John 14:6 (NKJV):  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.

The truth has always borne a tip as a spear. It appears to us who in darkness as an ember that could possibly lead us away from the darkness, but yet many of us turn away in distrust having become used to the darkness around us.

The marketing of evil is so prevalent, so organized, that from the days in the garden of Eden where the evil one took his marketing campaign to a listening ear to implant the idea that “God has not said you will surely die”, the idea that there will be no consequence for the disobedience except reward – “you will be as gods”. From then to now, there has been a campaign to thwart the entrance of truth, to mock it, to ridicule it, to crucify it.

Truth is and will always be the way to release from the prison of darkness that seeks to not only destroy the body, but the mind and the soul. 

Matt 13:9 (NKJV): He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Today, the ambassadors of truth are targeted and branded as the world’s enemies. So where does that leave us who are ambassadors of Christ, the one who is Truth and who was mocked, ridiculed and crucified? As followers of Christ, we cannot fear the world nor its evil. We also cannot appease them by watering down the truth. We have to understand, that LOVE is the reason Truth became flesh and walked among us. So why are we, the messengers of the Truth, uncomfortable to speak the truth?

Truth will always be the tip of a spear, making the listeners uncomfortable as it seeks to bring listeners to understanding. It is uncomfortable!

And God can use whomever He pleases. He is not confined to the church as some would have us believe! Dare I say it? He has raised up men and women outside of the traditional church! Why? Because some in the church have become so politically correct, that the fear of displeasing the crowd has displaced their message of truth. It has become diluted.

Matt 8:13-15 (NKJV): And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.  Now the disciples^[a] had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.  Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

The leaven of the Pharisees is fear of the truth by clinging to traditions  and status quo (religion). Anyone who challenges them must die.

John 11:46-50 (NKJV): Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,  nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”

The leaven of Herod is disregard of the truth and when confronted with the truth, he then pursues that which will protect selfish ambitions and that which extinguishes and kills the truth (politics and political ambitions).

Matt 2:16-18 (NKJV): Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

“Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter.” (Rabbi Harold Kushner)

Life is a journey. It is not static (although sometimes, you really feel as if nothing changes, have changed or will change). But as time continues to march forward, and the earth turns on its axis, as the movements in the universe continue in spite of our inability to grasp the vastness, the enormity of outer realms, our bubble also changes. We born, age and we die. We are like travelers trapped in time and the confines of fleshly existence, mired in a world overflowing with pain, evil and hate. Can we imagine God being one of us?

As we ponder these things, thoughts of our purpose, reasons for existence and life itself splash across our consciousness like torrents of cold rain. How can we make an impact to the world around us? How can we change the world? How can we make a difference before our time is up?

It starts with us doing the small things, little action, and moving forward step by step to make a difference. As we move on in our journey towards destiny, let me encourage you to “finish well”.

Lao Tzu (Chinese philosopher) said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

 “Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step in your life. “I do my best thinking on the move – not sitting. You’re supposed to leave footprints in the sands of time.” John C. Maxwell

The Bible (KJV)

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Philippians 3:14 – I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:
Hebrews 12:1 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Let us not concentrate on the things we have tried and failed at- but let us look towards the future and look for opportunities to help others. Let us make the decision today to reach for the higher goal- to finish the work and to finish well.

“The people who most often make the biggest difference are the people who are first to step up and help.” “One of the great ironies of life is that if you give up your life, you gain it. If you help others, you benefit. If you lose yourself, you find yourself.” John C. Maxwell paraphrasing Jesus Christ- lay down your life for others.

The path to a significant life- John C. Maxwell

1. Set out “to make a difference” – You need this drive to attain significance.
2. Do “something that makes a difference” – Nurture and harness your capabilities and talents. Together, they empower your “sweet spot” or impetus to take action that accomplishes good for others.
3. Do “something with people who want to make a difference” – You stand a better chance of doing something meaningful if you form a partnership with others.
4. “Do “something at a time when it makes a difference” – Act with urgency and seize the moment to help someone else. Don’t confuse success with significance. Success means doing what’s good for yourself; significance means doing something good for others. Living a life of significance is real success.

Make every day your masterpiece.” John Wooden (basketball coach UCLA)