By Dr Tony Evans

It’s time to quit making excuses.

Perhaps you didn’t have a good beginning upon which to build. Maybe your parents fought or divorced early on. Maybe you didn’t come from a nice neighborhood or a school system whose funding indicated that they took your future seriously. Maybe you had to raise yourself because your mom worked three jobs. Or maybe you lived in the suburbs, but were abused, neglected or pacified with “stuff”. Maybe you never experienced a loving relationship at home. Whatever the case, where you start has nothing to do with where you are going. After all, Jesus started out in an obscure town named Nazareth.

Since Jesus came from this no-name place, He can meet anyone in any place at any time, even when life seems worthless. He can turn your life around and set you on your feet, if you will just look to Jesus from Nazareth. 

You can look to Jesus who came from no hope, no opportunity and no way out.

There’s no room for excuses like “If it weren’t for him,” or “If it weren’t for them,” or “If it weren’t for that circumstance, or my background, or my limitations.” All that is real, yes. But in the name of Jesus Christ, the one from Nazareth, you don’t need to be whining anymore. You can get up. You can dust yourself off. You can walk. You can be responsible. You should no longer see yourself as a victim. Your relationship with Jesus Christ makes you an overcomer (1 John 5:1-4).

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder, president of The Urban Alternative, and author of over 100 books, booklets, and Bible studies.