Luke 9:51 “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Don’t look back, because life is lived forwards and you need to look forward to live! Attempting to drive through life constantly in reverse will not get you safely to your destination or destiny. Similarly, attempting to drive through life and move forward with your eyes fixed on the rearview mirror is just asking for an accident. Perhaps you are tempted to not look forward because you think that your best years aren’t there, they are behind you now.Perhaps you have been disappointed, let down before and you don’t want to get your hopes up by looking forward again. But here's some Good news: There is one that has gone before you that is already in your future that has made a way for you that you can place your trust in.

• And because Jesus has gone before you the best season of your life is yet to come.

Isaiah 43:15-16Here’s what this means: God makes a way for you by going through what is ahead of you before you go through it! This promise means that there is nothing you face that God hasn’t faced first for you and on your behalf!

• He has even faced death for you

• He has faced hell for you

• And took the keys for both - which means that he has authority over both.

• And is now facing the Father for you!

This is why Jesus is often called: WAY-MAKER!How has Jesus made a way forward for you?

1. Isaiah 50:6

2. Isaiah 53:3

Could you hear anything in that text that you are facing or have faced?This is why Jesus said when trouble comes be of good cheer!

• There isn’t anything that you are going through that he hasn’t already been through on your behalf and made a way through, just for you!

How did Jesus face all that you are going through and made a way through for you? The Bible says that: He resolutely set his face, like flint towards it.Isaiah 50:7 “Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame”.Because Christ crashed through whatever would stand in your way!

• You can run the risk of hoping and believing for a future and following Him by faith into your tomorrows.

• You must not be double minded though and attempt to go one direction while facing another.

How this works:

1. Decide to Be Intentional: Turn your heart in the direction you intend to go and follow Jesus alone, without looking back.

1. Decide to Be Sacrificial: If you are going the same direction of Jesus it will mean the cross

1. Remind yourself of what’s Beneficial: But if you're going the same direction of Jesus it will also mean resurrection, seated with Him at His throne, and eternal life!

Learn about the wisdom of doing life, not by stress, strain, and self-effort but by the Spirit's power!

A Motivational Moment from Wisdom for LifeThen Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

Psalm 149:6-9 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment— This honor has all His saints. Praise the LORD!

Luke 15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Jeremiah 38:6-96So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.7But Ebed-Melek, a Cushite, c an official d in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, 8Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, 9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8New International Version4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.