Col 3:17, 23-24 says "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." Have you purposed in your heart that 2010 is going to be a year of success? If you haven’t, then you should. Most people don’t set out to be failures; but through inaction or indifference, that’s what they become. They don’t purpose to succeed. They just think they are going to catch success like a cold. Many men, in order to excuse their mediocrity, prefer to believe that successful people are just "Born with a silver spoon in their mouth". They think some people just "Get a lucky break". While this may be true in some cases, it is certainly the exception, and not the rule. Most successful people are that way because of hard work and dedication. They have sacrificed. They have struggled. They have put in the hours of preparation. They have skipped many "good times", and put their nose to the grindstone. They have worked hard and failed; but regrouped and got back at it.

Despite the socialist entitlement attitude of our day, The Bible’s prescription for success is hard work and discipline. The above Scriptures clearly say that our every word and our every deed should be done in the Name of Jesus. That’s a tall order, and does not come naturally. It requires us to think. It requires us to purpose. The lazy, sloppy man can never come close to walking it out. It will cause us to be very careful about what we say, and it will cause us to do excellent work in whatever we set our hand to. Verse 23&24 says we should do everything we do with all of our heart, as if we are doing it for The Lord. Indeed, we are doing it for The Lord. He is our Master, and we will receive our reward for hard work from Him. This should cause the Christian to want to do all he does with a spirit of excellence.

Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is our shot. Ecc. 9:10 confirms this when it says we should do whatever we do with all of our might, because nothing can be done from the grave. If it’s going to be done, it must be done now. We need to run as those who want to receive the prize (1Cor 9:24). This is not just in spiritual things, but also in earthly things. What Olympic athlete sets out to win the silver? He may have to settle for silver, but he sets out to win the gold. That is the prize. God’s grace should cause us to labor abundantly; not be slothful, with a "punched ticket" attitude. Romans 12:11 says that we are not to be slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving The Lord.

Joseph and Daniel are prime examples of successful men who walked close to God. These guys were the best. These guys were successful. They were desired. They were at the top. However, they still walked close to their God. Many Christians are afraid of success. They have believed, or maybe been taught, that success is bad. "It will take you away from God", some say. Well, it could; but it doesn’t have to. We need to get rid of our poverty mentality. This "Poor is holy" stuff is hogwash. There are some poor people that hate God, and there are some rich people that love Him. Your income level has zero to do with how much you love and serve God. The important thing, is that we do everything as unto The Lord, no matter what our occupation or income is.

Seek to be the best at whatever you do. Find out what you love to do, and strive to master your calling. Ben Franklin said, "Be a jack of all trades, and the master of one". A guy I was in the Coast Guard with once said, "I want to be an authority on something. You know, like an expert witness. A master of some field of study." That has always stuck with me. Yet, here is the reality: you wanting to do something, and you actually disciplining yourself to do it are two different things. Wishing won’t get it done, and tomorrow won’t ever come. Stop wishing, and do something today that will reap dividends tomorrow. There are dreamers and wishers, and there are doers. The Bible says we ought to be doers.

I challenge you to set goals for 2010. Stop waiting for things to magically happen - they won’t. Find what you love to do, and become the best at it. Practice. Work hard. Study. Pray. Have faith in God. You can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you. The only question is, will you? To be mediocre is easy. To be the best is hard. Stand out because you have an excellent spirit; not because you dress like a tramp. Draw attention because you have purpose and integrity; not because you act like an idiot. Be different because your words are filled with faith, hope, and truth; instead of profanity and foolishness. Be head of the board, instead of head of the bar. 2010 can be the year you turn it all around. Don’t let it go to waste, in Jesus Name! Until next time, rejoice in The Lord!