Success by God’s standard is much different than society’s measuring stick. Moving to the top of God’s corporate ladder as shown in the Bible is learned by trials, by challenges, by overcoming with a sacrificial lifestyle. How do we overcome; how do we trust in the LORD with all our heart? Jesus and most of God’s prophets, disciples, and followers earned their “degrees” from God through hardships and walking a life many do not understand and few are willing to endure. (The audio player for this teaching is at the bottom of the article.)
Have you thought about the credentials of the men and women in the Old and New Testaments who moved to the top of the “corporate ladder” in God’s kingdom? These were ordinary people like you and me, but their “course of study” was not in an educational institution as we know such today. Their credentials were earned in ways many people with degrees would think is foolish.
Consider the words recorded in First Corinthians 1:27-29:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
