By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
How to be successful in God's eyes
Placeholder Image

How can a person be successful? Notice this passage: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).
In the context of this passage, Jesus is telling his listeners to not place all their trust in what they can do for themselves; rather, do your part, but trust in God. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
The things of this life will not last forever. One day, they will all be destroyed. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). Only those who have sided with the God of heaven, by obeying his word, will have a home in heaven for eternity.
How, then, can man be successful in the next life? By doing what it takes to be truly successful in this life. Put your trust in God and obey him. If a person follows God’s word, not adding to nor subtracting from it, he or she will be prepared for eternity.
God wants man to be successful. He created life and desires man to love and worship him. He provides for man here and has provided a place for man to spend eternity. Man must do here what he can as to labor (he just can’t sit back and expect God to do everything for him, it was not that way even in the Garden of Eden, i.e., Genesis 2:15), and man must obey God in order to spend eternity in heaven (Hebrews 5:8-9). Remember the words of the wise man Solomon: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
It is easy to see, as we look around us today, that many are getting farther and farther away from God. As this is happening, what should be the main goal of every life — preparing for eternity — becomes more obscure. If we desire to live eternity with God in heaven, we must search for and follow the steps of Jesus as we travel through this world. “For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
God’s commandments for man today are spelled out for us in the New Testament. We are to develop faith by studying God’s word (Romans 10:17). Then, we must act on that faith by turning from sin in our life (Luke 13:3), confessing that Jesus is the son of God (Acts 8:37), being baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38) and then living for God (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Sign up for our e-newsletters