EYES WIDE SHUT

Eyes Wide Shut
Date: Sunday, July 17, 2005By: Bishop T. D. Jakes, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com

Have you ever done something that you knew didn’t make sense but you did it anyway? You know, dumb stuff like going three days without taking your insulin…spending all your money before paying your bills or getting into a relationship with a person who you knew was bad news, but he or she was so fine, you just couldn’t pass up the opportunity?

There are always warning signs, but many times we ignore them. People tell you that entering the relationship will only lead to disappointment. The doctor tells you that taking your medicine consistently is crucial. You know that it will take you three months of robbing Peter to pay Paul to get your bills back on track if you overspend. And yet, we fall into the same traps time and time again, rather learning from previous mistakes and making wiser choices. In other words, we go into situations with our eyes wide open.

God gives us options to choose from every day. He allows us to decide whether we will follow Him or go the opposite direction. He’s given us the free will to create the life we want. Often we think we know better than He does the things we should or should not do and we ignore the warning signs.

We’re like moths attracted to light. When a moth sees a fire, he is automatically drawn to it. He dances around the fire trying to figure out how he can get into the light without getting burned by the fire. Likewise, we try to outsmart the situation to get the things we want but it is impossible to do.

When you’re on the path to destiny, the devil will always send something or someone to distract and ultimately destroy you. That’s what happened to Samson. The enemy sent an attractive, seductive woman, Delilah, to distract Samson and uncover his secret of strength. What amazes me is that Samson knew he was being set up by his enemy!

He kept playing with fire until he was eventually burned by it. He became vulnerable, fell in love with Delilah and against his better judgement told her his secret. He went into the situation with his eyes wide open. Without knowing it he lost his strength and eventually his sight. Then his eyes became wide shut. When he tried to muster up the strength he once had he couldn’t do it.

Sometimes God disappoints us by refusing to immediately respond when we get in trouble. He doesn’t enjoy being the spare tire we just take out for emergency purposes. He wants us to adhere to the warning signs He places in front of us when our eyes are open. When we fall into situations that we know we should walk away from, we choose to walk in with our eyes wide shut.

Spending time with God daily in prayer positions us to overcome the temptations we encounter. He reveals things to us and as a result we become more sensitive to His direction. Decide today that you will choose God’s way. The Bible says we show that we love Him when we are obedient. Make good choices today. Pay attention to the warning signs and choose the path God has set for you!

“Eyes Wide Shut” is an excerpt from the series entitled Secret Place.
Author Bishop T.D. Jakes

Submitted by: Shelle

I'M BETTER THAN THIS

I'm Better Than This

Date: Monday, September 19, 2005
By: Bishop T. D. Jakes, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com

There are some people who go through a complete metamorphosis in life. They change from the old sinful, nasty talking, whoremongering, pornography internet surfing, crack smoking, lying, thieving person they used to be into an entirely new person.
In fact some of the people you work with, go to church with or live in your neighborhood have come out of a past that you would not believe! Fortunately for us, there is nothing too extreme for God to erase from our past. He can take the gutter-most to the uttermost at anytime and anywhere.
The Apostle Paul came out of a troubled past. I mean he had major issues. He was a controversial misfit, a terrorist murderer and a God hater. Yet he is the most prolific writer of the New Testament. Without his input, we would not know how to truly relate to God and enjoy the benefits of having a relationship with Him.

After the Damascus Road experience, Paul turned his entire life over to Christ. God saved him, but no one wanted anything to do with him. Isn’t it amazing how you can make a complete turnaround in your life and people will still treat you like you’re nothing?

Some of the most inspiring messages you will ever hear from people who have been through anything, came as a result of their greatest messes. Paul was once the “chief” of sinners, but he excelled in ministry because he was confident in who he was in Christ.

Once you accept Jesus, your identification changes and so does your position in life. All the old stuff is erased through forgiveness and you become a new creature in Christ. He paid the price for every sin you will ever commit when He gave up His life on the cross. In other words, He’s already paid the debt you would otherwise owe.

Look at it this way, if I paid off your mortgage, the mortgage company would have no right to call you about a bill ever again. It’s paid for! That’s what the enemy tries to do when he uses other people to bring up your past. He tries to convince you that you’re the same person you used to be. However, once you realize who you are in Christ, you can look your accusers straight in the eye and tell them, “I’m better than this!”

You may be working through some things right now – we all are – but you can change your condition by aligning yourself with your position. As God’s child, you have a right to the best life has to offer.

It’s time to live. People may be used to seeing you live with a defeated mentality, fear or insecurity, but you’re better than that now. Start acting like it and begin pursuing the things God is showing you in your dreams. Believe me; the things you see in your dreams are more real than the things you see with your eyes. It’s time to step out into new territory and like Paul, forget those things that are behind and press toward the great things that lie ahead. Now pursue!

This excerpt was taken from the series entitled I’m Better Than This.
Author Bishop T.D. Jakes


@Lovleeannwise   all rights reserved 2014 original post 11/13/05, 2:09 PM

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