I remember when I thought I had it down…all figured out. I was charting my own course. Poor grades and even flunking out of college after 3 years didn’t phase me. From age 18 – 37, I lived in my apex of brilliance. Failure was just part of the process. My theme song was “I Did It My Way.” And my purpose was to become very wealthy. I convinced myself the more I have the better life will be.

Then BAM!!! Reality hit and it hit hard. On the verge of bankruptcy, pawning things to feed my family and losing my wife & children I fell down my mountain of pride…and into His arms. He had been waiting all along for me to say, “Jesus, I’ve had enough. Help me!”

This morning in Bible Study Fellowship we were discussing the complex scripture of Zechariah. One of my BSF buddies answered a question this way, “Guys I’ve been singing this song all week about this lesson, “Where would I be?” I know where I would be, lost, hopeless and headed for Hell. But Jesus changed all of that. He changed my purpose that gave me Hope and the Confidence to “Press On” (Phil 3:13-15)

I Googled the lyrics of the song, “Where Would I Be” and found these powerful words. “I wouldn’t know Your peace in my darkest night – And I wouldn’t hope from a heart made new – I’d still be longing for the answer to thе ache inside – Jesus, I’d still bе searching for you. – Where would I be without the blood? – Where would I be without your love? – You took my place on Calvary – Without the blood where would I be?” That’s from the song, “Where Would I Be?” Christy Nockels

When my balloon of Pride burst, I recognized I had put myself on the Throne. We know from Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” And my pride was directly connected to my self-centeredness. Like Eve, I rationalized my choices. Like Eve, I saw, I desired, I ate and I shared. And like Eve, I further rationalized my choices with self-talk, “it was not illegal,” “no one was really harmed” and after all, “everyone else is doing it.” The bottom line is that I was worshipping me and what I wanted.

This is in direct opposition to God. Jesus told us in Matthew 22:37-40, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” This is where my journey started, learning to “Put Him First In Everything!” Like Paul, “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” (Philippians 3:12)

Last week I turned 79. The greatest thing I have learned in 61 years is that I know so little about the One who gave His life for me. The One who patiently waited for me to cry out, “Jesus, I need you.” That year I walked into a Bible Study Fellowship class and experienced for the first time in my life, His Living Word. I discovered, as our Teaching Leader so often said, “If you get into God’s Word, God’s Word will get into you.”

This is key to knowing Him. God so loved the world He not only gave us His One & Only Son, but He gave us His Love Letter, His Word to whisper to our heart…Teach Us His Ways…Give us Hope!

Do you know Him personally? Are you in His Word daily?