In this Easter season, God has been showing me so many amazing things that I hardly know where to begin. So, I thought I would just go straight to the heart of the matter and share as Paul did saying "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2
I've been thinking a lot lately about where my focus is and where it should be. The Nehemiah Bible study tonight reminded me of what the faithful men of God in the Bible consistently did in the midst of anything life confronted them with. They remembered the Lord. In the midst of opposition and fear, Nehemiah remained faithful to what God called him to do and encouraged his people to continue rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He urged them to remember the Lord and remember who it was that they were working for.
I think of my own life and the struggles I face. Maybe it is the desire of marriage or the uncertainty of my future career path that screams for my attention. How do I respond in those times when life seems impossible to ignore? I'd like to say that I boldly focus on Christ and never waiver in my commitment to serving Him. However, if I said that, I would be a liar. The truth is that a lot of the time I focus on the things that I see or wish that I could see instead of on Christ. I'm thankful that God is revealing this tendency to me and is growing in me a heart that passionately seeks Him and eyes that stay fixed on Jesus.
As I consider the focus that God desires me to have, many passages of Scripture come to mind. They have been an encouragement to me as I've meditated on them and I pray that they might be of encouragement to you as well.
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shaw know fully, even as I have been fully know." 1 Corinthians 13:12
Think to a time when you really felt God speaking to you in your life and you felt as if you were more connected with Him than ever before. Then read this verse again. The joy we experience now by focusing our eyes on Christ does not even begin to compare to the joy we will experience when we behold Christ face to face! Since that is true, why should Jesus Christ, He who brings real joy now, ever leave the forefront of our minds?
"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:6,7
We are but strangers in this world. We are not born of flesh, but of God! Philippians tells us that our citizenship is in Heaven from which we await a Savior. How then do we walk by faith? We hold fast to the hope God has given us through Jesus Christ. We don't set our sights on the things that are material and tangible for they are passing away just as our bodies are. Instead, we are to focus on Jesus Christ, the founder and finisher of our faith. Christ justifies us and Christ will come to take us up into glory. Where our focus is now determines to a large degree how that "dash" in between the start and end of our earthly life plays out.
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:8
Here are the words of Paul that he wrote from prison while not being sure of where his next meal would come from or when he would be released. Paul had prominence in his former Jewish life. He was very versed in the Law and was blameless in the eyes of his peers. He had every reason to boast in his ability to keep the Law and live a righteous life. However, he writes words that are in radical contrast. Paul considers his very life to be a loss so that he can gain Christ. There is no goal, dream, or vision for Paul other than Jesus Christ.
How do we compare to Paul in this area? I know that there are things in my life that I chose to focus on other than Christ. How much more full could life be with a focus that never waivers from Jesus Christ? Paul definitely had joy that all of us dream about having, didn't he? What lengths did Paul go to in order to experience that joy? He gave everything to God. He held nothing back. He put on the proverbial blinders and only looked at Christ.
What a man to emulate! I'm so thankful that God called Paul and gifted him with the ability to write so passionately about Jesus Christ. It is consistently inspirational and empowering to see his sole purpose was to know Christ.
Where is our focus? Where should it be?
As life continues to cry for our focus, let us remain true to God's Word and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ. Remember where your citizenship is and remember who founded and will finish your faith.
I've been thinking a lot lately about where my focus is and where it should be. The Nehemiah Bible study tonight reminded me of what the faithful men of God in the Bible consistently did in the midst of anything life confronted them with. They remembered the Lord. In the midst of opposition and fear, Nehemiah remained faithful to what God called him to do and encouraged his people to continue rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He urged them to remember the Lord and remember who it was that they were working for.
I think of my own life and the struggles I face. Maybe it is the desire of marriage or the uncertainty of my future career path that screams for my attention. How do I respond in those times when life seems impossible to ignore? I'd like to say that I boldly focus on Christ and never waiver in my commitment to serving Him. However, if I said that, I would be a liar. The truth is that a lot of the time I focus on the things that I see or wish that I could see instead of on Christ. I'm thankful that God is revealing this tendency to me and is growing in me a heart that passionately seeks Him and eyes that stay fixed on Jesus.
As I consider the focus that God desires me to have, many passages of Scripture come to mind. They have been an encouragement to me as I've meditated on them and I pray that they might be of encouragement to you as well.
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shaw know fully, even as I have been fully know." 1 Corinthians 13:12
Think to a time when you really felt God speaking to you in your life and you felt as if you were more connected with Him than ever before. Then read this verse again. The joy we experience now by focusing our eyes on Christ does not even begin to compare to the joy we will experience when we behold Christ face to face! Since that is true, why should Jesus Christ, He who brings real joy now, ever leave the forefront of our minds?
"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:6,7
We are but strangers in this world. We are not born of flesh, but of God! Philippians tells us that our citizenship is in Heaven from which we await a Savior. How then do we walk by faith? We hold fast to the hope God has given us through Jesus Christ. We don't set our sights on the things that are material and tangible for they are passing away just as our bodies are. Instead, we are to focus on Jesus Christ, the founder and finisher of our faith. Christ justifies us and Christ will come to take us up into glory. Where our focus is now determines to a large degree how that "dash" in between the start and end of our earthly life plays out.
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:8
Here are the words of Paul that he wrote from prison while not being sure of where his next meal would come from or when he would be released. Paul had prominence in his former Jewish life. He was very versed in the Law and was blameless in the eyes of his peers. He had every reason to boast in his ability to keep the Law and live a righteous life. However, he writes words that are in radical contrast. Paul considers his very life to be a loss so that he can gain Christ. There is no goal, dream, or vision for Paul other than Jesus Christ.
How do we compare to Paul in this area? I know that there are things in my life that I chose to focus on other than Christ. How much more full could life be with a focus that never waivers from Jesus Christ? Paul definitely had joy that all of us dream about having, didn't he? What lengths did Paul go to in order to experience that joy? He gave everything to God. He held nothing back. He put on the proverbial blinders and only looked at Christ.
What a man to emulate! I'm so thankful that God called Paul and gifted him with the ability to write so passionately about Jesus Christ. It is consistently inspirational and empowering to see his sole purpose was to know Christ.
Where is our focus? Where should it be?
As life continues to cry for our focus, let us remain true to God's Word and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ. Remember where your citizenship is and remember who founded and will finish your faith.
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