Excuse Me for all the Excuses!

Hola friends!

So here's the dealio. This Sunday I am briefly speaking at my home church, Day 3, on the topic of excuses, Moses, and my story. It's only for 10 minutes, but hey, they chose me, so I'm not passing it up. The problem I find is me speaking only ten minutes . So to flesh out what I wanted to say I went through a process:

1. I began writing my story.
2. Listened to Hillsong the whole time
3. Lifted my hands during the songs Devotion and The Stand
4. Wrote some more story.
5. Thought about all my excuses, and wrote down everyone.
6. Got really scared at how messed up I am.
7. Ate an Oatmeal Creampie- for comfort!
8. Decided God is bigger than my excuses.
9. Wrote about Grace.
10. Found my favorite John Piper quote.
11. Thought about my friend, George Carter, and his horrible sunburn from this summer, and how he still lead bible study everyday and gave his all for Christ.
12. Felt secure.

Like I said, it was a process.

So now I have read, and reread, and reread what I am gonna say, and have begin cutting it down. There was some stuff I wrote and cute out, so it won't get said Sunday and I feel like it needs to be said, so I figured I would say it here.

First--- I AM SCREWED UP!
I mess up way too much, and I know I do, and I still do it. I feel guilty about a lot of things and I carry that guilt and it shows in my actions and words. Most people don't know its guilt speaking, but I do. I've learned that overcoming our own guilt and failure is one of the hardest things we face. Whether you are a Christian or not, guilt is still something we deal with as humans. Its like a wall we stand against. We lean on it. We punch it. We climb it. And often we get one leg over and pull a humpty dumpty.

If you feel guilty about your past, you aren't alone. Alot of us feel the same way. But please know that God is big enough to forgive you and allow yourself to forgive your own past.

Second-- I NEED RISK!
For too long I have abandoned the Cause of Christ and chosen the cause of i. Have you ever forgotten to call someone important because you got tied up doing something not so important. Like this week, I was supposed to call my sister and I never did. What did I do instead? Well I took a nap, I watched tv, I ate some Chex Mix, and drank a Strawberry Limeade.

We are the same way with the mission God has given us. We spend our time wallowing like pigs in our own pity, guilt, complacency, and fear -- all useless! Think about it. Holding on to all those things gets you know where, they hold you back. When have you ever heard someone say, "Wow, I sure am glad I was too scared to follow God! Who knows what great stuff He would have done. Glad I wasn't a part of that!" I need to take the risk, I need to stop starving Jesus with my own excuses and allow myself to be used---now, where I am!

So last week I wrote about being patient and this week I write about not having excuses and taking risk. I just confused myself. I think a lot of times we need balance, wait on the Lord and cling to him, not our own excuses, understanding, or fears.

what are your excuses?

I have no one I can trust.
I messed up way too many times.
I don't know what to say.
I have scars people can see.
I had sex, and we weren't married.
I took drugs.
My mom doesn't love me.
My dad hits me.
I am fat.
I am too old.
I am too young.
My money is gone.
I am a hypocrite.
My friends will laugh.
I don't know that much about Jesus.
I think I am ugly.
I can't stop looking at pornography.
I am self-centered
I am lustful.
I'm not bold in my walk.
I am fearful of God's call.
I am consumed with pain
I feel worthless.
My past haunts me.
I am selfish.
I am confused.
I am scared.

It's ok to let go, I promise. It is scary, it does hurts, and it makes you question everything. But don't excuse yourself from this Story because of your excuses. Don't let your own guilt control you.

Pray for a release. Pray to overcome. Pray to find peace. And He will give it.

Exodus 3:21
"...And when you go, you shall not go empty!"

Any thoughts?

Adam T.