1 Chronicles 13

As Life B-P Church will turn 54 next Lord's Day, we certainly must give all glory to God for making the church what it is today. Whatever success we have had as a church is all through His doing alone. In God's kingdom success is not measured in terms of size or attendance. Neither is it measured in financial assets nor the number of ministries and mission outreaches a church has.

Success is Doing God's Work in God's Way

In the kingdom of God, success is only evident when lives are genuinely saved from sin and eternal death, walking in the love of God, delivered from the sinful influences of the world, and nurtured through the teaching of God's Word into Christ-like men and women. Success is evident when sinners are thus transformed by the power of God into witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such success can only be achieved by observing an important principle: God's Work must always be done in God's way.

One event in biblical history that demonstrates this well is the moving of the Ark of the Covenant by King David. The Ark was the most important piece of furniture in Israel. It was a gold-covered boxlike structure that had a solid gold 'mercy seat' on it, with statues of two cherubim whose wings formed an arch over the Ark. When the Israelites traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land, the Ark was carried before them, to symbolize God's leading His people there. And when the people settled down in any place, the Ark was kept within the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle, and a pillar of cloud rested on it to show that God was present among His people. Hence the Ark became the symbol of God's presence.