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• Defining true success (not what the world thinks it is)

— Worldly view of success

The world defines success in two primary ways: one is the traditional, external definition focused on wealth, fame, high-profile careers, and social status, while the other is an increasingly popular, internal definition that prioritizes personal happiness, strong relationships, meaningful work, and personal growth
Source: https://www.google.com/search:: what does the world define success as

What is wrong with either view?

External success prioritizes things that have little to do with our being. Some of this is included in the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel popular in recent decades.

Internal success does prioritize internal feelings and happiness but is that all there is to true success?

Does internal success bring about temporary or eternal success? What will history show of your ‘success’?

As Americans we remember George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They were highly successful in their lives and long remembered.

Let’s look at some very successful characters in the bible: Abraham and King David. In the end, their legacy outlives about 99% of the people we know about in history.

The LORD had said to Abram in Genesis 12:1-2:
Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, go to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

Abram left Hanan where he had followed his father Terah from Mesopotamia and settled in the land of Canaaan. His name means exalted father, even while remaining childless. Due to a severe famine Abram eventually leaves Canaan and travels to Egypt.

We read that when Abram returned from Egypt he was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold (Gen. 13:2).

Abram, who eventually gets renamed Abraham means father many nations. Why was he successful? He fathered many nations through Isaac and Ishmael. He has a name highly revered by literally billions of people today. He also carries with him for all eternity a name that blesses all of mankind. He is also the father of faith because he believed in the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). This is true success.

Then there is King David. We are told in 1 Sam. 18:12 that Jesse had eight sons of which David was the youngest. In 1 Chronicles 2 the text only lists 7 sons. Conjecture is that one son might have died. Do you know that eight is the day of new beginnings? One we know had to die so we would arrive at this eight day, the day of resurrection. Circumcision is prescribed by the law on the 8th day, as well as a purification offerings after birth. Even the Feast of Tabernacles extends to an eight day for a solomn assembly.

It certainly was a day of new beginnings for Israel as David replaced the disobedient and disloyal Saul as King. Incidently, David always honored Saul and even his whole household even after being rejected by God. But the biggest thing David is know for is uniting the monarchy and his prodegy resulting in the birth of Messiah Yeshua.

The thing about success is that it is measured by our lasting success and not our failures (like the aftermath of killing Uriah the Hittite). Thomas Edison is not remembered by his 1000 failures. Edison himself said he found 1,000 ways that wouldn’t work, or that the invention was a process with 1,000 steps. So the pathway to success can be a set of events that lead up to success. Darkness is replaced by light.

But even David’s monarch only lasted a few hundred years. His legacy, however, lives on through Messiah Yeshua and faith in his name. Yeshua means ‘God saves’ and is spoken throughout the world today even in synagogues. Christ is not even a name, it is a title like Mechilzedek which means King of Righteousness or Abraham as father of many nations. Sometimes titles and names get interchanged. A person becomes a title and a title a person. So we get the nomenclature Jesus Christ for the idea that Yehovah (Yahwey) saves through Messiah. When we say the name the concept gets declared.

— God’s view of success

— Proper use of our talents and gifts (stewardship)

Back in August 2025 I did a couple teachings on stewardship. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:17 ‘if I preach the gospel willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship’.

It is interesting here that his reward was not money, riches, or fame. His reward was that he could preach the gospel free of charge. His ministry got funded by God. Specifically others contributed. I am not saying gold coins cannot be found in fish but that is the exception. Stewards are over the affairs of others. They may reap the benefits of their labor and enjoy perks of presiding over a ministry or even a business.

In business the CEO could be the owner but many times is not. The CEO (along with the board) directs the affairs of the business and makes most of the important decisions. Rarely would the owner step in an go against the board (unless it had major, major problems). I find it quite interesting that when Paul sailed out of Fair Havens in Create it was both the owner of the ship and the captain who advised sailing for Italy. Paul advised against it since it was after Yom Kippur and the weather then was getting adverse. In this case both owner and CEO of the ship made a very bad decision. Destruction came because they did not listen to godly counsel.

The bible is clear about what type of work will be rewarded. That which survives.
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Cor. 3:13-15)

God promised way back in Genesis to never destroy the world again by flood or water. Your world, however, could be lost due to ungodly council. Fire itself will eventually reveal what work you have developed. Salvation came to every soul on Paul’s ship bound to Italy. The cargo, however was totally lost. Our works can get drowned in a sea of debt or lost in the sea of humanity as competition and competing forces sink our ‘ship’.

Paul makes mention earlier in 1 Corinthians 9 that he had the right to receive material gain from preaching the gospel but chose there to not obtain material gain. This can many times be necessary to start up an endeavour. In the business world it is called start-up capital. In a ministry it is often called outreach or evangelism. My point is not that ministry or business is free. My point is where does the financing come from? Does it come from the people or business being developed or from elsewhere? I hope you can conclude elsewhere.

When Paul met with James, Peter, and John he stated ‘they desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do’ (Gal. 2:10). Feeding the poor and evangelism are often seen as synonomous activities. There were cases when Paul took from certain churches to help for the needs of others (2 Cor. 8-9). Such was the case from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia to help the poor in Judea.

I know from missions work in Africa that money does not grow on trees. Someone somewhere has to provide funds to buy food, medicine, and even start-up capital for business.

— Stewardship vs. Ownership

Can we merge here the idea of stewardship and ownership?

In the case of Paul sailing from Fair Havens to Rome I already pointed out the fallacy that wisdom is always found in multiple counselors for both owner and captain made a bad decision. The Proverb says without counsel plans fail, but in the multitude of counselers they are established (Prov. 15:22, HNV).

First I would like to say that an owner and captain are only two people. Paul, being the third, and wise man he was advised against this course of action. I would think Solomon had in mind here wise and godly counselors. Most likely the owner of the ship was motivated by profit or greed. The captain was loyal but not wise. He probably knew the waters that time of year were treacherous. The centurion was persuaded by the two men and the majority (vs. 12) advised to try to sail to Phoenix for the winter. It was a mere 12 mile sail along the southern coast of Crete. I am reminded here of the theme song for Gilligan’s Island … a three hour tour. For sure it would be safe to sail along the southern coast with a southerly breeze! A violent northeasterly wind drove them far from the shoreline.

I believe the lesson here is it is not always possible to merge stewardship and ownership if the motivations are amiss. The reasoning here sounded reasonable. Phoenix was a safe port to winter at. Sometimes a third or even fourth voice should be heeded when making plans. Those that seem to be in charge are not always the wisest.

Going back to 1 Corinthians 9 we see that Paul made a great defense for those living by the gospel to be supported by the gospel. He also said it was not his intention to do that. Do we sometimes eat our own seed? In other words, investment trumps personal needs. Sacrifice comes to mind. Sacrifice for a business or sacrifice for a ministry. This can be the same thing. Christ sacrificed his own life for both you and me.

— Developing character, spiritual growth and service toward others

Sacrifice can often be part of personal development. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edisson and many others made great sacrifices to get to where they left a lasting legacy. All three believed in God and quoted biblical concepts at certain points in their lives. In the end personal development is a reward in itself. We learn from mistakes as well as successes. From failure what not to do again, from success to try to replicate.

Spiritual growth is closely aligned with character development. We can do both simultaneously. I believe one main difference is that spiritual growth places a premium on bible knowledge and application. Personal development can be done as godly principles are applied but also ungodly principles. What if we understand how to make a wonderful sounding sales pitch? We ‘paint the picure of Paris’ so it sounds lovely and wonderful. The only problem is we may have inadvertendly deceived or misapplied the steps with ungodly methods.

You have heard the expression ‘the devil is in the detail’. When it comes to godly development that is so true. The first deception in the bible is Satan telling Eve, “You will not certainly die,” and instead promised that her eyes would be opened and she would be like God knowing good from evil. The lie was accompanied by a temptation. For who would not want to be like God? This must be spiritual development! The actual truth is she traded knowledge of good and evil for being cast out of the garden and lose eternal life, both her and her husband.

Service toward others means we keep our faith alive. James said ‘faith by itself without works is dead’ (James 2:14). by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). Faith and works appear to be opposites. A simple reading of verse 10 clears this up: we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So walk in good works. Serve God and also your fellow human beings.