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       Articles and Research for Success and Health                                            

What is Success?

Webster's dictionary defines success as; 1. favorable outcome 2. gaining of wealth and fame 3. one that succeeds.  Seldom is success used to describe a good person who is poor. Every success book and seminar I have read or attended teach a poor person is a loser and success only applies to someone who has fame, money or power.

I studied success for many years reading hundreds of books, outlined some chapter by chapter trying to extract the so called hidden secrets.  Surprisingly they contained numerous platitudes of honesty, integrity and motivational stories but lacked a clear step by step guide to success.  They often referred to hidden secrets of success. I wondered for years why they would not list the so called hidden secrets.  

One day a friend suggested that my success books were emitting an energy that kept me from unlocking their mysteries.  This disturbed me however, I decided to give it a try and boxed up all my success books and removed them from my home.

In a short time I read scriptures that helped me recognize that the popular philosophies of success are authored by satan.  I would never have recognized or understood the scriptures outlined in this article without my years of researching success literature.

The concept that success philosophies are satan's plan to entrap man was at first quite disturbing to me.  I am certain that it will be the same and even worse to many.  First most people do not believe that satan is real or is a threat to their lives.  Second the very concept of success denotes self improvement which is similar to the teachings of God and Jesus throughout the scriptures.  Good people who sincerely want to be with Christ in Heaven after this life are thirsting for ways to improve themselves.  Therefore the teachings of success and positive thinking appear to provide a means to be a better person. Success literature is full of hundreds of stories and examples of teachings of Christ in such a skillful manner to deceive good people to wanting the success taught.  Of the three attributes in Webster's dictionary two are good Christian goals.  Gaining wealth and fame however can lead away from Christ.  Not that wealth or fame necessarily are bad but that if we set our hearts on them we are not following Christ.

The rest of this article will present various concepts and scriptures about success to help understand the dangers of popular success philosophies and show the path God wants us to follow.  God's plan is spiritual success and satan's plan is worldly success.  God's plan prepares us for eternal life and satan's plan makes us candidates for hell.

STEPS TO SPIRITUAL SUCCESS
Any success that diminishes spiritual success is not success.

STEP 1. OPPOSITION:  Everything has an opposite, God vs Satan, Heaven vs Hell, Good vs Evil, Light vs Darkness, Truth vs Lies and so on.  There is nothing in life that does not have an opposite. Just as God loves mankind so does satan hate us.   

STEP 2. FREEDOM TO CHOOSE: The principle of opposition requires that we must make choices in our lives.  It establishes the sacred principle of freedom of choice.  Though we may be a slave no one can remove our ability to choose. One of the greatest examples of choice of attitude is the story of Victor Frankel see a site with his story.  Quote from their site, "Dr. Victor Frankel, a Jewish physician, became a prisoner of the Nazis in the early 1940s. They took away all his personal things, shaved his head, then tortured him, and killed his family in his presence. Dr. Frankel determined that whatever else they took from him, they could never take his choice of attitude." A great quote says, "If you are farther from God today than yesterday, who moved?"

STEP 3. TESTS AND TRIALS: How often have you heard the statement, "There can be no God because if there was He would not allow us to experience such terrible things such as floods, earthquakes, storms, murders and accidents."  This is one of satan's favorite sayings used to keep us from understanding the great love and expectations God has for us. God works within eternal laws and the concepts of opposition, choice, and tests are laws the same as gravity.  

The scriptures are full of tests and trials along with judgments for wickedness.  The principle aspect of the first three steps is based on the existence of the devil to test and torment man.

No one has experienced the afflictions from satan or test and trials greater than that of Christ.  He is a perfect. example of enduring trials without murmuring.  Trials and test are to prove our hearts, which show our commitment to God.

STEP 4. GOD GAVE US A METHOD OF PROTECTION FROM THE DEVIL  

Enmity means to treat someone as an enemy.  God tells us that if we treat satan as an enemy, submit ourselves to God, and resist the devil he will flee from us.  We cannot protect ourselves from the powers of the devil if we do not recognize that he is an enemy.  To fail to recognize he is a real threat to us is to give him power over us.  

The serpent did not completely lie to Eve rather he used deception of a lie wrapped with truth.  he appealed to Eve's desire to do good such as obtain wisdom and enjoy a pleasant fruit.

We need to recognize the devils tools for our protection.

• He wraps good around evil to make it look good.
• He tells ninety nine truths to hide one lie.
• Because he cannot tempt good people with evil he gets them involved in things that are less good to prevent them from doing more essential good.  

The key to understanding why success literature says the secrets are hidden is contained in the method of operation by satan.  Satan deceived Eve by telling truths to hide a lie.  In success literature thoughts are promoted as the most important step to success.  No one disputes that thoughts are important and must be managed wisely. However they are promoted as power of the mind to control ones destiny in a manner to think one can command God.  Success philosophies sandwich this concept between good and wholesome concepts.

Positive thinking is subtly promoted in a manner that looks wonderful. It can be good if done like Dr. Franco or the arm of flesh if it is to create fame, wealth or power. The key is whether it is used to increase ones love of God or earthly accumulation. Unfortunately success philosophies to accumulate are sadly mistaken for a positive outcome or self improvement with God. One increases ones power on earth and the other eternal happiness.

Here are some often quoted concepts in success literature and seminars often camouflaged between good principles.

STEP 5. THREE TEMPTATIONS:  The three temptations of Christ in the wilderness following His forty day fast provide important clues to spiritual success.  They were not trivial or insignificant.  Satan would have us believe that this experience is just a story and is not important.  He wants us to believe Christ could not fail thus making Christ's mission just a trivial story.  It demeans the power and glory of Christ who is a supreme being because he overcame and was worthy to atone for us.  It demeans the strength of Christ to overcome even in a weakened condition from his fasting.  With this attitude Satan presented his three temptations with his greatest power and ability with a desire to destroy Christ and thus thwart his atonement for us.

There are only three temptations and all evil can be traced to the three temptations.  

1. The first temptation was with bread signifying bodily appetites. Any temptation of the flesh is in this group.  (for future reference to the first temptation I will call it, "body")
2. The second temptation was to jump from the top of the temple and the angels would save Christ.  This temptation represents any desire of pride or wealth. (I will call this temptation pride.)
3. The third temptation Satan showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world and the power it represented. They represent the power satan had and the kingdoms of the world satan controls. (this temptation is called power.)

These three temptations, "body, pride& power" are significant to our lives. Addiction to temptations make us spiritually weak which equates to spiritual success failure.  No other success of accumulation of money or power can compensate for spiritual failure.  Ones success in accumulating money or power is temporary.  We do not take it with us when we die.  It is like the man who Saint Peter greeted at the gates and asked what he had in a suit case.  The man said, "gold bars." As Saint Peter directed him to his eternal estate he said to his assistant, "Why would anyone bring paving stones to heaven as they are worthless here."  We take to heaven only our knowledge and history of who we are.

STEP 6. SATAN PAYS THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM: This is a key principle concerning success philosophies that I have read many times and did not understand until I removed my success books.

If we worship satan he will pay us. We do not have to be an evil person to worship satan.  Simply it means if our hearts are on accumulation of body,pride (fame) or power we are not following God.  The following scriptures indicate that we cannot follow God and evil at the same time.  It means if we are not seeking the kingdom of God with righteousness we are worshiping satan.  .  

This concept provided the answer to the perplexing question, Why can some read success literature or join a money making opportunity and become successful almost over night where others fail?  Satan does not want us to know he can and will pay us if our hearts desire money.  Simply place money ahead of the kingdom of God and satan will pay you.  

STEP 7. MIND THE INGINUITY OF MAN: Success philosophies would have us believe any success is only from the ingenuity of man.  This concept denies the power of God or satan.  Satan uses his pay to man to make him think it is his mind that accumulated the money.  To seek the kingdom of God first is to surrender to God's will for you.  It is a very hard thing to do as we want to believe we are in control of all our life.  A serious illness, death, or financial set back can humble us to realize we do not have ultimate control of our lives.  We never lose the ability to control our thought or attitude but not our entire lives.  Satan teaches there is no separation between what happens to us and what we think.

Success literature's primary principle is that man's control of thoughts are the most important aspect of success.  God does not teach this aspect, rather humility, submission, faith and charity are more important than mans power to control destiny.  Such is as the next scripture that warns us not to put our trust in our strength or arm of flesh but in the Lord.

Money and power are not evil only the unrighteous desire for them as taught in success philosophies. Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph who was sold in to Egypt, Job, King David, King Solomon and Joseph of Arimathaea were all wealthy.  David and Solomon were warned by God's prophets for setting their hearts on their wealth.  Again money is not evil and can be used to do great good, but we must learn to let go of our pride and let God direct us.

The story of the Prophet Alma and Korihor who taught there is no Christ about 75 BC in the Book of Mormon helps explain this concept. It is the record of a debate between Alma and Korihor who after defying God was caused to be mute.  He then admitted in writing that he knew there would be a Christ but was deceived and taught a message given to him by satan. This is what satan taught Korihor to teach.

This phrase is the same as the popular success definition of positive thinking.  It teaches that man can accomplish anything he wants if he just believes enough.  In actuality it is saying set your heart on riches and you then deny Christ and believe you can create wealth with your mind then satan will pay you.

STEP 8. POOR PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE (SPIRITUAL SUCCESS):  This is a direct opposite to the concepts taught in success literature.

It is not impossible for a rich man to go to heaven.  To understand the significance of this scripture we need to know that at that time a wall surrounded Jerusalem and most of their cities.  For protection the entrances through the wall were very low arched openings and were called the eye of a needle.  In order for a camel to enter the city their burdens had to be removed and they had to walk through the low opening on their knees.  Jesus taught in parables or stories to express a point. This parable teaches that in order to enter heaven we must give away our burdens by giving up our desire for money and accept Christ. Then get on our knees or humbly accept Christ and our path in life. Or in other words accept the sacrifice and gift of eternal life given to us by the atonement and crucifixion of Jesus with a humble heart and gratitude for his gift to us.  Jesus is saying that it is harder for a rich man to give up wealth and to be humble than a poor man.

Consider the following two parables and their message concerning wealth.

STEP 9. THE MIND:

Success and the mind are believed to be completely commensurate to each other.  Hundreds of studies, theories and success philosophies provide indisputable proof that the mind of man is the primary tool for success. Step 7 shows how this is a tool of satan.  Yet it has such a plausible and attractive power to us to cause us to believe we can direct our destiny.  This power and attraction is because it has an element of truth.  Remember satan uses 99 truths to initiate one lie.  There are 99 truths about positive thinking and the one lie.  The lie satan is hiding is that he uses it to make us think we are more powerful than God. Or in other words satan teaches positive thinking can create our destiny in defiance of God's will for us.

Consider the fact that satan can pay us, then how he can use this to make us believe is is our thoughts that make us succeed.  He is the master of lies and deception. He uses his lies and deception with his ability to pay us to get us to believe then pay us, then whisper to us, "what a great person you are and how well you succeeded in making your goals work". He then causes us to be lifted up in our desires of the temptations of body, pride and power as if they are notable accomplishments of success. I call this process the all powerful mind.  Napoleon Hill first coined this popular success philosophy.

Back to the 99 truths.  Indeed positive thinking is a good and noble attribute if done right.  It has the so called ninety nine good attributes if we avoid the one bad attribute of self power, or the all powerful mind theory.

This quote teaches, man's mind is all powerful and neither God or satan have any influence to man's thinking. In other words satan wants us to think we alone create our destiny and that our thoughts are ours alone.  He does not want us to realize we can receive spiritual prompting's or demonic thoughts.  He does this to be able to have complete access to our mind.  If we are not on guard ie. we do not recognize opposition, enmity, temptations, and satan can pay us we allow him access to our mind then we think it is our strength and power that brings our accumulation or fame.

Man has only the power of choice not creation.  Any accumulation of fame, money or power does not come from our mind but from either God or satan.  Every choice we make connects us to either the power of God or satan's pay program. Again, every choice we make is a choice to follow God or satan.  God has established the principles of opposition and has given satan power over the earth to test us.  Any wealth or accumulation is through one of these two powers. Consider the following scripture about Isaac.

Consider the story of Jacob, where he worked seven years for Rachiel and was deceived by his father-in-law La ban and given Leah.  He then works another seven years for Rachel and again was cheated by Labon of the payment he was promised.  Jacob then make a bargain with Labon for all the spotted and stripped animals. Labon again planned to cheat Jacob but the Lord gave him power to cause the animals to conceive spotted and striped offspring.

There are many other stories in the scriptures about how God created wealth for his righteous servants, but none have a more powerful proof for me than that of God's hand to create spotted cattle.

I have shown the importance of aligning ones self with God and accepting his payment in what ever amount or form he allots to us.  Whether it be great wealth such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob received or eternal life after poverty as in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus it is not our ability to create or change the path God has for us.  We should be concerned first with seeking God's kingdom and let all else come as God wills.  We must completely give up all our appetites for body, pride and power and submit to God who will reward us with eternal life.  

I have referred to man as having only one mental power and that is of choice. Obviously our mind does much more such as store all our experiences and learning, however these are not in of themselves a power.  They are a tool or resource for our ability to choose.

Choice of thoughts as in the life of Dr. Frankel create the kind of person we become and that choice is of great consequence to us.  Below are some pictures from Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese researcher who has published a book, "The Message From Water"  Printed by written permission with the statement that my presentation of them do not represent Hado Publishing or Dr. Emoto and have nothing to do with them. I greatly appreciate the permission to print these pictures. Please honor their copyright and do not copy their pictures. I encourage your support of Dr. Emoto's book for further information.

Dr. Emoto studied the effects of various conditions on water. To do this he made an experiment as shown below using the same water source then after the experiment, froze it and sliced it to place under a microscope.  The pictures are magnified under a microscope.  The music experiment was done by placing the speakers on each side of a vile of water for several hours.

Dr. Emoto's works show proof that our thoughts are very powerful not in changing others or circumstances but what we are.  Our body consists of 80 to 90 percent water and reacts the same as these experiments.  When we are angry or full of love our matter/water reacts the same as these pictures.  I wonder if when we are judged by God it may be that all he has to do is look at us as this experiment shows and He will know all about who we have become.

These two pictures are from the same water from the Fujiwara Dam in Japan Before offering a prayer After offering a prayer

These pictures are from the same distilled water source With the thought, "You make me sick, I will kill you" With the thought, "Thank You" With the thought, "Love and Appreciation"

These pictures are from the same distilled water source Placed between two speakers playing, heavy metal music Placed between two speakers playing, Kawachi Folk Dance Placed between two speakers playing, Beethoven's Pastoriale

These pictures are from the same water source With a paper taped to the vile with the words, "Mother Teresa" and left over night With a paper taped to the vile with the words, "Adolph Hitler" and left over night

Step 10. HEART, MIND & SOUL = LIGHT:   There is an intrusting concept in Dr. Emoto's pictures.  Notice how negative thoughts or experiments have darkness and the positive ones have light.  It is as if each picture has the same light but positive thoughts concentrate the light into an organized crystal and the negative ones are a blob or unorganized darkness.  Christ told us to magnify our light and let it shine.  If we are living God's way we have light, if not we have darkness.  Observe people around you and you can see evidence of this concept as proven by Dr. Emoto's experiments.

In order to attract light we have to get our heart, mind and soul to to work together.  Satan's plan separates the heart, mind and soul making the mind dominant.  Keep in mind the soul is the invisible spirit that give us life and leaves upon our death and our body. Body and Soul when in harmony with Mind and Heart increase our light.

Step 11. TRUST THE LORD:  Trust can be compared to faith except that trust is a greater depth, or dimension of faith. When we trust the Lord we multiply the power of faith. We take faith (a belief) and make it an action.

When we trust in the Lord we exercise a belief and confidence that is more than faith by it's self. Although belief may be a powerful factor in our life it must have an element of surrender to the Lord. Trust is the element that indicates that we surrender our selves to the Lord knowing that He will not violate our agency, and that He will do what is best for our spiritual development.

Example, A little girl many years ago who took a lunch to her father who is down in the bottom of a well he is digging. It is too dark for her to see her father. She calls to him and he answers her, and asks her to throw his lunch down the well and he will catch it. After catching the lunch he tells her that there is more than he can eat and asks her to jump down the well, and he will catch her, and share his lunch with her.

Her fathers voice coming from the bottom of the well, his response that he received the lunch and its contents, and a rope going down the well all indicate that her father really is in the bottom of the well. Her past relationship with her father indicate her confidence in his promises and ability to perform. Yet when she considers throwing herself into a black hole without proof that her father can keep his promise and catch her, she must go beyond belief and exercise trust.

We cannot have the trust this little girl had without knowing and having strong feelings about Jesus Christ.  That only comes with a belief or faith followed up with prayer.  

One of the false concepts satan teaches is that we do not have to do anything other than ask and God will give it to us.  According to this scripture God expects us to do more.  He wants us to ask then seek then knock.  

1. Ask being our initial faith and request for knowledge, information, protection or what ever we desire.
2. Seek means that we must study it in our own mind and obtain all the knowledge we can on our own.
3. Knock means we have asked and we have researched the scriptures or the issue we want help with then we apply our best understanding of it and evaluate our feelings about it. At this point we can obtain a good feeling in our heart that God approves of our direction or a feeling of confusion.  If we have a feeling of confusion it means the answer is no or that God wants us to go in a different direction.  

God in verse 9 promises that He will answer us if we follow this process.  This process means that we do not act as if we are on the top of the temple and tell God what we want then jump and when we do not get the help we expected get angry at God because He did not catch us.  We must not let our pride tell God what to do but to get our heart, mind and strength in tune with God.  One way to get in tune with God is to have a regular study of the scriptures.  For in them ye think ye have eternal life, or we get a spiritual power from them to better understand God and be in a better frame of mind to hear His answers to us. In this manner we strengthen our trust in God. We cannot violate Gods commandments and expect to receive His answers.  Just like the pictures when we violate God's rules we become dark and closer to the devil than God.  Neither will be build a trust in God by ignoring or violating His rules and commandments.  

Trust in God and the Lord means that we apply faith, study God's word and follow Him in righteous ness. We cannot have two masters, nor can disobey His commandments and expect to receive light.

To demonstrate the power of satan's program see That Something

Conclusion:  Success is becoming full of the light of Jesus Christ who is the light.  This means He is our master and we focus on him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We follow his commandments and rules which will guide us to eternal life with Him for eternity.  This is spiritual success not temporary worldly success as taught in success books. When we follow Jesus Christ this we we become patient and long suffering without complaining to God when we experience a negative problem in life.  It is at these time that we show our true colors and God test our commitment as He did the children of Israel as the wandered forty years in the wilderness.  Spiritual success and light comes only when we have enmity for satan and learn to avoid him. Satan is darkness and Christ is light and we can obtain light by worshiping and following Jesus Christ.  There is no other way.