Focus on the Lord - His View Is Magnificent

Little children are so eager to see the world around them. And yet, they have such problems focusing on things that you try to show them. Yesterday evening I was watching one grandson at soccer practice. Two airplanes flew overhead and his little brother heard it. But we could not get him to look in the right direction. Finally I asked him to look where I was pointing. At last he saw the plane. But when it was right over our heads he just couldn’t see it.

We’re like that aren’t we? We have a hard time focusing on the right stuff. We read the Word and we know it’s true but we keep looking at the circumstances instead. We hear God speak to our hearts but we feel the rejection and lose sight of His constant acceptance.

We see problems, God sees plans. We see rejection, God sees connection. We see troubles, God sees opportunities.  God is the light at the end of our tunnel but we get downhearted and truly believe it’s a freight train. Fear starts to take over and pretty soon we’re sidelined. Worry keeps a guard at our hopes and we just give up. Discouragement orders us around like a soldier in a concentration camp.  “You will NOT make it out of this situation you must remain this way forever”.  Pretty soon we have traded all our spiritual knowledge for fleshly misinformation. We are worn out and done in. Hope has left and we can’t find it, even though we look far and wide. The focus is lost and we are unsure if we will ever see God’s presence in our life again.

Oh beloved, you are more than your circumstances! It’s time to focus back on the Lord and His Word. He has a wonderful plan for your life in spite of what you are seeing with the natural eye. Ask Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery. Ask Daniel, who spent time staring down lions in a dungeon. Ask Hannah, who was humiliated because she couldn’t have a baby. Ask Jesus Himself, who was despised, rejected and ultimately crucified. These, along with the entire council of the Word of God are the ones who teach you how to focus rightly even when it all looks blurry and the clouds have settled in and your mind says give up.

Focus on the Lord! Rehearse the promises of God! Rejoice in who you are in Christ! Remember the Truth and discard the lies, for you are not living in your present circumstances forever. You are a Warrior Princess of the Most High God!  You are redeemed from the law of sin and death. You are a Kingdom seeker and a Word believer! You are going through! You are overcoming! You are stepping from one glory stone to the next! You are seeing the Truth and breaking forth into joy! For beloved, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you!  Get your eyes back on the prize and remember, regard and repeat all the blessings that come beyond the momentary, light afflictions.  It does not matter what you’ve seen, what you’ve been through, not even the past mistakes and future fears, for God is with you! He is your Guardian and your Champion and together with Him you are going to live in the light of His Word.

He loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth focusing on every day of your life and all the way to heaven!

I John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

Psalm 98:1 Sing a new song to the Lord, for He has done wonderful deeds.  His right hand has won a mighty victory; His holy arm has shown His saving power!

2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Psalm 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to us. Amplified

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Amplified

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Jesus is the Centerpiece of Christmas

Our pastor was talking last Sunday about how hard it is to see the true meaning of Christmas in this day and time. From Times Square signage bought by American Atheists proclaiming that no one needs CHRIST this Christmas to the movies that talk only of elves and romance and presents, it looks as though Christ is being blocked out of the season altogether. 

But there are still manger scenes being erected in church lots and public buildings all over America. There are still people who know that Jesus truly is the Reason for the Season. I’m so thankful that when I walk the streets of our town a manger scene can be found in a storefront window. And Merry Christmas signs are still seen everywhere.

As I was thinking about my own collection of manger scenes and how I worked hard to make the lights on one display shine on the baby Jesus, God spoke to my heart.  How many nativities are set up where Jesus is behind the shepherd? As displays are observed is the manger itself placed outside the barn? Is the light shining brightest on Joseph or Mary or one of the Kings?  

If we’re not careful we will find ourselves settling for a personal faith that's been diluted by culture and other people's takes on spirituality. We’ll have a little Jesus off to the side of our lives and a lot of self-motivation and me right in the focal point. Only One King can be on the throne and only one Lord can be the center of our lives.  We will inevitably choose who is center – either ourselves or God.  We can even put family, work, spouses, friends and other things in the center but Jesus says He will share His glory, His rightful place, with no other.

God speaks again: If you will keep Me front and center in your life all other things will fall into place. As you look solely to Me for your needs, your wants and your desires you will find that I AM all you need.  When you put me off to the side of your life other things get mismanaged and become in disarray. Chaos ensues when you try to put yourself or anyone else but Me in the center of your heart and life. Feeling burdened by things or people or decisions or choices? Place Me back in My rightful place and see how it all will get back into focus.  I will redirect your path so that you can focus on Me everywhere you go.

Oh beloved, you are precious in the sight of the Lord. The Savior of the World has come and ransomed you from everything that can trouble you and seek to control your heart and mind. Look to Him for everything. Keep Him in the center of your life. His love and care are your nourishment. His Words are your guidepost. His precious promises are your reason for living. Don’t relegate Him to the background. Keep Him front and center and watch as He takes you where you could never go on your own and makes your life a shining example of His glory and grace.  He loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you want to keep your focus on Him all the days of your life.

Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Having Trouble Keeping Your Eyes on the Lord?

 

Chameleons are one of the most interesting creatures God ever created. Most recognized for their ability to change colors depending on their surroundings, it’s amazing how they can go from deep green when on leaves to mottled brown when they’re on limbs or on the ground.

But the most fascinating thing to me about chameleons is their eyes. They can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously; their eyes move independently from each other. They can focus on two entirely different things at one time. This would probably be really helpful if they were looking for food and watching for predators.

God created humankind to have eyes that focus together. For us to have to look in two different directions would be hard, even chaotic. Our minds would continually try to decide what we were going to concentrate on.

God speaks to my heart. In order for us to focus on God we must keep our eyes on God. We cannot afford to look in two different directions. But truth be told, often we do just that. We look to the Lord for answers, but we are also looking at our problems, our troubles, our hurts, our fears and more. We have divided eyesight, which causes a divided heart. And a divided heart causes our faith to falter.

Have you been struggling with your vision? Have you tried to focus on the truth and at the same time keep looking to the problem? Have you tried walking in truth and yet you want to fix the problem yourself? Are you dizzy from the chaos of a divided heart and mind? For that which you focus on is where your heart and mind surely are. God’s Word says you will get through it, go beyond it or grow in it. But your eyes keep straying to the problem at hand.

Oh beloved, do you hear God whispering His love songs into your ear? He says to you this morning, beloved, look to Me. I AM the Lord. There is no other. I AM with you in your circumstances and I AM here to take you out of the chaos and mess and into My heart. In My heart there is peace in the midst of the storm, water in the midst of the drought, and warmth in the midst of the cold harsh realities of life. If you will put your eyes on Me, I will take you beyond the mundane to the magnificent. I will show you My abundance for you in your lack. I will give you My strength instead of your weakness.

Look to the Lord, concentrate on Him, give every situation to Him. When you focus solely on Him, not only do the problems get solved, you will experience His peace and joy.

God loves you, beloved, and He’s for you and that’s what really matters every day of your life.

Psalm 123:1 I lift my eyes to You, O God, enthroned in heaven.

Psalm 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He is gracious to us.

2 Samuel 22:31 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.

Jeremiah 32:27 I AM the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?

Change Your Focus and Start Looking Up

 

Several months ago our oldest daughter told me that I needed to look at the clouds with my binoculars. She said that looking at them was like looking at a 3D photo. She said it was almost a spiritual experience for her.

I have tried to remember to try it, but I stay so busy that I remember the idea when I’m in the bed or in the car and couldn’t act on it. Finally yesterday morning I got outside with my binoculars to try it. The only problem was that the sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight. So I began to look around. I focused on tree trunks and fallen limbs. I looked and saw what I thought was a small fawn but when I focused better it was simply a clump of dead leaves. I saw a spot on the siding of our house that needs repair. I saw a broken brick in the yard. Everywhere I focused on the things around me I saw something wrong. I decided to go inside and try again later. Too many things around me looked decayed, dilapidated and disheartening.

I hear God speaking to my heart, through the binoculars and through the words of a dear, dear friend, who had texted me earlier that morning, “Quit looking at the things around you. Start looking up.”

You see beloved when we walk with God we have a beautiful world to look at. But sometimes that world gets distorted. Others disappoint us, fail us, dismiss us. We too get our focus on the wrong thing. We want accolades, God gives opportunities. We want commendation, God allows humiliation. We keep looking at the things going on around us and at the people around us and we get upset. We get to thinking about our present suffering. We’re hurting and we don’t like it. Others are uplifted and we are pushed down. We get frantic and will continue to spiral into more and more agony as long as we focus on the things around us.

We pray and we ask God to change things. Then He speaks and He says change your focus. Quit looking around and start looking up.

Oh beloved, God is speaking to your heart. When you look up into My Eyes you will focus on Me. When you are focused on Me you will walk in security and faith like you’ve never known. The Look Up is magnificent even when the look around is discouraging. The look into My eyes reveals My heart about you. The look around is confusing. You may see how others feel about you and mistake that for My feelings. You may see problems like finances, health and heartache when you look around and mistake those circumstances for my condemnation of you. But when you look at Me you will see that even when you are going through “things” I AM in the process of making all things work together for your good.

I am praying that I will focus only on the Lord. Won’t you look to Him as well? His promises for me and for you are that He loves us and He’s for us and that’s all we’ll ever need to focus on between now and heaven to find our peace, our joy and our calling.

Psalm 145:15 The eyes of all wait for You [looking, watching, and expecting] and You give them their food in due season. AMP

Isaiah 17:7 Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

Micah 7:7 As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Hebrews 11:27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the One who is invisible.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! NAS

Feeling Unfocused? It's Time to Line Up!

Remember when we were kids, the teacher said this phrase often, “Line up!”  We lined up to go outside, to go to the cafeteria, to be dismissed at the end of the day and more.  Sometimes the teacher would put her finger to her lips designating that we needed to get quiet so we could hear her instructions. Other times she might dim the lights to get our attention.  Some kids found it easier to stand still in line than others. If you couldn't line up the way she expected you to, then you might even get your name called out. “Johnny, I said line up.”  Teachers knew each of us by name and I’m sure they knew our personalities, our problems and our uniqueness. To not line up could cause delays, caused embarrassment and even trouble.  Sometimes a child would be unruly or disruptive and miss the teacher’s instructions altogether. They might miss the blessing of play time and have to stay indoors to learn to listen better. The quicker we lined up the quicker we were able to move on to our next destination.  This was especially important for recess!

We have a Teacher Who wants to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go. His plans are flawless, His instructions are faultless and His desires for us are picture-perfect. All He asks us to do is “Line up” with His Instructions.  He speaks to our hearts and at times we listen quickly and move on to the next step. Other times we falter and dawdle and wonder if we should. We can be unruly and unfocused which could cause delays in our blessings.  This Marvelous Teacher Who loves us perfectly may need to sit us down so that we can learn to listen to Him better.  All in all, His plans for us are so wonderful that His instructions become our best track and our quick obedience to His Words is for our absolute best and His absolute Glory!

Oh beloved, it’s time to line up! Line up with God’s Word. Are you having problems seeing the road ahead? Are you wondering which way God wants you to travel?  Are you wondering if you can make it? Maybe you have been in the struggle of your life and you don’t know what you will do. You've read the newspaper, you've seen the headlines, and you know your own situation so well. You feel lost, discouraged, desperate and alone. But God’s Word says you are more than your situation. You are more than the news. You are more than the things going on in your life. As He calls you into His presence and you respond those things that were your focus fade away as you live in the light of His Truth.  Open His Book of Truth and read about His loved ones and see – even those who have been losing are winners, even those who have been drowning will be pulled from the water, even those who have lost loved ones and friends and family will never be alone. Strength and honor and victory belong to you! Line up with God’s Word and you will live in His Truth – that you are loved, that you are cared for, that you are His beloved! And that’s all that really matters!

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 

James 1:4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. AMP

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. NAS