Superhero: Never Give Up

 

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 9 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary. In Part 7, we saw that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. In Part 8, we saw that superheroes go above and beyond the call of duty.

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But what good would it do for a superhero to start traveling the extra mile journey if he/she quits halfway through? If we make a commitment to go the extra mile, then we need to follow through and see that we go the distance to complete the second mile. In this message (Part 9), we will see that superheroes might get tripped up and fall down. Superheroes might even get beaten up and knocked down, but they do not stay down! Superheroes never give up! To help us understand this message, let’s examine two examples from real life situations: boxing and racing.

Boxing: Get Back Up!

Muhammad Ali, who is arguably the greatest boxer of all time, said, “You don’t lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down.” One of the greatest victories I’ve ever seen was in the 2005 boxing match of Corrales vs. Castillo. Corrales got knocked down twice in the 10th round, only to get back up and walk away as the winner:

Another one of my favorite boxing matches was the 1990 match of Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas. Tyson was undefeated and had a 42-0 record. Douglas – the obvious underdog – was knocked down in the 8th round and didn’t even get back up until it was almost too late at the 9-second mark. But in the 10th round, Douglas managed to knock Tyson down and out for the win.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
(2Corinthians 4:8-10) –NIV

We are not impervious to attacks from the enemy. We’re going to get tripped up and fall down. We’re going to get beat up and knocked down. Unless you’re Rocky Marciano or Floyd Mayweather, you’re going to experience a loss at some point in your life. But truth be told, even if you are undefeated in life, you can still lose in death. Are you living life in preparation for death? Rocky Marciano died on August 31, 1969 (the eve of his 46th birthday) in a plane crash. Did Marciano go to Heaven or Hell? Only GOD knows. But even conquerers in life can end up being conquered in death. And this is why it is of utmost importance that we never give up and finish the race well. And if I could tell Floyd Mayweather and anyone else currently undefeated only one thing, I would share this:

“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
(Luke 9:25) -ESV

Those who are motivated by money or propelled by the pursuit for power typically stay down if the winnings of their worldly ways comes to an end and they experience a loss. Because if your treasure is only found in this world, you are destined for disappointment.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21) -ESV

Where is your heart? If you know your ‘why,’ then you will refuse to lose, you will get back up, and you will never give up. In a post-fight interview with Buster Douglas, it was later revealed that he won the fight against Mike Tyson because his ‘why’ was more powerful than Tyson’s punches. Only 23 days before the legendary fight took place that took Tyson’s “0” and gave him a “1” in his losses, Douglas’ mother died. Before she died, she told Douglas that he was going to beat Mike Tyson. Simply put, love is what won the fight for Douglas. And truth be told, love is what we need to persevere! Love compels us to get back up and never give up. In the amazing 2005 movie, Cinderella Man, based on the boxer, James Walter Braddock, there’s a scene where the press is asking him why he’s winning fights. Russell Crowe (Braddock) states he knows what he’s fighting for: milk. The motivation behind the action was love for his family. This movie showcases the power of the ‘why.’

Racing: Finish The Race!
A man by the name of John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He wounded his knee and dislocated a joint in a fall, but he got back up and continued the race. He finished last place. By the time he crossed the finish line, it was dark outside and most of the audience had already gone home. When later interviewed and asked why he continued running, he said, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

It was the greatest last place finish ever! John Stephen Akhwari didn’t come in first place in that race; however, he was a winner because he finished the race! There are many people in this world who do not finish the race. In fact, suicide prevents many people from finishing the race. Too many people give up before reaching the finish line.

This world teaches that in order to win we must be first or the greatest. But is that true? Even if you are the last person to arrive in Heaven, you still achieved what others who never arrived never achieved. Last place can most certainly be the best finish. In fact, Jesus told us that those who are now last would be first and the first would be last (Matthew 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30). Jesus also told us that If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35).

When John Stephen Akhwari finally finished the race, it was dark outside and most of the audience had already left. And so it is with life. The majority of people that will be around when you start the race might not be there when you finish. Also, people typically only want to be with you during your greatest moments and tend to disappear during your struggles. And when that happens, it may feel like it’s dark outside and the empty bleachers might make you feel as if no one cares. But the people who truly care about you will stay with you while you are down, struggling, and out of the spotlight. But even if you feel alone and abandoned, know that love will help you finish the race so that you may finish well. Be encouraged: Jesus’ disciples abandoned Him when He got arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50). But Jesus’ love for others was the ‘why’ that compelled Him to finish what He started (John 19:30).

As I have written before in one of my songs, I don’t care to win over the crowd – I’m fulfilling all that I have vowed. With or without audience applause, I’m going to do what I do because I do it for the cause. Love compels me to continue and because of that, I care to finish the race so that I may finish well.

I am grateful for John Stephen Akhwari and for many other people like him for being an inspiration and reminding me of what is truly important in life. Indeed, the struggle is real, but our GOD is greater than our problems. What’s truly important is finishing well.

I may not be the best at anything or ever receive praise for any of my efforts, but if I get knocked down, I will always get back up after I fall. I will not stay down. And even if I get injured along the way, I will finish the marathon that is known as life! GOD did not bring me here to merely start my journey – GOD brought me here to finish the race and to finish well! It doesn’t matter how long it will take me to cross the finish line. The goal is to do my best until my last breath.

Persistence, Purpose, Endurance, Eternity:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
(2Timothy 4:7) -ESV

The apostle Paul wrote these words near the end of his life. These three statements reflect Paul’s struggles in preaching the Gospel of Christ and his victory over those struggles. In the 1st century, the Romans celebrated both the Olympic Games and the Isthmian Games. Competitors would spend up to ten months in demanding and difficult physical training. Because the Corinthians were familiar with these events, Paul used the games as an analogy for a believer’s life of faithfulness. He wrote to the church in Corinth saying, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1Corinthians 9:24-25). Paul’s exhortation is that believers should be as focused and dedicated as those ancient runners in the games. Our motivation in serving Christ is much higher; we “run” not for a temporary crown, but for an eternal one. So, by declaring “I have finished the race,” Paul told Timothy that he had put every effort into the work of proclaiming the Gospel. He had completed the course set before him; he had left nothing undone; he did his best. He was ready to cross the finish line into Heaven. And to finish the race well is to experience victory.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
(Hebrews 12:1-2) -ESV

If we are to finish well, we will need persistence with purpose and endurance for eternity. First, we need purposeful persistence in prayer. In seeking GOD’s will, we will find all we need:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -ESV

But here is the special stipulation to this promise:

“You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
(James 4:2-3) -ESV

Our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. But knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will. We should be asking ourselves three important questions while being persistent in our prayers:

1. What are you asking for?
2. Why are you asking for it?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

In order to finish the race well, we also need endurance. In fact, GOD calls us to endure until the end. Each of the seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation contained a promise to the “victor.” In order to receive the promises, you must be a victor. How do we become a victor? Stay in alignment with GOD’s Word and His absolute moral standard! Keep the faith and endure until the end! The only way to be a victor is to fight the good fight, endure it until the end, and finish the race. Everyone who finishes the race will be exhausted, but they will also come into rest. Just as GOD rested from His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2), we too will come into rest on our ‘seventh day.’ We can picture this life here on Earth as our six days of work and the New Earth under the new heavens will be our seventh day of rest. Everything we accomplish in life here on this Earth within our ‘six days’ falls short of perfection. It is only in our ‘seventh day’ that we will come into perfection and receive rest. Along with the good news of Christ’s return and ultimate victory, the main theme found in the book of Revelation running parallel to the good news is that we must endure until the very end, remaining faithful and obedient (Matthew 10:28; 1Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14-16; 1Timothy 6:11-16; 2Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 10:35-39; 2Peter 1:5-11; Revelation 3:16).

Conclusion:
Remember: opportunistic predators wait until either you are too weak to fight or complacent and cannot see the attack coming. Demons don’t need to beat you while you are at your best; rather, demons simply need to slowly chip away at your defense until you become too tired and weak to defend yourself.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
(1Peter 5:6-10) -ESV

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -ESV

Satan only cares about the outcome, the final decision. Do not give up. Do not ever give up. We are in it to win it. It’s not over until it’s over. We must finish well. Starting is pointless unless we finish. We must fight the good fight. Get back up, go back in. Love never dies (1Corinthians 13:8).

GOD passionately pursues us with the mission of relentless rescue. And if we are to accurately reflect the love of Christ, we need to go above and beyond in love and endure until the end.

“Bow down to the Lord. He will lift you up.”
(James 4:10) –NIRV

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:14-21) -NLT

The person who kneels humbly before GOD can stand up confidently in the name of Christ and resist the devil and watch him flee. GOD provides us with a way to escape temptations and to live through any circumstance until He calls us Home (1Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:11-13). Never give up!

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
(Galatians 6:9) -NLT

Listen! If I can’t inspire you, then I’ll just let Shia LaBeouf do it:

Life or Death?

“A good reputation is more valuable than the most expensive perfume. The day one dies is better than the day he is born! It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and it is a good thing to think about it while there is still time.”
(Ecclesiastes 7: 1-2) -TLB

What is death? Is death the end of life? Have you given death much thought? If you haven’t given death much thought, you haven’t reflected on life enough. Before I Die is a global art project that invites people to contemplate death and reflect on their lives. Originally created by the artist Candy Chang on an abandoned house in New Orleans after she lost someone she loved, today there are over 2,000 walls around the world. I encourage you to look through the website and examine many of the responses people wrote. How many of those responses reflect a life well lived?

When someone dies, people who knew the deceased person share memories about him/her. When you die, you most likely will be remembered for the true person you had been. If you were to die today, what would people say about you tomorrow? What would they know about you? What would they not know about you that you would want them to know? How would they describe you? That’s the purpose of an obituary – it explains who you were.

The worst obituary I have ever read came from the Reno Gazette-Journal:

“Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick born Jan 4, 1935 and died alone on Aug. 30, 2013. She is survived by her 6 of 8 children whom she spent her lifetime torturing in every way possible. While she neglected and abused her small children, she refused to allow anyone else to care or show compassion towards them. When they became adults she stalked and tortured anyone they dared to love. Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit. On behalf of her children whom she so abrasively exposed to her evil and violent life, we celebrate her passing from this earth and hope she lives in the after-life reliving each gesture of violence, cruelty, and shame that she delivered on her children. Her surviving children will now live the rest of their lives with the peace of knowing their nightmare finally has some form of closure.”

The purpose of this message is to give you a second chance (or 3rd, 4th, or 100th chance). GOD inspired me with this message in order to give you another chance to repent of any wrongdoing and to become the person you are meant to be. You could die tomorrow; you could die tonight. Regardless of how many chances GOD has already given you, this could be your last chance. We should all start by examining our own hearts. Perhaps you could relate with that awful obituary and you have also held resentment toward someone. GOD commands forgiveness. If you struggle with forgiveness, please read my other article, “The Frog In Your Jar.”

It doesn’t matter where you start, it matters if you finish and where you finish. There have been people born into money yet ended up miserable and broke when they died. Some people are so poor all they have is money. There have been people who were born into poor families yet they ended up having money at the end of their lives. I once read a news article about someone who had received a terminal diagnosis from a doctor and then ended up beating the illness and living many years longer than the doctor claimed she would live. What does it all mean? How can we make sense of it all?

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.”
(Exodus 14:21) -ESV

“When she couldn’t hide him any longer she got a little basket-boat made of papyrus, waterproofed it with tar and pitch, and placed the child in it. Then she set it afloat in the reeds at the edge of the Nile.”
(Exodus 2:3) -MSG

In an attempt for population control, Pharaoh of Egypt had ordered that all newborn males of the Hebrew population be drowned in the Nile River. Moses was born in secret and protected for about three months until his mother could no longer hide him. The life of Moses started as an abandoned baby in a basket in the very river where he was supposed to have been drowned. Moses’ life began where it was supposed to end. Do you feel like you’re at your end? GOD declares that at your end you will find the beginning. How? The beginning in Christ is found at the end of yourself.

“If any one of you wants to follow Me, you will have to give yourself up to God’s plan, take up your cross, and do as I do. For any one of you who wants to be rescued will lose your life, but any one of you who loses your life for My sake and for the sake of this good news will be liberated.”
(Mark 8: 34-35) -Voice

“If you have heard Jesus and have been taught by Him according to the truth that is in Him, then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self – that dark blot of a soul corrupted by deceitful desire and lust – to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy.”
(Ephesians 4: 21-24) -Voice [See also Romans 12:2)

Understand this: Moses grew up, became a murderer, and ran away to start a new life somewhere else. However, GOD spoke to Moses from a burning bush and gave him another chance and changed his life. Even though Moses was chosen from the day he was born, it wasn’t until Moses was at his own end that he found his true beginning. Moses didn’t find his calling until he gave up trying to do everything his own way. Miracles didn’t come through Moses until he decided to let go and let GOD guide. And because Moses seized the second chance GOD gave him, he ended up as a prominent leader who led the Israelites out of slavery. That’s how Moses was remembered! I’m pretty confident that his obituary wouldn’t have even mentioned the fact that he had once murdered an Egyptian. I’m pretty sure Moses’ obituary would have read something like this: “He led the Israelites out of slavery, parted the Red Sea, got lost for 40 years, but then finally found the promised land. He was a good leader.”

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8: 38-39) –NLT

GOD loves us so much that He provides opportunities for us to change. Most people don’t live to their full potential because they live in fear. The fears of pain and failure usually prevent people from even taking one single step of faith outside of their comfort zones. Refer back to Ecclesiastes 7:2 – it is good for us to think about our death while we still have the time to do so. So, let’s do that. Let’s ponder on our death for a moment.

Why in the human experience do we die? Your body is programmed (intelligently designed) to expire. Your body tells itself to age and to allow death to overtake it. It is a process called apoptosis. But why? Let us look at the definition of the process that kills us:

Apoptosis:  A genetically directed process of cell self-destruction that is marked by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA, is activated either by the presence of a stimulus or removal of a suppressing agent or stimulus, and is a normal physiological process eliminating DNA-damaged, superfluous, or unwanted cells —called also programmed cell death.

Apoptosis is basically the act of our body committing suicide at a very slow rate. What we see at old age is the privation of the good in the original design. Regardless of whether or not our mind is aware of this, our soul knows that the body is temporary and that the soul has somewhere else to be (2Corinthians 5:1). The very difference between a body that is declared alive and a body that is declared dead is the soul within or the lack thereof. Dead bodies are interesting. There is a noticeable difference between a body (shell) that contains a soul and one that does not. When the soul exits the physical body, that body no longer moves and it begins to decay and rot even faster than it had with the soul inside of it. Truth be told, the energy of the soul is the energy source that keeps our bodies going. But the energy that powers our souls comes from the Source — GOD!

Can you imagine what Earth would be like if it were full of humans who did not die? As if pride doesn’t run rampant enough in this world! We would have people gloating, “Who cares?! I can’t die anyway!” People would do whatever they wanted without regard for anyone else. It would be complete chaos.

What would be served as a consequence for mistakes if death didn’t exist? If death didn’t exist, would there be consequences at all? Death is the destination of all negative consequences. Sure, one can do something that will burn and inflict pain, correct? And isn’t it also correct that someone can do something that will lead to hunger? But all minor consequences ultimately lead to the major of death if not dealt with and managed. If we view death in this manner, it becomes a good thing. Limits. Rules. Guidelines. Commandments. If only the world would seek Truth! All things, regardless of how small or insignificant they may be, call attention to the greatness of GOD!

Look at the definition of apoptosis again. It says it “is activated either by the presence of a stimulus or removal of a suppressing agent or stimulus.” – That’s exactly right! It is both! The presence of GOD that grants life and enables life to exist is what causes us to grow and live! The removal of GOD’s presence is the death. Imagine the process as GOD’s hand of life coming to us, being upon us, and then leaving again. That is your lifespan. Imagine the process as a plasma ball: When you place your hand on the plasma ball, the ball comes to life and forms a bond with your hand. When you remove your hand, the ball goes into a neutral mode again. GOD’s hand is upon us! GOD is with us! Right here, right now!

“Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose. As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do.”
(Philippians 1: 19-22) -MSG

Paul was in prison while he contributed his writings that ended up being a part of GOD’s living word! Do you know the link between Paul and so many others that ended up being a part of GOD’s living word? Faith in GOD and living a life without fear! Faithful and fearless! Unless we come to the end of ourselves and start living our new lives in Christ, we will never experience miracles! We cannot allow fear to keep us from the calling. What do you want to do before you die? What do you believe GOD has called you to do before your expiration date arrives?

“Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell.”
(Matthew 10: 28) –CEV

“The Lord says to his people, ‘I comfort you because of who I am. Why are you afraid of mere men? They are only human beings. They are like grass that dries up.’ ”
(Isaiah 51: 12) –NIRV

If you allow the fear of pain to prevent progress, you’ll never fulfill your purpose. We must become so faithful and full of love that we would sacrifice ourselves to make lives better for others.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
(1 John 4: 18) –NKJV

In the name of Christ Jesus, by the power of GOD, I cast out all fear right now!

“Even 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.”
(Psalm 23: 4) –ESV

“So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on.”
(2 Corinthians 4:18) -Voice

“He will swallow up death forever.”
(Isaiah 25:8) -NKJV

“Then the saying will come true: ‘Death swallowed by triumphant Life! Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?’ ”
(1 Corinthians 15: 54-55) -MSG

“So place yourselves under God’s authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you.”
(James 4: 7) –GW

“Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don’t worry about what people might do.”
(1 Peter 3: 13-14) –CEV

“I am the resurrection and the source of all life; those who believe in Me will live even in death. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never truly die. Do you believe this?”
(John 11: 25-26) -Voice

Do you believe?! If you are filled to the brim with faith, then you will believe that nothing is impossible for GOD-of-all-creation! GOD has all control! Jesus conquered death; therefore, death does not actually exist! Death is a mirage. Death of our physical bodies exist, but who cares? GOD’s hand is upon us! GOD is with us! Right here, right now, and forever more! This life is not all that there is! But our time here is our only time to live this one life — and we have work to do before we leave!

I challenge you to step out in faith. Banish fear! Just as a factory has an assembly line which inspects products for defects, we are being inspected and put to the test. Be aware. Not beware. But be aware. There is no need to beware so long as you be aware. Fear clouds judgment; awareness enhances judgment. Are you aware? Do your best while in the test. Remember: it’s not where you begin that matters, it’s where you end up. Are you aware that you are a child of GOD-Almighty?! Are you aware that GOD who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1John 4:4)?!

What many people view as their ceiling is actually the floor of the next level. A ceiling is the limit imposed upon us by the world’s standards. But I tell you that the ceiling has no sealing and there is more to life than the world is revealing. GOD has a plan for your life. But you need to decide to leave your comfort zone and take a leap of faith in the direction GOD is leading you. You will have to challenge yourself to get to the next level. The world’s ways keeps people complacent in their comfort-coffins. Many people are alive yet not living — they are merely existing! There’s more to life than what you are shown. Do you want to experience the next level?

To ponder on death is to reflect on life. Who or what do you reflect? To see my reflection, read my other article, “Reflection and Direction.”

GOD is giving you another chance today. Think beyond your current circumstance. I challenge you to think about what you want your obituary to say after you’re dead and gone and compare that to what it would actually say if you were to die today.

Now, go and live your life today in such a way as to lead yourself to your goal of tomorrow. You can accomplish anything in alignment with GOD’s will so long as you are faithful and fearless. The choice to either banish fear or be controlled by fear is a life or death decision. But if death only brings you to the end of yourself and to the beginning of life in Christ, is death to be feared at all? What would you try to accomplish if you knew you would not fail? What makes you feel alive inside? How can you make the world a better place? What are you going to do before you die? I challenge you to start here: who needs to hear the Gospel before they die? If anyone came to mind, start your new and awesome journey by loving those people and sharing the good news of the next life when we will be in the presence of the Source of all life.