As a young man all the way up to being an adult, I have been guilty of doing things that most people would call "SIN" and that created a blindness to God's purpose, His love and His hope. So, at the age of 34 I turned my life over to Christ, not really knowing what this meant. I heard people say "God doesn't do miracles anymore" or " God's presence isn't here because of how bad the earth is." And then I started looking for myself, instead of taking other people's word.                                              
What I've seen is that I was once the blind man and Jesus is the everlasting water that cleansed my eyes. I was once the crippled man that laid around feeling sorry for myself while others around me was functioning, as I rolled around in my own self pity until Jesus said, " James, it's time for you to pick up your bed and walk." I can relate to the lady at the well that was co-dependent on other people, that I also was looking for approval through man, and Jesus said, " I'm the only well that sustains life, come to me and you will never thirst again." I was the man that was dead and was stinking in my own tomb, then Jesus came in and said "get up James come out of your tomb and I shall make you a temple of my presence."  
So to say that God doesn't do miracles anymore is truly an understatement, to say the least.
  Also on a side note, if Jesus took the penalty for sin, and sin is not from us, but it's the tool that the enemy (satan) uses to try and separate us from Father (God) then it's not our war. We have been prisoners of war captured by the enemy. The battle that we try to fight has already been won by Jesus. So therefore we cannot be held at this standard the enemy wants us to think we are. We are free, just as Jesus says, just sayin!! 
-James Keeton (james.keeton@arccenters.com)

"You have to know where you came from in order to know where you're going" has been heard throughout history. Do we understand, truly, what this means? And what does this have to do with being led to lead? 
  So many times in my own life, my walk has been determined by people that have not always had the right answers, but in order for myself to understand what my true purpose in life is, I have to first understand where it all began.
  When the Lord walked with Adam and Eve, He showed us that He is a relational Father that wants to lead His sons and daughters with His love, not judgement. So many times I have heard that "man ate of the tree and he was cursed." But in all honesty God said, "You have been deceived," not cursed. So this is coming from a Father that is trying to show us His love. If our view of Father is that He is only there for correction, not loving or educating us of how we are to live, then how can we lead from a position of His goodness? So first we need to know where we came from in order to know where we are going.