Life Lessons

So many times we strive to be perfect in life. We try to say all the right things and do all the right things. We try to be perfect, and when we fail we get into a rut. We try to be perfect but we forget that Jesus was the only one who walked the earth that was perfect.

There are three lessons that can help us to not beet ourselves up when we fall short of being perfect.

Lesson Number 1:

• To reach God your prayer doesn't have to be perfect.

The fact is some people just don't know how to pray.

Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells us a story about a tax collector and a Pharisee. The Pharisee began to pray and basically told the Lord he was perfect. The tax collector prayed and was so open that he told the Lord he was a sinner, and asked the Lord to be merciful.

Jesus says in verse 14: "I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

We must be open with God about our sin. After all, he knows anyways.

Lesson Number 2:

• To reach people your life doesn't have to be perfect.

We must be ready to get into the game. You can't wait for your life to be perfect. If you wait, your going to be on the bench all your life.

The Lord is looking for people who want to get into the game. Even though you are going to mess up, fall, stumble, or say the wrong things, we must get in the game.

Romans 7:14-20 talks about a man struggling with sin. Sometimes just like the man we do things that we don't want to do. We were born into sin. We have a sinful nature. Versus 18-20 says, "And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. 19) I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20) But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong, it is sin living in me that does it.

Bottom line, we are going to mess up. Just step out and do something.

Lesson Number 3:

• Your vision doesn't have to be practical.

Many of us read inspirational books or books that give us vision, or self help books. But they are missing one thing. The Spirit of God.

When we look at practicality, we can't do anything. But with the spirit of God, practicality is not a factor.

Practically, Moses couldn't have convinced Pharaoh to let his people go!

Practically, David shouldn't have been able to kill Goliath.

Practically, the disciples couldn't have preached the gospel in an effective way that it made it all around the world.

We need the power of the Holy Ghost!

1 Corinthians 2:9,10 says, "That is what the scriptures mean when they say, "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 10) But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets."

Dream God dreams and put them into action. Don't wait to be perfect in your prayer. Don't wait for your life to be perfect, and your vision doesn't have to be practical.

Family

So many times we take our family for granet. We sometimes simply overlook our family. We go days sometimes without talking to our parents, or to our brothers, and sisters.

This past week I have really given this thought. Without family, we are not who we are. Without family, we are not connected to anyone. Being a family gives you a quality about yourself.

After the death of my friend last week, I have been thinking that family is the most important part of your life. I havent always been the one to express to my parents, brothers, and sisters that I love them and that I apreciate them. I am now trying to take each day and tell them personaly that I love them. I'm not sure what will come from it but I'm not looking for any more aproval than I already have.

Love today like it's your last!

Life

Last night I found out that a friend of mine killed himself. When I herd this I was shocked. There was a sick feeling that came over me instantly. I would have never expected it from this person. He was one of my best friends brothers growing up. Last night as I set thinking about it all the memories came flooding through my mind. I can remember my family and there family would eat at Taco Bell a couple times a week after football practice when we were little. I can remember we used to go water skiing during the summer almost every weekend. I would spend the night at there house almost all the time. We were close.

We are never guaranteed another breath. We should thank God everyday that we are able to role out of bed in the mornings. Life is a gift and we should take it serious. Never take it lightly. I have chosen to make my life, and my eternity secure in heaven. I have chosen to give my life to Jesus Christ, that's the only guarantee we have that we will spend eternity in heaven. How do we know if we will go to heaven or hell?

The bible tells us in Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That means that nobody is perfect and nobody but Jesus has ever been perfect but Jesus. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This means that if you are living in sin then you will go to hell. But if you give your life to Jesus Christ you will spend eternity with him. Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Being able to ask Jesus into our life is a gift that God has givin us. Finally, 1 John 5:13 says, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." We will spend eternity with our creator if we choose to make a decision to live for him. We must turn from our old ways and look to Jesus. We should not conform to the ways of the world. But we should be set apart.

Examine your heart. You can make this decision by saying a simple prayer: Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner. I know that you died on the cross for me. Please come into my heart and make me clean. Forgive my sin so that I may know you. Amen!

Forgotten

There are people in this world that we have no idea what they do. People have simply been forgotten. All over the world there are unreached people groups. There are people in remote villages that no person, or any outside communication have reached.

Thursday, I went with a team to a place in Benton, LA. We went to a horse training farm where a bunch of Hispanic people work as trainers for race horses. This place is like a little community. They are not unreached, but people just have no clue they even exist. Me and our team of about twenty five young people, went with our youth pastor to minister to them. We shared testimonies, and did a drama. There were about five or six people that accepted Jesus Christ as there Lord and Savior.

I was so blessed to speak into these peoples lives. We went to bless them, but I think that I was blessed more. That happens so many times in life with really anything. You go to give, but you end up receiving.

All this to say that there are people that are forgotten. Many times we are so tunnel visioned as we go through our day. We never even look left or right to see the people next to us. I just want to encourage you to look around and find the forgotten people in your area. It doesn't take much. Maybe just a smile or a pat on the back. You could even bless them by taking them to lunch or just spending time with them. James 1:27 says this, "Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Finish the Race

So many people start something and never finish. Why is that? Is it because they face struggles? Or is it because it turns out to be something that they thought would be something else.

Speaking for myself, I know I get tired of the things I have going on in my life, but I understand the importance of what I do. For example, college isn't so easy, but the reward for finishing is great. Living a Godly life isn't always the easiest or most popular thing to do, but there is a reward in the end. The list goes on and on. Life is full of things that we have to do and sometimes those things aren't always things we want to do.

In the book of Acts, chapter 20 verse 22-24 Paul writes, "And now, compelled by the spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Paul could have said, you know what, I want to quit my ministry, find my wife, and live the rest of my life without a chance that he would be killed. But he didn't, he knew the importance of finishing the race.

If we don't finish the race we may just erase someones destiny. The end of your assignment could be the beginning of the next persons assignment.

I challenge you to run the race and not give up. Look at the things you have to do in life that don't look good now and look at the blessing that is on the other side. I leave you with a scripture to encourage you through the trials of life.

James 1:2-5 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Overcame by an Overcomer

In life we have all faced circumstances that we have no idea how we got into. We grew up in a broken home or grew up in an abusive home. Many of us have faced situations and thought to yourself what did I do to deserve this. I was that person. From the time I was about ten to thirteen years old I lived in a home that was out of order. I lived with my father and step mom. My step mom and dad would fight all the time. It wasn't just a normal argument, it was a fight. They would scream and holler, and cuss each other out. I can remember times my dad would come running in my room and slam the door behind him at 2 and 3 in the morning, and you could hear my step mom running down the hallways cussing and screaming. She would try to bang the door down. That would go on for an hour sometimes. I often wondered what I was going through this for. Why did I deserve this. I can remember my step mom telling me how stupid I was because I didn't make A's and B's. She would tell me that I would never amount to anything. I began to believe that. I began to let my circumstances effect me.

I can remember the day that I began to stop letting my problems effect me. Years ago God birthed a dream inside of Pastor Denny Duron. He opened up a school called Evangel Christian Academy and I can remember almost immediately my life began to change. I began to learn more and more about a man named Jesus. How he paid a price for my life, and how much he loved me. I was taught that because he paid that price I could overcome any circumstance that I would ever face. In John 16:33, Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Jesus took it all for you and I so that we could live in peace.

No matter the circumstance, we can overcome anything that we face as long as we will give it to the Lord!

1 John 5:4 "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

Identity

Who are you really? What's your identity? So many people go through life not ever knowing what they were created for or who they want to be. So many times we try to be somebody we are not. This is so common and so easy to do. I can look back on my life and see that I haven't always been myself. I would say sometimes that I want to be like him, or why couldn't that be my calling on my life. I can also say that I haven't known what I was created for. So I began to look at other things and want those things other than the promises of God.

God made each and everyone of us in his own image. The truth is, there is only one you. There is only one me. Nobody can do what you do or how you do it. God's plan for your life is concrete. You are one of a kind. Your finger prints are yours, nobody else on earth has them. The truth is, we have God prints.

We were created to fellowship with God and live in and through him showing the love that his son Jesus Christ showed us when he died on the cross. He had each one of you on his mind and the plan he created for you. I challenge you to be who you were created to be. Live to be you and never try to be someone you're not.