Eyes On

One, two, three, eyes on me!

One, two, eyes on you!

That is what is called an "attention grabber" or "callback." The intent is to use it with a group in order to get the focus back on to the speaker.

When I was thinking about what it means to "keep your eyes on Jesus" I was reminded on this attention grabber. Sometimes in life something pulls our attention away and we need to be redirected to the thing that matters.

In Hebrews 12:1b-2a we are instructed to run the race God has out before us by keeping our eyes on Jesus. But what does this mean?

Just like the attention grabber is used to get eyes back on the speaker, to put your eyes on Jesus, you simply need to switch your focus to Him. 

In today's world we are surrounded by distractions. Many things push and pull for our attention. What are you paying attention to? What are your eyes on? 

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Read the Bible. Pray. "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11 

Deceitful Hearts

Don't follow your heart.

Follow your heart is a popular saying which advises you to do what feels right. Unfortunately, it's terrible advice.

In the Bible, Jeremiah 17:9 tells, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

I don't know about you, but I don't trust anything or anyone that is deceitful. According to dictionary.com, deceit means: 
         
           1. to mislead by a false appearance or statement; delude
           2. To be unfaithful to (one's spouse or lover)

 Yikes.

What does this mean for us? Be careful what you put your trust in. Be mindful of what you follow and let lead you. Keep your eyes on Jesus, draw near to God, and. . .

Don't follow your heart.

Ignorant Talk of Foolish People

Sticks and stones may break my bones by words will never hurt me.

If only that rhyme was true, life would be easier. But words do hurt. A lot.

I've been at the receiving end of some harsh words and I'm sure I'm not the only one. It's hard enough to hear someone speak badly about you, but it is even harder when the ignorant words are not even close to being true. You know what I'm talking about: When people deliberately tell lies about you with the intent to harm you. Why? Why do people weave lies with the intent to harm others?

I don't know. But what I do know is that God has a plan to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me hope and a future. I know this because the Bible states it in Jeremiah 29:11.

So, why then, would He allow people to slander me? Why allow me this suffering?

After praying, to find the answer I turn to my personal favorite books in the Bible: 1 and 2 Peter.

1 Peter 2:12 directs us to, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

I may not know in the moment why God allows people to say hurtful to me or about me, but I do know it is God's will that by doing good I should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

I will stand firm on God's word and I trust in His promises. God will take care of the rest.

Everything We Need

Because He First

I wasn't going to choose one word to focus on for 2017. I don't know why exactly; I just wasn't.

However, after praying I decided I will focus on one word, a four letter word, a word that is used often and maybe is a little watered-down as a result: LOVE.

There's just something about it that seems so cliche and easy. Like, I can't think of a good word to focus on so I'll just go with love. (I can be confident that my word for the year is from God because I would have never chosen it on my own.) It's probably the world's view influencing my decision. After all, it's common to hear someone say they "love" a certain food or tv show. It seems to have lost a little of it's value.

But I don't want to love like the world loves. . .I want to love like God loves.

There is a beautiful picture of God's love in 1 John chapter 4. Check out verses 7-12:

     Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of
     God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In
     this the love of God was manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that
     we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he has loved us
     and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought
     to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and
     love is perfected in us.

Wow. Like I said, beautiful.  

And that's what I want. God's love perfected in me so that others can see God through me. The following verses of 1 John chapter 4 (13-16) gives direction on how this is done:

      By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And 

      we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

     Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have 

      come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in 

      love abides in God, and God abides in him. 

In order to love like God, I need to remember that love comes from God and God is love. I need to abide in love (to remain in it). I need to know God's love and believe it. 

My focus verse this year will help me do all that: 1 John 4:19: We love because He first loved us. 

No Longer

I love reading through Titus in the Bible.
 heart emotico reading through Titus!

Sometimes I feel like I'm odd because I actually LIKE the verses that show what you are like without God--but that's okay.

Check out Titus 1:15-16
smile emoticonCheck out Titus 1:15-16

"Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good."

Detestable. Disobedient. WORTHLESS for doing Anything good. Ouch. 

When you look at who God says you are, isn't it important to look at what you are not?

 I USED to be detestable, disobedient, and worthless for doing anything good but not anymore! Jesus gave his life to free me from Every kind of sin, to cleanse me and to make me his very own daughter (Titus 2:14)! 

The God Who Rescues

He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. Psalm 18:16

Sometimes in life I get overwhelmed and I have the sensation of being in over my head. Have you ever felt that way? 

God with you--always. Even when you are doing things you aren't proud of; God is there waiting for you to turn from your sins and run into His arms instead. He wants to rescue you as He has rescued me. 

It doesn't matter what you have done in your past, simply "declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you. will. be. Saved." (Romans 10:9).

Rescued.

Paul puts it best:

Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (as the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is our through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above of in the earth below--indeed, noting in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-38)

Amen.