We are either going forward, standing still or falling behind If we stand sgtill others will pass us and we fall

hbehind http://www.graduationwisdom.com/speeches/0002-zucker.htm Life is not fair - get used to it. The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping they called it Opportunity. If you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them. Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
The world aint all sunshine and rainbows. Its a very mean and nasty place and I dont care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it aint about how hard ya hit. Its about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. Thats how winning is done! Now if you know what youre worth then go out and get what youre worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you aint where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that aint you! Keep moving forward! Most people struggle with their personal histories. It is a known fact. Many live in regret wishing they could go back and change the past or relive the past. Neither of these are beneficial or practical if one wants to progress in life. In our lives, there are situations that consistently stunt us from progressing in our relationship with Christ. Yet, the time is now to get over them. Regardless of the source of your frustration, it is not the intent of God for you to be frustrated and restrained by them. There are two areas that many need to get over.

No one likes to be hurt, rejected, and ridiculed. However, they are a part of life. Individuals have been hurt by family, friends, and members of the church. Though it is painful, one must forgive, develop amnesia, and move on. When Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness, Jesus challenged his sensibilities in His response.
Get over Past Hurts.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Matt 18:21-22 (KJV) Jesus said this in light of the magnitude of offenses that can occur in life. In many instances, the offenders have moved on, so why dont you. Allow God to heal those areas so you can be free. Everyone fails and makes mistakes. It is no reason to give up on yourself. God will never leave you, even if you have failed in your walk with Him. Many need to forgive themselves. Understand that you cannot change what has been done, but you can affect what shall be done. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, he penned these famous words,
Get over Past Failures.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (KJV) We are reminded that everyone is striving. Therefore, we must forget things in the past that can hinder and frustrate us. We cannot allow fear of the past or future to stop us from pushing and moving forward in Christ. Get up from your dead situations. Get over things you cannot change, including things about yourself. And, pursue Christ and His will for your life. Remember, Christ came to give you life and that to the fullest.

"Letting Go": Necessary Steps in Moving Forward.

One lesson Ive learned from children that has had tremendous power in my life is letting go. If you have ever had to intervene in a bout between two children fighting over a toy, you'll notice the emotions running high, tears streaming down each child's face, and their precious hearts torn from what was perceived in their eyes as a huge conflict. After you correct them and settle the situation, within five minutes they have already restored their relationship between their former foe and are having even more fun than previously before the fight. Their hearts have not yet accepted or entertained the idea of depositing the seeds of bitterness or anger. A child exercises the ability to let go of the hurtful situation and they move forward in their

relationship with one another in life (notice how they always enjoy life because they don't harbor harmful emotions). I've noticed in my life that when my heart has gripped around a certain hurtful situation from the past, it hinders me from being able to move forward and fully enjoy living. example mourning over death The answer I found was exactly this; "let go" or "cause yourself to let go". I admit that answer was not appealing to me because I found no justice in it, and most of all it didn't instantly remove any pain. When I let go, that is when I was able move forward. The doorway to your future and destiny is only big enough for you to walk through, not you and your past. Past and future don't mix. Its either one or the other. If you hold on to your past, your future will only be revisiting that past over and over again. I know it seems hard and its not the answer you might want to hear, but take it from someone who has been there. I can tell you, it has been 1,000 times better to just let go than it was to hang on and demand answers and justice. We must make proper preparations ( v 1 ) a) They have finished their race They did not run perfectly but they ran. They did not quit until the race was finished. They endured unspeakable suffering and pain , but still they ran. Now they are seated in thegrandstands serving as an encouragement and a challenge to all of us. If these people could run and finish their race, then so can we. They were not extraordinary people but only common men and women just like you and me . If they could live obediently for the Lord then you and I can as well. b) They have revealed that God is reliable- The greatest Encouragement that we can derive from these Old Testament saints is the fact that they are all bearing witnesses of the faithfulness of the Lord our God. If God took care of them, honored their faith, sustained them, kept them ,used them, blessed them, then He will do the same in your life and mine. He will be with you just as He was with Moses, Abraham, David or any of the great heroes of faith. GOD IS ABSOLUTELY DEPENDABLE .( Heb 13: 5) B. Lay aside all weights Things which slow down our spiritual progress a) These are anything that does not build us up or make us stronger in the Lord. It could be spending too much time on the television instead of reading Gods Word or procrastination or lack of personal discipline. Seeking entertainment instead of fellowshipping and communing with God. Giving so much attention to the things of this world instead of seeking God. They are a weight and a hindrance that should be given close guard and checked in our life. b) Such things make our running the race difficult and will not keep us moving forward.

C. Lay aside all wrong doing -sins Things which slows the pace in the progress of our faith in God a) Not only confined to grave sins like lust, murder, having illicit affairs etc. but also includes sins which we ourselves labeled as petty sins such as unbelief, unforgiveness, indifferent attitude, impatience, pride, lying and a lot more. b) Such things can easily entangle us and affect us like a cramp in the leg so they must be stripped off. They will prevent you from finishing your race. (Rom 6:12) II. We need to have endurance ( v 1 ) A. Endurance is a necessary quality run with endurance the race that is set before us means not allowing the momentary difficulties and distractions to hinder our progress, not giving up but overcoming all difficulties and setbacks by moving on towards reaching our goals through discipline and exercising self-control. B. 3 things to remember as we are running our race - that will help to keep us moving forward in our christian life. 1) We each have our own race to run - what I mean is you cannot run in my lane and I cannot run in your lane. You cannot do the running for me and I cannot do the running for you. However there are some who refuse to ran in their own lane and they end up hindering everyone around them. 2) We are not in competition but we are on the same team. My goal is not to outrun you. My goal is to run for Jesus, the race that He has planned for me to the best of my ability. The same way with you and for the rest of us here, we are not to outdo each other and say for ourselves we are better than others, we are much spiritual than others, we are more gifted than others. Many people stop because theres no one telling them to go. Few people see beyond the danger and tell those who are on the edge, go for it. Instead of helping and encouraging each other we are trying to outdo each other. Whats the reason why some cannot move forward in their christian life? Aside from the weights and sins that we are not willing to lay aside, the so-called instant christianity complex are being carried by some of us without we realizing it. By instant christianity mentality I mean that by one act of faith knowing we are already saved and therefore there is little reason for us to seek God and dig into His Word for us to have a Bible-grounded faith. Because of this wrong notion, it has made our desire for spiritual progress static and in plateau. We fail to understand that we are a living organism just as a child needing nourishment and discipline to be assured of normal growth. We need to undergo spiritual

training, the necessity of forming right religious habits and the need to wrestle against the world and our own fleshly desires in order to move forward in our faith and christian life. 3) Our course has been individually designed - The race you are running has been prepared just for you. The best thing you can do is run your race to the best of your God- given ability.

Martin Luther refused to buck down when the church threatened to excommunicate him. Papa Ten Boom gave a hiding place for the Jews persecuted by Hitler and risked his own life. Our problem is the lack of perseverance and not willing to go for it. In anything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. (Prov 3:16) III. WE MUST GUARD OUR PRIORITIES ( v 2 ) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith A. Why do we need to focus only to Jesus as we run our race? 1) If we look around and see others we will only be discouraged, stumbled If we look at our circumstances we may get disheartened and lose sight of the proper perspective, we will be distracted and defeated. If we look within ourselves we will only be dismayed if we see how little we are progressing. So we need only to look up- to be delivered (Col 3:1-2) Our eyes are to be focused on the One who will greet us at the end of our race. B. What made Jesus able to endure and run the race victoriously? for the joy that was set before Him (v 2) Where is the joy in running a race filled with many oppositions? Where is the joy in going to be nailed at a cross? Where is the joy in dying like a criminal, to be hurled insults and mock by people? Where is the joy in being rejected by people you love? Compared the sufferings you have encountered to that of our Lord Jesus? What we have encountered is not even half of what Jesus suffered. The joy that inspired Jesus was the privilege of being with God the Father (v 2 ) For us, the joy would be in what would happen when we finished our race are as follows: - the day when we would be in New Heaven and New Earth with the rest of those who were redeemed worshipping the Triune God - the day when salvation would be ultimately completed, sin forever destroyed, Satan forever doomed, and perfect righteousness would rule in every heart - the day when we would receive our reward and praise from Jesus- the victors crown ( 2 Tim 4:8)

But while still on earth as we are running our race, we need to C. Guard our priorities WHY? Because our priorities will affect the way we think and act. If not carefully guarded, we will not succeed in finishing the race we are running and will not be able to receive the reward if we only have set right our priorities. A good way to test what are our priorities are is to analyze what we do with our free time those hours of the day after our working hours, how and where are we spending mostly our time? Is seeking God your 1st priority or your last priority? You may have been a christian for 5 years, 10 years already, let me ask you. How is your race progressing? Is the excitement of knowing God still there? Or is it fast fading? The longer you have been a christian, the more alert you must be to keep guarding your priorities in life. CHALLENGE: How many are running the course with as much enthusiasm as when they are just starting? We need to remember that OUR GREATEST GLORY IS NOT IN NEVER FALLING, BUT IN RISING EVERY TIME WE FALL. You may not be the greatest champion of faith but keep the faith with all your heart and keep it until the end of the race. Summary: To keep moving forward in your christian life, there are 3 things you need to do : 1. We must make proper preparations A. Consider the saints- the clouds of witnesses serving as our encouragement and challenge to us who have finished their race and have attested of the faithfulness of the Lord God how He kept them, sustained them, and took care of them. B. Lay aside weights and sins that only hinders you from moving forward in your christian life. Let the Bible help you examine what are these things that should be lay aside. 2. We must have endurance. Compare the sufferings you have already encountered to that what Jesus have suffered for you and me. Jesus left heaven, lived on earth, held nothing back, went for it all the way to the cross. He who has given his life for you and me so that we may have eternal life. Have you suffered to that degree? That is why we are told to compare our sufferings with His when we feel like giving up. He endured until the end so that we might be saved. Therefore let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 3. We must guard our priorities. We must see to it that our first priority is always to know

Christ and seek Him in our life. Every accomplishments, every single cent of possessions , every business is all but temporal . The fame, the power , the money all vanishes leaving nothing but a sad legacy of an empty life. If Im going to fall, I dont want to fall back on anything, except my faith. I want to fall forward. At least I figure that way Ill see what Im about to hit. Fall forward. Heres what I mean: Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didnt eitherbecause #1,001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. Youve got to take risks. And Im sure youve probably heard that before. But I want to talk about why its so important. Ive got three reasonsand then you can pick up your iPhones. First you will fail at some point in your life. Accept it. You will lose. You will embarrass yourself. You will suck at something. There is no doubt about it. Thats probably not a traditional message for a graduation ceremony. But, hey, Im telling youembrace it. Because its inevitable. And I should know: In the acting business, you fail all the time. Early in my career, I auditioned for a part in a Broadway musical. A perfect role for me, I thoughtexcept for the fact that I cant sing. So Im in the wings, about to go on stage but the guy in front of me is singing like Pavarotti and I am just shrinking getting smaller and smaller... So I come out with my little sheet music and it was Just My Imagination by the Temptations, thats what I came up with.

So I hand it to the accompanist, and she looks at it and looks at me and looks at the director, so I start to sing and theyre not saying anything. I think I must be getting better, so I start getting into it. But after the first verse, the director cuts me off: Thank you. Thank you very much, youll be hearing from me. The next part of the audition is the acting part. I figure, I cant sing, but I know I can act. But the guy I was paired with to do the scene couldnt be more overdramatic and overthe top. Suffice to say, I didnt get the part. But heres the thing: I didnt quit. I didnt fall back. I walked out of there to prepare for the next audition, and the next audition, and the next one. I prayed and I prayed, but I continued to fail, and I failed, and I failed. But it didnt matter. Because you know what? You hang around a barbershop long enoughsooner or later you will get a haircut. You will catch a break. Last year I did a play called Fences on Broadway and I won a Tony Award. And I didnt have to sing for it, by the way. And heres the kickerit was at the Court Theater, the same theater where I failed that first audition 30 years prior. The point is, every graduate here today has the training and the talent to succeed. But do you have guts to fail? Heres my second point about failure: If you dont fail youre not even trying. My wife told me this expression: To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. Les Brown, a motivational speaker, made an analogy about this. Imagine youre on your deathbedand standing around your bed are the ghosts representing your unfilled potential.

The ghosts of the ideas you never acted on. The ghosts of the talents you didnt use. And theyre standing around your bed. Angry. Disappointed. Upset. We came to you because you could have brought us to life, they say. And now we go to the grave together. So I ask you today: How many ghosts are going to be around your bed when your time comes? You invested a lot in your education. And people invested in you. And let me tell you, the world needs your talents. Man, does it ever. I just got back from four months of filming in South Africabeautiful country, but there are places with terrible poverty that need help. And Africa is just the tip of the iceberg. The Middle East needs your help. Japan needs your help. Alabama and Tennessee need your help. Louisiana needs your help. Philadelphia needs your help. The world needs a lotand we need it from you, the young people. So get out there. Give it everything youve gotwhether its your time, your talent, your prayers, or your treasure. Because remember this: Youll never see a U-haul behind a hearse. You cant take it with you. The Ancient Egyptians tried itand all they got was robbed! So what are you going to do with what you have? And Im not talking how much you have. Some of you are business majors. Some of you are theologians, nurses, sociologists. Some of you have money. Some of you have patience. Some have kindness. Some have love. Some of you have the gift of long-suffering. Whatever it is what are you going to do with what you have? Now heres my last point about failure: Sometimes its the best way to figure out where youre going. Your life will never be a straight path.

I began at Fordham University as a pre-med student. That lasted until I took a course called Cardiac Morphogenesis. I couldnt pronounce it and I couldnt pass it. Then I decided to go pre-law. Then journalism. With no academic focus, my grades took off in their own direction: down. My GPA was 1.8 one semester, and the university very politely suggested it might be better to take some time off. I was 20 years old, at my lowest point. And then one dayand I remember the exact day: March 27th, 1975I was helping out in the beauty shop my mother owned in Mount Vernon. An older woman who belonged to my mothers church, one of the elders of the town, was in there getting her hair done and kept giving me these strange looks. She finally took the drier off her head and said something to me Ill never forget: Young boy, she said. I have a spiritual prophecy: you are going to travel the world and speak to millions of people. Like a wise-ass, Im thinking to myself: Does she got anything in that crystal ball about me getting back to college in the fall? But maybe she was on to something. Because later that summer, while working as a counselor at a YMCA camp in Connecticut, we put on a talent show for the campers. After the show, another counselor came up to me and asked: Have you ever thought of acting? You should. Youre good at that. When I got back to Fordham that fall I changed my major once again for the last time. And in the years that followedjust as that woman getting her hair done predicted I have traveled the world and I have spoken to millions of people through my movies. Millions whoup till todayI couldnt see while I was talking to them. But I do see you today. And Im encouraged by what I see. Im strengthened by what I see. I love what I see. Let me conclude with one final point. Many years ago I did this movie called Philadelphia. We actually filmed some scenes right here on campus.

Philadelphia came out in 1993, when most of you were probably still crawling around in diapers. Some of the professors, too. But its a good movie. Rent it on Netflix. I get 23 cents every time you do. Tell your friends, too! Its about a man, played by Tom Hanks, whos fired from his law firm because he has AIDS. He wants to sue the firm, but no ones willing to represent him until a homophobic, ambulance-chasing lawyerplayed by yours trulytakes on the case. In a way, if you watch the movie, youll see everything Im talking about today. Youll see what I mean about taking risks or being willing to fail. Because taking a risk is not just about going for a job. Its also about knowing what you know and what you dont know. Its about being open to people and ideas. Over the course of the film, the character I play begins to take risks. He slowly overcomes his fears, and ultimately his heart becomes flooded with love. And I cant think of a better message as we send you off today. To not only take risks, but to be open to life. To accept new views and to be open to new opinions. To be willing to speak at commencement at one of the countrys best universities even though youre scared stiff. While it may be frightening, it will also be rewarding. Because the chances you take the people you meet the people you love...the faith that you havethats whats going to define your life. So members of the class of 2011: This is your mission: When you leave the friendly confines of West Philly: Never be discouraged. Never hold back. Give everything youve got. And when you fall throughout lifeand maybe even tonight after a few too many glasses of champagnefall forward.

Congratulations, I love you, God bless you, I respect you.