The Forgetfulness of Success
Deuteronomy 4:23
“Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.”
Moses took the opportunity before his death to remind Israel not to forget “the covenant of the LORD.” He knew that the success of living in the Promised Land would cause them to quickly forget what brought them there. He reminded them that God brought them out of the land of Egypt and would bring them into the Promised Land, and he warned them about allowing this success to make them forgetful.
Success is one of hottest topics today. Bookstores are filled with books on success. Many times people will buy a book about success without any knowledge of the author. Yet, the greatest book on success that one can read is God’s Word. One thing many of the success books don’t deal with is the dangers of becoming successful. Many people have become successful, and their success caused them to become forgetful. God’s Word not only will teach you how to become successful, but It will also teach you how to stay successful. The verse above is one of those verses that is teaching you how to stay successful.
If you ever become successful in your endeavors, let me warn you not to allow success to make you forgetful. Don’t forget Who brought you success. I have watched many people get saved who never achieved much success in their life. They started studying the Scriptures and learned the principles of success. These people started following those principles of success that they learned in the Scriptures and eventually became successful. However, once they became successful they forgot God and started running with people who did nothing for them before their success. Christian, don’t allow success to cause you to forget God. The same God Who made you successful can also take that success away. When you become successful, keep reading the Scriptures and praying daily. Always remember the God Who helped succeed will also keep you successful if you don’t forget Him.
Furthermore, when success comes your way, don’t forget what brought you success. Whatever you did that caused you to be successful is what you need to continue to do when your are successful. Too many people start changing things after they become successful only to change the very actions that will keep them successful. If being faithful to church helped you succeed, then being faithful to church will keep you successful. If taking time every week to go soul winning is what brought you success, then going soul winning each week will keep you successful. If living right is what brought you success, then don’t stop living right after you are successful. Simply keep doing the same things that brought success and you will continue to be a success.
Don’t make the mistake that many people and churches make after they become a success by trying to improve upon success. You can’t improve upon success! Whoever brought you success will keep you successful if you will continue to acknowledge and serve Them. Whatever you did to become successful will keep you a success if you will continue to do it. Don’t allow success to make you forgetful. Remember Who and what brought you success, and you will continue to be a success.
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