Focus

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

As pointed out in the post “Attention on the Principles Taught”, we all have one thing in common. God is maker of us all so let us put our attention on the principles taught by His Son and we will have what we need to succeed. Let us fix our eyes on what is unseen; never changing and eternal. Earthly struggles last a short time compared to God’s path that leads to eternal peace and eternal bliss.

In the book Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald, an idea is given to develop a series of codes (keywords) that will help organize your thoughts and ideas. As we read, listen to music, watch movies, or talk with people throughout life, document thoughts and ideas by organizing according to these keywords. For example from the song Fix My Eyes by King & Country, below are some thoughts we can document for the key word focus (Focus on God):

Love like I’m not scared

Give when it’s not fair

Live life for another

Take time for a brother

Fight for the weak ones

Speak out for freedom

Find faith in the battle

Stand tall and above it all

Index of devotionals

The Reward is with the Lord

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. - Revelation 22:12

As brought out in the post “Keeping Sight of Doing Right”, the greatest reward is doing the right thing so the heart is at peace in knowing that God will reward with an eternal destiny.

Just as pointed out in this song Lose My Soul by Toby Mac ft. Kirk Franklin, Mandisa, some are consumed by gaining the whole world but in the process lose their soul. Instead, do the right things in life and look forward your eternal destiny.

Index of devotionals

Our Glorious Destination

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8

The post, “Obedience and Achievement” has some thoughts about the benefits of knowing and applying God’s Word. If we take on challenges along the journey of life one day at a time using God’s Word, we will find our glorious destination.

Let us know the plan and carry it out on a daily basis. Let us pray for direction each day as we daily work to fine tune and improve. Then every challenge will become possible.

There is freedom in obeying God’s way because He cares for us more than we care for ourselves. Let’s start our day with this inspiring song called One Day at a Time by Jeremy Camp. God understands our needs more than we do so let’s accept His guidance as we journey through life one day at a time.

Index of devotionals

The True Leader

Any time we have the opportunity to lead others and we are able to achieve some level of success, it’s important to give God all the glory. Any leader should realize that their purpose in life is to glorify God by helping others understand that He is the true leader.

A parent, a leader of a major corporation, a superstar, or whatever station in life; God is the ONE who we should give praise. In the post Give Him the Glory, I shared about King Herod giving a speech and the people honored him by shouting that he was a god. Because Herod didn’t correct them and give praise to the true God, an angel of the Lord struck him down as Herod was eaten up by worms and died (v. 23).

The true superstar in God’s eye are people who connect His power to His people. Like the connection provided by jumper cables that recharges a car battery, we can get interested in others, give them encouragement, and empower them with the Good News. Today’s video is about these thoughts of putting God as the center of our life: Steal My Show – TobyMac.

For everyone who exalts himself with be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. – Luke 14:11

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Never Alone

As written about in the post Trust in His Protection, let your hope in God sustain you during difficult situations. Go to Him in prayer, keep asking for answers, listening for instructions, and believing in successful outcomes. Enjoy this video today and be assured that you are never alone: We Won’t Be Shaken – Building 429

By standing firm you will gain life. - Luke 21:19

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Look Forward To Time Spent With Him

From the depression of the 1930’s and to a smaller degree with the stock market crash in 2008, there is a lesson to be learned. Bad loans build up a bubble that eventually will burst. As written about in the post Heaven’s Riches Are Far More Valuable Than Earthly Wealth, a manager was accused of wasting a rich man’s possessions. We are not told what possessions the manager was wasting but we have to speculate that the manger’s greed caused him to take risk with the rich man’s money.

It could also have been that he just couldn’t say “no” to those who bought things from his master on loan without the ability to pay back the loan. We see the same things happening with many money managers of today. There is this push to sale things or give out loans to people that can’t pay it off.  

When we serve God, the emphasis is not so much on short term gain but on doing the right things that result in long term success. There are right attitudes, motives, and actions to take. If we are focused on serving Him only; to being a good steward for what He gives and look forward to the time we get to spend with Him each day, then we have a tendency to think things through and make better decisions.

I found this video that inspires this desire to hear God’s voice and help make good decisions: Word of God Speak – MercyMe. As we go to God each day in prayer, it’s important to listen for the instructions and take the proper steps.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. – James 1:5

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Kindness Interjection Leads to Life Redirection

In the post Bless with Gentleness, it was explained that Joseph never considered taking revenge on his brothers or those who placed him in prison. He was kind and respectful and this influenced those around him in a positive way. The result was the favor of the Lord and success in whatever he did.

Just like God showed us mercy and kindness which led to positive results, we can also influence those around us in a positive way. This day with God, let us use this video to inspire acts of kindness and mercy towards others: Kindness – Todd Agnew.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4:31-32

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Gaining a Heart of Wisdom

As I wrote in the post Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife, the blessings of God brought Joseph great success. With each passing day, there was success in everything he was in charge of and we can take this lesson to help us in how we live. Each day, we can live more abundantly than the day before. Knowing that God is with us, there is faith that we can accomplish more than we could ever have dreamed possible.

Make the decision to live by God’s standards and He will be faithful so that our every need is met. Like Joseph who faced adversity, stress, and temptation, the favor of God can bring us out of our difficulties and turn them around for good. Today’s video is about asking for God’s help as we take on the challenges we face: Carry Me – Josh Wilson.

Teach us to number our days aright. That we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Psalms 90:12

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Choosing to Accept Grace

In the post He is in Control, the thought is that God is in control of our future. Written about is the story of Jacob’s life who worked hard and developed skills in raising livestock. He was shrewd and used his skills to become a very prosperous man that God would use to start a great nation.

By choosing to accept the grace God has given us through His Son, we are able to receive tremendous advantage in life and like Jacob, we will also be blessed. As fellow believers, we are on the same team and God made each of us to be AWESOME! Here is today’s inspirational Video: How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God be with us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

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Priorities for Success

Written about in the post Our Priorities are Bible characters who are good examples to follow and those that provide bad examples. Abraham was a man who took his relationship with God serious and in turn was blessed. His grandson Esau on the other hand traded his inheritance for a dish of stew. He only looked at what he wanted in the short term.

The lesson for us is to make decisions based on long term success rather than short term desires and to follow God’s plan for our life; being a part of His team. Today I have a video to give some motivation with A Pep Talk from Kid President to You.

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 12:20

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Start with Prayer

In the post Following Instructions for a Successful Day, written about was how Abraham was concerned who his son Isaac would marry so he sends someone to find the perfect mate for his son. Abraham didn’t want him to marry someone where they currently lived because the people didn’t know the One True God and worshiped idols.

The servant of Abraham shows his faith in God and prays for certain things to happen as he finds a wife for his master’s son. He found Rebekah as a wife for Isaac.

All parents hope their children choose the right mate. Prayer is so important in raising children and it’s so important in anything we do. Here is a video poem to inspire our prayers today: Blessings Throughout Each Hour.

Train a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6

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Surround Yourself with People of Integrity

The post Association contained some written thoughts from the study of Genesis 14. A lesson learned was that the people we associate with are so very important. Lot was near the sinful city of Sodom and because of this association; he lost all his possessions and was taken captive. On the other hand, Abraham was where God wanted him to be and with the people He wanted him to be.

Being around a negative environment can cause great damage in societies. Think of societies that begin to break down. Respect for people breaks down, respect for authority breaks down, and respect for keeping the surroundings upright breaks down.

Like in Genesis 14, the area became a crime riddled wasteland and wars broke out. What once was the place to be, near prosperous activity and growth became a devalued area not because of location but because of the lack of integrity around it.

We need today more people of integrity like Abraham who promised God not to take the spoils of war. He kept his promise when he refused to take anything from the king of Sodom. Here is a video that inspires integrity: Search me Lord – Gaither Vocal Band.

Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. -  Psalm 25:4-5

Index of Devotionals

Workers Deserve a Holiday

What is “Labor Day”? It’s a federal holiday in the United States observed on the first Monday in September to celebrate the economic and social contribution of workers. Workers deserve a holiday. Think of the issues faced at work; people issues, personality issues, change issues, and technology issues. The people that work for any organization are very important and valuable for its success. 

This past week, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance recognized this value in giving employees a free lunch and a fifty dollar gift certificate in appreciation for winning the J.D. Power “Highest Customer Satisfaction Among Auto Insurers in the Central Region”. We had the highest score in the central region and second highest score among all Auto Insurance companies in the United States.   

Another way the company I work for has demonstrated the value it places in its employees is to set up a state of the art physical health workout facility at the state office headquarters. The better people feel, the better they can serve their customers. Some companies realize the tremendous benefits of their employee’s health so like Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, they’ve set up workout areas at the business and allow their employees to increase their physical health on company time. 

Studies have also been made to show that faith has a positive effect on physical and mental health. Real faith is not just something you say or believe; it’s something you do. The athlete gains stamina and strength with exercise, the Christian gains faith by reading the bible and applying this to help others. To develop the "Just do it" attitude, we need self discipline. Keep in mind that the bible tells us that our bodies are the dwelling for the Holy Spirit so this should motivate us to have good habits that maintain our bodies. Also, through prayer we can receive directions and develop plans to be more self disciplined.

The mission of another blog of mine at this Link is to demonstrate an instrument for Bible study that uses technology to develop a better way to study the Bible by integrating the principles or core values God gives into our daily lives at work and at home. The Bible teaches how to recharge our batteries. It is up to us to listen and receive the Spirit. Be excited about the future and live each day to the fullest. Today is the first day of the rest of our life. We should learn from the past but not dwell on the mistakes of the past. We should determine what we are enthusiastic about and what inspires us. It may be things like music, friends, Christmas, church, books, movies, travel, eating out, romance, gardening, painting, or sports. 

In the old testament of the bible, the temple was burned down. The people put in a lot of hard work and time to rebuild the temple because it was so important. In 1 Co 3:16 Paul says "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you?" We all need to respect each other as the Temple of God. With this mindset maybe societies would be more self-disciplined. Proper eating habits and exercise would make everyone healthier. Young people would study and learn making the education system much better. Crime would hardly exist. There would be no stopping the economy as companies would flourish. 

Next weekend, I will continue my thoughts on integrating good physical and mental health as a key principle or core value that God gives us to live an amazing life. 

What Will be Your Story?

After dinner, Annie went out on the back porch. It was a Saturday evening and darkness had started to set over the Delaware sky. Her mom noticed that Annie was looking up at the stars so she went out to take a look. Annie’s Mom had always loved to star-gaze and had recently noticed that her daughter had this same passion so she had taught Annie the constellations. Annie’s Dad was finishing up dinner. Later he would meet with his business manager about a major project in his shipbuilding business.

Several years went by and Annie was home for Christmas. She was taking a few weeks away from traveling and dabbling in photography to think about her future. She decides to go out on that same back porch she used to go as a child to look up at the Delaware sky. She had graduated from Wellesley College recently where she studied physics and was contemplating reentering college to specialize in astronomy at Radcliffe College.

A few more years went by before Annie got word that she had been appointed to the staff at Harvard College Observatory to record, classify and catalog stars based on temperatures. Five years later, this would lead to the publishing of a catalog of 1,122 southern stars. In 1910, her system was adapted by observatories worldwide. Annie Jump Cannon’s system of star classification groups stars into categories labeled O, B, A, F, G, K and M (known by the mnemonic, “Oh, Be a Fine Girl, Kiss Me”)

She later compiled the Henry Draper Catalogue which was published by the Harvard Observatory between 1918 and 1924. The catalogue lists the spectral types, magnitudes, and positions of 225,300 stars and continues to be used internationally by astronomers.

This story is just one of many great stories found when we look into the lives of people that have made a difference. You see, Annie set in motion the tremendous discoveries that are being made today. Just recently, astronomers have found a new planet in a different solar system that may be Earth’s twin; capable of supporting life. They study the brightness of stars and notice a planet because its orbit crosses in front of the star and causes it to dim. Here’s a link: New Planets Discovered.

What will be your story? Right now, you may know of something that no one else could possibly know about. My hope is that this video will inspire you to give some thought to what great discovery you might make in the future: Giants Awakening - Vision for Success.

You may be like Annie’s mom and give a child a dream or you may be like Annie, looking to make new discoveries. Reflect on these thoughts each day and be thankful for the opportunity to reach for the stars in whatever you do.

Check out my other blogs where I receive a constant supply of inspiration for my writings by clicking on the links below:

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This Day With God