Sinners

The great evangelist George Whitefield once received a letter in which he was brutally criticized by a peer. He was called everything but a preacher. Whitefield, with impeccable clarity, penned the best response to criticism I've ever encountered. He wrote his assassin a brief reply: "Thank you sir for your criticism. If you knew about me what I know about me, you would have written a longer letter." Genius. Whitefield got it. _We all deserve longer letters._ If we can ever get here in our hearts, the world will open up to us. The gospel says, "Get here soon." - from "What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him" by Byron Forrest Yawn

We are all sinners.  Let us recognise this and turn to the Lord for Salvation.

What keeps you from leading well?

I am reading "What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him" by Byron Forrest Yawn. He says:

"Here's the deal. In order to be freed from the fear of man and be comfortable in your own skin you have to answer ["What's your greatest weakness?"] honestly for yourself. I don't mean surface answers either. I mean the "thing beneath the thing" type answer. I have an anger problem goes to I'm selfish and when people don't do exactly what I say I destroy them with words. I'm not very patient, goes to I'm blindly arrogant and consider anyone who makes a mistake incompetent. I don't like to open up and talk, goes to I'm so immature and delinquent I'm embarrassed someone will see it. I haven't found the career I want, goes to I'm too afraid to try anything that requires strength of character. If you get it out there and deal with it, you'll know how your grandfather felt at seventy.
"By the time a man reaches premarital counseling, he should know these things. There should exist an inventory. He should be able to tell his bride and counselor exactly what it is about him that will make following him a challenge. ..."

Here is a challenge to my friends, especially those in a relationship who are not yet married:
First, make a list of the things that will make it difficult for your future bride to follow you, and a list of what you are doing to fix them.
Second, ask your significant other to make a list of the things that she sees.
Third, compare and discuss your lists, (yes, it may hurt, but suck it up) and pray together that God would help you overcome those things, by His grace.

If you are following Jesus as your Lord, thank Him that His death covers all your failures and gives you the strength you need to continue the fight. With confidence continue the fight, striving for holiness!