief that humans can do enough good deeds, follow enough rules, give enough money, meditate on God enough, be a good enough person, go to church enough, etc., to enter heaven. This is the b...

To those who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God]. - 1 Peter 1:1-2 (Amplified Bible) 1. God's will is that you be Saved For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life - John 6:40a (NASB) Although God is Sovereign, He works through faith so that a person must believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God, who alone offers the only way of salvation. However, even faith is a gift from God. Intellectually harmonizing the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man is impossible humanly but perfectly resolved in the mind of God. - John MacArthur 2. God's will is that you be Spirit-filled So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don't be fools; be w...