Given January 2011 
We all want to be successful in our lives and God has already planned out that success for us. May I suggest some things that just came to me one morning as I was in my devotional time. There are many more things that can contribute to our success in our lives but these five are the first that came to me.
1. Prioritize the things in your life. Most of us have way too many “things” in our lives that demand our time and energy and many of them are a waste. Seriously look at these “things” and prayerfully place them in order of their eternal importance.
2. Ask God to heal you of your “I problem”. Many of us think too highly of ourselves and much of our conversations and prayers include the word “I”. “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3). It’s not about us but about God.
3. Get out of debt! We can’t be of much use to the Kingdom of God if we are obligated to the world’s financial system. The Bible says, “Owe no man anything but to love one another.” (Romans 13:8). Especially in these economic hard times, if we are indebted to the system, we are controlled by it. You might not be able to be debt free in a year but you can begin and you will see that when God sees your faithful intentions, He will help you.
4. Read your Bible, learn what it says, and do it. All the answers to life are contained in God’s Word. We have to read and study it with prayer and the revelation of the Holy Spirit. We cannot be successful without it.
5. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you as well.” (Matthew 6:33). This says it all. If we seek God and His holiness, putting all other things below Him, He will be pleased and actually give us all those other things we need. We will also find out that needs and wants are different and should be prioritized accordingly. However, if God is first, He will give us many things to enjoy as well, (1 Timothy 6:17).
