Success – the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
(Prov. 16:9 NKJV)Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
(Ps. 37:4 NKJV)May He grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.
(Ps. 20:4 NLT)
THE WORLD:
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.
Vince Lombardi
Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having except as a result of hard work.
Booker T. Washington
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninty-nine percent perspiration.
Thomas Edison
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Oliver Wendell Holmes.
THE WORD OF GOD:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
(Josh. 1:8 NKJV)The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
(Gen. 39:2 NKJV)
If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.
(Eccl. 10:10 NKJV)And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
(Ps. 90:17 NLT)Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
(Ps. 112:1-2 NLT)Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
(Prov. 15:22 NLT)
Success summation:
1. Meditation in the Word brings good success
2. The Lord brings us success
3. Wisdom brings success
4. God makes our efforts successful
5. The fear of God makes our children successful
6. Many advisors brings success
The enemy of success is not failure, it is mediocrity.
“Mediocre” in Latin means: halfway up the mountain. Webster’s defines it as: of only moderate quality; not very good, so-so, average, middle of the road, lackluster, fair-to-middling.
The opposite of “mediocre” is “excellent”.
1. O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!
(Ps. 8:9 NKJV)2. As for the saints who are on the earth,“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
(Ps. 16:3 NKJV)3. An excellent[a] wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.
(Prov. 12:4 NKJV)
4. Sing to the Lord, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.
(Isa. 12:5 NKJV)5. This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. (Isa. 28:29 NKJV)
6. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”
(Dan. 5:12 NKJV)7. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
(Heb. 8:6 NKJV)
Excellent Summation:
1. The Lord’s name is excellent
2. His saints are the excellent ones
3. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband
4. God has done excellent things
5. God is excellent in guidance
6. Daniel had an excellent Spirit
7. Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry.
No more mediocre. No more half-way. Let’s make this a year of excellence in all we do. Let’s make it a year of success!
Joe McGee, author, national conference speaker, father, and former school administrator, is the founder and director of Joe McGee Ministries, Inc. and Faith For Families Ministries.
Joe presents some of the most entertaining yet practical and insightful teaching on the family available today. Packing more into one sermon than anyone you've ever met, Joe's insights into relationships will open up scriptural secrets and common-sense applications which will powerfully change your marriage, your family and your life. He comes with years of experience and a humorous easy to listen to style that will help families become who God intended them to be.
A husband of more than 30 years and father of six children, Joe, along with his wife, Denise, has invested the past 20 years in family, marriage, and parenting issues.
Joe and his family currently make their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.