[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Becoming a True Success, God’s Way

Have you ever felt like a failure? Many famous and successful individuals experience disappointments, trials, and failures before they finally advance in life. The famous inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, viewed his disappointing experiments with a positive attitude. He once said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Many people define success by money, wealth, and material possessions. Some look to the ups and downs of the stock market to find success. Others hope they can find some “get rich quick” scheme as an easy road to riches. Others pride themselves on physical beauty, or on positions of power. Some value popularity as success. But all of these measures of success are temporary. TRUE success in life is defined by LASTING values that society cannot take away.

Many ordinary people who considered themselves under-achievers or lacking potential, have found the way to TRUE success. What was their secret? The Seven Laws of Success. On today’s program, we’ll discuss seven principles for true success.

What is the Highest Goal in Life?

Too many people equate success with monetary wealth. They want to get rich quick. Gambling casinos are very popular, and they can profit billions of dollars each year. Listen to this report on the gambling industry: “Visiting casinos is not the only way to gamble. Another growing segment of the gambling industry is online. The global market size of online gambling was forecasted to reach over 59 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, growing by around 20 billion U.S. dollars in just five years. The largest share of this industry segment is made up of casino gambling and sports betting” (“Gambling Industry in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts,” Statista Research Department, July 24, 2018).

Is gambling the secret way to true success? Of course not. In fact, one of the proverbs in your Bible gives this warning: PROVERBS 23 and verse 4, “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven” (Proverbs 23:4-5).

That’s what happens when you don’t apply the Seven Laws of Success! Just what is true success? And what are the Seven Laws of Success? On today’s program, we’ll answer those questions. And we’ll be offering you an inspiring FREE audio CD, THE SEVEN LAWS OF SUCCESS. This 80-minute CD contains three Tomorrow’s World programs: The Seven Laws of Success, Vital Keys to Happiness, and Peace of Mind Through Prayer. You need this vital information. Be sure to request your free copy!

One of the wealthiest individuals who ever lived was ancient King Solomon of Israel. He was striving to experience “life to the full.” What did he discover? ECCLESIASTES 2 and verse 10, “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was VANITY and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

Solomon designed and engineered many complex projects including irrigation systems, symphonic orchestras, and choral groups. He held great treasures of silver and gold. He states in ECCLESIASTES 2 and verse 7, “I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me” (vv. 7-9).

King Solomon also had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Did they give him lasting happiness? His wives eventually persuaded him to worship false gods, and he paid a dear penalty! With his wisdom that remained, Solomon understood that a lifestyle WITHOUT the security, blessing, and guidance of Almighty God was a striving after wind, worthlessness, and vanity. Are YOU living a life of vanity? Now is the time to start applying the Seven Laws of Success. Perhaps you are applying four or five, but let’s consider all seven!

Many decades ago, the predecessor of this Work, Herbert W. Armstrong, pioneered seven Biblical principles, which he called, “The Seven Laws of Success.” These principles can help you, your family, and your children. What are those seven laws? LAW NUMBER ONE is: Set the Right Goal. Successful people know that to accomplish anything of value, we need to set goals. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re not going to get there.

Goal-oriented people set long-term and short-term goals. And if the goal is important to them, they will make strong commitments to do all they can to achieve their goals.

We previously saw that ancient King Solomon achieved many goals, but he realized that those goals did not give lasting value and success. He called life’s routines “vanity,” a striving after wind, without lasting value. What will give you lasting happiness and true success? Turn in your Bible to MATTHEW the 6th chapter. Here Jesus tells us that we need not anxiously worry about food and clothing. That if God provides food for the birds of the air, He will much more provide food for His children. Jesus was saying that all of the necessities we anxiously worry about are SECONDARY to the most important goal of all. MATTHEW 6 verse 33. Jesus said, “...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Yes, setting the right goal produces true success if you follow all of the Seven Laws of Success. My friends, our ultimate goal is the Kingdom of God. SUCCESS LAW NUMBER ONE is: Set the Right Goal.

Six More Steps Towards Ultimate Achievement and Fulfillment

It’s good to be committed to our goals, but what will we have achieved at the end of our lifetime IF those goals do not lead to godly character and abundant living now, and later on in the Kingdom of God? We must be sure that our goals contribute to lasting values. SUCCESS LAW NUMBER ONE is: Set the Right Goal. LAW NUMBER TWO is: Educate (or Prepare) Yourself.

What KNOWLEDGE do you need to achieve your goal? What PREPARATIONS must you make? If you’re choosing a career as a craftsman, you will need to work as an apprentice before you can be a journeyman. And many professions require at least a college education, if not an advanced degree. More than ever, we need to increase our knowledge just to keep up with our goals. We should never stop learning. But make sure that the knowledge you are learning is TRUE KNOWLEDGE. In the book of PROVERBS, we are told that TRUE knowledge begins with an awe, reverence, and acknowledgement of God as the SOURCE of wisdom and knowledge. PROVERBS 1 verse 7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of KNOWLEDGE, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

And again in PROVERBS 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Are you growing in wisdom? Are you growing in the grace and KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST, as it states in 2 PETER 3 verse18? Our Savior is the KEY to TRUE CHRISTIAN SUCCESS! To reach your goal, you need to educate yourself and prepare to achieve that goal, whether physically or spiritually. You need GODLY wisdom and knowledge! The SECOND LAW OF SUCCESS is: Educate (or Prepare) Yourself.

The THIRD LAW OF SUCCESS is: Maintain Good Health. How healthy are you? Do you have energy and vigor to work hard and accomplish? Our fast-food, high-fat, high-sugar diet mentality is not the steady diet God intended for humans. A polluted environment may harm our health. And REGULAR EXERCISE is important. The Apostle Paul told the evangelist Timothy, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Again, the Bible emphasizes the spiritual dimension in our lives. But we ALSO have a responsibility to honor God in our body, as it tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:20. You will be better able to achieve your goals if you strive for physical fitness. THE THIRD LAW OF SUCCESS is: Maintain Good Health.

LAW NUMBER FOUR is: Drive Yourself! Mr. Herbert Armstrong called this an “all-important law.” He wrote, “You will always find that the executive head of any growing, successful organization employs drive! He puts a constant prod on himself. He not only drives himself, he drives those under him, else they might lag, let down and stagnate” (The Seven Laws of Success, 1974, p. 44).

Yes, we need to put a prod on ourselves to move. The book of PROVERBS gives us a graphic illustration. PROVERBS 6 and verse 6, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (v. 6-11).

Proper rest is essential, but God warns against being lazy! We all need energy and purpose. We need to discipline ourselves to work effectively. THE FOURTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Drive Yourself!

THE FIFTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Apply Resourcefulness. Think of this as “the emergency law.” Perhaps the road ahead to your planned career or goal looks clear and smooth. But life often brings unexpected obstacles. You may suddenly face a financial problem, or health emergency. What will you do?

Always investigate your options. What resources are available? What agencies or individuals can help? Of course, the first step is to ask for God’s help. Remember when Jesus came walking on the water to His disciples? The Apostle Peter wanted to do the same. So Jesus told Peter here in MATTHEW 14:29, “‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” (v. 29-30).

Ask God to save you out of your predicament. But be sure to do your part and search out all the resources available. Don’t just give up. Ask for wise counsel. PROVERBS 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” THE FIFTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Apply Resourcefulness.

THE SIXTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Persevere Toward Your Goal. Always have perseverance—stick-to-it-iveness, as Herbert Armstrong described it.

During World War II when the future looked gloomy for Great Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke on October 29, 1941 at the Harrow School. He inspired his audience to persevere. He said, “...[S]urely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished...” (“Never Give In, Never, Never, Never, 1941,” Speech, Harrow School, October 29, 1941).

Yes, we all need to persevere! Those who respond to God’s calling are in a spiritual race to persevere. Hebrews the twelfth chapter encourages us to look forward to our final goal. HEBREWS the twelfth chapter, verse 1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (v. 1-2).

Apply the SIXTH LAW OF SUCCESS. Run the race with endurance, or “patience” as the King James Version has it, or “perseverance” as the NRSV translates it. Never give up! Run the race of life with perseverance. THE SIXTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Persevere Toward Your Goal. 

LAW NUMBER SEVEN is the most important principle for achieving success. We’ll discuss it in the next part of our program.

Seek a True Relationship With Your Creator

When you apply the Seven Laws of Success, you need the right motivation and attitude. The world has produced thousands of books on becoming successful, rich, and famous. But the problem, my friends, as we emphasized earlier, is that the world seeks the wrong kind of success. The world defines success as possession, power, and position. The advertising world promotes success as having material possessions: such as expensive autos, fine jewelry, large mansions, and yachts. But electronic toys, buildings, and cars do not produce lasting happiness. 

There are two ways of life: the way of give and the way of get! Your Bible reveals the simple and yet most profound way of living. If you have a Bible, be sure to mark this scripture in ACTS 20 verse 35. Jesus stated, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Or as the Moffatt translation has it, “To give is happier than to get.”

God’s way of success is to serve, help, care, and give. Whatever positions we may hold in this life, it will never amount to TRUE SUCCESS unless it is one of GODLY SERVICE toward others. Listen! One of the measures of TRUE SUCCESS is the degree of godly service we are willing to give. Emphasis on GIVE. False success relies on the GET principle, the selfish default characteristic of human nature! 

Applying the attitude of service, the laws of success can produce true and LASTING success. That way of life yields happiness, fulfillment and peace of mind. So far, we have briefly discussed six of the Seven Laws of Success.

LAW NUMBER ONE: Set the Right Goal

LAW NUMBER TWO: Educate (or Prepare) Yourself

LAW NUMBER THREE: Maintain Good Health

LAW NUMBER FOUR: Drive Yourself!

LAW NUMBER FIVE; Apply Resourcefulness

And LAW NUMBER SIX: Persevere Toward Your Goal

These six laws are vital and extremely important! But to practice them successfully, you need the vital SEVENTH LAW for true success. THE SEVENTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Seek God’s Continual Guidance.

You may ask, “How can I have God’s continual guidance?” The simple answer is: you pray to Him, you acknowledge Him! Listen to this wonderful promise in PROVERBS the third chapter, verse 5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (v. 5-6).

God PROMISES that He will direct your paths and guide you through life to fulfill your human potential and ultimate destiny. But we must PRAY DAILY, and we must ACT on His priceless promises. Another of God’s wonderful promises is found in ISAIAH 55 verse 6, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (v. 6-7). As you begin to pray, as you begin to change your whole way of life to God’s way of true success, He will forgive you through the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. God has promised that He will have mercy on you and pardon you, IF you repent and seek Him.

When you come to a crossroads, when you are faced with decisions, PRAY and ask for God’s will to be done in your life. He has promised to GUIDE you, and be WITH you. As Jesus promised us in Hebrews 13 verse 5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” THE SEVENTH LAW OF SUCCESS is: Seek God’s Continual Guidance.

I encourage you to apply ALL SEVEN laws of success. If you do, you will come to find the true abundant life Jesus promised in JOHN 10 and verse 10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

In the conclusion of our program, we will see some of the amazing benefits of applying all seven laws of success.

True Success Through the Savior of the World

As you apply the Seven Laws of Success, you’ll enjoy God’s blessings and TRUE success. God wants us to live happy, abundant lives. But many make the mistake of setting happiness as an end or a goal in itself. As a result, they become frustrated. Commentator Dennis Prager points out that one “secret” to happiness “...is realizing that happiness is a byproduct of something else. The most obvious sources are those pursuits that give our lives purpose-anything from studying insects to playing baseball. The more passions we have, the more happiness we’re likely to experience.” (“A Simple Truth About Happiness,” Reader’s Digest, June 1998, p. 99). Of course, the greatest happiness comes as a byproduct of having the greatest purpose: seeking God’s Kingdom.

Can YOU really succeed? Can you experience true Christian success? As the Apostle Paul stated in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” My friends, THE BIBLE reveals the unseen, immutable laws of life. When we’re in harmony with those principles and instructions, we are blessed. In fact from the beginning of the Bible to the end, you will find that obedience to God’s way of life brings blessings, and disobedience to God’s way of life brings curses. The world’s criteria for success: possessions, power, position, and pleasure—only bring pain, suffering, failure, and death. Those whose brand of success is self-indulgence, self-aggrandizement, and self-centeredness, harm themselves AND others.  True success comes only through the Savior of the world who taught us to love our enemies, to lay down our lives for one another, and to live by every word of God. When we do that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will live a truly happy, productive, and successful life, because we will be helping others into the Kingdom of God. And remember that the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to those who repent and are baptized. 

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10 verse 8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” We strive to do that on this program. Be sure to request your inspiring free audio CD on THE SEVEN LAWS OF SUCCESS. The Tomorrow’s World telecast, magazine, Bible Study Course, and all the other free materials we offer, are dedicated to EDUCATING millions to Biblical truth,  so that they may be successful in this life, inherit the kingdom, and experience true success for all eternity.