Focus Challenge

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. 

Psalm 103:1-5a NLT

When life is this challenging, it can become all too easy to see only what's wrong in the world, in your town, in your life. I challenge you to look for what is good. That's it. Just a thought. Actively, intentionally look for what is good in your life. Need help getting started?

If nothing else, you're still breathing. That means you have another opportunity to DO something good for someone else or to do something to change YOUR life (especially if you can't seem to think of anything good in your life). If you're reading this, you still have a functioning brain. You still have your eyesight. You have a phone or computer to read it on, which means you have electricity or at least money to purchase batteries... See how easy this is?!?  

I challenge you to change your current focus to finding what is good, according to God's Word. Philippians 4:8, KJV. ...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Prayer:

Father,

          With my whole heart, I will praise Your holy Name. Let all that I am praise You, Lord; may I never forget the good things You have done, are doing and will do for me. I want to come into Your presence with thanksgiving and praise. Help me to keep my focus on You and Your faithfulness to me all the days of my life. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Challenged

“You abandon the commandments of God to follow human traditions.” He added, “You have no trouble rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep your own traditions!"
Mark 7:8-9 GWT

Lots of people think they would like to have a checklist of precise do's and don'ts to follow to get themselves into Heaven. Things they can pick and choose and accomplish on their own. It doesn't work that way. There's only one way in - John 14:6, Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Jesus was - and IS - the Champion Challenger. He stepped all over the rules and customs of the Pharisees and religious rulers; both then and now. The fact is, we want to be in our comfort zone - whatever and wherever that may be. We want to follow our calling, but we want to do it from our easy chair. We don't want to be uncomfortable.

We want all the answers first, and all the plans perfectly lined out before we take our first step. Let's be perfectly honest. We want to predict and control what will happen with the least amount of struggle. That's not Jesus's way. Controlling a situation has nothing whatsoever to do with trusting God.

The fear of getting out of our comfort zones can be paralyzing. However, in order to grow, we need to be using our spiritual muscles! Think about this. Is it the enemy of our souls trying to stop us from the very encounter that will cause us to grow and mature? Truth - comfort and growth do NOT go hand-in-hand.

Is it fear of failure that keeps us from stepping out of our comfort zone? Listen, it's on us to be obedient, and not to be worried about failing. The Truth is, we cannot fail when we walk in obedience to Christ. The challenge is to hear the Truth and then to trust God enough to take action.

Prayer:

Father, 

           Help us to respond wholeheartedly to the challenges You lay before us. We want to know Your voice and hear You above the chaos around us. Let Your seeds of Truth take root in our lives and bring forth a bumper crop in harvest. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Check Check

This is a little take-away from a message I heard my son preach today (he filled in for his pastor who is on vacation). For me, it adds a whole new perspective to "a child shall lead them..." 
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Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:17-22 NKJV

Obviously, this young ruler had been taught the commandments to follow God. According to him, he'd been practicing them since he was a child. Was he looking for a way to complete his checklist - the one he had designed on his own? 

Search for God. Check.
Learn His commandments. Check.
Implement and follow God's commandments. Check. Check.

Some of us tend to do the same kind of thing. Are we looking to complete our own checklist? 

Go to church. Check.
Read my Bible. Check.
Pay my tithes. Check.
Do good deeds. Check. Check.

How many of us, just like the rich, young ruler in our text for today, would love to see Jesus face to face and have Him tell us exactly what we need to do to get to Heaven?  But then, how many of us would be just like the rich, young ruler, and walk away sad because we're not willing to give up what He's asked us to in order to have eternal life with Christ? Think about that. Search your heart. You know what He's been talking about to you.

Jesus is going to challenge those things in our lives that need to change, and if we don't recognize His touch, His voice, His way, we're going to walk away very sad...and lost.

Challenge. Check. 
Choice. Check. 
Change. Check. Check. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Change our hearts, O God! Make us ever true to Your Word and Your way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen