God's Success Principles

I'm making this page about God's success principles because many people don't realize that God has success principles. They don't realize that they can be successful either in business or in life by following the principles God has given to us in His Word, the Bible. Most people also do not realize that many of the success principles given by motivational speakers derive directly or indirectly from the Bible. As a seminary graduate (See my bio in the sidebar), former success ezine publisher (See below) and author of a self-help book (see below), I think I am sufficiently qualified to add something of value in this regard.

Of course--who am I kidding?--I also originally made this page to promote my FREE ezine, "Inspirational Success Tips." (See the second module below), in which I attempt to apply God's success principles to daily living. Now I'm hoping it will also help to promote my new self-help book, "Principles of the Kingdom (God's Success Principles)," based on the ezine (see below)

So check out my definition of success immediately below and the meaning of success and success principles in the subsequent two book suggestions. Then, you may want to see why I published a success eziine, check out my new success self-help book, check out other success authors and read my concept of where success principles come from, why I refer to the Bible and check out a formula I found for dynamic living. I wish all of the greatest success both in business and in life.

Success means many things to many people. To some it is measured in dollars and cents. To some it is all about fame and fortune. To some it is about achieving a certain status in life. To others it has to do with the achieving of certain goals or objectives which they set for themselves. The free dictionary defines success as: "The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted."

But to me, success is finding God's will for my life and fulfilling it step by step, day by day, little by little. In other words, it is the progressive fulfillment of the will of God for my life.

Here is my definition: Success principles are principles, rules or ways of living, which, if followed, lead automatically to success in business or in life itself. In other words, according to my definition of success, success principles are principles, rules or ways of living which enable me to progress daily toward to the fulfillment of God's will for my life.

About 10 years ago, when I was working on my novels and just starting out in the internet, I joined an affiliate program, which later fizzled, but the good thing was that through that program, I was advised to publish and ezine (or e-magazine) as an aid in promoting the program. I didn't know the first thing about publishing an ezine, but I got help and, by trial and error, soon I was publishing the FREE bi-weekly ezine, "Inspirational Success Tips," which was full of articles, poems, quotes and proverbs all relating to God's success principles and thus designed to point us to our God-designed success. It was a non-denominational, non-sectarian, bi-partisan ezine, read and contributed to by both Christians and non Christians, in which I attempt to define and apply God's success principles as set forth in the Bible. I included articles by both Christians and non-Christians, as I believe God's success principles work no matter who applies them. I would say that the ezine was somewhat of a success, both in promoting the affiliate program and my novels and selling some ads.

The purpose of my ezine was to encourage, inspire, motivate and train both business people and the average person to succeed in life by following Biblical principles. Aside from inspiring, motivating and teaching Christians, my purpose was also to reach non-Christians. The ezine was FREE to subscribe to by sending a blank email to the auto-responder. It still may be but I currently do not keep up with it, as the site (freeautobot) changed hands, and it's hard to log in now. But, as you will see, I have since compiled my articles from the ezine into a self-help book (see below). So, in the meantime, I had to re-define what success meant to me. Thus, even though I didn't succeed with that affiliate program, I feel that I did succeed greatly. "Principles of the Kingdom" is my third published book and I could not have done it if it weren't my ezine.

I myself published a book of success principles last year and I only had 16 principles. Here are my 16: Self-image, priorities, purpose, use, vision, goals, focus, forgetting the past, conquering your fears, belief, enthusiasm, discipline giving and receiving, exclusion and slowing down. These should give you an idea of what we mean by "success principles."

Here are all of the articles that I personally wrote for my ezine--17 chapters featuring 17 articles in all, which give the main principles covered in the ezine, with quotable quotes at the end of each chapter and examples from my Biblical novel, "Of Such Is The Kingdom." The links in the titles are to other hubs which explore the subject further.

Chapter 3 The Greatest Love and Self-image

Chapter 4 Purpose

Chapter5: The Importance of Priorities

Chapter 6: Priorities and Use

Chapter 7: Vision

Chapter 8: What about Goals?

Chapter 9:Focus

Chapter 10: Forgetting the past

Chapter 11: Conquer your fears

Chapter 12 Believe

Chapter 13 Enthusiasm

Chapter 14 Discipline

Chapter 15 Giving and Receiving

Chapter 16 Exclusion

Chapter 17 Slow Down and Rest

NOTE: you can also download the e-book version HERE You can download the first 15% FREE before deciding to purchase the entire e-book for only $2.99. PLUS GET 25% OFF MY NOVEL, (Coupon code inside.)

But, the question which readily springs to mind is "where do these success principles come from?" There are many speakers and writers today, such as Napolian Hill, and Zig Zigler, who speak or write about success principles as if they themselves had come up them. But, are these principles really original with them? I myself wondered that very thing, so I studied both their works together with the Bible, and I reached the conclusion, as stated in my opening paragraph, that success principles come from God and are given to us in His Word, the Bible. Yes, I have come to believe that there are principles throughout the Bible, which, if followed, can cause us to have a successful life. The Bible tells us that God desires us to be successful. In Jeremiah 29:11, he says "I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and NOT to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." This doesn't mean we can just sit back and expect success to come automatically. In Joshua 1:8, the Lord told Joshua that he would have good success if he would meditate on the book of the law (the Word of God), and in Psalm 1, David says something similar. He says that those who meditate on scripture will be "as a tree planted by the river of waters, whose leaf shall not wither, nor shall cease from bearing fruit." In other words they will be successful. Check out the featured lens below for more on Christian meditation. I think the reason we are told to meditate on the Word of God is that by doing so, we will become very familiar with the principles within it, which principles, if followed will lead to our success. As I mentioned previously, there are many speakers and writers who speak or write about some of these principles. The interesting thing is that some of these speakers and writers may not be true followers of Jesus. This, as I mention in my self-help book listed above, is illustrated by the Kingdom parables told by Jesus in Matthew chapter 13. According to this chapter, the Kingdom now contains people of different types of soil and people in different stages of development. The seed is the Word of God, which is sown and finds root in different types of soil (=different types of hearers). Some produce fruit in varying amounts, but others fail to do so, for various reasons. Thus, at present, the kingdom must contain both wheat and tears, both good fish and bad and we cannot really tell the difference as yet, and whether or not they will remain in the kingdom to the end is something we cannot now tell. Thus, when I decided to publish an ezine relating to success ("Inspirational Success Tips,"), and thus, I decided to include in the ezine, articles by both Christians and non-Christians on the premise that God's success principles work no matter who applies them. To quote from another ezine publisher: "The principals of positive living work because God has put certain scientific laws into place that make them work. You can use these laws for God or against Him, much as you can use steal to make a lectern for a Christian preacher or to make the casement for a bomb. We have a choice." Check out the work below by the leading proponent of positive thinking, "Norman Vicent Peale. It's not surprising that he relates the source of his philosophy back to the Bible.

Here is a formula which I came across in some old church notes:

FORMULA FOR DYNAMIC LIVING:

DL=(GGE+GPS)xPSI

Dynamic Living =

God Given Equipment [Potential]

+ God's Success Principles

x (multiplied by) Proper Self Image

So, although God's success principles are of prime importance, according to this model, self-image trumps them. I offer this model for your consideration. I'm not altogether sure I agree with it. To me, it seems there must be a balance of all three of the above elements. In fact, to look at it another way, having a proper self-image COULD actually be considered to be one of God's success principles. After all it is God who made us. He knows exactly what we are and he loves us anyway--so much so that he gave His only son to save us (John 3:16). And if we accept him, he calls us His sons.

• By now you may well be wondering, But is it really Spiritual to strive for success? Should we instead be focusing on doing and resigning ourselves to the will of God (as if that could be separated from success) or some other supposed higher goal? Maybe we should be more focused on helping others, but, then on the other hand how can help others effectively if we are not successful? Vincent Roazzi answers that in his best selling book listed below..
• Roazzi demonstrates how success is a science and gives several proven examples. He dispels many popular myths or misconceptions about achieving and redefines what success is all about from a spiritual and scientific approach. "The main theme," says Roazzi, "explores why authentic personal financial freedom is more a result of who you are than what you do. This leads to the realization that success is not a condition of life, but a state of mind, a state of being."

An example from chapter 1 of my self-help book listed above.

Here is how two very important principles work together to start us on the road to success.

1) Finding your purpose is the crucial first element which will give you the inspiration needed to move forward in life. In my novel, .OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM..Timotheus began thinking seriously about purpose too late in life. If he would have thought about it earlier, perhaps he MIGHT have been able to find a more useful way to make a living. On this, we can only conjecture. Yet The purpose of your life, as Rick Warren reminds us in .The Purpose Driven Life, "is greater than ...your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions.".. And it begins with God. He further points out (and I paraphrase) that we were made by God and for God, and that life will never make sense until we understand that. God's purposes are revealed in His Word, the Bible. That's why I include quotes from the Bible in the quotes section at the end of every chapter and in every issue of my ezine, ."Inspirational Success Tips."

2) Once you realize your purpose, you will begin to have a vision. Proverbs 29:18 says .Where there is no vision, the people perish.. A vision is the first step toward turning your motivation into inspiration. A person with a vision sees down the road. He can sense what it will be like six weeks, six months, a year, two years, five years and more ahead.

But how do you get a vision? you ask. First, of course you need to sense your purpose. But having done this, you need to narrow your perspective. You can't attempt to ride off in all directions at once,. so to speak. Try to decide what it is you are looking for, so you'll know it when you see it. In other words, try to have in mind some general goals as to where you want to be six months a year, etc. from now. These goals will not only form the basis of your motivation but should also serve to limit to an extent the scope of your activity.

Next, try to locate and choose an opportunity (business, career or job) which you feel is right for you-which will fulfill your purpose and thus further your vision. This may be easier said than done, as there are many choices which sound good. You may come upon an outstanding one right away, purely by chance. If so, latch onto it. But you will probably have to pick several at first and study the things which each one offers and try to evaluate the potential of each one as you see it. Settle on the one which you feel has the most potential with the least amount of hassle(preferably one that is totally Internet driven as opposed to one where you have to spend time calling potential prospects by phone).

Once you have chosen your field of endeavor, (your career, job or company) stand behind it in every way and don't quit or change your mind. B.C. Forbes said ."Without loyalty, nothing can be accomplished in any sphere...." Think of yourself as being in it for the long haul, no matter what. Try to envision, based on what you know, how things will be down the road. Keep that picture before your mind, and never doubt. Napoleon Hill said ."What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve,. and the Bible says, in Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..

Once the vision stemming from your sense of purpose is firmly implanted in your mind, let it become your driving force. Let the vision excite you with the possibility of its fulfillment and you will automatically begin the next step-you are on a mission. Your mission is to bring about the realization of the vision. If you keep the vision in mind, you will move forward in the mission, accomplishing enthusiastically step by step that which is necessary to bring the vision into reality. You will have developed a sense of excitement, importance and urgency which will keep the fires of inspiration burning in your heart and moving you ever onward and upward.

One time my wife and I bought a new T,V. table and brought it home and started to assemble it. The instruction manual was in the box, but we didn't pay that any attention. We just tore open the box and started putting the table together. But something was wrong. The pieces didn't seem to fit right. The table was turning out to be lopsided. So, finally, in desperation, I picked up the manual and started to read. I soon discovered that we had been putting shelf A where shelf B was supposed to go and vice versa. Following the manual, we had the table up and looking good in no time. If you wonder what this has to do with the subject of this lens, see the sticky note below:

Looking for a specific instance of how the Bible applies to your life and success? Check out the sites listed below: