Someone once said, "what you think about, your bring about."

Proverbs 23:7 says:

“As a man thinketh in his heart…”

Successful People Think Differently.  Some people think about what they’ll get when they become successful.  They fantasize about the cars, electronic toys, trips and even the house they’ll live in.

Nothing wrong with dreaming. . .or seeing yourself vacationing in exotic locations.

However, if you want to be successful. . .here are 7 things you should be thinking about FIRST.

1.         Wisdom

If you want to be successful you need an insatiable hunger for wisdom.

You must want wisdom more. . .than your favorite television show.

You must want wisdom more. . .than reading your friend’s posts on Facebook or Tweets on Twitter.

You must want wisdom more. . .than watching the latest game of your favorite sports team.

You must want wisdom more. . .than anything else other than your time with the Holy Spirit.

How do you get wisdom?  The same way you get anything else that you want. . .you ask for it. . .you seek it.

James 1:5 in the Amplified Bible says:

“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.”

No surprise. . .if you don’t ask for it. . .you won’t get it.

James 4:2 in the New Living Translation says:

“. . . Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”

2.         Plans

Your success in life. . .in your marriage. . .family. . .job. . .investments will not just happen to you because you’re a nice person or even because you love the Lord.  You must have a plan.

Proverbs 16:3 in the New Living Translation says:

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”

Each day is a gift to you. . .what are your plans for this precious treasure of time that God has given to you.

Will you maximize your time and effectiveness?

Is your attitude. . .another day another dollar or do you have a plan to turn your finances from lack to abundance and your life from one of average to excellence?

If you don’t like where you are in life right now. . .chances are. . .there’s something you don’t know yet.  So what’s your plan to move from where you are to where you want to be?

Here’s what I suggest…..

First, seek the Lord. . .his wisdom, understanding and favor. 

Psalm 20:4 in the New Living Translation says:

“May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.” 

Next, seek out those who can best help you plan the move out of your personal wilderness into the Promised Land.

Proverbs 15:22 in the New Living Translation says:

“Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”

God is a planner. . .and so should you be. . .if you want to be successful. 

3.         Priorities

Successful people are continuing thinking about priorities. . .as a born-again believer you should do no less.

In fact, your priorities as a believer can be summed up in one verse.

Matthew 6:33 says:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

It’s important to note the spiritual progression of this verse.  There are seven key words or groups of words.

# 1       Seek ye first

The first thing you’re to do. . .above everything and anybody.  First means first.

# 2       The Kingdom of God

If you don’t put Him and His Kingdom principles everything else you will be a failure in the here and now. . .plus the life to come.

# 3       His Righteousness

1 John 4:4 says:

“. . . because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

If the Greater One is in you. . .then you need to act like it.

# 4       And then (after you’ve put God first)

These two words are re-confirming our spiritual priorities. . .we put Him first. . .then we get blessed.

# 5       All

Not some or a few things. . .not the most pressing things. . .but ALL and that means everything.

# 6       These things

What are the things you need?

How about have your bills paid in full, your home being debt free, your car being paid off, your kids or grandkids going to a proper university or having your retirement and/or investment portfolios fully funded.

# 7       Shall be added unto you

The Amplified Bible says these things “will be given you besides.” 

The Contemporary Version of Matthew 6:33 concludes by saying:  “Then the other things will be yours as well..”

4.         Money

When it comes to money. . .you need to think before you earn it, spend it, save it, invest it, waste it or give it.

But first, let’s cover a basic.

“Money is letting what’s in you, come out.”

You see, how you spend the money you have, determines whether your money does good or bad things.

When you have plenty of money, it will give you the freedom to do the good things you want to do, when you want to do them, how you want them done and for whom you want to do it.

That’s why it’s important for you to think before you spend any money.  Make sure you have counted the cost.

Luke 14:28 in the New Life Version says:

“If one of you wanted to build a large building, you would sit down first and think of how much money it would take to build it. You would see if you had enough money to finish it.

5.         Time

As I’ve grown older. . .I’ve become more conscious of time. . .wanting to make sure that I create memories that will last a lifetime with my fine wife Bev and our children.

I think about how I use my time.

The Contemporary English Version of Psalm 90:12 says: 

“Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.”

I feel this scripture in Psalms is saying that we should truly number . . . take charge of . . . and plan to use our days wisely.

Make a list each night of what you need to accomplish the next day.

Assign a priority to each task. . .and be about the business. . .avoid time distractions or people who will prevent you from achieving the things that you’ve purposed to achieve before the day ends.

Ephesians 5:16 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.”

You need to think before you allow anyone else to control something that is so valuable to you.

6.         Problem Solving

Everyone faces problems. . .the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful person comes down to what they think about a particular problem. . .and then what they do about it.

Psalm 34:19 in the New Century Version says:

“People who do what is right may have many problems, but the Lord will solve them all.”

Take your problems to God. . .no one else. . .but God.

Psalm 142:2 in the New Century Version says:

“I pour out my problems to him; I tell him my troubles.”

Exodus 18:19 in the New International Reader’s Version:

"Listen to me. I'll give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must speak to God for the people. Take their problems to him.”

Albert Einstein said:

“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

Change your way of thinking and you will solve your problems.

7.         Attitude

Here are five scriptures that will help each of us think differently about success. . .and our attitude about life.

Ephesians 4:23 in the Amplified Bible says:

“And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude].”

Philippians 2:5 in the Contemporary English Version says:

“And think the same way that Christ Jesus thought.”

Romans 12:2 in the New Living Translation says:

“. . .Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. . .”

Matthew 20:28 in The Living Bible says:

“Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah,* did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

Proverbs 18:14 in the Easy To Read Version says:

“A good attitude will support you when you are sick, but if you give up, nothing can help.”

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