Are you telling me that there is a formula for guaranteed success, as a Christian, that can be summarized in five words?
Yes!
Guaranteed?
Yes!
By the way, I don’t like the word “formula.” It makes something seem so secretive.
Let’s say it another way: There is a five-word statement that will guarantee success as a Christian. This applies to both success as a person, and success as a church. A five word statement that, if acted upon, will guarantee success, both personally and corporately.
Here goes:
Know Him.
Make Him known.
That’s it. Guaranteed. This is the exact same thing that the leaders of the early church did. Beginning at Pentecost, this is, in a very few words, what they did. Yes, it’s still true: To be successful, learn about what successful people did to achieve their success, and learn from them. Period.
Know Him.
Make Him known.
Period.
We are not talking about what the world would call success. We know that all of life’s foundational principles and instructions have their beginning in Scripture. The world takes and twists these principles for personal, not spiritual gain. We are talking about being a successful Christian; what the world says doesn’t matter. What Jesus said matters:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Know Him.
Make Him known.
Knowing Jesus changes everything.
It should change everything … about us.
It should change our behavior.
It should change our thinking.
Case in point: When you read the title of this post, how many of you equated success with finances, or money, or wealth, or all the other things the world has bombarded us with, to change what we think “success” is.
So, I looked up “success” on the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Here’s the definition of success:
suc•cess
Definition of SUCCESS
1. obsolete: outcome, result
2. a: degree or measure of succeeding
b: favorable or desired outcome; also: the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
3: one that succeeds
Of course, the “success” we are writing of … the definition is “obsolete.” Which would mean, in today’s “world,” the meaning has been changed … which would move # 2 into the # 1 position. I guess that proves the point.
I like the “obsolete” definition: “Outcome, result.”
If we will just:
Know Him.
Make Him known.
The outcome, the result, will be guaranteed. Period.
Obsolete or not, as a Christian, what is your desired outcome, your desired result? It should be to:
Know Him-More.
Make Him known-More.
This would explain the fact that a lot of people have great wealth, possessions, power, status, or position. Yet, they have no peace or joy. Because they aren’t really successful. They have “everything,” but, without knowing Jesus, they have nothing. No joy or peace is a result of no knowledge. No knowledge of Him.
When Jesus first appeared to His disciples, after His resurrection, He “opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). It can’t be stated strongly enough that knowledge of Jesus is inseparably linked to knowing the Scriptures. The first word in “knowledge” is “know.”
Know Him.
Make Him known.
Period.
The more you know Him,
The more you will make Him known.
So, think right.
Do right.
Know Him.
Make Him known.
Next time, we are going back in, and reducing the numbers in the success equation:
We’re going to break down the “formula/statement” for success into four words, three words, two words, and then, “Success Guaranteed in One Word.”
Blessings,
Ted
pastorappreciationblog.com 