Webster’s dictionary defines a champion as one who fights for a cause and wins.  Champions are fighters and not quitters.  Champions have learned how to go the distance no matter what obstacles they encounter.  Champions confront and conquer.  Champions are unstoppable.  Champions have something down deep within them that pushes them forward.  They get back up every time they are knocked down and they are the last one standing at the sound of the bell.

The Apostle Paul was a champion.  He endured much suffering all because of what he believed in.  Once he saw the light, he became a champion for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He was stoned, ship wrecked, betrayed, imprisoned time and time again.  He almost lost his life on the sea several times but yet, he continued to share the gospel.  He was willing and eventually did, give his life for what he believed and the most remarkable thing about him is his faith grew.  Paul could have quit.  He could have convinced himself that it was too hard to continue but he did neither one.  Paul perservered and in his own words he ‘fought the good fight of faith.’  Paul’s focus was on pleasing God more than on his own safety or comfort.  His testimony is one that should inspire every believer to hold steady so that they, too, will inherit the promises of God.

Do you realize that God created you to be a champion?  God put part of Himself, the Holy Spirit, inside of you so that you could win the race of life, and if God be for you, who can be against you?  Understand that you do not become a champion by accident.  Champtions are made.  They train themselves and make the sacrifices required so that they become the last man standing.  Because you have what it takes, it does not pease God if you were to quit, give up or shrink back.  You are destined to finish your course but you, like Paul, must fight the good fight of faith.  Is it easy? No, but your prize will be well worth it.  Champions are not perfect, they even make mistakes but the one thing that causes them to stand out in a crowd is their determination and their belief that they can and will win. Champions will make a mistake; they will make a bad decision; they will not see everything work out as they would like them to but they keep on keeping on. Their faith in God is their motivating factor.    They know where their strength ends and where God’s power begins.  Champions are not afraid of the fight because they know that the battle belongs to God.

Are your living a champion lifestyle?  Do you have that passion and drive within you to keep fighting the good fight of faith until you have finished your course?  If your answer is no, I encourage you to read and meditate on the Word of God and learn from those men and women who confronted, fought and conquered their enemy.  Spend time alone with God and ask Him to help you do what you are unable to do alone.  God loves you with an everlasting love and He wants you to experience the love of a Father that will carry you through this life and the life to come.  Keep fighting, finish your course until the day you hear ‘well done thy good and faithful servant.’

Many people in the world today are not concerned about what other people say about them.  They do not live their lives looking for approval.  What matters most to them is that they are living a godly life and they are happy.  On the other hand, there are people who are affected by what others say and think about them.  If they are criticized, it hurts and affects their ability to move forward.  They live their lives trying to please others and will change their course of action just because someone convinces them that it is the thing to do.  The problem with this group of people is one day they will come to the conclusion that you cannot please everyone and there will always be someone judging you no matter what you do.  My advice is to ‘shake it off.’

There is a story in the Bible about the Apostle Paul who, after being ship wrecked on his way to Rome, found himself on the island of Malta.  As he put more wood on the fire, a snake jumped onto his hand and clung to him.  Without giving it another thought, Paul just shook the snake off into the fire.  What was meant to kill him ended up being killed. Everyone around him began to watch him closely because they expected him to die.  They began to talk about him, decided that he must be a murderer and this snake was his punishment.  Little did they know that Paul had received a promise from God that he would preach the gospel in Rome.  Paul clung to that promise and shook off the snake, and that is what every child of God should do.  When Satan attacks you, whether it is a snake of criticism, financial hardship, marital problems, rebellion in your children, rejection of sickness,shake off it off and cling to the promises of God.  God created you and everything He made, He called it good, so do not let anyone tell you that you are not going to make it.  No matter what your circumstances look like today, tomorrow is a new day and it could all change in a moment.

God has a purpose and a plan for your life and you belong to God.  Put your trust and hope in the one who created this world.  Strive to please Him and not your fellow man.  It is better to put your trust in God than in man.  God is faithful and He knew you before you were born and He will never leave nor forsake you.  Don’t become discouraged by what happens to you; trouble doesn’t last always.  Shake it off and believe in your heart that you will succeed.  No one – no one but your heavenly Father determines how blessed you will be.  All things will work together for your good and that is a promise you can depend on.

Happy Mother’s Day to every woman who has birthed, raised, loved, cared for and sacrificed for a child whether she gave natural birth to that child or the child was placed in her care.  Mothers should be honored every day but at least we designate one day a year to say ‘thank you’ to our Mothers.  Fathers have their day, but not as much emphasis is put on Father’s Day as we do on Mother’s Day.  More phone calls are made to Moms; more flowers are sent to Moms and more cards are given to Moms when you compare these things to Father’s Day.

Have you ever noticed that professional athletes always say ‘hi Mom’ when they are in front of a camera.  Why don’t they say ‘hi Dad?’  When you really think about it, Mothers deserve every bit of recognition they receive.  There is nothing like a Mother’s love and for those who were blessed to have had a godly Mother take the time to show your appreciation.  For those of you whose Mother is among those in that great cloud of witnesses, thank the Lord for the legacy that she left you.

It would be unrealistic to forget that not everyone had a godly Mother and grew up without knowing the unconditional love of their Mother – if she is still with you, pray for her – forgive her and do not let the pain of the past keep you from being the best Mother you can be to your children.  If your Mother has passed away, do not hold onto the past.  You cannot go back, nor can you change what did happen.  Do not let the past define who you are today because in Christ Jesus we are all new ceations and each of us must take responsibility for our own actions.

Mothers, I honor you; I salute you and I want to thank you for your love, your prayers and your commitment.  Father’s are the spiritual heads of the home but Mothers are the heart of every home.  Thank God for you and all that you do especially for all those things you do that are not seen.  May God reward you richly and give you the desires of your heart.

Faith in the life of a Christian is like gasoline in a car, a car can’t move without it.  Likewise, a Christian must have faith in God if he or she is going to live successfully.  The Bible tells us that we all have been give a measure of faith but it is up to the individual to exercise that faith or not, and it is faith that will cause us to get back up when life knocks us down – giving up is not an option.  Satan doesn’t like Believers and he is doing everything he can to discourage and ultimately stop us from believing God, but God has promised never to leave nor forsake us so He is and will always be in the fire with you.

It was faith that caused Paul and SIlas to have a mid-night prayer meeting.  They did not let prison nor chains stop them from praising their Lord and Savior.  They were in the worst circumstances but their circumstances did not change or remove their faith in God, and it was because of their praise that the prison doors were open and they and all the other prisoner’s chains fell off.  No doubt if their faith had waivered, they would have remained chained.  Circumstances are temporary and they change from day to day so don’t allow a temporary state cause you to stop believing.  God knows what you need and He has promised to supply those needs but first, you must keep your faith alive and active.

Today is a new day and if you are overwhelmed by life, don’t say that it is over and don’t waste your time thinking about how it use to be.  Forget the past and do not fear.  God has promised to be with you today and He wants to do a new thing in your life, so don’t give up.  You must possess the kind of faith that endures everything.  Focus on the future.  Believe that your best days are yet to come because faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and it is the things that you cannot see that you need to believe in.  God can do everything and there is nothing impossible for God.

Begin every day confessing the Word and believing that there is hope for tomorrow and remember that you are not to grow weary in doing good because you will reap if you do not give up.  Giving up should never be an option.