Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotional: focus

Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts

Friday, October 30, 2020

Rules And Records

Greg was having a difficult time doing his homework, knowing that his favorite sports program was on TV. “Mom,” he asked, “can I just this once watch TV before I do my homework?”

“You know the rules,” came her quick reply. “No TV until your homework is finished!”

“But, Mom,” he protested, “rules are made to be broken.”

“No,” she said, “records are made to be broken!”

“OK, Mom,” he said, “then what’s the record for the most rules ever broken?”

Paul spoke of a rule he honored and respected to achieve a record he wanted to set for God. “I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.” After his conversion, he lived his life for one purpose: to use all of his energies, all of his gifts, and all of his time to become who God wanted him to be and fulfill the purpose that God had planned for Him!

As Christ’s disciples, we must never allow anything or anyone to cause us to take our eyes off of the goal that God has for each of us: to be and become all that He has saved us for. Paul lived his life as though he were in training to compete in and win an athletic contest. He allowed nothing to interfere with his “training.” If something was harmful or distracting in his life, he would turn from it and not allow anything to distract him from his goal.

Prayer: Father, empower us with Your Holy Spirit to live to achieve the goal You have set for each of us. May we be committed to being who You want us to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. Philippians 3:12

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Rules And Records

Greg was having a difficult time doing his homework, knowing that his favorite sports program was on TV. “Mom,” he asked, “can I just this once watch TV before I do my homework?”

“You know the rules,” came her quick reply. “No TV until your homework is finished!”

“But, Mom,” he protested, “rules are made to be broken.”

“No,” she said, “records are made to be broken!”

“OK, Mom,” he said, “then what’s the record for the most rules ever broken?”

Prayer: Father, empower us with Your Holy Spirit to live to achieve the goal You have set for each of us. May we be committed to being who You want us to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. Philippians 3:12

Were you helped by today's devotional? Leave a comment and let us know!

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Stay Focused

“Rivers and streams are crooked because they follow the line of least resistance.” True of flowing water and true of most of us.

Being “steadfast” or committed in our devotion to God is crucial. We are not worth very much to our Savior if He is not our Lord. And if He is the Lord of our lives others will see His influence in all that we do.

Unfortunately, many who profess to be followers of the Lord are not consistent in their witness for Him - they are not “steadfast.” When in church they do as others do and when they are away from the church they do whatever is convenient. A psychologist might classify them as having a “split-personality.” Like a river or stream, they “follow the line of least resistance.”

David did not follow the “line of least resistance.” He clearly declared his commitment to God when he wrote, “My heart is steadfast, O God!” He did not leave any room to roam or waver in his willingness to walk with and be faithful to His Lord. He did not stray when life became a struggle or run in defeat when times became difficult. He was one who was “steadfast” and can be seen turning his troubles into triumph when he trusted the Lord.

Those around us need to see us as being “steadfast” in the Lord. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our feet planted in His Word, our ears open to hear His voice, our hearts filled with His compassion and our eyes fixed on His path and our minds centered on doing His will.

Prayer: Lord, it is possible for us to be “steadfast” if we are willing to “stand fast” in our commitment to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 108:1 My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Stay Focused

“Rivers and streams are crooked because they follow the line of least resistance.” True of flowing water and true of most of us.

Prayer: Lord, it is possible for us to be “steadfast” if we are willing to “stand fast” in our commitment to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 108:1 My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Where Is Your Focus?

WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

Karl Wallenda was one of the world’s greatest tightrope performers. In 1978 he fell to his death.

Some time later his wife was speaking of the tragedy. “All Karl thought about for three straight months prior to his death was falling,” she recalled. “It was the first time he had ever thought about that, and it seemed to me that he put all of his energies into not falling rather than in walking the tightrope.”

Paul warned us about focusing on the wrong things. In his letter to the Philippians he advised them to “look forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us to heaven.”
The future is in front of all of us. And often it is not the future that causes us problems, but the past. We can’t feel sorry about what problems may happen in the future; we can’t become discouraged about mistakes that might occur in the future; and we can’t regret sins we may commit in the future. But we can become overwhelmed with problems and mistakes and sins that occurred in the past.

When we allow the past to interfere with our future we will take our eyes off the “prize” that God has waiting for us. We must never relax our efforts or lower our standards if we want to be all that we can be through Christ our Savior. If we do, we lose the prize.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to keep our eyes upon You and the prize that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. May we allow no one or no thing to distract us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Where Is Your Focus?

WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

Karl Wallenda was one of the world’s greatest tightrope performers. In 1978 he fell to his death.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to keep our eyes upon You and the prize that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. May we allow no one or no thing to distract us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

What Does It Take?

The founder of a successful company was being interviewed by a reporter from a large daily newspaper. His first question was, “What does it take to succeed?”

After a moment’s thought he replied, “The same thing it took to get started. A sense of urgency and excitement.”

That answer is certainly true if one wants to be successful in developing and managing a business. And it is also true if one wants to succeed in the Christian life.

No one has ever expressed this truth any more powerfully than the Apostle Paul. Hear him, “...I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: I am straining to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling me.”

God has one goal for everyone - that we will become like Christ! And if we choose to achieve that goal it will take all of our energies just as it took all of Paul’s energies.

Paul said that he focused on “this one thing” - this one goal. He had the mind and heart and focus of an athlete in training. And when athletes are in training, they set aside everything that is harmful or hurtful and anything that might distract them or destroy their commitment to their goal of victory.

The Christian formula for success must include urgency and excitement as well as dedication and focus.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to make those adjustments in our lives that are necessary if we want to be successful Christians. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: …I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Learn To Concentrate!

Kid McCoy was a notorious boxer who became the world champion in his weight division. He was known for the unusual tactics he applied to defeat his opponents. Not known for being fair, he was nevertheless, sought after as a boxing instructor who was effective in teaching people to fight.

On one occasion a man went to him and asked, “Would you teach me to fight?”

“All right,” said McCoy. “Put up your fists. Say, who’s that coming through the door?”

When the man turned his head, McCoy knocked him down. As the man got up, the Kid said, “That’s the first lesson. Learn to concentrate and keep your eyes on the man in the ring.”

One day Jesus was walking on the water. His disciple, Peter saw Him and asked if he could join Him. Jesus answered, “All right. Come.” And he did.

And we all know the rest of the story. Things went well until the huge waves frightened him and Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink.

We will never walk on water but we will walk through the storms of life. When we do, we must stay focused on Jesus or we too will sink in despair.

Prayer: Help us, Lord, to keep our eyes focused on You at all times, knowing that Your power to rescue us is greater than any storm we will face. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Matthew 14:22-36 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.”

Friday, June 3, 2011

The Goal

Florence Chadwick swam across the English Channel from England to France in 13 hours and 20 minutes in 1950. The following year she swam from France to England becoming the first woman to swim the channel in both directions.

Two years later she decided to swim from the Catalina Islands to Palos Verdes, California, a distance of 26 miles. She was surrounded by people in small boats who were concerned for her well-being. They were prepared to help if she became tired or came into any danger from sharks. After 15 hours, a thick fog settled in and she began to doubt her ability to complete her journey. An hour later she was pulled from the water, unable to see the shore. After getting into the boat, she learned that she had stopped one mile short of the shore.

Two months later she tried again - this time successfully. Even though a thick fog settled over her journey once again, she accomplished her goal because she kept a mental image of the coastline in her mind.

Paul said, “Fix your minds on what is true, right, honorable, lovely and admirable.” To achieve our goal to live “Christ like,” we must not let the “fog settle in!”

Prayer: Help us, Lord, to keep our eyes focused on You, and trust in Your strength to sustain and protect us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 4:8-10

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Don't Squint!

Once, while filming, I tried to look at the camera and the cue card at the same time. “Don’t squint!” I was told. It’s obvious that when I tried to look in two directions I lost my focus.

The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Peter walking to meet Jesus. Things were going well. He started strong. He defied the laws of man and nature. It was as though he was walking on a paved highway. But suddenly he began to sink. He took his eyes off of Jesus and became concerned about the high winds and angry waves. When we take our eyes off Christ, we stop trusting in Him and His ability to care for our every need. It is then that we begin to sink as well. We fall into our own miry pits and unless we reach for God, we will drown. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and walk towards Him in the midst of our storms.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I will always keep focused on You and Your grace. Help me not to be distracted by things around me, but be able to boldly grow in my faith. In Your Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Matthew 14:23-36

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Looking Unto Jesus

Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim from England to France. When she first waded into the Catalina Channel, the water was cold. Soon after she began to swim, she saw sharks. The fog became thicker and the waves higher. After sixteen hours, she gave up.

“Why?” someone asked her.

“If I could have seen land,” she confessed, “I might have been able to make it.”

Two months later she accomplished her goal. The fog lifted, the waves subsided, the sharks were gone. She was able to see her goal!

One of the writers of the Bible knew the importance of keeping our eyes upon our Goal. He wrote, “Keep your eyes on Jesus…”

Goals keep us focused. They determine how we live our lives. They can keep us moving in the right direction and enable us to accomplish God’s purpose for our lives. But when we take our eyes off of Jesus, we lose sight of the important things in life. When God’s goals for His world set the agenda for lives, we can do anything through Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to keep my eyes upon You at all times. There are so many things going on around me that I become distracted from what is best for me. Keep me in the center of Your will. In Your Name. Amen.

Scripture for Today: Philippians 3:13-14