(The following is an excerpt from Bob Nichols’ book, “How to Change Your Destiny.”)
What God is calling for is character, not perfection. When I think of the name, Billy Graham, I think about integrity and purity. You have to admire the man. He has never had a scandal. He has kept his life clean. The man goes out of his way to operate in integrity and moral purity and God has honored him because of that. Even if you have the strongest resolve, Satan will still try to get you to sin. I am telling you, sin always has the same M.O. – no new wrinkles. It is the same old, dirty, brown sack. Satan just puts a new ribbon on it and says, this is new and improved. Satan says, “You can compromise and God will forgive you so it does not make any difference.” Do not believe it! Character is what you do when no one’s looking.
I am going to hit something else here, it is impossible to sit and watch immoral movies and stay the person that God called you to be. It is impossible! It would not hurt us to get back to the Ten Commandments, not to be saved, but to stay on the track. They spell things out plain and simple: Thou shalt no other gods before me. You are not to covet anything that someone else has. Thou shalt not steal. I do not have to steal, God will give to me everything I need. Thou shall not bear false witness. God wants us to tell the truth the first time even if does not seem to matter. Tell the truth. If you cannot do something and tell the truth, do not do it. It is just so good to live clean and put your head on the pillow at night and say, “Praise be unto God, here comes another good night’s rest.” Everything is okay. There is nothing between your soul and your Savior. No wonder the man, Jabez, said, if I am ever going to break out of this negative mold that I was born into, keep me from evil and the grief that it brings.
No single circumstance in your life has to determine your future. You do not have to become what anyone else says about you. Go with what God says about you. Before you were born God called you valuable and precious and wrote out a bright future for you. You are not a mistake going somewhere to happen. God placed you on this earth on purpose and He has a good plan for your life. Where and when you were born, the parents God gave you, your personality, and everything else about you was orchestrated by God for a purpose. You can be like Jabez and overcome negative circumstances through prayer. Change your destiny today through faith in God.
Prayer
Lord, the prayer Jabez prayed to You, is my prayer today. Lord, bless me indeed, enlarge my coast, keep your hand on me, keep me from evil and from causing pain to others. I will not listen to the lies anymore. I can be what You have called me to be. I can do what You have called me to do. I know You will keep me, because I desire with all my heart to be kept by You. Jesus, be the Lord of my life. Take my life and make me a blessing to others. In Jesus’ Name, amen.