John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Whenever you want to find foundational principles for anything, always go back to the beginning. The verse above says, “In the beginning…” So we know from this statement that we are about ready to learn some foundational principles for any endeavor. Jesus shows us the foundational principles He used in giving salvation, and these same principles will help you when you start any endeavor.
The first foundational principle you must follow is to be sure that it agrees with the Word of God. The “Word” was the foundation upon which the world was created, and it must be the foundation upon which you base all that you do. If something disagrees with the Word of God, you are sure to fail. You must make God’s Word the very foundation upon which you get all principles and directives that will guide you in your endeavor.
The second foundational principle you must follow is to get God’s blessings upon it. Just because God’s Word doesn’t say it is wrong doesn’t mean that it is what God wants for you. The “Word was with God” symbolizes that if you want to succeed in what you do, then you need to be sure that God is with you in presence and blessings.
The third foundational principle you must follow is to let your endeavor bring glory to God. Verse 3 says, “All things were made by him…” God should receive credit for every success you experience. Far too often we want to take all the credit for our success when it would have never happened had God not blessed it. Be careful that what you do brings glory to God, and the best way to make that happen is to give Him the credit for every success no matter how big or little it may seem.
The fourth foundational principle you must follow is to let it grow naturally. Verse 4 says, “In him was life…” There is life to every endeavor, and if you want that endeavor to continue to grow, then you must allow it to grow proportionately. What I mean by this statement is that if you grow too fast then you will not be able to handle the growth, and your endeavor will crumble. Don’t be so desirous of growth that you grow your endeavor beyond what you can handle. Let it grow at the speed which God allows it to grow.
Moreover, all life must reproduce. If you don’t train others to continue doing what you have done, then your endeavor will die with you. God makes everything to reproduce. If what you are doing doesn’t reproduce, your endeavor is bound to die.
The fifth foundational principle you must follow is to bring light to darkness. Verse 5 says, “…the light shineth in darkness…” In other words, your endeavor must be able to be different from anything else to assure success. You must always ask yourself, what can my endeavor do that others cannot do? Your uniqueness is what will help bring success.
Though these verses are talking about Jesus coming to the world to pay for the sins of mankind, they also hold the principles you need to help you succeed in any endeavor. If you follow the same principles in your endeavor that made Jesus successful with salvation, you will find your endeavor will also succeed.