Sometimes we need to be reminded where the focus of our lives should be. We need to pray and ask God to show us how to focus on the right things today... in His Word
Focus- in The Word – 8-26-13 (redone version)
The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the
desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40: 3
… at the same
time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz saying,” Go and remove the
sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so
walking naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “ just as My servant Isaiah has
walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and
Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and
the Ethiopians as captives, young and old Naked and barefoot... Isaiah 20 2-4a.
How much does
God have to do to get your attention? Will He make someone walk naked before
you to get a message across? Or will you take the time to listen to His still
small voice?
Then He said “Go
out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by
and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in
pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an
earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a
fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantel and
went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him
and said,” What are you doing here Elijah?”
1 Kings 20:11-13
God wants to
speak to you today; right where you are He is calling; do you hear His voice?
Why is it we
cannot hear the voice of God?
–
We
are distracted by the world of things and people around us at any given moment.
We work, we play, we study, and all of this is needed for our lives, but we
need to take time to set things aside and listen.
–
We allow things to get in the way that hold us
back from really hearing His voice.
Put
those things aside that are hindering you and listen to His voice. What does
God want to tell you today? 1 Peter 2:1
–
We
keep listening for a tangible God, but He is spirit. We walk not by faith, but
we walk the way the world leads us. 2 Corinthians 5:7 We need to walk by faith
not by sight; our eyes both physical and spiritual should be on the Lord and
what He is going to do today in our lives. Why do we let ourselves get caught
up in the way of the world? We pay more attention to the television shows, or
the radio news than we do to God's Word and the message He gives us to walk in.
This is not how it should be; we need to focus our eyes on the Lord and follow
Him.
–
Set
our eyes on things above and think on these things not on the things that we
walk in daily. Jesus walked in the world, but he did not walk of the world. If
it is true that we have Christ in our lives, then we too must walk not
according to the world but according to the Word of God! John1:1-13
–
We
need to stay focused and keep our lives in order so that God will lead us to
where He wants us to go, whom we need to talk with and where we need to go from
there. Right now, I am sitting at a coffee shop writing. A guy notices my
typing speed and strikes up a conversation regarding that. I could have ignored
him and been rude but instead I mentioned I was a writer and that's why I am
typing so fast. This lead to discussion about his church's sermon yesterday
which was on focusing on God's purpose from. Funny, I am writing about getting
our eyes on God, and His focus for us!
Talk about the right topic! I don't know if I can continue writing here
each week but if I do, I will always try to make room for God's focus not just
mine.
–
We
need to be open to what God wants us to talk about, and not just gab about the
local teams and such.
–
We
need to let go of our interests and allow God to have input in other people’s
lives.
–
We
need to not listen to our own lies about how rotten life is and focus on how
good God wants it to be.
–
We
need to be ready instant in season and out of season. No one knows how short
their lives are.
Some days it seems we just need to get shaken up to get our attention off of our own problems. Some days we need to wake up to the needs of those around us, or the blessings that abound in our neighbor's house and know that God is moving.
Let’s work to
get rid of the things that bind us and throw off those things that hold us back
from doing what God has called each of us to do.
Today my
daughter started University, my son started at a private school, and I am not
teaching for the first school year in 17 years! I am seeking the Lord for
direction if there is another job for me, but He just keeps reminding me of the
books He has given me to write. The list grows daily so I will be reading and
studying and writing as I go! Look for new books to come!
I could have
chosen to lay around and eat bonbons all day, but I have decided to follow
Jesus and His path for me.
When I made the
choice to follow Him, I gave Him the controls over my life and so I must seek
Him for what I need, where I go, and what I do before making choices. God is
good and He will not leave me standing here long before He will give me a new
project.
He will provide the
words, and I provide the fingers. As I sit here writing and formulating the
words with which to encourage you and I also giving birth to new ideas for
books to write! I am being encouraged by the words that God is giving me as I
write these words for you today.
We never know
who we will effect with a kind word, a smile, or a response to a question
asked. It is important to reach out to the poor and give them blessings; don't
support their bad habits but bring them to Christ's door that they may open it
and learn to seek Him for their needs.
This week as we
listen for His voice each day try to write yourself a few notes about what you
think He wants you to do with what you see, and what you hear. Then look back
on Friday and see if you have responded to the Holy Spirit as He draws you toward the direction and purpose in your
life.
Heavenly father,
help us to focus on our work of the week, both in the world but not of the
world. Help those we converse with know that we have made You, our CEO. Give us
the words to speak and ears to hear what you have told us as well. In Jesus
name, amen.
Suggested
reading John 1:1-13, 2 Corinthians 5:1-21, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, 1 Timothy 3:1-16