To often I catch myself being so focused on my current circumstances that I stop looking to Him. When I'm focusing on what's happening in my life I get more selfish, I become more self reliant... My circumstances begin to dictate my attitude, my focus intensifies and then I just go deeper into depression over what's happening in my life. I focus on the negative, and can't see the positive.
But when I focus on Him, when I change my focus from me to Him, what he has done, what he is calling me to...when I change my 'me' centered focus to a God centered focus, everything changes...everything in me that is. My circumstances don't change, the bad things still happen...but how I feel about those 'things' change tremendously. Suddenly the problems become much smaller, they become bearable and eventually get resolved or just go away.
John 16:33 - "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"
Today I encourage you to take heart, focus on what Jesus has done for you, what Jesus has promised you. Find peace in today's hustle and bustle world by making Him the center yours.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Annoying Circumstances...
This last weekend was NightVision 2011 and the family and I really enjoyed it. Hanging out with family and friends hearing some great music, it was definitely a good time.
At one point though I found myself distracted, irritated. I was annoyed with a circumstance of our surroundings, I wasn't focusing on the blessing of being at a huge FREE christian concert. I was focusing on some little insignificant thing, and for a while was missing the whole point of even being there.
Has that ever happened to you?
Luckily God got a hold of me and pointed out what I was doing, I gave the annoying circumstance to Him and started focusing on Him again.
The following day while ushering at church, God showed me another example of this same thing, I noticed a man sitting out in the lobby during worship looking frustrated. I approached him and found that his frustration was about worship, like me the day before, he was letting things that annoyed him about how things were handled in church keep him from worshipping the God he loves.
So today I wonder...What is going on in your life that is keeping you from focusing on God? Where in your life have you let minor, insignificant circumstances keep you from worshiping, praying, or accepting what Jesus has planned for you?
Lord, today I ask that you would reveal to us where we have been distracted and deceived, where we have let OUR attitudes, beliefs and traditions get in the way of what You have for us. Lord reveal to us YOUR attitudes and beliefs, instill in our hearts YOUR love, grace and mercy. Help us to remove that which hinders so that we can freely come before You and worship you the way You deserve to be worshipped. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Amen.
At one point though I found myself distracted, irritated. I was annoyed with a circumstance of our surroundings, I wasn't focusing on the blessing of being at a huge FREE christian concert. I was focusing on some little insignificant thing, and for a while was missing the whole point of even being there.
Has that ever happened to you?
Luckily God got a hold of me and pointed out what I was doing, I gave the annoying circumstance to Him and started focusing on Him again.
The following day while ushering at church, God showed me another example of this same thing, I noticed a man sitting out in the lobby during worship looking frustrated. I approached him and found that his frustration was about worship, like me the day before, he was letting things that annoyed him about how things were handled in church keep him from worshipping the God he loves.
So today I wonder...What is going on in your life that is keeping you from focusing on God? Where in your life have you let minor, insignificant circumstances keep you from worshiping, praying, or accepting what Jesus has planned for you?
Lord, today I ask that you would reveal to us where we have been distracted and deceived, where we have let OUR attitudes, beliefs and traditions get in the way of what You have for us. Lord reveal to us YOUR attitudes and beliefs, instill in our hearts YOUR love, grace and mercy. Help us to remove that which hinders so that we can freely come before You and worship you the way You deserve to be worshipped. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Amen.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Confident of your own righteousness?
Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
I tell you that this man, rather than the other went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I think the way that Luke introduces this parable is key. "To some who were confident of their own righteousness". We as humans tend to want to control our own destiny, we read the Bible, we inquire of our pastors and we ask "What do I need to do?" We build a to do list and focus on checking the things we need to do to be righteous off the list. We focus on our behavior and our actions. Then we compare how we are doing to others. It seems that as Christians that at different points in our lives we have been both the tax collector and the pharisee.
Where are you today? Are you the tax collector or the pharisee?
Are you depending on your own righteousness or are you depending on Jesus's righteousness?
Jesus has done ALL the work to justify us, He has done ALL the work to make us righteous, He has done ALL the work necessary for us to come before the Father clean as snow.
We need to stop focusing on us and what we need to do. We need to focus on HIM and what He has already done. When we focus on Him and what He has done instead of on us and what we need to do, we change…not by our power…but His.
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
I tell you that this man, rather than the other went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I think the way that Luke introduces this parable is key. "To some who were confident of their own righteousness". We as humans tend to want to control our own destiny, we read the Bible, we inquire of our pastors and we ask "What do I need to do?" We build a to do list and focus on checking the things we need to do to be righteous off the list. We focus on our behavior and our actions. Then we compare how we are doing to others. It seems that as Christians that at different points in our lives we have been both the tax collector and the pharisee.
Where are you today? Are you the tax collector or the pharisee?
Are you depending on your own righteousness or are you depending on Jesus's righteousness?
Jesus has done ALL the work to justify us, He has done ALL the work to make us righteous, He has done ALL the work necessary for us to come before the Father clean as snow.
We need to stop focusing on us and what we need to do. We need to focus on HIM and what He has already done. When we focus on Him and what He has done instead of on us and what we need to do, we change…not by our power…but His.
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