“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

Let’s not get this part twisted. We need to know who the most important person that we run this race with is, that is God. God is the initiator of our race. He flagged us down and said, this way is the winner’s circle, follow me. Not in those words specifically but He did this through our personal relationship with him, called “Salvation”. When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve God provided a plan to save us from ourselves. That plan of redemption would be through His only son, Jesus.

The part that many people have gotten twisted is that Jesus was murdered, that His life was taken but that’s not the truth. The truth is that Jesus laid his life down intentionally to fulfill the redemptive plan, from God, for all of us. He was the sinless one that endured the pain and agony for the sinner. He took our punishment so that we might say yes to the Salvation plan. He laid His life down so that we would have the freedom to choose Him. Though Jesus made this great sacrifice, He still does not guilt or condemn us into choosing Him. Though in my human nature I’m like ,”You did all of this, Jesus, it would seem like you earned the right to tell us we should follow you. But you gave us Your word that we would always be able to choose for ourselves.”

Think about the fact that Jesus was 100% God and disrupted His royal position to endure a cross that he committed no crime, no sin, no wrong doing to be 100% human for a season. Just to give us an opportunity to say yes to this great love He has for His creation, YOU and ME! He did this, knowing that some would refuse or reject Him and His gift of Salvation. He did it “because of the joy awaiting him” (Hebrews 12:2b). I personally cannot wrap my head around that kind of love. A love that loves whether it gets a return on its investment or not.

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy. awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12: 2 NLT

Dear Lord, let us not get it twisted what YOU DID FOR US and think that it was something done TO you. You went to the cross for us. You gave us an individual invitation to full access to you. I pray that we choose you because of what you’ve done and who you are. That we see and experience the joy you went to the cross with for the sake of our eternal destination. Amen. #jointhejourney #k4gsus #devotional #khoward #nobodymakesitoutalive #seizetheday #dontgetittwisted #author #writer #beautifullybroken

“With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 (MSG)

Our “little problem” are those things in our life that “defiles” or “distracts” us, “both within and without” according to 2 Corinthians 7:1 (MSG). If we continue doing “these things” we will stunt our spiritual growth, we block our ability to fully embrace God’s love and eventually we will be found out. At some point, we need to face the things in our life that gotta go if we’re gonna grow. I’m speaking of our “little problem” called sin. It’s anything in our daily comings and goings that include lust, excessive food or drink, greed, laziness, wrath, envy or pride. These things lead to self-destruction, unhealthy relationships with others and separation from God’s plan and purpose for your life.

The only way to truly deal with the sin in our lives is to first admit and face them, believe that God forgives you for them and commit your life to God’s plan and purpose for your life, To maintain a life of avoiding sin is accountability to God. This is most successful with a trusted person of faith and snuggling up to God’s promises and truths for your life. God’s presence is the antidote to our sinful nature. I am not saying this is easy. I am saying that God is available if you let Him help you walk away from the sin in your life.

I don’t know what you struggle with, but I know that I have witnessed God removing desires that were not good for me because I turned to Him for help. It’s in His presence that I find my strength to say no when I need to say no. It’s in His word that I find the truth and the promise that crushes the lies in my life. It’s when I lift my hands in praise and worship that I am admitting I can’t do this life in my own strength. It’s in the moment of complete surrender on my knees in prayer that He floods me with His love. God’s end of the relationship never changes. He loves me, He loves you, He is for us not against us!

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.” Romans 8:11-12 (NLT)

Dear Lord, I come to you in those times of struggling to do the right thing. I trust that your loving hand is guiding me straight to your arms. Wrap me in your love. Give me wisdom, courage and empower me to walk away from the temptations of sin. I have no obligation to the sin in my life. I lay that thing down at your feet lord. I don’t want it and I don’t need it in my life. Whatever void that thing leaves behind let it be replaced by more of you in my life Lord. Amen

So, if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Colossians 3:1-2 MSG

Read those verses again. Then look up and ask God to show you how to use your smart phone to get closer to Him, closer to the people that need you, especially the ones within arm’s reach. Set some boundaries for your screen time of any kind. Stop hiding behind your smart phone in some sort of fantasy world of friends, likes, comments and snapshots of people’s lives that you hardly know.

If we understand that God is a god of relationship and not religion and rituals then why not build relationships, face to face relationships. Set up no-phone-zones and learn how each other’s day went and who they are interacting with. Go outside without your smart phone and find a beautiful view of the sky, a horizon with a body of water and sunrise or sunset as a backdrop. Schedule alone time with your significant other, or your kids, or an elderly family member. Make a handwritten list of all the things you’ve read on your smart phone about doing and start doing those things that you long to do. Go to an event without your smartphone or taking pics to post on social media and just embrace the moment and engage in it. Track your screen time on your devices and exchange your screen time for “real” time activities.

I am simply suggesting that we get some balance and start living our life with our eyes on our purpose and passions. If we are to learn how to cease the day, we will not accomplish this by staring at our phone screens 4.5 hrs a day. (this is the national average according to: https://blog.rescuetime.com/screen-time-stats-2018/) So the next time you tell yourself that you don’t have time to read your bible or pray ,check your screen time hours and see if you can make time.

“Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.” Colossians 3:3-4 MSG

Lord this is a challenge for most people as we have replaced fellowship with a level of disconnect that is creating little islands of lonely people floating through life in relationships without substance. Lord help us find that balance so we can live our lives with our eyes on You and the things that represent You. Help us not get absorbed in time wasters and help us clock back into our purpose and our passions. Amen. #jointhejourney #devotional #beautifullybroken #khoward #k4gsus #writer #journey #author #seizetheday #nobodymakesitoutalive

“So, I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth. And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power. Then by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside of you, and the resting place of love will become the very source and root of your life” Ephesians 3:14-17 TPT

Life can be so hard sometimes, right? Facing loss of loved ones, unexpected or not, leaves a hole where that person once sat in your life. Nevertheless, we that are still here facing these days ahead are left to move forward without them. I pray for those that are facing that kind of loss today. There are no words that bring comfort to the ones left behind to pick up the pieces, but we can cry with them, hold them, pray for them and listen to them but, please, don’t ignore them, because you don’t know what to do. In that moment, it’s not about what makes you uncomfortable it’s about bringing comfort with or without words.

I am speaking to believers in Christ that get the air knocked out of your guts by a curve ball in life. We need to remember that when we are weak, nevertheless, He is strong. We don’t have to be strong all the time. Sometimes we just need to let His strength carry us on through those hard moments of loss, disappointment, discouragement and the unexpected.

I am speaking to the unbeliever or undecided about who God is. Regardless of what you believe doesn’t make God disappear or not love you. Nevertheless, you can reject Him but He will never reject you. It’s a love like no other you have ever experienced. He would love the opportunity to intervene on your behalf. But He is a gentleman and is waiting for you to choose Him because He already chose you.

“Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.” Ephesians 3:20 TPT

I am personally praying these verses over every person reading this: “Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!” Ephesians 3:18-19 TPT #jointhejourney #devotional #beautifullybroken #khoward #k4gsus #writer #journey #author #seizetheday #nobodymakesitoutalive

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NIV

I am a planner. Anyone that knows me knows that if you want to make me uncomfortable just put me in a position where we must “wing it”. I can literally feel myself twitching thinking about those situations. The reality that I have come to be more and more aware of as I mature is, I can plan as much as I want but like the book of wisdom (Proverbs), in the bible states it so well,

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”Proverbs 16:9 NIV.

Though it still makes me uncomfortable I have learned that God knows my best path and I give Him permission to intervene as He sees fit when my plans need to be diverted.

I entitled today’s devotional, Face the Grave. I did not choose this to be morbid but to be realistic. We all have an expiration date. It is inevitable that we will face the grave someday. What if we chose to live a life that was so prepared for heaven that heaven touched us every day just to cheer us on until we get there? What if I told you that this is possible beginning right now, in this moment?

Every time we choose to take our focus off the problems and temporary things of this world and focus on the eternal things that God offers us, we are free. Free to accept things as they come whether they are part of our original plans or not. Free to appreciate what we have in this moment whether it is exactly what we hoped for or diverted to a whole new direction.

My experience was, that I thought I would live in paradise here while I awaited paradise in heaven. Instead I lost all of it to someone else’s choices. I spent 3 years in shock, healing and rebuilding. What I learned is that the paradise I had was temporary regardless, but heaven, the eternal paradise, didn’t move away from me. Heaven and its heavenly host embraced me until I was strong enough to stand again. I will still face the grave one day no matter where I live, what material things I have or lose doesn’t change that. I am learning what contentment in the moments of lack really means. I have faced the grave by being present in my moments as they come rather than sulking about the past or hoping for a future that looks like the past. Lord knows that I don’t want a repeat of all of that.

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” Philippians 4:11 NLT

Dear Lord, help us face the grave with courage, joy and acceptance because of who You are, who we are to You and what You’ve done for us, not on what we try to control. Forgive us Lord for taking the gift of time for granted. Let us value our time. Let us be content in what we have in our present moments. Not that we stop dreaming but that we dream with You in mind. Amen #jointhejourney #devotional #beautifullybroken #khoward #k4gsus #writer #journey #author #seizetheday

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)

I am not going to pretend like I have this all figured out. We are going to embark on this training to “seize the day” together. The reality is that none of us make it out of this season called life alive. We all have an entrance date, birth, and an exit date, death. Not one of us knows exactly what the timeframe is but each of us have the moment in front of us, if there is still breath in our lungs. So why don’t we cease that moment as if it were our last breath?

There is a list of distractions that keep us from doing so. I hope that at the end of our journey together we learn from them, remove them or at least minimize them until our moments really matter. If we were to be honest, those precious moments are what we can be most assured of because not one of us is promised tomorrow.

We also will be constantly holding these moments up against eternity. Eternal mindedness frees us from the painful moments of this journey. The moments of disappointment, loss, hurt, pain, injury, sickness, disease and fears. Death and loss reminding us of how temporary this life is. We are a mere blip on the timeline of the temporary things of this world.

When God created time, it in no way disrupted eternity. When God created us, He created us out of complete love and faithfulness to you and to me. He doesn’t make mistakes. You were meant to be here. The proof is in the breath you breathe. Let us not take that for granted regardless of the painful parts of our journey. Not one part of it is wasted. We can learn from it. With our eyes on eternity and the promises of God we have hope for our future.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)

Lord, help us root out the distractions we struggle with that keep us from the moments that really matter. Let us learn them and let them go. Help us exchange the temporary things that steal our moments away for the eternal things like truth, faithfulness, peace, mercy, hope and love that enrich our moments. Amen.#jointhejourney #devotional #beautifullybroken #khoward #k4gsus #writer #journey #author #seizetheday