I love this quote from President Teddy Roosevelt… “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs
and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the
great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the
end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so
that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” When you
choose to become a follower of this Jesus of the Bible, you are that man or woman or youngster in the arena.
We become the people of God, and our task is to not just to listen to God’s word, but strive to do what it says.
When you are in the battle of being obedient to God you are going to strive and err and come up short more
than once. But there will be no effort in your Christian life with error or shortcoming. But in your striving to
walk with God daily and to be and to do what God’s word says…you will know the great enthusiasms and
devotions and know that you have spent yourself in a worthy cause. As you go through your journey as a
Christian here on earth there will be those who will point out your failings, how you stumbled and where you
have done better. But you are in the arena…and every moment, every act and every thought has meaning.
There will be plenty who don’t fight the good fight to obey and walk as God desires. Don’t be like them. Show
up in heaven marred by dust and sweat and blood…knowing that you, as the Apostle Paul said…have fought
the good fight and have finished the race and remained faithful. And at the end of your journey, the prize awaits
you…the crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give you on the day of his return! Hang in there. Keep
getting up. Don’t quit, finish the race.
Here's our Bible verse for today…
James 1:22-25 NLT But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (23) For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. (24) You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. (25) But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Remember I’m praying for you,
PJ
Here's our Bible verse for today…
James 1:22-25 NLT But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (23) For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. (24) You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. (25) But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Remember I’m praying for you,
PJ