How to be Successful

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. --Joshua 1:8

Atkins. South Beach. Highly Effective People. Dr. Phil. Yoga for Dummies.

To anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last year, all of those words should ring a bell of recognition. We live in a world that thrives on the idea that a well rounded collection of self-help books holds the key to unlock a prosperous and successful life. Most, if not all of the pop-psychology and self-help books promise that they are the authority on how to be successful in whatever it is you want to do. Some of those books are about dieting, some are about developing a self-esteem, and still others are about achieving a heightened sense of "spirituality". Wouldn't it be great if there was just one book that promised success in EVERYTHING?

Although no such book really exists, there is a book that you can rely upon to help get you through life. It's called the Bible. Some people thing that the Bible is just a bunch of rules, but it's so much more than that. It is a story about God's love and the promises he makes to us, his children. Today's verse is a promise that was made to Joshua, who had taken over leading the Israelites after Moses died. God promised to do great things through him, and all Joshua had to do was have the faith that God would be true to his word.

How did Joshua develop that faith? More importantly, how can each of us develop that kind of faith? We develop that faith by spending time reading God's word, the Bible, and praying. If we follow God and try our best to do things we know are in accordance with his will, we will be successfull and prosperous. Be careful however, to remember that God's will for your life and his definition of success and prosperity are different from the definitions the world uses.

Nothing on earth can offer us what God can. Nothing and no one can ever come through on a promise that way God can. True success is from the Lord, and it starts by adhering to his word.