Focus Determines Fate

Our focus determines our fate. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, there is an old saying, “You are what you think.” What are you focusing on? What are your goals? Do you have goals? Is there someone or something that drives your thoughts?

Whether we realize it or not, there is something or someone who drives our thoughts. Perhaps the more appropriate question is, do you know who or what that is? Recognizing how we are driven is key to making changes in our lives. We must change our driving force to make lasting changes in our lives.

As much as we may like to deny it, there are only two driving forces at work in this world—good and evil. Unfortunately, evil often masquerades as good, tricking us to focus on it rather than the true good. Our focus is on what appears to be good but results on bad unintended consequences. It is often shrouded in selfishness, meaning what we think will make us look good.

Our focus is often on the temporary. We focus on this world. We focus on today, tomorrow, next week. Being preoccupied by the goings on of this world takes our focus away from what it truly important, what is truly good—eternity.

Our lives may be long by human standards. We may live into our eighties, nineties, or perhaps live to be one-hundred years old. Yet that is all very temporary when compared to eternity. Our focus for those years can be momentary, on the here and now, or we can choose to focus on the eternal.

If we truly understood what was at stake, we just might make different choices. We might live life with urgency to tell others about Jesus, while also living slower lives, deciding not to chase the temporary objects of this world. We will admit this world is temporary in one breath and continue to chase the world’s glories the next.

Folks, if we want to focus on eternity, we must first be willing to give up this world. We must see it for what it is—temporary. We must allow God to put eternity into our hearts. The drive in our lives must change from being worldly to being eternal.

I pray we all set aside the temporary for the eternal. I pray we allow God to plant eternal desires in our hearts. I pray each one of us takes time to evaluate our focus and what’s behind it. Desire the eternal. Focus on eternity. Allow God to put eternity in your heart. Fix your eyes on the unseen.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The Cost of Freedom

As we head into this weekend to celebrate our country’s Independence Day, we often see freedom in commercials, on billboards, on social media—basically everywhere we turn. Have you taken time to contemplate what freedom for our country and as a Christian means?

As someone who served in our military for twenty years, I take our freedom seriously. I believe we need to protect our freedom. I also believe freedom comes with responsibility. As the saying goes, freedom isn’t free. If it isn’t taken care of, it will be lost.

Our Christian freedom had a cost as well. It cost the Son of God an excruciating death after having been severely flogged. It cost Him having His Father turn His back on Him. The Apostles, His mother, and other followers were distraught. They were shocked. They saw their dreams of a free Israel die with Him.

The good news is He rose again on the third day. We often gloss over those three days of mourning, sorrow, pain, and lost dreams. The freedom we enjoy in Christ cost many people dearly. True, the pain and sorrow ended in a relatively short period of time, but their dream of Israel being free of Roman rule was not realized.

Lest we minimize the dream the Jews had of their nation being a mighty nation as in the time of David, spend a few moments contemplating what it would be like to live under the rule of a foreign country. Think about being forced to obey foreign soldiers as they walked the streets of your town. Ponder having to obey laws enacted to elevate the foreign power while reducing the local population to nothing more than servants.

As we celebrate the freedom we enjoy, both in our country and as Christians, let’s reflect on the cost of that freedom. Let’s also take on the responsibility to maintain our freedom. For most of us, our freedom has been handed to us with little or no sacrifice. However, it doesn’t eliminate the sacrifice someone else made so we may enjoy our freedom.

I pray we contemplate the cost of our freedom. I pray we give thanks to Jesus for being willing to sacrifice for us. I pray each one of us takes on the responsibility of maintaining our freedom. Enjoy your freedom. Take your freedom seriously. Work to maintain freedom. Be thankful for your freedom. Be responsible with your freedom. Celebrate your freedom.

Galatians 5:13-15 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Continually Seeking

Have you experienced believing something was true for most of your life only to find out it was not? What was your reaction when you found your belief was disproved? Were you upset? Were you in disbelief? Was it an ‘ah-ha’ moment?

The most common false truth most of us experience is our belief in Santa Claus. When we get to a certain age, we discover it is really Mom and Dad who put all those presents under the tree. For some, it is devastating. For others, it is discovering their suspicions were correct.

As Christians, and especially non-Jews, we often hear the Israelites are God’s chosen people. As we read through the Old Testament, we often believe God was only interested in them. The remaining millions of people who resided in countries around the world were of no concern. However, that is a false belief.

We see in today’s passage that God was concerned with the rest of the world. We see that He was seeking the non-Jews, Gentiles, despite the Israelites being His chosen people. In fact, Israel was chosen to be the light to all nations, all people throughout the world. This was not something designed to be held in check until Christ came, He was the culmination of the redemption plan.

We might wonder why God did not reach out to the Gentiles before Jesus’ ministry. Perhaps we should first look at ourselves. Being human, we put ourselves first. The Israelites did the same. Though they were to be a light, they often did not shine their light in the world but turned it inward.

How did God solve this problem? He sent His Son who chose a dozen common men to spread His gospel throughout the world. He simplified His message and clearly stated He came to save all people in every nation. This is the message we are to continue spreading today. Just as Isaiah wrote more than seven hundred years before Jesus walked this earth, God is continually seeking each and every person across the entire earth.

I pray we all continue to spread the gospel. I pray we fulfill the message God gave Isaiah. I pray each one of us become the light to everyone we meet. Work for God. Fulfill His plan. Be a light. Tell others about Jesus. Tell others God is seeking them. Tell them about God’s salvation.

Isaiah 49:6

he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

On The Spot

Have you ever worried about being caught on the spot and not know what to say? Does it concern you in your job? Is it a concern with your friends? Is it the reason you don’t talk to people about Jesus? Do you know there is help?

There are times in our lives when we get put on the spot. We are asked a question we either don’t know the answer to or we don’t want to give the answer. We feel trapped. We stumble, perhaps stutter, or even freeze up completely.

When it comes to answering questions about Jesus, we can keep it simple. Especially if we don’t feel knowledgeable. The first thing we do is state the obvious from our beliefs and faith. Keep it short and to the point. We don’t need to provide a grand theological statement to our friends. Honestly, they would probably think we were overstepping our own knowledge anyway.

Second, if we don’t know the answer to a specific question, be honest. Tell them you don’t know, but you can point them to someone who does. They will respect that. Oh, I know, you think your friends will think you are simply pawning them off on someone else. But here is what you need to remember, if you point them to someone who can provide them the answer to their question, they will be glad you did rather than trying to dream up an answer.

Third, here is a nice little exercise I have often done and found to work. I take breath and say a quick prayer. Something like this, “God provide me the answer I need for this question.” It takes less than two seconds in your head. It gives you peace that you are relying on God to provide the answer. You realize it is okay to say you don’t know. And sometimes, just sometimes, God provides an answer that you didn’t know beforehand, surprising you, and allowing you to learn something along with your friend. That is the Holy Spirit working in you!

Yes, we have the Holy Spirit in us, and He is working. We may forget that from time-to-time. But the good news is, He hasn’t. God provides us insights at some of the strangest times. Yet His timing is always perfect. Even when it comes at the very last second.

I pray we all come to feel comfortable relying on the Holy Spirit to provide answers. I pray we realize it is okay to say we don’t know. I pray each one of us will ask God to provide answers for us when we are put on the spot. Trust God. Trust the Holy Spirit. Be okay with saying you don’t know. Give your friends answers to their questions about God.

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

To The Ends Of The Earth

Have you ever wanted to be part of a major movement? Have you wanted to be on the championship team? Do you continue to long to be part of something bigger than yourself? Do you know you can be?

Isn’t it great to be on a winning team? Winning tournaments, championships, hefting trophies is a lot of fun, even if it is simply a weekend softball tournament. It is even more fun if that tournament is at the state or national level.

Unfortunately, that celebration doesn’t last. That is not to say we shouldn’t celebrate and enjoy the day. But the reality is we will be back in our doldrums in a few days. Something will go wrong, someone will be hurt, and we are brought down off our pedestal into the life of this world once again.

There is a team we can be part of that will win the ultimate victory and there will be no coming down off the pedestal. We will celebrate forever. That, of course, is the team of Christ. When we join His team, we join the Apostles He selected two-thousand years ago. We join the team He sent out to tell the world about Him.

When we go into the world, whether in our neighborhood or half-way around the world to tell others about Jesus, we join the original set of Apostles who were commissioned to spread the gospel to the very ends of the earth. That is an awesome team to join!

We often think of mission work as going to a foreign land, or minimally to another area of our own country. But have we looked at our own neighborhood? Have we looked at our own family? The ends of the earth may be right next-door. The person we are meant to reach may be the very person we chat with over the fence on Saturday morning.

God created each of us uniquely with a unique purpose. He has a plan prepared for us to follow. One portion of that plan is to reach others. Lest you cringe at the thought of evangelizing someone else, I’m reminded of a saying I heard many years ago, “Tell everyone about Jesus, and when necessary, use words.” Our actions, behavior, and simply how we go about our daily lives tell people, not only about us, but who we belong to. When we represent Christ in all we do, people will ask us how we handle the stress of daily life.

I pray we all join the Apostles in spreading the gospel. I pray we show Christ in all we do. I pray each one of us chooses to fulfill the plan God created us for. Join Christ’s team. Be Jesus’ representative. Fulfill God’s plan for you. Be part of the winning team. Look forward to eternal celebration.

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Unconventional Saving

Are you concerned about others? Do you hope for a better life for them? Are you concerned about your fellow countrymen? Do you long to see positive change taking place? Are you concerned for their souls?

I’m sure most of us are concerned for our families. We long for our children to be successful and enjoy good lives. We care for our friends, wishing them well. We celebrate the achievements of our children and grandchildren.

When it comes to our country, we run into obstacles. When people are asked what needs to change, the answers are as varied as the people you ask. There are so many different interests, different agendas, resulting in us being pulled apart at the seams. How do we change that and become unified?

Perhaps we should take a lesson from the Apostle Paul. Perhaps we should seek to save everyone we come in contact. Perhaps we need to bring people into the kingdom of God and make them disciples of Jesus Christ. Perhaps we need to teach them what the Bible really says rather than teaching someone’s opinion of what it says.

Might I suggest we unify around the Word of God and seek to do God’s will rather than our own. You see, regardless of whether you are a baker or a candlestick maker, you have been commissioned by God to bring people into His kingdom. You don’t need to be a pastor, preacher, evangelist, nor a Sunday School teacher to do this. You need to be a friend, a family member, someone who cares about their eternal life.

Paul was using his apostleship to the Gentiles in an effort to make the Jews jealous to turn them to Jesus. Sounds a bit unconventional, doesn’t it? Yet sometimes the unconventional is exactly what needs to be done to reach someone. In the military, they call that out flanking someone. You come at them from the side rather than head on. Full frontal confrontation typically doesn’t work. It becomes very bloody very quick. Often victory comes at a very high cost. Using unconventional methods can bring about results with far lesser costs.

I suppose the question we must wrestle with is this, do we care enough about our friends, family, and co-workers to convince them to accept Jesus as their Savior? Another question comes to mind, do we care enough about God’s church to bring more people into it? If we don’t care, we can’t be surprised when our churches disappear, and our family and friends are not with us for eternity.

I pray we all take on the commission to bring people into God’s kingdom. I pray we care about the eternal lives of others. I pray each one of us commits to bringing at least one person to Christ in the near future. Commit to God’s commission. Choose to care about others. Choose to make a positive change. Teach the Bible. Trust God’s promises.

Romans 11:13-14 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

Who Is Number One?

What motivates you? Is it setting goals? Is it seeking notoriety? Are you trying to do better for your family? Do you strive to increases your pay? Why? What is your motive? Is it out of selfishness or to fulfill God’s plan for your life?

Our culture is driven by getting more. More for ourselves. The marketing schemes tell us we deserve more. They shame us into believing we are less than others if we don’t acquire more. They play on our selfishness, our desire to look out for number one.

There lies the rub. The number one in our lives is us. We have taken God out of the top spot in our lives and put Him somewhere near the bottom. If He were number one in our lives, our decisions would be much different than we observe. If God were number one, our culture would be a radical example for others to follow. We would see far fewer hungry, homeless, and unemployed people. We would not experience strife, discord, and outright hatred.

When we make God number one in our lives, our motives change. Notice today’s passage. Doesn’t it describe our current culture? We argue, quarrel, and fight because we don’t get what we want. We don’t get what we want because we ask God with the wrong motives. Our motives are to satisfy ourselves and no one else.

We don’t like to be told we are selfish, yet that is exactly what we are. Even when we do something for someone else, we often do it to gain something for ourselves. It may not be a material gain. It may be a pat on the back. Feeling good about ourselves because we did something for someone else. We play the martyr and wonder why no one else sees our sacrifice. Notice God is nowhere in the reasons behind our actions.

We fail to realize God has promises us an abundant life if we will simply follow His plan for our lives. We refuse to submit to Him in fear that He won’t deliver. Our trust in Him is lacking. Our faith is miniscule. Therefore, our motives are wrong.

Don’t misunderstand. There are some true saints out there. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our culture is described above. If you are one of those who truly seek to fulfill God’s plan for your life, know that God will bless you richly. We need more saints in this world.

I pray we all examine our motives. I pray we turn to God to change our motives. I pray each one of us will seek God’s plan for our lives. Trust God to deliver on His promises. Put your faith in Him. Live out God’s plan for you. Rid yourself of selfishness. Make God number one in your life.

James 4:2-3 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Choose Better

How good are you at making decisions? Do you weigh the choices before you carefully? Do you consider the pros and cons of each option? Or do you simply make your choices based on feeling or on a whim? How has your decision-making worked out for you?

We all use different processes to make decisions. However, we can boil them down two general categories—emotional and logical. Some make decisions based more often on emotion or feeling. Those decisions are often a spur of the moment decision and is based largely on what our preferences are.

Others make decisions based on logic. They may acknowledge their preference, but they don’t allow it to be the overwhelming factor. Instead, they look at all the options, attempt to go through the positives and negatives of each option, and make the choice that logically should produce the best result.

The choices we make result in consequences, whether good or bad. When we rush into decisions, we may get what we desire in the short-term, but cause ourselves heartache down the road. I’m reminded of something a Warrant Officer told me nearly forty years ago when I was a young Marine. He said, “No decision, short of life and death, is so important you can’t first think about it.” True then. True today.

We remember the story of Mary and Martha. Martha is rushing around, making preparations, and gets upset that Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him speak. She wants Mary to help with the preparations. She thinks Mary is ignoring what needs to be done. Yet, Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better thing to do. This doesn’t mean we should never make preparations, but that we need to look at each choice carefully.

We may find there is a once in a lifetime opportunity that we should take advantage of by putting off other options. It may be that we need a reprieve from the day-to-day drudgery by going to a Christian concert rather than heading home to fix supper. Our spirits need the uplifting that comes from celebrating God in a high energy way. On the other hand, we may need to prepare for a class, which means we put off cleaning the house that day.

In the end, we all have a critical choice to make—to follow Jesus or turn our back on Him. As much as we often like to convince ourselves there is a lot of gray in that choice, there isn’t. Following Jesus doesn’t mean we won’t have other choices. It doesn’t mean we don’t live in this world. It does mean we put Him first in all we do.

I pray we all take time to evaluate our choices carefully. I pray we look at both the short-term and long-term consequences of our choice. I pray each one of us chooses Jesus. Make your choice carefully. Decide to follow Jesus. Choose the better option. Be like Mary.

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Irrelevant Questions

Are you an inquisitive person? Do you ask lots of questions? Do you ask irrelevant questions? Is the person who asks tons of questions an annoyance to you? Do you get frustrated with all the questions?

We’ve heard the saying, “There is no bad question.” That statement is typically stated in a classroom and within the context of asking a question about the material being taught. Yet, we have all heard people ask questions in classrooms that have nothing to do with the class.

What does that mean to us? There are irrelevant questions. For example, assume you are in a class on American history. Why would anyone ask a question about a recipe for baked chicken? This paradigm works in our daily lives as well. Notice the question being asked of Jesus in today’s passage.

The Jewish teachers of the law and chief priests sent spies to keep an eye on Jesus. They were to report what they saw and heard. Evidently, they took it upon themselves to attempt to trip Him up. Based on the question, we can also assume they were hoping to make themselves look good to their employers. We might call it brown nosing.

You see, the leaders of the synagogue had gotten involved in politics. They weren’t focused on worshiping God like they should. They were either in negotiation with the Romans or they were striving to appease the Romans. Neither was to edify the people nor worshiping God. They didn’t want Jesus to rock the boat they had gotten into.

We know the answer Jesus gave. Ultimately, He said to “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Luke 20:25). What did He mean? If the government or an employer requires you to perform a task, then do it. Yet, at the same time, give your heart to God.

I believe we too often forget this principle. We ask God questions about whether it is right to do something we are told to do by someone who is in authority over us. We don’t want to do it and hope God will tell us we don’t have to. Jesus made no bones about it. He said to obey those put in authority over us in this life. He also said to give God our hearts.

If our motive is hoping God will tell us we don’t have to obey the laws and rules of government or employment, we are asking an irrelevant question. Jesus has already given us the answer. That doesn’t mean we aren’t to give God our hearts nor that we shouldn’t pray for change. We can do both and be all the more obedient to God.

I pray we all choose to obey. I pray we choose to see the answers Jesus has given us. I pray each one of us stops asking irrelevant questions. Know Jesus’ teachings. Understand Jesus’ teachings. Obey God. Do as Jesus taught. Give God your heart. Pray for change while obeying.

Luke 20:21-22 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Braggart

Do you like people who brag on themselves? Is it enjoyable to be around people who constantly talk about themselves? Would you rather have your ears cut off than listen to them? Are you someone who boasts about yourself?

In general, we don’t really care to listen to braggarts. You have heard them. It doesn’t matter what anyone else has done, they have always done it better, faster, and in a more impressive fashion. To hear them tell it, they should be in a far greater place, but the world has purposely connived against them.

On the other hand, we like to talk about ourselves. We like to tell others about our experiences. We may talk about what happened at work, telling of how we accomplished some difficult task. Sometimes, we tell and retell stories of great plays we made while playing sports. We tell of adventures while we were in the military or on vacation or on a mission trip. We may think we don’t like to talk about ourselves until we stop, think about our conversations over the past few days or weeks, and realize we talk about ourselves quite a lot.

Now, there is nothing wrong with relating our experiences. The question comes down to why we are telling others about them. Is it to make ourselves look good? Or is it to relate an experience that we and/or others can learn from? Why is our motive important?

We see in today’s passage that Jesus did not come to glorify himself, but the Father was the one who glorified Him. What does that mean? It means the Father, working through the Son, was orchestrating events in such a way as to glorify Him. The Son was allowing the Father to control Him and the events around Him. The Son was doing what the Father had designated Him to do.

If we are to follow Jesus’ example, we must do the same. We must discern what it is God wants us to do and do it. We must allow the Father to orchestrate the events for us. This is called submission. Submitting to God, trusting Him, and following His plan for our lives will lead to glory. Oh, it may not lead us to glory in the way we think, but it will lead to eternal glory with Him.

I pray we all submit to God’s plan. I pray we allow God to orchestrate our lives. I pray each one of us trusts God and discern His plan for us. Don’t be a braggart. Submit to God. Trust God. Allow God to work in your life. Discern God’s plan for your life. Follow Jesus’ example.

John 8:54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.”