Hand up

[Jason Edward]

Greetings in the name of Jesus, I wanted to talk to you about hand outs. I know that in life we have problems that is the way life goes. Something I think needs to be said. And you all know I am the guy that is not scared to say what is needed to be said. Like I said there are times we need extra help, there are times when we have hit rock bottom. Sometimes in those situations we have what I call ...pride. We let pride get in our way of God's blessings. We let people dictate what we do and how we live. In my 32 years of life I myself are one of the ones that have hit rock bottom. I also had let my pride rob me of God's blessings. The pride I am speaking of is you have said it too " Oh I don't need a hand out." That very thought robs us of Gods blessings. You see pride doesn't get us anywhere. Instead of thinking I need a hand out. Start thinking like this. We don't need a hand out what we need is a hand up. Let me tell you a little story. About 3 years ago I hit the worst rock bottom ever. I didn't have anything or at least I thought. I was forced to pay for 2 house holds and I barley had a nickle to my name. So I sat by myself and I prayed, then the idea hit me. I don't have a car or means of even pay for a taxi to go from one place to another. Good thing for me at the time i had good credit still do. I saw in a add about a riding lawn mower for x amount of dollars. I knew I could pay for it because I know me. It was just then getting summer time and I got the lawn mower because of good credit with this company. Now here is where i had to swallow my pride and do everything I could to get my family back. You might be wondering what does a riding lawn mower have to do with pride. Well I mentioned earlier that I had no car or pickup to take my rider around and mow yards. So I drove that lawn mower around til i got a mowing job. Now this mower is not very fast at all. The whole time i had that lawn mower, people drove by me calling me names and really being nasty to me. Now i could have just stopped and not did anything at all. I could have let what people said to me effect my life my income and my goals that i had set up. But I didn't threw the whole summer I left my house at 7 am and didn't get back til 9pm at night. I had to endure so much nastiness and so much teasing. My whole point to this story is this. Yes things happen that we cannot control. It is a matter of your mind set. You can sit there and be poor pitiful me and be mad or ashamed. The bottom line is you can't get God's hand up if you don't swallow your pride and get your hand up. To finish my story, I swallowed my pride even tho I hated every minute of it. If I had not took God up on his blessings I would not be with you today. Yes i know it sucks it does but think about what God says in his word in Isaiah he says I know the plans I have for your life plans to prosper you not harm you. If you are facing a situation in life don't be full of pride think about me riding along on a riding lawn mower. God bless I love you all.