God loves us so much that He saw we needed help. God sent. God, our Father sent. He sent us help. We. Needed. Help. And we still do. So, God sent His son.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

As believers and representatives of Jesus Christ, we are not supposed to judge others. If Jesus did not come to condemn, then who are we to work beyond His threshold of workmanship?

John 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The Bible clearly explains this to us in the scripture above. Jesus was not sent here to condemn, criticize, or to make us suffer. He came to save us. There is one law giver and one judge.

James 4:12
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

What is amazing, is how quickly we use a verse about not judging one another as a means to justify our behavior. Many people use this scripture:

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” Matthew‬ ‭7:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We take THIS scripture to mean: “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.”

Can I share something with you? The Bible commands us that we do not judge others but this does not mean we cannot and should not show discernment. This does not mean we cannot identify sin.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John‬ ‭7:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The intent of the Bible is not to figure out how we can do what we want. God did not send us His word, to scramble through the pages, to find a verse that supports our character- which presents itself as the complete opposite of who He says we should be, in Him.

Here is why we do not and should not judge or condemn: The attitude and behavior of a person brings upon their own condemnation.

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ” John‬ ‭3:18-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Christians are often accused of “judging” when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong. Holding the standard of righteousness naturally opposes unrighteousness and brings up the defensive boxing gloves of those who choose sin over godliness.

Don’t judge according to appearance but discern in the Spirit. 

Did you know that our behavior and negative discussions we have are an offense to the Lord?

Have you ever done something and after you did it, you wondered why you did it? Actually, before you did it, you knew it was wrong but you tried to justify why it was okay or you just simply decided to do what you wanted to and suffer the consequences later.

Repenting is not just acknowledging what you have done and then going back. If you go back to what you left or what was hurting you, maybe you have never been sincere with your repentance or you did not make a full turn. One thing I do know is that deliverance is REAL. When you become sincere with the Lord and cut off everything that is not like Him, He will place His arms of compassion around you and keep you from falling.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

You mean to tell me, this same Jesus who has all power and dominion NOW AND FOREVER cannot keep you? Sure He can. He is able to keep us from falling but we have to want to be kept. Repenting is not just an act of repeating words. There has to be actions to support what you are saying. Turning carries an action. It means you are doing something. To turn your head, you have to physically move your neck. To make a turn in your vehicle, you have to physically have your hands on the wheel to direct the vehicle to move in the direction you need. Turning changes your complete position (I hear you Jesus).

Turn: To cause your body or a part of your body to face a different direction.

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.
(Acts 3:19)

This scripture describes the process:
Repent AND Turn
Repent AND Turn
Repent AND Turn
Repent AND Turn

To turn from your own ways and adhere to the ways of Jesus, you have to take a physical act that will produce a spiritual effect.

The Physical Process
1. Separating yourself from who or whatever caused you to err (2 Corinthians 6:17)
2. Humbling yourself, praying and seeking the Lord (2 Chronicles 7:14)

The Spiritual Process
The spiritual effect will result in what 2 Chronicles states, then you will hear from heaven, your sins will be forgiven and God will heal and restore.

I don’t know why people paint this picture of God being unloving, when He created love. He is in our best interest. But God really knows us. He does not put up with our shenanigans and foolery because He knows that we are without excuse.

Just as there are guidelines and rules you have to follow on your job, or things you will not stand for from your children, such as disrespect, God has standards also. His standard is He cannot be associated with sin…period. If sin lives in us or we practice sin, we disassociate ourselves with Him and choose to become connected with the lust, flesh and the world.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.Isaiah 59:1-2 (NKJV)

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Haggai 1:7 (NKJV)

As we consider our ways and our walk, think about this scripture and how loving the Lord is. When someone loves you and does all they can for you, it should not be too difficult to demonstrate our gratitude and love back towards them.

But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? Says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. Ezekiel 18:21-23 (NLT)

When I was a child, I loved playing with Barbie dolls. I enjoyed dressing them and attempting to comb their hair the way I saw my mom combing mine. I tried braiding, twisting, and even using hair balls. I remember one Christmas, my mom purchased me a doll that was taller than the traditional Barbie doll. When the doll moved, it appeared that her eyelids would close, as if she was blinking. That was UH-mazing!

My dolls were special to me. Although I did not create them myself, they were mine because they were purchased for me. I could dress them the way that I felt. I didn’t want to share them with anyone and when I misplaced one of them, or left one at a relative’s house – it was a problem. I needed my baby dolls. They kept me company in my “play” world at home.

Do you know that we are more precious to God than my baby dolls were to me? Sure, God made angels, but He wanted something specifically designed the way He desired.

He wanted something that looked like him:

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

He wanted something that He could give some of His knowledge, to think like Him.

Proverbs 2:6 (NKJV)
For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

He wanted something He could breathe his breath into; and thus – we were born, fearfully and wonderfully, we were created.

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

We were made to be like our Father – we are His children. Some of us He created with blonde hair and blue eyes. Some He created with brown hair and brown eyes. Some short and some tall in stature; but we were designed just as He desired.

Isaiah 43:7 (NKJV)
Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

Just as my tall doll could open/close her eyes, which was quite the opposite of the popular Barbie dolls, God decided which special things (gifts) some of His children would have as well. Some have an uncanny ability to sing. Others are great with managing business. Some have athletic abilities like none other. And there are some who have multiple gifts.

Then our loving Father placed purpose in our lives that align with the gifts He has given us. And just as I dressed up my dolls the way I desired, everything we were given, how we were created and why, are all done to please our Father. Here is what puzzles me:

When we realize, what is purposed in us, and our Father says He really need us to operate in our purpose, we say: “I’m not ready yet!”

So, basically, you’re saying you are not ready to do something that was designed for you to do? That is like my doll telling me: “I don’t like my hair.” First – the doll would be burned and tossed in a dumpster far away from my home – uh uh. Chucky would not become a reality. But if that were the characteristic of the doll to be able to talk back, my reaction, would be one of:  “Who are you? You do realize, I can replace you, right?”

Can you imagine our Father thinking: “I gave you a gift and a purpose and the benefits are for you; but because you are not ready…?”

Since you are not ready, you open the door for the enemy. You know, we talk to God like we have all power and control over our own lives. While we continue to resist, we have the audacity to have a “by the way spirit…”

• No, I’m not ready, but by the way…can you continue to grant me grace and mercy
• Can you continue to keep me?
• Can you continue to give me health to take care of my family?
• Can you bless me with a spouse?
• I need this higher paying job; can you open a door?

We intentionally wander through life because we told our Father: “I’m not ready.” If not careful, we soon become lost. We become lost in who we are. We become lost in understanding what a real relationship with Jesus means and what He has done to bring us back to our Father.

Just as I became upset and frustrated when I lost my dolls, our Father became upset when we were lost. In fact, The Bible, from the beginning until the end, proves that God has done everything to find us and for us to find Him – His prized possession. Even Jesus was sent…for us. He sent someone to die just for us to bring us back to Him! Here is how we became lost.

God created this angel named Lucifer. As far as beauty, there was none like Him. He was arrayed in jewels and stones, some of which I have never heard of or seen in today’s time. Lucifer was also a musician. One day, the devil (Lucifer) got beside himself (Ezekiel 28:13-17). He became prideful and conceited. Isaiah 14:12-14 explains how the enemy decided to make his own kingdom and attempt to make it greater than God. When you find out someone is trying to set you up and take what is yours, what would you do? You would have nothing more to do with them. That’s what God, our Father did. He got rid of his enemy. The enemy (Lucifer) and some of the angels that sided with him, lost their place in Heaven. When God created us, satan presented himself with Adam and Eve, so that we could lose out as well.

The enemy wants to destroy us because he can’t get back to that heavenly place. So, the war that has been made is between God and the devil. We, as God’s most precious creation and who he designed especially for himself, happen to be caught in the middle. The enemy attacks God’s most priceless possession- which is you. Yes you- the one who continues to say: “I’m not ready yet.”

Here is what we miss: The enemy has been in heaven. He has been in the presence of our Father. He has even walked in the midst of the Garden of Eden.

Ezekiel 28:13 (NKJV)

You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created.

We have not!

Think about that. The very one who seeks to steal, kill and to destroy you, has been where your Father lives.

Think about this. If you had been in the presence of God – you pretty much know how God is, you know what He can do and you know you what you are up against, right? SATAN knows this! But he also recognizes and is smart enough to realize that we have not valued the relationship that our Father is trying to have with us, through Jesus. The enemy knows that once we get so close to our Father and truly surrender, there is nothing he can do against an all-powerful and all-knowing God; So, the enemy plays tricks on us.

I’ve seen movies where if a person could not get to the one they were trying to hurt, they would hurt their family or the very thing they love the most. That is what the enemy does and is doing. He is trying to upset God by destroying us and he is doing a great job, simply because…” we are not ready yet.”

We fight one another. We kill one another. We abuse our women and molest our children. Our children disrespect adults. He makes us feel depressed and suicidal. We Gossip, debate, argue and hate one another. We find excuses to do what we want and indulge in the lust of the world and we make it convenient for us. We become prideful. All for what? We fall right into the schemes of the devil.

No doubt, the enemy probably calls us stupid because here we have a piece of God – his Spirit, called the holy spirit or the witness to live in us and guide us and we deliberately ignore him because: “We are not ready yet.”

Since you are not ready, what will it take for you to become ready?

It seems that nowadays people want something for nothing. We must remember that nothing comes without sacrifice.

• If you desire to lose weight then you need to eat healthy and exercise.
• If you desire to get a degree, then you have to sacrifice your time and money.
• If you want the Lord to dwell in you and use you mightily, then you have to give up your ways and desires for His.

We ask God for everything. I mean all the stuff we can think of, we ask God for, like a child seated on the lap of a Santa Claus at the local mall, asking for his or her list of gifts; but realize when you ask the Lord for something, then He is also requiring something of you.

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭7:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To obtain the promises, we must cleanse OURSELVES, both spiritually and carnally. 

• Are you deserving of what you’ve asked for? 
• Have you cleansed yourself of everything than can defile you, striving toward holiness?
• or are you going through a cleansing “process” to appear as if you’re clean, so that our Father give us what we want?

You do realize that He knows when you’re truly clean right? Have you ever asked a child to wash their hands or some portion of their body and when they return to where you are, you confirm they did? They tell you they have but you can clearly see they did not do what you asked but blatantly lied. 

Humph!

And we think God, who knows the number of hairs we have on our head, does not know if we have been truly keeping ourselves unspotted from the world? 

What are you willing to give up in exchange for a relationship with your Father?

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; but it is during our toughest trials that our true commitment is revealed.

What did you give up?

1. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
2. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
3. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of YOUR reputation?

“Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” In other words, we surrender ALL!

• Bearing our cross means to live where people deliberately laugh at you when you confess the name of Christ and acknowledge Him in everything.
• Bearing your cross means living against the grain and not following the customs of the world. Catch this: EVEN WHEN IT IS SOMETHING YOU LIKE.
• Bearing your cross means people not understanding your new way of life and they would rather see you doing the same things that killed you versus doing something to give you life.
• Bearing your cross means standing, even if you have to stand alone.

What are you willing to sacrifice in exchange for what was already done for you? Praise God for freedom, but it did not come without a cross that JESUS bore and a sacrifice He gave to do the will of God. I will wear a crown and you can also, but the crown cannot be received without being earned. 

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We often speak about forgiveness and how we must forgive others to obtain forgiveness from the Lord; but before ever forgiving someone else of hurting you, there’s something you must do.

FORGIVE YOURSELF

It’s easy to justify why we should forgive someone else. Here are a few reasons.

•  As previously stated, to obtain mercy during our times of trouble and to get forgiveness from our Father,God.
• Not to allow that person or thing to occupy space in our mind so that we can take back control emotionally and spiritually.
• To release the hurt and pain and to reopen our hearts to receive love.

We know why we should forgive others and the benefits of doing so. Yet we can’t seem to find any justification for forgiving ourselves for going against the word or behaving unseemly.
Let me help you as best I can. First, God says He forgave you:

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God said He will not remember. Why are you destroying yourself mentally? Not only are you reliving the pain, but also the sinful thoughts which all delays your healing process, steals your joy and destroys your peace.

Secondly, Jesus says this:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Jesus said if you have ought or an issue against anyone forgive them. We read this scripture and think about issues we have with others, but consider this: If you’re not forgiving yourself, who do you have an ought against??? 

YOURSELF! 

So how can you get forgiveness for your sins with an ought against yourself?

When we stand before God in sincerity, tired of our ways and ready to commit to His ways, we are asking for grace, mercy and forgiveness. We are saying to God that we have an ought against ourselves and that we are emptying ourselves of anything not like Him. However, if we are not forgiving ourself for the ought, we cannot open ourself to receive forgiveness from the Lord. God is not a partial God. He won’t choose to forgive the other person and not forgive you! He said he is greater than our heart.

“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Here is the reality. You cannot change what happened in the past; but you can control your present and your future. Do you know how many times I’ve looked back at past situations and have been like: “ugh, why did I do that? What was I thinking? That was so stupid! UGHHHHHH” But I cannot allow those thoughts to consume me. Something or someone I allowed to hurt me over 20 years ago cannot possibly help me now mentally by dwelling on the what-ifs. But what I have gone through can help someone who the Lord places in my path. I can now share with them in their struggles and tell them what I did to overcome the exact same issues they may be facing. That’s where our victory lies. To know what once was an issue, I can now help someone else so that it no longer is an issue for them as well.

We are faced with many choices in life. Your choices will either allow you to be a life-giver or life-threatener. Forgiving yourself doesn’t let you off the hook or justify your wrong behavior. It removes you from the depression and isolation state of where the enemy desires to keep you imprisoned. There is nothing gained in living in unforgiveness.

FORGIVE YOURSELF and then you can freely learn to forgive others.

During the holiday season, the hearts of men seem to be a little warmer, a bit more patient, and a tad bit more giving. It’s the time of year where we desire to help those in need and to place a smile on the face of a less fortunate child.

It is also a time where some do not feel as festive and giving as others. Maybe because of the loss of a loved one. Maybe you’ve imagined yourself to be at a different place in life, given your age and social status.

No matter the emotional state that we are in, we must continue to move forward. As we press toward the end of the year, don’t end this year with the same blues as you’ve had throughout the year. There will be no new season without reflection. Pause and reflect on the mistakes you have made. Forgive yourself for them and disassociate from anything that would cause you to repeat the same process. Reflect on the accomplishments and victories you have won and build upon those as well. Learn how to keep yourself in the love of God.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”Jude‬ ‭1:20-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Life is about pause, reflect and pursuit.

Have you ever done something that just crushed your grandmother or grandfather, and their reaction it hurt you to the core? They were slow to respond, if they responded at all. They may have not even uttered a word, but it was the expression on their face that causes you to drop your head in disgust. Maybe it was someone else other than your grandparents that you held in high regard, but we have all been there. Well…can you imagine disappointing our Heavenly Father, with nonsense? To the point, where He hangs His head in digits, not having anything to say- at a loss for words? From this point on, resolve not to do anything that will disappoint your Father.

Anytime we give in to sin, we frustrate the grace of God.

You have to resolve to not allow anyone or anything (including yourself) to stop you from celebrating the living hope that you have been given, even when your heart’s desires are yet to be realized. God is greater than our hearts because He created them. Since He created both it (our hearts) and us, He knows what would pull our hearts away from Him or draw us closer to Him, and we must therefore trust His plans for our lives.

Hope lives. God granted a hope that never dies, but this hope only manifests itself when we allow it to live through us. When we give up our own lives as a sacrifice to carry out the purpose of God, we are given a living hope in exchange. Just in case you are uncertain of that hope, it is Jesus.

Hope lives because JESUS is hope and He yet lives. His presence is felt everywhere, even in the MIDST of a worldwide catastrophic failure, Christ gave and continues to give us hope. That hope is revealed through salvation.

I don’t know about you, but I have something in view. I see my hope and I remember the promises of God through Jesus Christ. I know He lives, because He lives in me.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” 1 Peter‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Life exist is beyond what we see physically. 

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Your struggles will be manifested into successes. Only when you’ve overcome the test, will you be able to receive the revelation that it was all working for you good. Your giant problem is a giant door. In other words, the issues of life are opportunities for God to show up.

Question: “Well why was I chosen to be the recipient of so many trials and tribulations and not the receiver of the encouraging word to AVOID this mess?”

Reply: Because The Lord knows what He instilled in you. He has a fighter in YOU. Your tears, trials and persecution build your character. Truth is, the Lord is not an unconcerned and disconnected parent. He has everything to do with you. In fact, Jesus has the solution before the problem even presented itself. 9 times out of 10, your Father did send the encouragement,  but you were probably not willing to receive it. You did not want to listen. 

Remember this: There’s no main character to a story without a plot. There’s no hero without a villain. There’s no victory without a journey.

1. YOU are a winner.
2. YOU are a soldier.
3. YOU will not give up.
4. YOU will not give in.
5. YOU are a survivor.

When we set a drinking glass down or lift it to drink from it and then place it back down from its origin, our hand is still on the glass. Our hand is needed to guide the glass, ensuring the contents does not spill and to ensure the glass is stable enough to be placed back on the surface. 

When God places you in the valley of dry bones, He still has his hands on you. Otherwise, how would you come out?

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We all desire or strive for better. In some capacity of our lives. We want a better job. If in school, we desire our children to obtain better grades or if we ourselves are in school, we desire the same; but in order for us to become better people, we must accept change. Change is inevitable. 

If you desire for your children to obtain better grades, they may have to change their study habits.

If you desire to have a better job, you may have to return to school for a degree or take additional classes for a specific certification.

With all of this temporal desire for better, what about your spiritual life? Do you desire better for the real you? Do you desire to hear the Lord to speak to you as if you’re having a face-to-face conversation with someone? Do you desire to feel His presence like the wind that blows on a fall day? Everything that you desire is attached to having a strong relationship with the Lord. Guess what? The Lord Himself desires better for us as well. Insomuch, that He wants to transform us to His image.

That is what the word of God does. The word transforms us into God’s image. As we continue to grow in the Spirit, we continuously grow into the image of our Father. Oh it don’t take much for me to get excited. JESUS! I want to be like you. Continue to study and you’ll get better. Continue to pray and you’ll get better. Continue to seek for the Spirit of God to be seen and heard through you, and you’ll do better.

“And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” 2 CORINTHIANS‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Imagine that the word of God is a mirror. As you hold up your mirror, does your life reflect the word of God and His principles? As we grow in God, we should become a reflection of His character. And as you transform:

• Life gets better.
• You Feel better. 
• You make better choices. 
• The things you want no longer matter because you realize what YOU want may not edify Him. 
• Your image no longer carries so much weight because you want people to hear God speak when you open your mouth and see Him when they see you. 
• You no longer care about being the life of the party because you want life and the light of Christ to enter the room and command the attention. 
• What once was an issue now becomes a testimony. 
• What once was a struggle is now a praise moment. 

Make the word of God first in your life and watch your life become better. The best part of it all is to see the transformation from glory to glory. What a mighty God we serve. Get Jesus, and you get better! 

We get so bothered by things that hold no spiritual value. We fight battles that produce no spiritual reward. Why is that? It is not until reality hits us in the face that we realize some of our battles weren’t even worth starting a fight.

On last Saturday evening, I had determined that I would get in bed early. For the last 2-3 weeks I have been battling a cold which ultimately became the flu. I had missed so many services that I felt disconnected. See, for me, there is nothing like being in the presence of my Father. It’s a place where healing dwells. Peace is there and the comfort in knowing that someone loves me without conditions. My Father met me in His house and changed me there and I adore Him and appreciate the opportunity to dwell in a house where He desires to dwell because His Spirit is not everywhere…let me move on because I will go…there.

As I flipped through the channels one last time, I was drawn to a story that occurred March of this year. The story was about a man who had traveled the world from a lad of a boy. His dad’s job required international travel and living and now as an adult, this man’s job required international travel as well. Flying was second nature for him.

One particular day, this guy had plans to return home from an overseas business meeting. As he checked in at the airport and headed to his gate that would bring him back to the U.S., he heard a loud explosion. Suddenly there was smoke everywhere. He realized it was a terrorist attack and a bomb had gone off. Because of his travel experiences, he knew what to do in cases such as this and what direction to run. Always to a gate where security is. “Never run towards the exit,” he claimed, “because you are uncertain of where the perpetrators are.” So, he ran as quickly as possible away from the scene. 

Suddenly, another explosion. Another bomb had detonated. This time he wasn’t so lucky. The explosion happened just 30 feet from where he was. He had been hit. As he gathered himself, he looked down and recognized that he was completely covered in his own blood. His left leg was twisted and positioned in the total opposite direction as the other. He was bleeding from the hip as well. The man goes on to say that suddenly, only what mattered flashed before his eyes: His wife, and his family. He began to keep them in mind, saying within himself: “I have to get back to my girls. I have to get back home.” Knowing that he would die if he waited for help to arrive and despite the excruciating pain he was experiencing, the young man was able to get assistance from someone to prop himself up and his dangling, almost detached leg, to a luggage cart, and be carried out to the front of the airport. By chance, an ambulance was right there, saw him and rushed him to the hospital. This man believed and acted upon his belief. He thought on what mattered most to him. I dare you to think on things that matter (I just got excited).

Here is what matters:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things.” Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Oh My Lord and Savior…okay, okay…back to the story. This man’s road to recovery was long, requiring 6 surgeries and to remain IN the foreign country, away from his family. Did you hear me? He had to remain in the war zone. He had to stay in the MIDST of the storm. But even in the MIDST of the storm, his blessing was right there!

The last surgery would determine if he would ever walk again. What kept him focused on his goal, was what mattered most. 6 months after, his horrific ordeal, this man was met at the airport in his hometown with family, friends, and a city of supporters. However, his suffering was not over. There would be months of rehab required for the “possibility” of having the ability to walk again, with the terrible nerve damage done to his left leg. Did you hear me? There was no guarantee that he would have the ability to walk on his own, even after completing rehab. Even with the remote chance of walking, ohhh Jesus, the young man pressed and endured the process. 

THIS man continued to press toward the mark of his prize. His prize was the ability to walk and interact with his children. This man spoke nothing of JESUS or faith in God, but his faith moved me. I said within myself, if he could WILL himself into his victory, without the Lord…SURELY, I have my Savior, the Spirit of the living God, and a legion of Heavenly hosts, I WILL press toward the mark in Jesus!

“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I feel like I’m in a pulpit RIGHT now. I need you to understand the words in this devotion. Glory to the NAME of Jesus!!!!!
The guy went on to say that he looked back at how far he had come, and what remained constant to get him this far, would be the constant reminder that would allow him to push through the tough road that lied ahead of him. With strength, support, and resilience to never give up, he eventually walked again with no assistance.

If death were staring you in the face what you be thinking of? Your family? Children? Spouse? Your dreams and aspirations? The attitudes and behaviors you have had that reflect the opposite of who you say you’re representing- would it even matter?

This past week, we celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday. Are you able to look back at who and what kept you from dangers seen and unseen? What were you thankful for? We ought to be thankful for what we have, but bae bae, be thankful for what you don’t have as well.

• Thank God for not allowing you to get married to that man/woman who was abusive.
• Thank God for keeping you from getting that disease that could’ve killed you, as you slept around with who and whatever you desired.
• Thank God for not killing you in the MIDST of your willing act of sin when you knew that it was wrong.
• Thank God for not giving you the job that you desired, whose doors are now closing or downsizing.
• Thank God for not giving you the apartment that you wanted, that was just on the news from a horrific tragedy.

We must declare the works of the Lord not only with our mouths,!but also in our hearts and lifestyles.

Live each day as if it’s your last. Treat others with respect and be a SURE follower of Jesus. None of us have any idea of when that time will be our last time. Since we are fully aware of this, what prevents us from being more passionate, loving, kind and forgiving?

What stops us from doing the will of God and not our own? Every day we wake up is a constant reminder that we could one day not wake up. Isn’t that enough for you to get your life in order?

Focus on what matters most.

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭20:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬