7 Reasons Why You're

A Genius
Ecclesiastes 9:10
[10]Whatever your hand finds to do,
do it with your might; for there is no
work or device or knowledge or
wisdom in the grave where you are
going.

You may be a genius and you

don’t even know it.

While you may not qualify for

membership in the Mensa Society
whose members have
an IQ of 130 and above. . .I believe
you are a genius.

If you went to college. . .you may

have had a slimilar experience to
mine.  I had a history
professor. . .with whom I had a
honors associated with a college
graduat
I will always remember. . .he said:

“Some people graduate sum cum

laude, some graduate magna cum
laude or cum laude . . .but Harold,
you’re going to graduate “thanks da
Lawd.”

We both laughed but he spoke the

truth.  For me, my college career
was a necessary stop on the way to
my political destiny.  However, all of
that was “BJ” (Before Jesus.)

Your academic career like mine may

have
been less than stellar. . .but
understand my definition of a genius
is the same as Thomas Edison, who
had an IQ of 140.  He said:

“Genius is one percent

inspiration and ninety-nine
percent perspiration.”

If you’ve got inspiration. . .with

motivation and are willing to put up
with a lot of perspiration. . .then in
my book. . .you’re a genius.

Genius is:

“an exceptional natural capacity

of intellect; natural ability or
capacity; distinctive character or
spirit”
In light of that definition. . .allow me
to share seven reasons why you’re
a genius.

1.         Your DNA.

You are a child of the most high

God. . .you are child of a
King. . .you are the offspring of the
Master of the Universe. . .you are
the child of the Creator of heaven
and earth and all it contains.

You were made in His image and

after His likeness.

Genesis 1:26 says:

“And God said, Let us make man in

our image, after our likeness. . .”

I don’t need an agent from CSI or

NCIS to tell me that there is royal
blood flowing
through my veins.

I come from good earthly

stock . . .my genealogy
includes. . .Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. . . all multi-millionaires of
their time.  My genealogy also
includes:  Solomon, the wisest man
of all times.

My status. . .my standing. . .my

DNA is further confirmed through
Galatians 3:29 which says:

“And if ye be Christ's, then are ye

Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise.”
2.         Your Mind.
If you are a Christian . . . even an
imperfect Christian and I haven’t
met any other kind   . . you have
the mind of Christ.

I’m not making this up to make you

feel good.  It’s the Word and the
scripture is found in 1 Corinthians
2:16:

“For who hath known the mind of

the Lord, that he may instruct him?

but we have the mind of Christ.”   
There are way too many believers
who sell themselves short because
they feel they’re not smart enough. 
That’s just not the case. . .if you
believe the Word of God.
You have the mind of Christ and
that makes you one of the smartest
people around.  Now whether or not
you choose to use that mind. . .is
another question.

However, you can change your

perspective. . .your mind. . .by
changing the way you think.  This is
confirmed in Romans 12:2 in the
New Living Translation which says:

“Let God transform you into a new

person by changing the way you
think.”

My prayer is that the mind of Christ

would function fully and freely within
you every moment of every day.  Is
that your prayer too?

3.         Your Common Sense

One of my favorite television shows
features a genius who has no
understanding of everyday living
thought processes.

If you’re a genius but you lack to

ability to understand and
communicate with people who
aren’t. . .your success in life will
be limited.  See … you can wish
you were something that you are
not … but everyone has limitations. 

It’s what we do with who we are that

matters most.

I happen to think people who

demonstrate common sense on
every level of life are in fact the real
geniuses.

Common sense is defined

by dictionary.com as:

“sound practical judgment that is

independent of specialized
knowledge, training”

What’s the origin of all wisdom and

common sense?

Proverbs 2:6 in the Contemporary

English Version says:

“All wisdom comes from the LORD,

and so do common sense and
understanding.”

God is no respecter of
persons. . .what He gives to
one. . .He gives to all. The
difference is what we choose to do
with what we have been given.

Proverbs 3:13 in the Contemporary

English
Version says:

“God blesses everyone who has

wisdom and common sense.”

The scripture is clear. . .God

expects us to use common sense. 
Luke 12:57-59 in the Message Bible
says:

“You don’t have to be a genius to

understand these things. Just use
your common sense, the kind you’d
use if, while being taken to court,
you decided to settle up with your
accuser on the way, knowing that if
the case went to the judge you’d
probably go to jail and pay every
last penny of the fine. That’s the
kind of decision I’m asking you to
make.”

When we’re obedient to His

direction. . .using common
sense. . .we’re
successful.

Proverbs 8:14 in the New Living

Translation says:

“Common sense and success

belong to me. Insight and strength
are mine.”

4.         Your Inspiration

Do you have anybody in your life

that inspires you. . .perhaps a
parent, a teacher, coach, best friend
or business associate?

I have discovered over the years

that the people who inspire
me. . .come into my life and
sometimes they leave after a
season.

Now let me point out there are

some notable exceptions to that
rule.  My fine
wife, Bev, being number one. . .she
always inspires me.  Grace, dignity,
wisdom and spiritual balance. 

My parents have always been a

source of inspiration.  . .to the
extent they believe I can operate
without limitation.

But others come and go. . .for

instance, those of you in this room
or watching the broadcast via
internet. . .you inspire me. . .by your
knowledge of the Word and your
commitment to do what’s right
before Him.  But, most of you I
haven’t known very long.

However, I have had a constant

source of inspiration. . .that’s never
wavered. . .never comes and
goes. . .He’s been rock
steady. . .even before I made Him
the Lord of my life.
John 1:14 AMP says:

“And the Word (Christ) became

flesh (human, incarnate) and
tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh,
lived awhile) among us ….”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:

“All scripture is given by inspiration

of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness: 
That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works.”

The Word of God is my inspiration

and encouragement to do what’s
right in His sight.
Job 32:8 says:

“But there is a spirit in man: and the

inspiration of the Almighty giveth
them understanding.”

My understanding and inspiration

come from Him.

5.         Your Commitment

Make a commitment to serve the

Lord your God.

1 Samuel 7:3 in God’s WORD

Translation says:

“Samuel told the entire nation of

Israel, “If you are returning to the
Lord wholeheartedly, get rid of the
foreign gods you have, including the
statues of the
goddess Astarte. Make a
commitment to the Lord, and serve
only him. Then he will rescue you
from the Philistines.”

Some years ago, I heard the story

of the chicken and the pig.  It seems
a Pig and a Chicken are walking
down the road.

The Chicken says, "Hey Pig, I was

thinking we should open a
restaurant!"

Pig replies, "Hmmm, maybe, what

would we call it?"

The Chicken responds, "How about

'ham-n-eggs'?"
The Pig thinks for a moment and
says, "No thanks. You only have to
be involved … but I'd be totally
committed!"
God wants us focused on and
totally committed to the
instructions in His Word.

Philippians 3:15-16 in the Message

Bible says:

“So let's keep focused on that goal,

those of us who want everything
God has for us. If any of you have
something else in mind, something
less than total commitment, God will
clear your blurred vision—you'll see
it yet! Now that we're on the right
track, let's stay on it.”

Make a commitment to fulfill the

Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19-20 says:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all

nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost:  Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with
you always, even unto the end of
the world. Amen.”

The Great Commission is not the

Great Suggestion. . .it’s a verse that
demands our commitment.

2 Corinthians 9:13 in God’s WORD

Translation says:

“You will honor God through this

genuine act of service because of
your commitment to spread the
Good News of Christ and because
of your generosity in sharing with
them and everyone else.”

6.         Your Preparation

I personally think the greatest
definition of genius was offered by
Vince Lombardi, the legendary
coach of the Green Bay Packers.

“Plan your work and work your

plan.”

God likes it when you plan your

work and work your plan of
commitment to His Kingdom. 

Proverbs 21:5 in the New Living

Translation says:

“Good planning and hard work lead

to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts
lead to poverty.” 
Through the scriptures we can
see where planning and
preparing is important to God. . .
if it’s important to Him. . .it had
better be important to us.

Joshua 7:13 in the New Living

Translation says:

“Get up! Command the people to

purify themselves in preparation for
tomorrow. For this is what the Lord,
the God of Israel, says: Hidden
among you, O Israel, are things set
apart for the Lord. You will never
defeat your enemies until you
remove these things from among
you.”

God instructed the children of Israel

to purify themselves . . .in the King
James Version He
says sanctify yourselves.  According
to the Strong’s Concordance the
Hebrew word for sanctify means:

“to consecrate, sanctify, prepare,

dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be
sanctified, be separate.”

Part of your daily preparation should

be to sanctify yourself. . .consecrate
and yes, prepare yourself for what
lies ahead. 

Your preparation needs to be

blended with expectation.

Joshua 3:5 says:

“For tomorrow, Jehovah will do

wonders among you.”

One last thought, a part of

preparation is planning.  Do you
have a plan for what you will do
tomorrow?
If you don’t have a plan for the
day. . .the day will have a plan for
you.
7.         Your Perspiration

We began this teaching with the

Thomas Edison quote which bears
repeating.

Thomas Edison said:

“Genius is one percent

inspiration and ninety-nine
percent perspiration.”

But Thomas Edison also said:

“Being busy does not always

mean real work. The object of all
work is production or
accomplishment and to either of
these ends there must be
forethought, system, planning,
intelligence, and honest purpose,
as well as perspiration. Seeming
to do is not doing.”

Perspiration is defined
by dictionary.com as:

“a salty, watery fluid secreted by

the sweat glands of the skin,
especially when very warm as a
result of strenuous exertion;
sweat.”

Genesis 3:19 says:

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou

eat bread, till thou return unto the
ground; for out of it wast thou taken:
for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt
thou return.”

Sweat equity came into being as

a result of the sins of Adam and
Eve.
If you want to eat. . .to provide for
your family. . .to succeed. . .you will
need to sweat.
When you work hard. . .you
perspire. . .when you’re under
pressure. . .you sweat.

Napoleon Hill said:

“Patience, persistence and

perspiration make an unbeatable
combination for success.”

In my book. . .you’ve possess the

seven qualities required to be a
genius.

Just one more thing.

And just for the record. . .Bill Gates

never graduated from
college. . .neither did Michael
Dell. . .nor Debbie of Mrs. Fields
Cookies. . nor did 1 out of 4 of the
wealthiest 500 people in the United
States. That is one-fourth of the
smartest
business people today. In addition,
we don’t know how many are even
pursuing the field they graduated in.

I have a college degree but I can’t

say that I use any of my training in
what I do. And Bev feels the same
way. 

Lest you get the wrong idea that

we’re down on college . . . that’s not
necessarily true.  It has its place if
you need specific training to get
where you want to go.  In other
words, I want my doctor to have
gone to medical school but it isn’t
for everyone despite the fact that
society pushes everyone to have a
degree.
I have encouraged our children to
attend college but much more
importantly, I’ve encouraged
them to follow God.  He can and
will take them places and open
doors of
opportunity that no college degree
ever can.

If you follow God. . .obeying His

every instruction. . .that determines
if you a true genius.