Is there a Formula for Success?In reply to the question above, most successful people in business, Sports or the Arts will say that "Success comes with hard work". That statement is not the whole truth because Hard work is just one of the ingredients that's important to achieve success. Once it is understood how success works and from whom it proceeds, one's perspective of success will then acknowledge the Divine Truth that man is and should be fully dependent on God for everything in life. Experience has taught me that any attempt to do things my way, always ends in miserabe failure. Philipians 4:13 (NKJV) teaches us that "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us". When that truth is embraced one cannot be accused of "What shall it Profit A Man to gain the Whole World and lose his Soul" because one's priorities in the accumulation of wealth will be in line with and well pleasing to the person who matters most and that is God Almighty. The answer to "Is there a Formula for Success?" is an emphatic NO! Not Earthly Wisdom nor Man's Wisdom, but the Wisdom of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prepares the way for success! The Word of God tells us in the book of Matthew 6: 30-33 (The Message Bible) "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers? most of which are never even seen? don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."
In his book "Everything I know of Success I learnt from the Bible" Dr. J Carl Laney writes about; God's key to Success; Dealing with past failures: Coping with success. Wisdom is the Key: "Wisdom" says Dr. Laney "is God's key to success, but success must be defined God's way". He goes on to say that being successful does not mean we won't have problems, but we'll be better prepared to deal with the difficulties we all encounter in life. Among other things, wise people will avoid the devastating results of sin, the burdens of financial entanglements, the sorrows of marital failure, discontent in circumstances over which they have no control and the reproach of immorality. Success begins with knowing God. Dealing with past Failures:Dr. Laney writes that God does not want us to wallow in the guilt of past failures. His desire is that we confess our failings and put them behind us. There is no need to dredge up the sins God has cast into the deepest sea. God delights in turning "failures" into successes - to His honor and glory. Coping with Success:Its hard to believe that success also attracts its fair share of hazards. The danger that comes from being successful is that we begin to trust in ourselve - our own abilities, position of influence and resources, rather than God's. So many successful men and women have suffered humiliating defeat because they arrogantly believed the lies that the world teaches them today and that is to "Believe in ThemSelves, be a Positive Thinker". From the pen of Eric Liddell: In his Manual of Christian discipleship, Eric Liddell wrote, "Love recognizes that every gift and talent comes from God. It recognizes the responsiblility to use and develop these gifts but not to become proud, arrogant, patronizing or to give itself airs because of them. Eric Henry Liddell (January 16, 1902 - February 21, 1945) was a Scottish athlete and Rugby Union international and also the winner of the Men's 400 metres at the Olympic Games of 1924 held in Paris. He was portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire.
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