SUCCESS
Dr. Arnie Smith
In a recent verbal exchange I became acutely aware of how important it is for us to have a proper attitude toward life and each other. Someone once said our
ATTITUDE will determine our ALTITUDE!
Several thoughts became apparent that will reveal where we are and the resulting consequences:
1. What is our basic outlook?
Is our attitude
NEGATIVE
Looking for PROBLEMS instead of POSSIBILITIES
Yes, we need to recognize problems, but NOT use them as an excuse not to seize an opportunity.
The SUCCESSFUL:
* FACE PROBLEMS HEAD-ON
* SOLVE THE PROBLEMS
* NEVER GIVE-IN TO FAILURE
* RISK EVERYTHING TO SUCCEED
There are ample stories of men that refused to give up in the face of overwhelming odds, who were SUCCESSFUL! These are men and women who refused to relinquish their dreams to insurmountable problems. Why are they renowned? Because they risked total defeat to gain the prize of victory!
ANYONE can find fault. The SUCCESSFUL find solutions. They seek alternative and new ways of doing things in order to achieve greater results than in the past.
God has provided GIFTS of the Spirit to help us achieve these results: a Word of Knowledge and a Word of Wisdom, in particular. He can provide supernatural ability to know and do things that will overcome whatever problems may exist.
GOD is POSITIVE:
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
2. What is our BASIC mode of operation?
Too often people operate with a
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
A know-it-all attitude has been the downfall of many an otherwise gifted person:
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Have you ever noticed how someone to whom things come easy rarely appreciates the gift: a school child who doesn't have to study doesn't; a gifted musician often doesn't practice.
There are also those who think their background or previous success will continue to take them on in the new areas of opportunity.
One of my favorite scriptures I seek to live by is:
Eccl 4:13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
Someone once said the best way to kill a church is to have the attitude:
"We've always done it that way" or "That's not how our FORMER pastor did it"
I could quote MANY scriptures from Proverbs about seeking knowledge and wisdom and with your seeking get understanding. God knows it is important that we be open to learning and appropriating new things, not continuing to rely on old or partial knowledge.
God is the SOURCE of wisdom and knowledge. As we pursue HIM, we'll increase in knowledge!
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
In order to succeed in today's fast-paced world we need to learn to STAY UP with what's going on. SUCCESSFUL people are on the CUTTING EDGE!
3. How do we view others?
Too often we have a
LACK OF RESPECT
Too often when we're confronted with someone new and different - especially when they're successful - we're quick to find fault (MAYBE it's only me???).
God has had to correct me several times for such an attitude! It's as though we're in competition and he's AHEAD somehow, so he must have cheated!
Have you ever noticed how so many people will speed up when you begin passing them on the highway? That competitive spirit may be subtle, it it's VERY PREVALENT - in the church! I have been an expert - I know!
Sadly, that spirit translates into fault-finding and criticism - often based on false and partial information and promotes DIVISION!
How easy it is to be quick to judge each other wrongly. Usually the problem is in US, not the other person. Our competitive attitudes keep us from accepting help, counsel and teaching from others who could be a tremendous benefit!
Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
START NOW - WHERE YOU ARE
The world is full of negative thinkers finding fault. MANY of those are Christians!!! Ever notice how it's people who accomplish very little who are your worst critics? IN Milwaukee a few years ago, I was teaching that God wants to bless his people. A guy stood up and called me a heretic and walked out. Later I learned he was destitute and really hurting and most needed to hear the message; but wanted to justify his own position rather than receiving the help he needed. How sad! But how common!
It is better to start where you are with what you have, than to find all the reasons why it just isn't good enough. If God had done that with us, where would we be???? A major way the enemy keeps Christians bound and hindered from doing the work of the ministry, is that same idea - "I'm not good enough!". Of course there's always room for improvement, but GET ON WITH IT as best you can!!!! Improve as you GO!!!
Pat Robertson began CBN with ONE small television station and only what today would be considered pocket-change. We know what he has accomplished from that. And what of Rex Humbard, Oral Roberts and other giants criticized for it, yet in the forefront of televangelism! Did they start out state of the art or did they help pioneer the state of the art?
Successful World-Changers are those who SEE the problems; BUT, set about SOLVING them! A MAJOR Bible case in point I've been preaching - actually been angelic about - harping on J - is Numbers 13,14. 12 men saw the problems, but TWO saw the potential! The rest is history, as they say.
