Job (long O not a short O) encountered severe opposition during his life. Satan was able to steal from Job because of fear.  Job, however, did not give up.  He realized something that few people do.  He realized that God was not the cause of his troubles.  In Job 22:21-30, Job was reminded by Eliphaz to

Acquaint now yourself with Him [agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great] good shall come to you. Receive, I pray you, the law and instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart.^E If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up; if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents, If you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook [considering them of little worth], And make the Almighty your gold and [the Lord] your precious silver treasure, Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways. When they make [you] low, you will say, [There is] a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves. He will even deliver the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.^(F)

Reacquaint yourself today with your Heavenly Father, who only wants good for you.  When you do, it will not only help you, but those around you.  The key is you must pick yourself up and do it!

That is the question Hamlet posed as he mused about his life. It is the same question that faces every person, Christian and non-Christian alike. I find it interesting that Shakespeare’s Hamlet arrived at the conclusion that He should “be,” because the alternatives (unfinished business and eternal Hell), were far more unpalatable. As Christians, Jesus wants us to be what He has called us to be.

What is it we are called to be? Jesus told the Disciples that they would be able to “do greater works” than He did. Look at what Jesus modelled for us as He progressed through His earthly ministry. Jesus knew that He was a “speaking spirit” meaning that the words He spoke had power because He had (and knew His) authority. Look at the following Scriptures and key in on the word “be.” Notice that Jesus is either telling a person what to be or telling a thing what to be.

• Matthew 8:3
• Matthew 8:8
• Matthew 12:37
• Matthew 15:28
• Matthew 19:21
• Matthew 21:21
• Mark 1:41
• Mark 11:23
• Luke 5:13
• Luke 17:6
• John 1:23
• Acts 9:17

In the Bible, there are a number of “be’s” that we as Christians are or should be. Do some research, and we can compare notes.

Did you know that in the King James Version of the bible there is only one Scripture that contains the word “success?” In Joshua 1:8, God outlines three actions that are essential components of success. In fact, successful people everywhere follow these principles:

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…”

In other words, do not stop speaking the Word of God – or, in simpler terms – keep talking the Word of God. It is more than just talking about the Word of God. Speaking the Word of God means that you are lining up your words with God’s words. As you speak the Word of God on a continual basis, you will paint a picture of success inside of you and in your surroundings.

“…but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…”

As you let God’s Word form the picture of success in your mind, what you begin to meditate on is success. There is an old saying… “Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy.” What most people do not understand or comprehend is that you are the prophet in your own life. Your brain will listen to what you say and act accordingly. If you call yourself dumb or stupid, your brain will act on dumb and stupid. If you say that you are intelligent and articulate, your brain will act accordingly. If you are speaking the same words that God spoke, you begin to get the picture of the real you that God wants you to live by. It is this picture that God wants to bless you through.

“…thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein…”

God is the creator of all things including the Earth and time, so it stands to reason that God would know how to be successful anywhere on Earth at any time. But God can only show you the way. You must take His Word and His instructions and act upon them. There are hundreds of instructions that will help you live your life to the fullest extent possible. However, it is ultimately your choice to do or not to do that will be the difference between success and failure in your life.

Doing reaps… “for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”