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SUCCESS
In my opinion, there are three
steps to take in order to achieve "success".
They are as follows:
1. Develop the best possible
relationship with the Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
2. Be as physically healthy
as is possible on a moment to moment basis.
3. Have something to do.
1. Develop the best possible
relationship with the Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
It is very important to not
let this step be adversely affected by the human mind. Many times in life
people don't believe something can exist outside the "bounds" of what they
already know.
In times past, it was thought
ridiculous to imagine flying to the moon. Today it seems as common as to
be termed "barely even news" if someone goes to the moon. Also, with human
minds it's hard to fully understand the mind of the Lord God......who obviously
has a mind much more developed than a human mind.
This "step" is, by far, the
most important of the three.
This is achieved by:
a.
Reading the Bible - in order to find out who
the Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are.
b.
Performing righteous acts in your day to day life - as
if you believe there exists an actual Lord God who sees and knows all that
you think and do.
c.
Praying to the Lord God, in the name of Jesus Christ - in
order to develop an ongoing and improving relationship with the Lord God.
What to pray for?
Well, you can pray to the Lord
God and thank Him for allowing you to pray to him whenever you want. It's
not like you have to make an appointment to communicate with Him. You couldn't
contact the President of the United States whenever you want, but you CAN
communicate with the Lord God....the creator and ruler of heaven and earth.
Pray to Him and ask Him to bless
you with WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING and KNOWLEDGE.
Those aren't such bad things to have.
How about using logic?
Suppose the Lord God exists,
the most powerful entity known throughout the history of existence. Wouldn't
it seem logical to find out as much as you can about this Lord God?
Yes, it would.
You can read the Holy Bible
and find out recorded history about the influence of the Lord God in people's
lives. You will find perspectives and ideas that seem present day, yet
you'll realize that these were written over 2000 years ago! A room full
of Mensa members couldn't come up with some of the stuff you'll be exposed
to.
As you (1)
read the Bible, (2) pray to the Lord God and (3) perform righteous acts
in your day to day life you will "see" what
a personal relationship with the Lord God has in store for you. You will
come to realize that the Holy Bible is called "living" for the way "it"
seems to know you and expose you to what you "need" at particular times
in your life, as if it seems to know you.
As you read and study the teachings
of Jesus Christ, you will see at least 3 subjects addressed.
1. The development of your relationship
with the Trinity
Above all else, Jesus continually
asks "haven't you read" and tells people what the Father wants.
His reference to the Old Testament
and the Lord God's teachings exhibit a personality very much like that
of the Lord God. You "see" the same basic "personality" in the Old Testament's
Lord God as you see in the New Testament's Jesus Christ. To think that
The Lord God incarnated (became at least partially carnal) to walk amongst
us on earth is truly a mind blowing concept. To see that He indwells believers
with the Holy Spirit is yet another extremely fortunate gift one receives
with one's testament of faith in the Trinity.
2. The defeat of evil
If you believe that an
actual Lord God exists, then you believe in the Holy Bible. Therefore you
believe that evil exists, as the Bible claims. The protection you receive
as a believer in the Lord God and Jesus Christ automatically involves you
in the defeat of evil, as the prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples
includes "....deliver us from evil...."
3. Camaraderie with the "flesh"
world
The Lord God's main purpose
seems to be convincing as many people as is possible that they can and
ought to seek the Lord God's guidance and protection. This to be
done by each and every person's free will. "To become your Lord God and
to have you become my people" is a main theme running through the
Old Testament. As you develop camaraderie with non-believers, they will
see character traits you have that intrigue them. As they ask you about
different subjects of your life you will be able to share your belief in
the Lord God and Jesus Christ and thus perform the task of a "minister",
or "servant".
Jesus talks of "the first will
be last, the last will be first".....seemingly another statement advising
us to be servants.
He even speaks of his coming
to earth to be a servant, sacrificing his life for the sins of the world.
Perhaps, as we apply the teachings
of Christ, in the eyes of the "flesh" world we are "last"......as we become
"first" in the "eyes" of the Kingdom of God.
As you develop your personal
relationship with the Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit you might
run into instances where you don't "feel" what you are learning is something
you want to learn. If you were perfect, then you would know that you could
just "discount" that particular information and operate in the manner you
feel is best.
But we humans are not perfect.
The Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit ARE perfect.
Do you understand that?
In the development of your personal
relationship with them you can RELY on the perfection of who you are dealing
with. So when "push comes to shove", it's not hard to figure out who is
right.
They are.
Your human feelings may not
"feel" right at the moment you are being introduced to some "new" way of
seeing things.....but feelings are just feelings.....and subject to change,......
and, since they are human in origin, imperfection.
The Lord God, Jesus Christ and
the Holy Spirit are not subject to imperfection.
You get to use this fact to
your benefit.......if you wish. You see, you are given "free will" and
can choose freely what you will do and be.
I feel that sometimes our emotions
have been taught to work against us because of what has happened in our
childhood.
Have you ever told someone (like
your boss at work, for example) how easy something was that you did, only
to have them pile on more work for you to do?
This could possibly teach you
to not let others know when things are going good....for fear that they
might try to manipulate you into other things.
As this happens in your life
you are "taught" to not outwardly "appreciate" things going well, for fear
of something bad coming out of them.
Fear not!
The Lord God wholly appreciates
being thanked for anything He does for you....and will not, in any way,
work against you just because things are going great.
This is so very important, as
you study the Old Testament you run into examples of the Lord God explaining
to people that once He blesses them with something, they will forget Him.
Time and time again people get blessed by Him and then turn away from Him.
Have absolutely no fear to thank
the Lord God for what you get blessed with, in fact, learn that this is
something He heavily desires you to do.
Do not take what you have learned
from the "flesh" world and let any of it taint your relationship with the
Trinity.
Accept salvation from the Trinity....as
if they are your life line, your life support system.....because
they actually are:
"In him was life; and the life
was the light of men" - John 1:4
One example of the "flesh" world
tainting one's relationship with the Trinity is when a child's father is
always critical of him/her. Throughout his/her whole upbringing he/she
can never please dad. This person can possibly translate what he/she learned
from dad to how he/she feels the Lord God is. There is the risk that our
relationships with our earthly fathers has an effect on how we think the
Lord God is......but remember, our earthly fathers are HUMANS.....the Lord
God is not. Our earthly fathers are imperfect, the Lord God is perfect.
Our earthly fathers did not make the Lord God, the Lord God made our earthly
fathers. But he did NOT make them do what they do.....he gives all free
will.
Whatever "good" you have in
your relationship with your earthly father gives you only a partial idea
of the amount of "good" you can have with the Lord God. And whatever "bad"
you experience with your earthly father has NOTHING to do with your relationship
with the Lord God.
2. Be as physically healthy as
is possible on a moment to moment basis.
This is achieved by doing research
and application of the needs of the human body for optimum physical health.
The body is made from nature's "ingredients"....so learning about and appreciating
nature can help you. Nutrition (food with nutrients in it), aerobic training,
anaerobic training, flexibility, motor skill development and rest are to
be included in this category.
3. Have something to do.
This relates to the parts of
the Bible that mention "the ant".
A fair amount of lethargy and/or
feelings of failure are simply related to not being interested in anything.
Following steps #1 and #2 mentioned
above are part of this category.....but you can add any activity that you
find productive. Reading, volunteer help, yard work, hobbies, etc.....there
are numerous activities that fit in this category. Yes, even video games
fits here....but as you can tell with what has happened to America's physical
health as of late, over-involvement in this category can help bring about
bad health as we sit on our butts and "work" our hands on the buttons.
Obviously, these ideas are mine.
But consider this:
If, in the worst case scenario,
I am totally wrong.....these ideas inspire you to do the best you can in
any situation. And that is the worst case
scenario.
If, in the best case scenario,
I am totally right.....you are on the road to total success.
And if I am anywhere in-between
the two possibilities of "right" and "wrong"....you are better off than
the worst case scenario, which, in and of itself, is not such a bad place
to be.
More to come.....
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Copyright (C) 2002 -- Barry Acquistapace, Owner
of born2Bfit.com
E-mail -- SOCALXPRT@Yahoo.com
Revised -- 05/27/2002
URL -- http://www.born2Bfit.com/success.html
Webmaster -- Barry
Acquistapace