Daily Devotional
The Secret to True Success
“He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:8
October 13, 2020
Ponder This
Do you want to know the secret of true success in any realm? It’s to bring your life into one burning focus. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters.” To be successful, you've got to narrow your interests.
Paul said, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful” (1 Corinthians 6:12). There is nothing wrong with friends, relationships, diets, vacations, jobs, this or that thing. Paul is saying “It may be lawful but, if it doesn’t bring me to my goal, then for me it’s bad.”
Good things are bad things when they stand in the way of the best things. Every relationship, every ambition, every plan, all of it—if it hinders your knowing Jesus Christ supremely, preeminently, passionately, powerfully, for you it is wrong. You say, “Pastor Rogers, that’s narrow.” You are getting it. We’re talking about power. Now if you don’t want power, that’s fine. But if you want power, you’re going to have to say with the Apostle Paul, “This one thing I do.”
Practice This
Have you ever done that? Have you brought all your ambitions down to one burning ambition? Concentration is the key to power: a river channeled within its banks is powerful, but water spread out over the ground is just a stagnant swamp. If you want to know real power in your life, your devotion to Jesus Christ must be your focus and concentration. You’ll know true success when everything in your life is under the Lordship of Christ.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
