Today, is 1/1/11. It’s a NEW DAY! A NEW DECADE!! Talk about NEW BEGINNINGS!!! Some like resolutions and others need a revelation. The L.A. Lakers are trying to repeat for another ring but for me I want a reminder of God’s love replete with His Will for my life. When we grasp the grip of God’s grace and intimately know firsthand that God is love we can trust Him COMPLETELY longing for His purpose to be filled and carried out in our person. Jesus is Living Water and I’m just a pail knowing my merits PALES in comparison to His Mercy but its a JOY to know together we’re a team.

My college friend www.ClaytonKing.com shared something on TWITTER that hit me this week penned by John R. W. Stott: “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” In case you missed it – I KILLED JESUS! It’s not “Who shot J.R?” but you and I murdered the Messiah. We crucified Christ. We slain the sinless Savior. Jesus got “jacked up” because of us! We need to get a glimpse of what we were before we can truly see Who He Is – The Great I AM. In baseball terms, too many are running to second and third base but failed to touch first. The essentials are everything! In case, you didn’t SHINE in 2009 or WIN in 2010 – We need to resemble HEAVEN in 2011. How??

BACK TO BASICS: When Adam and Eve dropped the proverbial ball in the Garden of Eden what happened? EXCUSES replaced example and excellence. What do I mean? Pretend to hear rap music in the background because this brother from another mother (Frankie Fresh) is getting ready to BREAK IT DOWN. Look out Chaka Khan! It was not the “apple in the tree” but the PAIR on the ground that messed everything up. Eden was their playground and our backdrop to see on center stage the downfall of mankind. Talk about drama! Eden displayed God’s excellence (He did more in a week ) then mankind could do in a millenium. It was not only excellent but EASY! Adam didn’t have to work for a living nor did he have a mother-in-law! Eve didn’t have to cook or clean!! It was just God and them. WOW! Paradise, Peace and Perfection.

When the “First Couple” (not Obama) sinned what happened? Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed Adam and Satan the sneaky snake didn’t have a leg to stand on 🙂 EXCUSES were conceived, alibi’s were birthed and we’ve been laboring with the lies ever since. Excuses even if valid are lazy but being an EXAMPLE is living a legacy.

What God laid on my heart for this new year is DYING to EXCUSES. That’s right. Mark it down – The “blame game” is over. We cannot move forward if constantly looking in the rear mirror of the past. When Satan reminds you of your past – remind him of his future! I love the “ROCKY” movies. They embody perseverance, patriotism and personal accountability. Plus, the Philly slugger PRAYED before every fight. Yo! If Rocky repeated himself he would be a YO YO!

Some of you may know, I was blessed to be an ‘extra’ in ROCKY BALBOA at ringside for the filming of the final fight scene in Las Vegas. The clip above is a powerful conversation between Rocky and his son in the last installment. This blog will not make sense if you dont take 60 seconds to watch the video above. It is POWERFUL!! The movie was made in 2005, and for the past five years this clip both challenged and CONVICTED me to graduate from a chump to champ. At times, I have had more haters than helpers but knew if God be for me, WHO could be against me?

It is so easy in life to cast the blame on others. Perhaps you have done it? To believe that something or someone else was the cause of our shortcomings or lot in life. The fact is life is hard, people can be cruel and folks will be held accountable by God for the way they may have treated and/or even mistreated us. But all that is in God’s Hands. We can’t blame deadbeats, disaster, deacons, disease, denominational differences, depression or damages done any longer. Why? We are saints and soldiers and God is the Scoreboard. Jesus is Judge and God gots our back when He is reigning in our hearts. Jesus never offered excuses. What the Lord has tattooed on my heart is that He doesn’t want to hear any excuses from me or you but be an EXAMPLE of His heart in the days ahead. As T.W. Hunt penned “The Mind of Christ” and then we can appreciate what Henry Blackaby wrote “Experiencing God” and enjoy as Ed Young, Jr would say “at a whole nutha level” with the Lord.

We need to die to excuses and LIVE by example. We are a royal priesthood and we should walk as a trophy of His grace not a record player of our regrets. At times, it would be tempting and maybe even justifiable to blame a sickness, divorce, demotion, lack of funds, insecure and immature co-workers, “haters” and the list is endless but with the clock ticking and the second coming of Christ closer than ever we must give God our painful pasts and trust Him anew today. Tomorrow is not certain, yesterday is history and today is a gift. Perhaps that is why its called THE PRESENT.

Dr Jerry Falwell had a sign affixed in his office that read: “How do you stop the man that won’t quit? YOU CAN’T!” Even our critics can’t criticize us when our example trumps our excuses. Zig Ziglar said: “The only taste of success some people will ever have is when they take a BITE out of you.” By faith we move foward. Fear causes us to fall behind. Grace and Faith remind us The Best is yet to come. My dear friend www.MeadowlarkLemon.org shared in his new book that it’s always half-time. Regardless of the score of your setting you can regroup and refresh while come out of the locker room (prayer closet) and get in the Game of Life and SCORE opposed to sit on the sidelines sour.

Hundreds of birds exist. However, only three mean much to me. 1) EAGLE – majestic, powerful, graceful, symbol of our Nation. Nearly extinct. You don’t see them daily. I would rather soar like an eagle than sit and peck like a turkey. 2) Sparrow – If God has His eye on the sparrow than that bird is worth my attention and admiration (nuff said). 3) Pheonix – They have a way to rise from the ashes. Down but not out and always find a way to fly again!!

By God’s grace, I have a family to help support, a wife to love and two kids to nurture and be a Dad. We all have taken some shots, been battered with bumps and bruises. Like Balboa, almost everyone reading this blog can relate to being suckered punched, down and tempted to throw in the towel but the blessing is like my buddy, Mark Shelton said: “I met God on the mountain but Jesus in the valley.” God is present and you can trust His Promises even in pain. The next time you are tempted to feel pitiful throw a PARTY! Get your praise on and when you WORSHIP more you will WORRY less. Serve the Almighty not soak in anxiety!

I am so slow it takes an hour for me to cook MINUTE RICE. It took me some time but I have come to the conclusion that the world doesn’t want to hear an excuse they just want to see my example. Today, I don’t know about a resolution that’s easily broken but a revalation from God that brings healing is just what the Great Physician ordered this New Year. Today, is 1/1/11 and God didn’t come to wipe your slate clean but take away the slate. What the law couldn’t do – The LOVE of our LORD did! Today, is the day of salvation and may we make EXCUSES less be an EXAMPLE more and EXECUTE like a winner. As kids of The King we are not losers but leaders whom are to serve our Savior and society with a smile. No Fear. No Regrets. No Excuses.

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