Promise for Today - The Long Game

Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

Don’t ever give up on the dream God has given you.

If anybody had the right to be discouraged because God’s plan took so long, it was Noah. It took at least 80 years to build the ark. The Bible tells us that Noah got in the ark and closed the door 120 years after God told him to build it.

Would you be able to maintain enthusiasm for a project that took you 120 years, when everyone else criticized and made fun of you for it? Could you handle that kind of opposition?

The reason why most people don't succeed in life is short-term thinking. They give up too soon. They don't sustain their dream over the long haul. It's often in the middle of your life that you want to give up, and it determines whether you're going to end successfully or not.

Don’t give up!

Culture says live only for today. The Bible says instead to think about eternity. Everything about God’s dream takes longer than you think—not because God wants to make it harder on you but because he has eternity in mind. He is working with an eternal mindset, and he wants you to think that way too.

I'm sure Noah faced loneliness and fatigue over how long it was taking to reach his goal. And yet he is a model of patience and persistence. Why? Because of his faith in God. Hebrews 11:7 says that Noah did all this by faith.

For 42,001 days, Noah had one goal: fulfill his destiny. I bet on many of those 42,001 days, Noah didn't feel like going to work.

What is it in your life that God has told you is going to happen, but the end is not in sight—or even the next step? Are you going to give up? Are you going to keep trusting? Galatians 6:9 says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

In our broken culture, God is looking for people who will choose righteousness, who will trust him, obey him, ignore the critics, go the opposite way from the way culture is going, and persevere until the end. Will you be one of the faithful ones?

Talk It Over

What are some practical ways you can keep an eternal mindset? What difference does it make?

Would you be able to persevere if you knew God’s dream for your life was going to take the rest of your life to complete? Why or why not?

How can you tell or show God that you trust him and want to do things his way?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We come before You today with humble hearts, seeking Your strength to fulfill the purpose You have placed in us. We ask that You fill us with the courage to walk in the path You have ordained, even when it is difficult or uncertain. Open our eyes to see the unique calling You have for each of us. Remove every distraction, fear, and doubt that may keep us from stepping into Your plan. Give us wisdom to discern Your will in every decision, and passion to serve You wholeheartedly.
          We surrender our own ambitions to You, trusting that Your plans are far greater than we can imagine. Strengthen us when we feel weak, and equip us with every spiritual gift and resource we need to carry out the work You have entrusted to us. Break every chain of insecurity and hesitation, and fill us with holy boldness. Align our hearts with Yours so that our every action reflects Your love, grace, and truth. Order our steps and lead us to the right people, places, and opportunities that will help us fulfill Your purpose in our lives.
          Father, remind us that You are faithful to complete the good work You have started in us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - A Shift in Focus

[Paul speaking] If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG)

If you truly want to be happy in life, you’ve got to care about the needs of those around you and move the focus away from yourself. Why? Because life is not all about you! When you understand this, it’s the starting point for all happiness.

Paul looked to Timothy as an example of someone who genuinely cares about others. Philippians 2:20-21 says, “There is no one like Timothy for having a real interest in you; everyone else seems to be worrying about his own plans and not those of Jesus Christ” (TLB).

Most people don’t get up in the morning and give their first thought to how someone else is doing. They’re often only concerned about their own problems. And that’s why so many people are unhappy with their lives. Thinking only about yourself eventually leads to misery.

Do you want to be one of those rare, unselfish, happy people? Then you need to change your focus.

Putting your focus on others doesn’t come naturally. Most people don’t walk into a room and think, “Who in here needs my help today?” Instead, you think, “How do I look? Am I put together just right? What are people going to think of me?” So you have to intentionally train yourself to do the opposite of what you normally do—to shift the focus away from yourself.

I have to admit that it saddens me how many times I’ve missed the needs of people around me—even the needs of people I love—because I wasn’t paying attention. I wasn’t taking an interest in them. I hadn’t shifted my focus off myself. And because I wasn’t looking out for their needs, I missed the chance to help.

Philippians 2:4 says in The Message paraphrase, “Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

Instead of dwelling on yourself or grieving missed opportunities, spend your energy thinking about how others are doing. That’s where you’ll find happiness - serving God through serving others.

Talk It Over

What distractions keep you from focusing on the needs of others?

What does it mean to “forget yourself”?

What needs have you missed in someone’s life because you were too busy or focused on your own problems? What can you do today to shift your focus toward helping that person?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Forgive us for the times we were naval-gazing and missed the clues and cues around us. Cause us to be way more attentive to the nudging of the Holy Spirit. Give us Your eyes to see and Your provision to meet the needs of those You have placed within our sphere of influence. Give us clean hands and pure hearts in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Controlled Response

If by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose. I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing; but for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith. 

Philippians 1:22-25 (GNT)

Paul was an old man when he was in prison in Rome. He was a long way from home. He was awaiting execution. Everything had been taken from him—his friends, his freedom, his ministry, and even his privacy, with a guard chained to him throughout the day. It wasn’t exactly a happy time for Paul.

But there was one thing they could not take away from Paul: his purpose. Paul made the choice to stay focused on his purpose, even when he had lost everything else. What was his purpose? Serving God by serving others.

I’ll never forget reading Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist who was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps in Germany. Most of his family and friends were gassed and murdered. He writes in his book about the day he stood in front of the Gestapo. Everything was taken from him—his home, his clothes, and even his wedding ring. As he stood there with nothing at all, he suddenly realized there was one thing the Nazis could not take away from him: his freedom to choose how he would respond.

You cannot totally control what other people do to you. You cannot control what other people do around you. But you can control how you respond. When you stay focused on your purpose instead of your problem, you can have joy, even when life seems to be falling apart.

Choose to serve others, even when you are hurting. Choose to forgive. Choose to focus on God’s promises and not your circumstances. Those are the kind of choices that lead to greater faith. And then your faith will produce greater joy.

Talk It Over

What do you believe is your purpose in life?

Why does God want you to think about others and serve them, even when you are going through difficult circumstances?

How does your choice to focus on your problem or your purpose reflect what you believe about God?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          We humbly ask that You shine Your light of Truth anew on Your plan and purpose for our lives. Help us to realize that the only thing we can control - and must control - is our response to You and to the world around us. Give us Your strength to choose to walk according to Your Word: with integrity and justice, with fairness and integrity, showing kindness and compassion, living in daily dependence on You, and walking in humility before You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

2026 Lenten Season - Day 24 - Why Would We Fast?

We continue the tradition of 40 days of Lent-related devotionals (46 counting the Sundays).

Sharing "Journey to the Cross" by Paul David Tripp.
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The purpose of fasting is not to earn God’s love, but to more deeply surrender to it.

Why would anyone ever fast? What is to be gained from giving things up? What is the purpose of not eating for a period? Why withhold from yourself what you know you’re going to return to in a matter of time? Is fasting an essential spiritual discipline? Does fasting bring you closer to God? Is fasting a way to defeat sin? How do I know when to fast and what to fast from? Is there a biblical theology of fasting? How do you fast in a way that is more than a temporary denial of physical desire, but is also spiritually helpful? Does God require us to fast?

Fasting is a topic that motivates and encourages a few but confuses many. Since Lent is a season of fasting, it is worth giving it a practical, biblical examination. My first encounter with regular and intense fasting had nothing to do with spirituality. One of my closest friends in high school was a wrestler.  Because Sam was winning like crazy, there was a bit of a small town media buzz around him. He was a little guy, but he had become big man on campus, and he loved it. The problem was that he was growing fast, and his growth spurts made it hard for him to stay within the boundaries of his weight class. So  Sam was always fasting. His big, luxurious meal would be Jell-O.

Although there was nothing spiritual about Sam’s fast, it did have “spiritual” benefits. Because he fasted, he was more focused. Because he fasted, he became more and more committed. Because he got used to this sacrifice, other sacrifices didn’t seem so hard. The pain of sacrifice brought a whole catalog of benefits to Sam and his wrestling career. I knew there was a theme of fasting in the Bible, but hanging around Sam got me thinking about the benefits of fasting as a teenager.

So why would anyone ever fast? Primarily, fasting is about focus. We all live busy lives, with so many plans and so much on our schedules. We live with constant distractions all around, and now with cell phones in our hands, there is a huge temptation to fill even the smallest quiet moment with anything. We feel compelled to keep checking Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We feel the need to make sure we are in moment-by-moment contact with the news. And we want to make sure the weather hasn’t changed in the last five minutes. Along with this, we are all still in possession of wandering hearts. Things in our lives rise to levels of importance way beyond their true importance. Temptations seduce and seize us. Our desires wander off God’s pathway. Envy sows seeds of doubt and bitterness in our hearts. Spiritual amnesia grips us; in the busyness of life, we forget who we are and what we have been given. Our devotional lives are kidnapped by the tyranny of the urgent. What we want collides with what God wants for us. And the gap enlarges between what we say we believe and how we actually live.

Fasting can be spiritually arresting, a divine interruption that is one of God’s tools to call us back to remember, to confess, to rest, to commit, and to celebrate. Fasting is one of the ways God reaches down into our frenetic lives and pulls us out to be closer to him. Fasting is much more of a welcome than it is a regulation. It is a gift from a God who knows us; he knows how we operate, what we face, and what we need. Fasting is God’s invitation to all of his children to refocus, recharge, reengage, and repent.

So what is fasting? Fasting is giving up food (or something else) in order to focus on God and your walk with him (see Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 1:3– 4; Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 2:37). We need to remember two important points. First, there is no magic in fasting. Giving up food won’t instantly make you more godly. Fasting allows you to give yourself to other spiritual disciplines that will bear a harvest of good fruit in your life. Second, you don’t fast in order to gain God’s favor, but to help bring your life into even greater surrender to him and a greater appreciation of his favor. Fasting is spiritual warfare. It is one way that God has provided for you to fight for your own heart.

So how do you fast?

1. Give yourself to prayer. 

One of the primary purposes of fasting is to be able to give yourself more fully to prayer. The normal routines of food selection, preparation, and eating are replaced by new routines of prayer. It is this more focused communion with God that produces some of fasting’s best fruit. 

2. Don’t make a show of it. 

Fast in private. Don’t announce it. Don’t broadcast it after. Pride in fasting robs fasting of its spiritual benefit. Seek God; don’t seek the approval of others for seeking God in this way.

3. Bathe yourself in God’s word. 

Fasting can give you time to meditate on God’s word. In our busy lives, most of us spend very little time in actual Scriptural meditation. Biblical meditation is not like Eastern meditation. In Eastern meditation, you empty your mind. In Christian meditation, you fill your mind with God’s word, chewing it over and over again until you are digesting spiritual morsels you have never digested before. 

4. Make sure you’re ready. 

There are no spiritual benefits to damaging your body or putting your health at risk. Make sure you are physically, financially, and situationally prepared for whatever fast, for whatever period, you are about to undertake. 

5. Be quiet before the Lord. 

Since fasting is about ceasing participation in a particular thing, your fast shouldn’t be filled with activity. Fasting is a time to wait on the Lord. And as you wait, remember that for the Christian, waiting is not about what you get at the end of the wait, but more importantly, about what you become as you wait.

6. Confess what has been revealed. 

As you seek God in prayer, as you meditate on his word, and as you are quiet before him, the Lord will reveal your heart. Fasting is a way to fight the spiritual blindness that affects us all. So be ready to confess new areas of sin, weakness, and failure that God has revealed as you have fasted.

7. Make new commitments. 

If confession is turning from the old way, then commitment is turning your heart and life to God’s new and better way. At the end of your fast, think about where God is calling you to new commitments of faith and discipleship where you live and work every day.

8. Be thankful. 

Thank God for how fasting is an indication of his welcoming, patient, perseverant love, continually drawing you into even closer, more heart-satisfying communion with him.

So, fast this Lenten season. Receive God’s welcome to fight for your heart and to learn to rest in the grace of your Savior more fully and more deeply. You will be glad you did.

GOING DEEPER

Reflective Questions

1. Do you usually think of fasting as “more of a welcome than it is a regulation”? What has colored your perceptions of fasting?

2. Do you fast? Why do you or don’t you engage in this spiritual practice?

3. What benefits does or would fasting offer for you? In what areas do you long for more focus or spiritual effectiveness?

Read Matthew 6:16–18, and ask the Lord if he is calling you to fast.

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Promise for Today - Focused Confidence

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7 ESV

Throughout time, armies have boasted about and trusted in their weaponry. How many times have we heard about the Arms Wars? Most of this century and half of the last was about who had what weapons in an attempt to "keep a balance" of power. However, it was more about not letting one have more power than the other. I don't see it as a true rendering of balance for good because of the fear factor that is the driving force behind it. 

David was a mighty warrior, a skilled strategist because he trusted Yahweh. His boast and trust were in the Name of the Lord. David and his army understood that victory only comes from God. How do you trust someone so completely? You must know their character and reputation and recognize their sovereignty. David understood God's character. He knew his God did not fail. 

As we face life's battles, we, too, can know that God does not fail when we take the time to invest in our relationship with Him; to know His character and to recognize and submit to His sovereignty. The more our focus is ON God, the greater our confidence will be IN God.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You that You first loved us and sought after our hearts, then made provision for a right relationship restored through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. Let us never lose sight of Your great love and faithfulness. Holy Spirit, please continue to reveal God's Truth to us as we bow before the holiness and sovereignty of the Lord our God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - Worth It

Finally, brethren, 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.
Philippians 4:8 KJV

It's been said that anything worth having is worth fighting for. There are several different connotations to that, but the one I'd like to focus on is the one that relates to making the extra effort to obtain and keep something of value.

Did you ever notice how easy it is to be grumpy? It takes hardly any effort at all. For some, all they have to do is open their eyes in the morning and poof! Without even trying, they're grump rumps. And have you ever noticed how contagious that can be?!? Father, have mercy on us!

Recently, I was talking with someone at work and trying to get her to see the positive side of a challenge. Her response was that she was positive that it was bad and nothing good would come of it. The sad thing is - with that attitude - she's right. Nothing good will come of it, because her outlook won't allow it.

I'm not talking about living in "la-la land" or being a Pollyanna. I'm talking about focusing on the goodness of God in the midst of the ugly. Life's circumstances change on a daily basis - God is eternal. His faithfulness doesn't change because the world does or people do. His pure, unselfish, never-ending love doesn't end - even in a world that for the most part doesn't want it, let alone understand it.

Whatever we focus on becomes larger, no matter what it is. Look for the good in those around you. If what they're doing is annoying and we focus on it, we're tempted to squeeze and squeeze until their little eyeballs pop right outta their head. If we focus on the wonderful, it almost threatens to overwhelm us with the "wonderfulness" of whatever it is. If you don't believe me, pay attention to yourself the next day or so. Or listen to those around you.

Let old hurts die. Let the past go. Forgive. Quit piling up offenses by holding on. It's not Scriptural.

And "finally, 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."

It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it.

Prayer:

Father,
           Shine Your light on our words and expose any malingering malady of grumbling. Let our focus be on You and Your Words of Light and Life, and help us walk accordingly. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lost Focus

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 KJV

We talked yesterday about Spring season in Texas. While it is my favorite, I noticed today it's also very dust and pollen-laden. No, we don't have to scrape ice off our windshields in season, but we need strong wipers to be able to clean the junk off so we can see clearly.

It made me think of how easy it is to get caught up in the day-to-day of life and lose our focus. A little dusting of irritation, piling on of political mayhem, fighting the allergens of this crisis and that one, the weariness of our workload, and before we know it we've lost focus. It seems like we can't see daylight... at least not clearly.

The Good News is that Jesus is the Morning Star. He is the Light of the World. In Isaiah 9:2 NKJV, the prophet tells us regarding Jesus' coming to Earth, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. 

How do we receive the Light of the World? By knowing His Word. Psalm 119:130 reads The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. Light is essential to life. 

Prayer:

Father,

         Look upon me and be merciful to me, As Your custom is toward those who love Your name. Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes. Let me never lose the focus of Your light and love. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Eyes Have It

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:2-3

Sometimes, we lose focus. We lose sight of our goals and it can wear us out. Two things we have to ask ourselves. 1 - Are our goals the same as God's goals for us? and 2 - What is our focus?

If our goals line up with the Word of God and we have peace about them (in spite of any opposition we face), then we must do as Christ did - look beyond the here and now to see our joyous reward awaiting us in Heaven. We faithfully carry on, daily fulfilling God's calling and purpose in our lives.

What are we focused on? Are our eyes fixed on the problems and challenges that we face? Have we focused all our concentration and energy on trying to solve the issues? Diverting our attention is one of satan's subtle strategies. Let's NOT get in league with him. We all know that whatever we focus on always becomes more dominant. Let us rather fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... 

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your Word that always teaches and trains us, enabling us to more faithfully follow You. Thank You for the answers to everything we could think to ask You. Help us to lead others to Your Word and Your Way. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's In the Details

 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God!

Psalm 43:5 NLT

Scripture tells us it's the little foxes that spoil the vine. The little things that get us down. We have to stop that. There's no time for it. 

Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 6 (The Message), Please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time; The day you needed me, I was there to help.

Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don't put it off; don't frustrate God's work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we're doing. Our work as God's servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we're beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we're telling the truth, and when God's showing his power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

Don't become partners with those who reject God. 

Jesus tells us that offenses will surely come, but our hope is not in those who bring them. That's all just stuff. Our hope should only be in the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Let's keep our focus on that which is worthy of our attention.

Prayer:

Father,

          Our hope and our faith are in You, the Author and Finisher of our lives. It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we shall be like Your Precious Son by Your grace and mercy. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Psalm 39 Kind of Day

I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”

Psalm 39:1 NLT

Sometimes, at the end of the day, I haven't enough focus power left to string three thoughts together, let alone a devotion. For today - this Psalm says it best...

2 But as I stood there in silence—
not even speaking of good things—
the turmoil within me grew worse.
3 The more I thought about it,
the hotter I got,
igniting a fire of words:
4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude

6 We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
not knowing who will spend it.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
8 Rescue me from my rebellion.
Do not let fools mock me.
9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.
10 But please stop striking me!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
11 When you discipline us for our sins,
you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
Each of us is but a breath. Interlude

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord!
Listen to my cries for help!
Don’t ignore my tears.
For I am your guest—
a traveler passing through,
as my ancestors were before me.
13 Leave me alone so I can smile again
before I am gone and exist no more.

Prayer:

Father,
          Our only hope is in You. Rescue us from sin as well as from ourselves. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Big Stuff

I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV

Oftentimes, we get so caught up in what is going on around us in our day-to-day living that we lose sight of what should be our primary focus. Many times, all we see is going to work and how we're going to pay the bills, and God help us if something major breaks down... and therein lies my point. Do we only call out to God for the "big" stuff? Do we think we are perfectly capable of handling the day-to-day by ourselves? Yeah, how's that working for ya?

When we take our eyes off God all we can see are the circumstances of life. It is then that we get worried and discouraged. Isaiah 26:3 tells us how to turn that around, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

Our primary focus has to be God - choosing to trust Him - to take Him at His Word no matter what happens. When we choose to make Him our primary focus, we have what we need to get through the tough stuff. His presence.

Prayer:

Father,
           With Your help, we choose to take our everyday, ordinary life—our sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before You as an offering. Thank You for Your promise to never leave or forsake us, to always be with us. We cannot do this life without You. We don't always understand everything that happens in our lives, but we choose to trust You to see us through. In Jesus' Name we pray and believe. Amen

Redirect Our Focus

From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
John 1:16 NLT

We all get so busy that we forget things. Some things we need to forget, but I don't want to forget the good things - the blessings of life. I don't know about you, but I can get caught up in life and unconsciously forget about giving thanks for not only the so-called extraordinary things God has done for me but for the DAILY benefits He provides. The enemy of our soul works overtime to distract us, to take our eyes off the goodness of God. We don't ever want to take Him for granted.

Today, my daughter and I had a deliberate conversation about the blessings of God in just the last year and ten months. After a couple minutes, it just flowed into a natural praise gathering and the more we acknowledged God's blessings, the even more we remembered and reminded each other of them and gave thanks. We were mutually encouraged and came away with a God perspective rather than a navel-gazing view of life. That is always a good thing!

When you are distracted by the stresses of life - such as chronic pain, grief, a broken heart, a wayward loved one - it is easy to lose focus on our Saviour and ALL He has done, is doing, and will do for us. Let's consciously redirect our focus on Him with very grateful hearts.

Prayer:

Father, 
           The words in Psalm 103 say it so well. Let all that I am praise You Lord; 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 do for me. You forgive all my sins and heal all my diseases. You redeem me from death and crown me with love and tender mercies. You fill my life with good things. Help us to never forget. Give us clean hands and a pure and grateful heart. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Eyes Have It

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 NLT

All of us - at one time or another - have been blinded by the sun or a camera flash or have gotten something in our eyes that temporarily caused us to not be able to see. Soap or conditioner or suntan oil - something that made it so our eyes were not able to focus or clearly see what was in front of our face. Something that should NOT be there.

We know it. There are warnings all over the containers - "Do not use near eyes" - and then they print what to do if we DO get it in our eyes. Why? For the reason that they know many of us will not use the necessary precaution, or we will become complacent and forget to use caution because we've done it hundreds of times before. The remedy is nearly always the same: "wash thoroughly with water; see a physician" or "cover eyes and seek proper attention."

Satan's tricks are just like that. Either he'll appear as an angel of light (2nd Corinthians 11:14) trying to dazzle us with things that appeal to our worldly desires or the oil from his snake oil sales routine as he tries to sell us a false bill of goods will splash onto us and get in our eyes. Either way, we can be temporarily blinded. Why? Because we have ignored the warnings, or we have become complacent about using the proper precaution. 

However, the remedy is nearly always the same - wash thoroughly with water - the water of the Word - (Psalm 51:2) and see the Great Physician. Or cover our eyes - stop looking at the world and what it has to offer - and seek proper attention (Isaiah 17:7-8). And when we do, God causes us to see clearly allowing us to recognize the wiles of the enemy for exactly what they are... We must look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2a).

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for washing our eyes so we can see...even if You have to use tears to do it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Who and the What

...a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:3-4 NIV

In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.
James 4:17 The Message

I have been guilty of wanting to just lay back and take it easy. Not overt tolerance of wrong, but definitely a mindset of resignation - of not being able to change anything, so why bother? After so many times of hearing the "you can't change city hall" mentality, I started to believe the lie...

However, during the last week, I have prayed for passion, for focus, for COURAGE. For God to break the selfish pride, the lie that the absence of confrontation equals peace, the self-preservation tactics to not rock the boat. Every song in my spirit has been about Who and what this life I live is supposed to be lived for... and I'll give you a clue - I am not the Who or the what.

Then today, I thought about the famous quote of Martin Niemoller. I wanted to make sure I got it right, so the following version actually comes from the text of an Address he gave to the United States Congress in 1968 and it appears in the Congressional Record, October 14, 1968, page 31,636.

"When Hitler attacked the Jews
I was not a Jew, therefore I was not concerned.
And when Hitler attacked the Catholics,
I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned.
And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists,
I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned.
Then Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church --
and there was nobody left to be concerned."

I keep thinking about the words of Jesus, "If you've done it unto the least of these my brethren, you've done it unto Me." Good or bad - I've done it unto Him. Can I live with that? Can you?

I can no longer be bothered by who thinks what. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.

Father,
             Passion. Focus. Courage. Clean hands and a pure heart, Father, these are who and what I want in You, in Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

The Focus

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:
2nd Kings 4:26 KJV

How many of us would be able to proclaim what the Shunammite woman did? And what about Job? In the book of Job, chapter 1 - Job, a very wealthy man, loses all of his children and all his possessions in one day. Scripture tells us at the end of the chapter, Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Some of us get a hangnail and we want to blame God. Get stuck in traffic and "God, you could move this, if you wanted to..."  Go to bed late because we get caught up in YouTube or Facebook, and when the alarm goes off, instead of 'Good morning, Lord', we're groaning, 'Good Lord, it's morning!' as though it's His fault we're tired...

Let's take a little time to think about the good things God has done for each of us. The times He's brought us through, pulled us up and lifted us out, covered us, delivered, redeemed, and set us free. Just to name a few... Is your focus - your heart - toward the circumstance or toward God?

Prayer:

Father, 

           Forgive us for the petty things in life that we allow to steal our focus away from you. Let us ALWAYS think of what You've already done, what You're doing, and what You're going to do. Keep our hearts, minds, and souls ever toward You, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What's your 20?

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by. And here we are - getting ready to head into a new year. So many times we hear people say, "I'm so ready for this year to be over!" You may have even said it yourself. 

As we make plans for the new year, perhaps listing resolutions, we have to ask ourselves this question: Where are we in life? Have we been sidelined by a physical illness or emotional injury? Did we decide to take a shortcut along the way and then miss our turn? Were we distracted from our directions and then had to detour?  Did we promote someone in our lives to traffic control who had no business blowing a whistle and telling us where to go? How about this - are we only focusing on the tough things that happened this past year?

Today's Promise is one of Paul's greatest teachings - I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead...  Let's not focus on what we've lost. Rather, let's thank God for what we had for as long as we had it. If you're going to look back, I challenge you to look for the good because there's plenty of it. Square one - God is still on His throne. You're still breathing. He still has a plan and purpose for your life - plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Prayer:

Father,

           We pray this prayer from Guideposts, make our new year a happy one. Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain, but by strengthening us to bear it if it comes. Not by making our path easy, but by making us sturdy enough to tread any path. Not by taking hardship from us, but by taking all cowardice and fear from our hearts as we meet hardships. Not by granting us unbroken sunshine, but by keeping our face bright even in the shadows. Not by making our life always pleasant, but by showing us where men and His cause need us most and by making us zealous to be there and to help. God, make our year a happy one. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Getting In Tune

But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:2-4 NTL

At the turn of the century (this one - I've always wanted to use that phrase - LOL),  I worked as an assistant for a man who was brilliant and gifted, but very scattered. My job was not to keep him organized, but to bring organization to his creative chaos. No small task. It took me a while to get the flow of it, but by God's grace and design, I was able to do it. 

My desk was literally two feet outside of his window office. I rearranged it so that when I was at my computer, I could also see him in his office, to observe his work habits and idiosyncrasies. I learned what to expect during specific tasks and could prepare accordingly to have what he needed within his grasp when he needed it. I studied him because - technically speaking - he was my job. After awhile, I could tell what he was looking for just by the way he moved and could anticipate what he would ask for by the way he called my name. He didn't have to call me twice. I could be in the middle of a conversation and I would put it on hold or call them back if I heard or saw he was beckoning. I was in tune to his work needs. 

I have several comic strip clips on my refrigerator. One is a picture of little Billy from Bill Keane's Family Circus ©. He's kneeling by his bed to say his prayers and the caption reads, "Make me be good. And if you don't get through to me the first time, please keep trying 'til I answer." You might be asking yourself, "What does that have to do with being in tune with your boss?" So, I'll tell you...

Confession... Recently, during worship, we sang a song called "Whisper His Name" and during the course of it, I was struck again with the overwhelming reality that God - Creator of the Universe - will answer when I call. Then I was dumbstruck and pierced in my heart with the reality that I did not respond in kind because I have allowed complacency to slip in. 

How many times has God asked something of me and I did not answer? Too many times I have thought, "In a minute, God, just let me finish this..." How and why would I say that to a KING - and not just A king - but the King of kings?!?  I thought about the Billy comic strip and somehow, I don't think that's what God had in mind when He said we need to come as a child. Then I thought about my former boss and I realized I must rearrange my focus to be that intent on GOD - studying, watching, listening, anticipating, and responding. If I'm not in tune with God, how will I hear Him when He calls us home?

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive me for allowing complacency and distractions to rule, I only want ONE King, One God, One Lord, You. You are all I need. Help me to stay focused and in tune with You. In Jesus' Name I pray.  Amen

Just Like Peter +

I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

Philippians 4:11b-13 The Message

I have been in all these situations many different times. And while I can say I have been happy or content in each given circumstance at one time or another, I cannot say that I have been happy or content every time. Why is that?

I lose focus. In a constant barrage, I take my eyes off the prize and get caught up in what's going on around me... Then, just like Peter, I'm sunk.

The good news is Christ didn't leave Peter sinking in the water. He immediately reached out and grabbed Peter and saved him. He didn't leave Peter in all his brash and braggart ways. Christ corrected Peter, after Peter had tried to correct Christ. He didn't leave Peter after Peter denied Him three different times in one night. In Truth, knowing that Peter was going to deny Him, He still washed his feet and told Peter that He had prayed for him. And after His resurrection, He restored Peter with the line of questioning, "Do you love me more than these?"

The great news is - He'll do the same for us. Just like Peter, we will make mistakes. Gratefully, it's just like Jesus to have already made provision to take care of all that. So we can make it through anything in the One who makes us who we are.

Prayer:

Father,

          Just like Peter, we lose focus. Help us to keep our eyes above the waves of life that threaten to pull us under. Help us to keep our eyes on You. Make us into who You created us to be. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Who and What

"a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 1:3-4 NIV
***************
In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.
James 4:17 The Message

I began to write this before I went to church tonight. I had jotted down some "dots" that I knew were connected, but hadn't quite been connected in my mind. They became solidified at some point during the evening, defining the path forward. 

I have confessed the complacency that I had allowed to slip into my life. I have been guilty of wanting to just lay back and take it easy. Not overt tolerance of wrong, but definitely a mindset of resignation - of not being able to change anything, so why bother? After so many times of hearing the "you can't change city hall" mentality, I started to believe the lie...

However, during the last week, I have prayed for passion, for focus, for COURAGE. For God to break the selfish pride, the lie that the absence of confrontation equals peace, the self-preservation tactics to not rock the boat. Every song in my spirit has been about Who and what this life I live is supposed to be lived for... and I'll give you a clue - I am not the who or the what.

Then today, I thought about the famous quote of Martin Niemoller. I wanted to make sure I got it right, so the following version actually comes from the text of an Address he gave to the United States Congress in 1968 and it appears in the Congressional Record, October 14, 1968, page 31,636.

"When Hitler attacked the Jews 

I was not a Jew, therefore I was not concerned. 

And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, 

I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned. 

And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists, 

I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned. 

Then Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church -- 

and there was nobody left to be concerned."

I keep thinking about the words of Jesus, "If you've done it unto the least of these my brethren, you've done it unto Me." Good or bad - I've done it unto Him. Can I live with that? Can you?

I can no longer be bothered by who thinks what. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.

Father,

          Passion. Focus. Courage. Clean hands and a pure heart, in Jesus' Name I pray. Amen