Do you ever wonder how God sees you, how others see you, and then have to come to grips with how you see yourself when you look in the mirror? There are many individuals in scripture that had great things said about them and then there are some that made major mistakes along the way and still ended up receiving God’s grace. Sometimes the way we see ourselves can become the greatest obstacle, because we remember our failures while God sees the person He is still shaping and molding. Job served God, and because of what he endured, he continued to walk through it with honor. It is written in *Job1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God [with reverence] and abstained from and turned away from evil [because he honored God].* Job’s life reminds us that true faith is not only revealed when everything is going well, but also when we continue to trust God in the middle of the storm. The there was David, a man who had great things said about him, as seen written in *1 Samuel 16:18 One of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a brave and competent man, a warrior, discerning (prudent, eloquent) in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.”* And even though he made some mistakes along the way, he made his relationship right with God through genuine repentance. David shows us that a mistake does not have to be the end of our story when we are willing to humble ourselves, repent, and return to the Lord. God’s grace does not excuse our sin, but it gives us the opportunity to turn from it and allow Him to restore our hearts and our relationship with Him. We can also look at John the Baptist, who was a great man in the eyes of Jesus and stayed that way till the end of his life. It is written in *Matthew 11:11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…* Jesus also said, “yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater [in privilege] than he.” John’s life reminds us that greatness in God’s eyes is not about how the world measures us, but about whether we remain faithful to what God has called us to do. Being right with God can be challenging, but through the examples in the scriptures, we can understand that it is possible with the Lord’s help. The same God that created the heavens and earth, the same God that helped the men mentioned here to be who they were, is the same God who will help us today. We should never allow our past to become an excuse to stop pursuing the God who has given us grace, mercy, and another opportunity to walk with Him. We cannot be sinless until we get to heaven, but we are called to sin less. The battle is fierce, we must remember that we are fighting from victory, not for victory. So when you stumble, get back up; when you fall, reach for the hand of God; and when the enemy tells you that you are finished, remember that God is not finished with you. Make the decision today to guard your heart, pursue righteousness, repent when you are wrong, and keep your eyes fixed on the Lord regardless of what comes your way. Do not let the opinions of people, the weight of your past, or the struggles of today determine how you see yourself, because your identity must ultimately be rooted in who you are in Christ. God saw → Job’s faithfulness → David’s failure and repentance → John’s faithfulness → and God will help us with → our personal application. Stay strong my brethren! I will pray for you to endure in the battle and ask that you pray for me as well. 

My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.