Traveling with a Guide gives you deeper insights than when you travel alone. One important key to a safe and joyful journey is to know and listen to Who travels within you.  By accepting Jesus as Lord, He keeps His promise to never leave us or forsake us. God’s brilliant design of the universe included a plan of salvation for all people everywhere.  In order to embrace our unique features and personality we must stop comparing ourselves to the standards set by society. Every person is different and God gave each of His creations the unique ability to express our gifts. We must surrender what we think we know about God and ASK the Holy Spirit for His help. Trusting that God’s ways are perfect while we are not. “I used to get wasted on beer, liquor and drugs and I was filled with hate. I would snap at people just for looking at me.  I was constantly creating chaos even when life was going okay. I had no gratitude for anything or anyone. I was hard hearted until Jesus chased me down! He gave me a new heart and filled it with His unconditional love. As a teen I was baptized in my mother’s church to please her, but it was an empty ritual until my life, my ways just did not work anymore. For Jesus to come into my heart and change the way I thought and acted, it was necessary for me to surrender all my hate, self pity and anger. Today I have a personal relationship with Jesus, my own faith, my own church and I know that Jesus lives in me. Tattoos and all, my Lord’s love changed me, like no man’s attention ever could. I have had many wonderful encounters with Jesus! ❤ it don’t matter how deep in the pit you are , while you are still taking in breathe, seek Jesus with your whole being and He will restore you, and use your story of redemption to give hope to the lost. Jesus Loves you all! 🙌” Raquel. “Some folks are repelled by your past and when you share your story, some people judge or bully you.  Especially if it’s recovering from prostitution or drugs.  But the people who share similar backgrounds, they listen, they know, and they get strength and hope when you share it.  Cherish what Jesus did for you, share your story and give God the glory!” Nicky Ann – “I became a Christian in High School through a ministry called “Young Life”. I grew up in a non-Christian family, and got involved in “Young Life” as a freshman because of my older sister’s influence. While attending a “Young Life” summer camp I heard that God had sent His only Son Jesus to die in order that my sins could be forgiven, and to prove how much He really loved me. That night, after the meeting, we were asked to spend some time alone without talking to anyone. Well, God interrupted my quiet time with His Holy presence. I began to talk to Him for the first time.  I realized that He was the one who had created the very stars that I was gazing at. I asked Him to come into my life and I surrendered all my fear, doubts and unbelief to Jesus, and He took up residence in my willing soul. I began walking on a trail, and suddenly I knew that He was there walking with me. It was so cool! There I was, walking with the creator of the whole universe. I wasn’t alone any more. This was definitely the most amazing experience of my life. Since that day I have been following Him, and it keeps getting better and better. 🙂😎” Steve. “There are many misconceptions about God in the world today. Some people think He’s mad at them, and others think He’s keeping a list of all their wrongs. But that isn’t what scripture tells us. Scripture tells us that God is gracious, patient and loving; that He is forgiving and doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve. Scripture tells us that God is for us, and if God is for us, who can be against us? Think about that for a moment. The same God who created the heavens and earth, the one who spoke the universe into existence and knows everything about you, He is on your side and wants the best for you. Today’s verse is a great reminder that when God is for you, no one can win against you. Not the pain of your past. Not any mistake you’ve made. Not the forces of hell, your worst enemy, a bad economy, a difficult housing market or anything else on this earth. Today, instead of dwelling on what you’re not, dwell on what He is—He is faithful, He is loving, He is with you, and He is for you! And with God on your side, you are headed for victory all the days of your life!” Chris Curtis

Without knowing a single thing about a person, based on appearances alone, most people make assumptions and without thinking, they pass judgement. As humans we have a tendency to magnify our own flaws as we compare ourselves to others. Jealousy is ugly and our silent comparisons will retard our ability to love ourselves as God created us. If we are not mindful, we unconsciously devalue ourselves for being too short, tall, skinny, uneducated, white, black, brown, bald, freckled, fat or flat nosed. These self criticisms may turn outward and we may find ourselves joining in a worldly, ‘categorical’ judgment of others based on their physical size, geography, poverty, education, looks, church membership, financial status, country, ethnic groups and political beliefs.  “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7 Envy, pride or even a pious pity will cause us to miss the mark.  God’s intent, His will, His command is…

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared.” John 8:11

that we love one another just as we are called to love ourselves, as we were created, perfect in His sight. All people are loved equally by our loving Creator. Have you ever quietly grumbled “I could never love people who dress or act like that!”“I cannot love people who steal, lie, gossip or use foul language. I have no compassion for those who get drunk or have sex outside of marriage. They should no better!”  Hmmm, what does God’s Word tell us? “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” God gave us specific, important commands.  It was not God’s hope or suggestion that we love one another, for His purpose is that we get recognized as His by how we love the ugly, the liars, thieves, prostitutes, drug addicts, sinners one and all. We must question the broad judgements made on the nightly news.  We must ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to look beyond the flaw, the sin and to enter through the narrow gate…and mimic His way of extending grace and mercy towards all. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Tim 1:7 Disciplining our minds comes from God and His word tells us how to think like He does.  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from Me, or seen in Me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Phil 4:4 — His Word convicts us so that we can turn from our ways …in order that we may live life “through Him, and by His grace”.  Lord help us to agree with You, and praise You for our uniqueness. Fort it is by your grace alone that we remain content.  Thank You Lord, for You alone are worthy.  Nothing compares to Your love. AMEN.  It is wise to ask the Holy Spirit to give us ears to hear what the Holy Spirit whispers. Lord give us eyes to see what You see…show us how we need to be changed.  To become like Jesus, we must see what He sees in others and in ourselves.  We must thank God for the way in which He crafted us, that we can use our past and present to glorify what He has done in us. “ We all; all of us who are in Christ, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror or glass the glory of the Lord. All Christians have full access, full access to God’s glory revealed in Jesus Christ.” With a heightened awareness of His loving Presence, I look in the mirror that He mercifully holds up ….and I humbly consider how He knitted me together for His plan, His purpose, His will through my imperfect walk with Him.  The truth is that we all fall short of His holy standard, however, His grace is sufficient, as I do my best.In His brilliant Light of Truth I recognize many ways in which I depend on His grace.  Pondering the blood, pain and sacrifice Jesus willingly endured to provide the miracle of eternal Life, a free and undeserved gift,  once again I surrender all and His overflowing joy streams through to wash away the plank in my eye so that I may see others from His perspective. Apply the Word of God and control your tongue. “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” James 1:26 — Are we the judge? “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matt 7:1-2. Throughout His story, which is recorded in Scripture, God reveals how we can cease to bring condemnation upon ourselves. “You, therefore, have NO excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Romans 2:1 Our Lord has called us out of darkness into His marvelous royal family to love one another as He loves us all.  Ask the Holy Spirit to quickly prick your heart whenever you are NOT thinking love towards others. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  As we read the Holy Bible we are reminded of how God never judges anyone by appearance. It is an amazing, every day blessing that He continues to use imperfect people to proclaim Him as Lord of all. By honestly looking in the mirror we become more aware of our utter insufficiency and perfect God designed imperfections to bring Him glory. “ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 The will of our Father is plainly written. “Love one another”. We must rely on the Holy Spirit, to convict us, to change us, to teach us how to Love as Jesus does. “And we, with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”  2 Cor 3:18.  As we look to the Holy Spirit continually for help, and as we confess our imperfections, our ungodly ways, our unjust judgements, and ask for mercy, forgiveness, and grace — we are immediately renewed and our faces then reflect the Light of His unsurpassing glory.  Our Heavenly Father looks at us and sees His beautiful, redeemed, beloved children without age. “At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. At that time the lame will leap like the deer, and the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. Additionally, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”—Isaiah 33:24; 35:5   The human spirit can endure a sick body,  but who can bear a crushed spirit? Jesus says “Follow Me” give me all your burdens and I will carry you across the finish line! “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.  Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.” 2 Thess 1:3-4  Halleluiah