Shake it Off

We all go through disappointment, doubt, and discouragement. It is not wrong to feel defeated at times. However, if we don’t learn to shake off our disappointments quickly, then we’ll lose valuable time regretting things beyond our control.

Most of our disappointments are due to our lack of better judgement. I know people who made a mistake thirty years ago but they’re still sitting on the sideline of life lamenting it. They’ve allowed themselves to be the prisoners of their past. Others are victims of their fellowmen. Unjust things were said or done to them. It was unfair. However, they’ve allowed unforgiveness and bitterness to take root in them. Now they’re breathing but not living. No matter how the disappointment or hurt got into you, you’ve got to let it go. Unless we learn to quickly shake off the negative words, experiences, and deeds done against us, we will not live a fulfilled life.

The other day I was putting gas in my car. I saw a young attendant, Rebecca, cleaning up the trash can right by my car. I asked her if she was going to college. She said, “Yes.” I was very impressed and told her that she was going to go places in her life. She smiled and moved on to the next trash can. I was still waiting to fill up my tank when the Holy Spirit gently nudged me in reminder that I hadn’t done anything practical to show her God’s love. When I finished filling up my gas tank, I drove around looking for her and called her to my window. When she came over, I gave her one of my inspirational CDs and some money to buy her lunch. I reminded her again that God loved her and He will reward her hard work. Rebecca was very happy and grateful.

I was feeling good about reaching out to Rebecca. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was driving. Accidentally, I was exiting the gas station from the entry point. Immediately I realized my mistake. The first car came by while I was waiting for the traffic to clear. I had my hands up in apology. He didn’t seem to mind and went around my car at the wrong exit. I still had my hands up in apology when the second car came around. This man wasn’t as forgiving as the first one. He was shaking his fingers and yelling at me. Even though the windows were closed, I could feel the rage in this man! I was so taken aback. Of course, I was in the wrong exit. It was a mistake but I felt like rolling down my windows and giving this stranger a piece of my mind. Thank God the Holy Spirit prevailed. I just smiled and gestured apologies and drove away. This kept bothering me for almost an hour. Every time, I had to shake off the negative and remind myself how God’s love was able to touch Rebecca!

When discouragement and hurtful thoughts come to your mind, I suggest you do the same. Shake off the guilt, shame and criticisms. Forgive the people who have done you wrong. Replace your negative feelings with positive ones. Nothing is worth mulling over past mistakes, negative thoughts, comments or actions of others. It will only drag you down. Shake it off and step it up!

A couple of months ago, I was driving down the road by my house. I had a lot on my mind before a missions trip. I was coming to stop at a traffic light and I saw some birds on the road. This is common and obviously, I didn’t pay much attention to it as they always fly away. Well, this time they didn’t. I ran over three of them and they were just babies. I felt so horrible. I reversed my car to see if I could rescue them but it was too late. The mama bird was sitting by the road watching! I felt so guilty and condemned myself. It took me days to get over it. Finally, I had to do what I’m telling you today. I had to shake it off and move on. Friend, there will be times in your life when you have to forgive yourself. If we don’t have a healthy perspective, we’ll live a life of regret and lamentation.

Today, may I encourage you to shake it off and move on? We cannot control others or justify their actions, but we can choose to forgive them and move on. Let us not be so hard on ourselves. When we’ve done something wrong, the best thing we can do is to ask for forgiveness and press forward. God is not a scorekeeper for our faults. The biggest button on His computer is the delete button. My question is, “Will you press the delete button as well?” God has forgiven you; it’s time to forgive others and yourself. I love you and I’m praying for you!

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NLT).

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God will Use Your Shortcoming

What a wonderful season of the year this is! Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love to see happy faces, festivities and the hustle and bustle of shopping and good times. Unfortunately for many, this is the worst time of the year.

I know people who dread festivities, good times and enjoying themselves. They retrieve because they’d done something wrong in the past. Guilt, shame and regret engulf their lives. Some resort to alcohol, drugs and other self-inflicting vices. We should never judge people like that instead, reach out and try to include them in our circle.

I can speak for myself. I made many blunders in my life. Believe it or not, I used to be selfish, moody, insecure, unfaithful, unreliable, lying blankety blank. (I’m still working on some of these issues.) When I felt guilt and condemnation, I’d turn to do more of the same thinking, I’m good for nothing. I don’t deserve anything better. Thankfully, a series of event in my life catapulted me to take a hard, long look at myself. I had to decide whether to let the enemy’s voice win or accept God’s plan for my life. I chose the latter and what a ride it has been since then. Today, I’m able to minister to thousands facing those same issues.

Here’s what I’ve learnt. When you’ve done something wrong or something bad happens to you, there are three choices. You can either let it define you, let it destroy you or allow it to strengthen you. If we have God’s perspective, we’ll always allow our weakness to strengthen us.

Many people sit on the sideline today because they made a mistake thirteen years ago. There are others who feel less of themselves because they don’t think they look beautiful nor have any talent. They constantly feel inferior amongst others. They look down on themselves and mistakenly give heed to the accusing voices of the devil. Don’t let that be you. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” God will use your shortcomings to thrust you into amazing things God has in store for you.

This is what happened to Zacchaeus in the Bible. He had two things going against him. He had a bad reputation as a tax-collector and he was short in stature. Understandably, Zacchaeus allowed his self-esteem to drop but deep in his heart, he had a desire for God. He wanted to do the right thing. He wanted to see Jesus. There was no way for sinner Zacchaeus to get close to the Holy Man but he was determined. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. You know, today, people everywhere are looking for Jesus. If we Christians were a little more sensitive to their need and less judgmental to their sins, many more will follow Him. That’s exactly what happened to Zac. Jesus overlooked all the people pressing on Him and looked straight to Zac and said, “Come down, we’re going to dinner together.”  Jesus saw the heart of Zacchaeus while people looked at his shortcomings. Friend, Jesus is looking at you today. If you’re wrestling with your past, let it go; there’s no future there. The enemy has kept you crippled for too long. Why don’t you accept God’s free gift of forgiveness and mercy? He has a life waiting for you that you cannot comprehend. Today is your day. Will you turn to Christ?

Friend, there’s no better time to get your life right with God than this time of Christmas. Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” That’s Good News my friend. It doesn’t matter where you have been. What matters is where God can take you. Will you say this prayer with me? “Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned. I need a Savior. I accept you as my Lord. I repent from my sins. Give me the strength to overcome sin and bad habits by the power of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name.” Friend, if you prayed that prayer, you’re born again. Tell someone about your experience today and let the God of peace lead and guide you in all Truth. I’m praying for you!

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10 NLT).

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Get Back Up

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes it can feel like there are more down than up. Everyone goes through periods of discouragement and failures. It’s not falling that keeps us down but our failure to get back up.

How fast we get back up when we fail determines how successful we become. Great men and women learn to get up quickly. There’s nothing wrong when you have a bad day, bad decision or even a bad year but there’s nothing right staying and wallowing in our wrong choices. The sooner we learn to get back up the faster the scenery of our lives will change.

When we fall, one of the first things we have to deal with is our own conscience. For a Christian, the Holy Spirit is there to convict us. The Spirit never condemns us but He gently steer us back to God. On the contrary, the enemy is the accuser of the brethren. The sooner we accept our wrongs, take ownership and repent from our wrong ways the sooner we’ll experience God’s power of restoration and reinforcement to get back on the road to success.

I know many people who made a mistake years ago but are still sidelined by their wrongs. They forgive others but they cannot seem to forgive themselves. Being trapped in the mistakes of our past is a miserable prison. Some believe that they’re out of reach from God’s mercy. Just the opposite is true. In the Old Testament our sins were barely covered by the sacrificial blood of the animals. In the New Testament, our sins are not just covered but they’re eradicated. They’re gone forever!

One of the greatest mistakes Peter made was to deny Jesus three times. In most of our minds that was the unforgivable sin. But Peter knew better. After walking, talking and hanging around with Jesus, he knew the power of God’s love and mercy. Peter wept bitterly and repented from his sins. Later, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon Peter, he became a transformed man. The same person who denied Christ three times was now preaching to thousands and proclaiming the Gospel fearlessly. Historians say Peter was crucified upside down because of his faith. What brought such radical change in Peter’s life? He learnt the secret of forgiving himself and allowing the Holy Spirit to revolutionize his life.

Not all people make serious mistakes like Peter. Sometimes we get angry with our kids and we let that eat our day. At times we lose patience in traffic or long grocery line and we allow that to affect the rest of the day. When we get rejected by a sales call or a negative email, we can get easily discouraged. When the best client leaves us or we lose our job, we can be upset for days. Many people never recover from hurt and betrayal. I say this in love but there has to come a point when we have to forgive the offender or ourselves for our own good. We have to get up quickly and move forward in life.

Walt Disney was fired as a newspaper editor on the grounds that “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. The proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it will only attract riffraff. Friend, don’t let your mistakes hold you back. Your wrong choices don’t define you. They’re just expensive lessons you’ve learnt.

Today, I urge you to take inventory of your life. Don’t hang on to the past mistakes and disappointments. Today is a new day. God’s mercies are new every day. Give your mistakes to God and allow His Holy Spirit to empower you again. You’re not washed up. God didn’t sideline you. You’re still in the game. Like Peter and Disney, there’s a comeback waiting for you. Remember, the difference between success and failure is the person who gets up one more time than the other. Let’s start over. I’m praying for you!

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again” (Proverbs 24:16 NLT).

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Don’t Seek the Glory

We live in a culture and society where instant gratification is the code of conduct. Our attention span is getting shorter. We don’t like to wait for anything and certainly if we do an act of service, we want the spotlight.

This is very contradictory to the teachings of Jesus. His life was filled with miracles yet He told people He touched “Don’t tell anybody.” How different it is from the mindset of today. You hardly can do anything without getting acknowledged for it. Not that it is wrong to be recognized and thanked for what we do but when we seek the glory for what we do, we’ve missed the heart of it.

Couple of weeks ago, I was traveling in Oklahoma. We stopped for lunch at a local restaurant because I really wanted to try some country food. While we waited for our order I spotted three young soldiers in their uniform eating and having a good time. The sacrifice of the servicemen always touches my heart. I called the waitress to the side and asked her to put their tab under my name and not to tell them anything. When they came to pay their bill I was sitting right next to the counter. Trying to be anonymous I kept talking to my kids. I thought they’d just leave but the waitress had told them. They came by our table to thank me for buying them lunch. I didn’t want to be recognized but it just played out that way. No harm was done that day although I’d have preferred to have been anonymous.

One of the great lessons I learned early in life is to help others without seeking glory for it. There’s nothing wrong when people acknowledge our goodness but when we’re doing something to impress people rather than God then we’re doing it for the wrong motive. A far greater attitude is to help people because it is the right thing to do. What we do for others in secret will be rewarded by God openly.

In December 1938, a 29-year-old London stockbroker by the name of Nicholas Winton was about leave for a Skiing holiday in Switzerland. Just as he was about to leave he got a call from a friend in Prague, Czechoslovakia asking him to come and help him with the most interesting assignment. When Winton got there he found thousands of Jewish refugees living in camps under appalling conditions.

Immediately Winton began a rescue operation for the children. After he returned to England, Winton worked as a stockbroker by the day and labored late into the night to bring Jewish children out of the danger zone. After the war Winton didn’t tell anyone, not even his wife Grete about his wartime heroic effort. Half a century later Grete discovered a scrapbook in their attic with all the children’s photos, a complete list of names, letters from the parents to Winton and other documents. Winton had rescued 669 children from the sure death of the Nazi regime. Half a century later Winton was recognized by various groups, and the nation of Israel. Today Sir Nicholas Winton is 104 years old. He still wears the ring given to him by some of the children he saved. On the ring is inscribed: “Save one life, save the world.”

 

Friend, very few of us can do great things but all of us can do a small thing in a great way. You may not be able to save hundreds of lives like Sir Winton but can you buy lunch for a serviceman? Jesus healed people without getting recognition from the religious institution of His days. Can you reach out and touch a broken heart? Modesty is a lost art today. But God never forgets anything we do in His name. When we help others without seeking glory for it, God Himself will pay us back.

Don’t say to yourself I cannot do anything great. Don’t seek greatness; have a heart to help. Don’t focus on what you cannot do. Do what you can. When we save one life with the Gospel of Christ, we give them eternal passage. Save one life, save the world!

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness” (Matthew 25:21 NIV)!

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Partnership in Winning Souls

Winning lost souls to Christ is a spiritual responsibility for every Christian. Almost three billion people live in India and China - most of them have had little or no exposure to the Gospel. Every day, 86,000 people die in Asia without hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

With the rise of nationalism, today 80% of Asian countries do not allow traditional missionary work. We'll never be able to "import" enough foreign missionaries to reach a whole nation. But God has not abandoned his dream to save the world. Therefore He is raising an army of dedicated, committed and able national workers to reach their own people. Full-time missionaries in the West are declining while more young people in Asia are risking their lives for an opportunity to serve as a Gospel worker.

The new shift in missions has been a blessing in disguise. In India alone there are more than 1,600 languages spoken by millions of people. Native missionaries have no language or cultural barrier. They can travel freely to any part of their own country. They have a living testimony of the power of the Gospel in their own community. It is not considered a western religion when they hear it from a native missionary. They’re used to simple lifestyle without running water, air condition and electricity. It costs only $120-250 per month compared to thousands for a foreign missionary.Top of Form

Native missionaries in Asia have been extremely effective.  Every day, 20,000 are accepting Christ in India. In Communist China, 25,000 people are finding the Lord through the hardship, dedication of our brothers and sisters.

What Can You Do to Win Souls?

Most Christians in the West tell me that they’ve never led a person to Christ. They want to win souls but they lack opportunity at home. One of the best ways to credit souls to our heavenly account is to work in partnership with a native missionary. You may think of it as outsourcing bulk of your soul-winning venture. While native missionaries risk everything even their very own lives to proclaim the Gospel, without financial support, their fruitfulness is limited. When you partner with a native missionary, they win souls on your behalf.  Here's what you can do:

1.  Pray.  More has been changed through prayers on our knees than any other method in the world. When you pray for your missionary, he/she will have supernatural protection to spread the Gospel in hostile, anti-Christian territory.

2.  Support.  Depending on the size and location of the family, it cost between $120 and $250 per month to sponsor a native missionary through Build International Ministries. You can partially support one worker for only $1 a day. Your support allows your missionary to rent a room, buy simple food and clothes for the family.

When you become a sponsor, we'll send you a picture and a short life testimony of your missionary so you can pray. You'll also receive periodical updates about your missionary's family, struggles, victories and prayer needs.

Friend, will you consider sponsoring a Native Missionary today? You can also pull resources together with your friends and family to support a missionary. You can send multiple missionaries as a group, business or a church to win souls for you. They in turn will be committed to pray for you daily. Together, we can make eternal impact. Please let us hear from you.

“You will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:9 NLT).

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Be a Person of Excellence

It doesn’t take much effort to be ordinary. Doing the minimum is an easy road to travel. But God didn’t make us to be average. He wants us to be a person of excellence because God is first-class all the way.

What does it mean to be a person of excellence? Let me start by saying excellence is not perfection. Excellence means doing an ordinary thing in an extra-ordinary fashion. How we do one thing is how people perceive us doing everything. A person of excellence will make an extra effort to deliver his best – all the time.

None of us can perform at 100% all the time but it’s our attitude and commitment to do our best in every situation that shows excellence in our lives. A person of excellence will go the extra mile even when it is hard. A person of excellence will come to work early, give his best and not leave early. When you have a spirit of excellence, it will demonstrate in your work and cause you to find favor and rise higher. One of Mother Teresa’s favorite quotes was, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

In the Bible, Joseph had a spirit of excellence. In spite of cruel treatment from his brothers, fellow prisoner and Pharos’s wife, Joseph was a person of integrity and excellence. His rise to the top was characterized by his commitment to excellence. When temptation came Joseph ran the opposite direction. He took a stand for what was right before God. Compromise and mediocrity may give you a temporary advantage but when you’re a person of excellence, you’ll have God’s favor that will cause you to stand out amongst the average.

What are some ways we can have excellence in our lives? At home, take care of what God has given you. Your relationships at home are much more important than your career or the stuff. How we treat our loved ones are an indicator of how high we will fly. How we treat our spouse, our children and even our pets will define if we’re a person of excellence or not. If we’re always taking our family for granted, giving them the leftover time and energy then we’re living a mediocre life. If our home is a mess and dirty dishes pile up all the time, we’re being average. A person of excellence will do his/her best to take best care of what God has given him. When we exhibit excellence at home, we’re raising the bar for our children.

I’d love to claim that I’ve always been a person of excellence but that would be wrong. I remember I had a bad habit of leaving my chewing gum in all sorts of places. It was a small thing. No one really saw what I was doing but deep inside I knew I was being lazy. I didn’t want to put trash where it belonged. Instead of putting it in my pocket, I’d just leave it in the wrapper even in the church pews! I know I was terrible. Another area of struggle I had was to put the shopping cart where it belongs. Then the Holy Spirit began to teach me excellence in these small things and my life became more fruitful.

 

We can demonstrate excellence at our workplace. Our commitment to excellence is a much greater sermon than what we can preach with our words. We as representatives of Christ should be the highest performer. We should have the best attitude. We should uphold the company policy and submit and support the management. When we are top performers at work, we’ll have not only have job security but influence others and commend respect. Nobody can be perfect but there’s a great difference between being perfect and having a spirit of excellence. When we pick up the trash other people have left, we’re being excellent. When we avoid the office gossip, we’re being a person of excellence. When we submit and defend the management’s decision we’re carving our way to the top. Being a person of excellence has its own rewards. Remember, God is ALWAYS watching us. Not so much to see what we’re doing wrong but what we’re doing right so He can promote us.

Friend, let’s do the small things in a big way. When we’re displaying excellence in our work, like Joseph, God will cause us to rise higher and find favor in unusual ways. Today, will you commit yourself to excellence? When we do, we’ll draw in God’s favor like never before. Be a person of excellence and promotion will be the hallmark of your life.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:23 NIV).

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Develop a Spiritual Growth Plan

Most of us have plans or desires for our lives. We plan for better health, finances and vacations every year. Some of us even plan for our passing and thereafter. How about our spiritual growth plan?

One of the greatest examples in the Bible is King David. He was never tired of growing in God. He said, “Early will I see you.” He also wrote, “Like a thirsty soul looking for water, I’ll seek God.” David spent a great amount of his time reflecting on God’s goodness. He wrote 150 songs asserting God’s goodness to Him. As a King, David did not have time but he made time for Him. God was his priority. Is there any wonder that David was one of the greatest kings of Israel!

Plans are good to have. Without a vision we perish. Even God has plans for us. “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:10-11 NLT). When we plan, not only we know what to do but others can be part of fulfilling our plans. If we don’t have a plan, we will drift through life never accomplishing anything significant for God. So how do we develop a spiritual growth plan?

One of the best ways to grow spiritually is to be conscious of God at all times. Whatever you focus on will grow. If we make God the center of our lives, we will find ourselves growing spiritually. I’ve never met a cook who doesn’t enjoy eating. If you hang around the workout room or the gym, you will start to exercise. Being around God is not just for the weekend - it’s a lifestyle. Jesus said, “I will never leave your or forsake you.” Can we do the same for Him?

A genuine way to show how much we love God is to grow in the areas that displease God. Our spiritual growth is like a love affair. When we love someone, they don’t have to twist our arms to please them. We aim to please the person we’re in love with. We all have areas we can improve. Worry, anger, unforgiveness, impatience, negativity, self-ambition, bad habits and addictions will weigh us down. When we make plans to grow out of these low life habits, we’re growing spiritually. If we’re carrying the same baggage we had ten years ago, we’re hindering our own spiritual growth. We may make it to heaven but we’ll live a beaten down life on earth. Let’s grow and be free in the areas God is dealing with us now.

Another way we can grow spiritually is to know and obey His Word. A relationship is as good as you know the other person. The more we know about the other person the better we can please and serve him/her. If you want to know God, you have to study God’s Word. The Bible contains the thoughts of God. It tells us what God likes and dislikes. The Bible is God’s love letters to us. We shouldn’t just have head-knowledge of God but also keep His commands. Not out of necessity but because of our love for Him. We can do that through our prayers, sacrifice and commitment to please Him more every day.

A true measure of spiritual growth is reproduction. When we go past our “I, me, my” Christianity, we will engage in reproduction. Every Christian ought to be a witness and be involved in making disciples. When we lead others in the path of righteousness, we’re becoming spiritual fathers in the faith. A mature Christian exerts his time, effort and energy to grow God’s Kingdom – both at home and abroad. When we seek first the Kingdom of God, He will make sure to give us everything we need. Friend, don’t just set goals for your finances, family or retirement but also develop a spiritual growth plan. God wants a better relationship with us. Let’s grow in our love, devotion and commitment to Him. When we please God with our thoughts, words and actions, we will draw in God’s favor like nothing else.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

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You Have a History with God

Yesterday, my friend was distraught. He was in great stress. He felt he’d let himself, his family and God down. He’d made some mistakes but in the midst of his calamity, he’d forgotten all the things he had done right.

When we’re discouraged, we tend to forget all the things that are going right with us. We forget our past accomplishment and things that we’ve done right. We forget that the Bible says that our future will get brighter and brighter. A temporary setback does not define who we are but our history with God does.

We all have areas in our lives to improve. None of us have arrived. You may still have a long way to go but don’t forget to stop and look how far you’ve come. When you look at your past victories, you’ll have faith in God for your coming exploits. Don’t get bogged down with how far you have to go, just keep going and do the best you can. When we take time to approve ourselves, we will fuel our future victories.

The key to your future success is not to be affected by your past failures. Successful people are those who get up one more time, hold on to their faith a little longer and looks at God’s promise one more time. The greatest men of faith in the Bible made glaring mistakes. You have to understand that it’s not your “doing” that attracts God but it’s the humility of our hearts that gets God’s attention.

Like I told my friend, look at all the things you’ve done right. You took care of your family. You spent time with your children. You went to work without complaining (Ok maybe a little bit)! You put up with your micro-manager boss, you volunteered, you prayed, gave your tithes and offerings, helped a neighbor, said kind words to a stranger – the list goes on and on. I’m not suggesting let your good outweigh the bad philosophy. The Bible says, when we humble ourselves and confess our sins God doesn’t remember them anymore. The biggest key on God’s computer is the delete button. Don’t torment yourself one more hour that have happened in the past.

When you’ve fallen short of His grace the best thing you can do is plead guilty, ask for forgiveness and move on. Remind God that you have a history with Him. Thank Him for the times He came through for you in the past. Remind Him about the time He healed your child. Tell Him how you got into your first house. Recall how He delivered you from a legal situation. God loves history. He honors the fact that you’ve been faithful and loyal to Him. The scripture says, come let us reason together – He is inviting us to remind ourselves all the times He came through for us.

I have three children. I consider myself to be a good father. I’m a little biased but my kids are the best in the world! I tell them that every day. They’re close but not as perfect as their dad! They’re growing. At times they make mistakes. No matter how wrong they are one thing they all know, as soon as they ask for forgiveness, they’re clear with me. I don’t bring up their mistakes and they don’t remember what they did wrong. Our Father in heaven is much better than any earthly father. God is not looking for you to make a mistake so He can punish you; He is looking for you to do something right so that He can bless you. Don’t punish yourself. Accept God’s free gift of grace and mercy. Sin no more! Get on with your life and enjoy what God has in store for you. Don’t look at your flaws look at your strengths. Your value has not diminished. You have a history with God.

If you haven’t heard it lately, know that you’re loved and celebrated. Shake off the dust of your past. Rectify your wrongs and move on. You’re bigger than your mistakes! You’re going to go places you’ve not imagined. God is not only with you, He is for you. I believe in you! God believes in you. Now you must believe in yourself. I know you will.

“Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (Psalm 27:10 NIV).

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God Cares About You

My friends Terry and Melissa work very hard and recently they were vacationing in a cruise ship. When they reached St. Martin everyone got off the boat and they were lying on the beach surrounded by spectacular scenes.

The waters were so calm and tempting that Melissa went into the water to splash around. Suddenly from nowhere came a huge wave and knocked her down on the sand.  It was so powerful that her husband had to pull her out of the wave. When she came out of the water she realized that her sunglasses have been washed away by the strong current. They looked everywhere but couldn’t find it. She has had Lasik surgery so she’s really sensitive to the sun. She was so disappointed!

It was a damper in their perfect holiday experience. As she walked back to her beach chair, Melissa quietly prayed under her breath. She said, “Lord I know this sounds ridiculous but would you please help me find my sunglasses?” Within minutes from her prayers she saw a fellow cruiser holding up a pair of sunglasses to his wife. Melissa’s heart jumped for hope. They looked just like hers! She asked, “Hey, did you find those on the beach?” The stranger replied, “Yes, I did. Are they yours?” Melissa replied, “If they’re Ray Ban, yes they’re mine!” Sure enough, those were her Ray Ban! The stranger said, “My son had lost his snorkel, we found it and your sunglasses was stuck with it!”

I love the audacity of my friend’s faith! If you ask them, Melissa and her husband wouldn’t claim to be a “super Christian” but they have “child-like faith.” Imagine! What are the odds of finding a pair of Ray Ban in the vast ocean? What is the chance of a stranger looking for his snorkel and finding the glasses stuck with it? What are the probabilities that they would meet? A few minutes before or after, they would have missed each other!

Friend, this is our God! He knows what you need and how to get it to you. You may think you’re asking for a trivial thing but don’t hold back. God not only cares about your big needs He wants to answer your small prayers. This is what makes our God so intimate and lovable. He is colossal yet He is concerned with the smallest details of our tiny life on earth. Wouldn’t you trust Him with your struggles? He’s a BIG Daddy; He can take care of you.

Today when you go about your day will you pause to remember God? Throughout the day, recognize His presence. Tell others how much you appreciate Him just like Melissa, acknowledge His goodness to me. When you hear someone worried about something, offer to pray for that person. Big or small, our God answers prayers. He wants to be involved in every area of your life. You can worry or you can pray. Prayer is better! All prayers are small for our God. A million dollars or a thousand dollars, cancer or sleepless nights, two bedroom apartments or a dream home, saving a thousand souls or one are all the same for our God. But you have to ask before you can receive. His love for you is so great that He attends to your smallest request. You cannot buy His love and attention with good deeds. He already loves you just the way you are. He cares for the deepest concerns of your heart and He will not ignore your smallest prayers. Instead of getting frustrated why not pray? He knows how to find a pair of Ray Ban in the vast ocean. He will find an answer to your situation also. Listen to what the Word of God says.

"Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Matthew 7:7 God’s Word).

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Walk with God

I believe most people reading my posts have a personal relationship with God. I don’t have to preach to you in order to get your attention to follow Him. I know your desire is to please God.

So what does it mean to walk with God? Is there a secret or a mystery in walking with Him? I don’t think so. Walking with God simply means, acknowledging Him in all our ways all the time. How is that possible?

When I minister in Arab nations, I’m reminded by the public announcement system when it’s time to worship God. They blast holy prayers before the crack of dawn, at noon and at night. Like it or not, everything is interrupted to the call for prayer. This is religion and it is the law of the land.

Walking with God is voluntary. When you read about the life of Enoch in the Bible, there was not much happening. People were born, they lived and they died. History gives us a long list of names that came and went. But then came along Enoch and the Bible says, “Enoch walked with God.” One day he was so far along walking with Him that God said, “Listen Enoch, you’ve walked with me for so long that my house is closer than yours. Why don’t you just come home with me?” Enoch did not have to face death; God just took him!

I know many of you start your day off with a daily devotion. You have a habit of checking in with God before you do any other activity. Walking with God means, you acknowledge Him when you drive to work, in the middle of your day, when you’re doing laundry and when you’re watching a game. Walking with God means living a God conscience life!

When you walk with God, you feel the presence of God pushing you forward. You talk to Him continually. It’s an internal dialogue. You repent quickly when you do something wrong. You ask for His consultation before you make a decision. When you walk with God, you consider the result before you act and how it affects others. Walking with God means to constantly seek His will and doing things that pleases Him. Like the traffic lights, walking with God means to yield to God’s timing.

I heard about a Christian who proudly said to his friend, “I’m walking with God for twenty eight years!” Immediately the Holy Spirit corrected him, “What are you talking about? You’ve been walking with me for two years and I’ve been dragging you for the last twenty six!” Today I challenge you to walk with God every day of your life.

“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24 NIV).

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Have a Clear Conscience

One of the worst things that will trip you up is to go through life with a guilty conscience. Nothing depletes your confidence like feeling insecure before God. Living without a clear conscience is like driving a car at 30 MPH when you know it can go at 100 MPH.

Having a guilty conscience stems from two misconceptions. We think, “Being a Christian means we cannot sin or make mistakes.” Second, we think, “God is angry with us when we sin.” Allow me to share a couple of thoughts that will help you live with a clear conscience.

The Bible says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” All of us sin. It’s not sin that displeases God as much as our reluctance to ask God for His forgiveness. The best thing we can do when we sin is to ask God to forgive us. The sooner we get our hearts right with God, the least we will feel the effect of sin.

Religion tells us that God is mad at us when we’ve done wrong. Truth is our God is not an angry when we sin. Like the Prodigal Son, God eagerly waits for us to “come home.” The Holy Spirit gently convicts but He does not condemn us. God does not keep a running record of our wrongs either. Like Abraham, He keeps track of our rights and calls it righteousness. Friend, God is not mad at you; He is madly in love with you. Don’t carry the heavy weight of guilt anymore.

So how can we have a clear conscience? First, admit to God that you’re wrong. If we confess our sins He will forgive us. Second, accept God’s forgiveness by faith. The enemy will remind you of your past sins but you have to learn to ignore those accusing voices. What God acquits, Satan has no power to blame you again for. The biggest button on God’s computer is the delete button. Once you’ve received God’s forgiveness, quit reminding God about it. He has no record of it and neither should you! Third, turn away from things that are contrary to God’s Word. Daily, ask God to give you power to live a righteous life.

King David, who had a heart after God’s own heart said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me” (Psalm 51:10 NKJV). When you surrender yourself and live with a clear conscience with God, you will have “Godfidence” for every success in your life.

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