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Every night my prayer partner calls, he’s a little 88-year-old man in Nacogdoches, TX. A couple of weeks ago, we started reading a chapter of the Bible before we pray. This has been fantastic for both of us.

Tonight, we read Acts chapter ten; something Simon Peter experienced struck me… in verse fifteen, a voice spoke to him again the second time saying “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Then, in verse twenty-eight, Simon Peter shared this with Cornelius, saying, “But God has shown me I should not call any man common or unclean.”

It brought back to mind some thoughts I’ve had about myself, how I get down on myself for not measuring up, or especially when I struggle with my identity. Because I do not see me as God sees me. I’m often negative because the road I’m on has not led me to that place I thought I would be at this place and stage in my life.

I know I’m still moving forward and working on growing myself. However, tonight I feel God is showing me how I have been calling what He has cleansed common. I looked up the word “common,” and I don’t fit that label anymore.

God does not look down on me. He sees me as so much more than I see or anyone else sees.

The Blood of the Lamb has washed me clean.

So I’m putting this into practice; to not call the things He’s cleansed as common.

I quit smoking in 1998. Just quit.

I had smoked for over 25 years, had tried to quit many times. Failed many times. But then one day, I read this verse in Daniel while smoking a cigarette.

I pondered on this “purposing in one’s heart” for a little over a week. Then decided to purpose in my heart to quit smoking. I knew smoking wasn’t good for me, plus it defiled my body.

I made a choice to purpose in my heart, threw my cigarettes out, and have never desired one since.

This coming year – 2021 – I am purposing in my heart to be undistracted by the many things that keep me from sitting at Jesus’ feet. I will be more focused on sitting and listening to His revelations.

Here lately, it’s been waking up at 4 am and spending time reading, praying, and writing in my journal.

It’s a start…

What do you need to be purposeful and undistracted about in the year 2021?

I pray you will find purpose and be undistracted in whatever it is.