Fast Focus

Fast Focus

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV).

The Lord knows what is in our hearts.  God will search our heart and will purify our motives. 

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)

The Bible says that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  But if we openly confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Most merciful God,

I confess that I am captive to sin and cannot free myself.

I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,

by what I have done

and by what I have left undone.

I have not loved You with my whole heart;

I have not loved my neighbors as myself.

For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ,

have mercy on me.

Forgive me, renew me, and lead me,

so that I may delight in your will

and walk in Your ways,

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

The fast is setting aside 21 days to pray, fast and seek God and God’s will. This is a great way to start a new year in a fresh and powerful way, knowing that you are refreshed, renewed, recreated, redeemed, and revived.

On this first day I am taking time to learn more about the spiritual discipline of fasting.  There are times that we need to be broken by the Lord in order for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  In this form fasting is a new spiritual discipline for me.  I've moderately and halfheartedly participated in the Lenten fast practice.  But in this form, at this time, I truly want to combine fasting with prayer and reflection each day.  I am fasting through a partial fast where I will not take or eat lunch and take that time to pray and reflect over the course of the next 21 days seeking God’s direction on my life and His purpose for me.  Through this period I will be search more for God to speak to me and fill me more completely with the Holy Spirit so that I can do the work which He has set before me.

Prayer: Psalm 51: 10-12 (NIV)

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Amen.

Call on Jesus - Nicole C. Mullen

Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave

Be Focused

Be Focused

In an earlier study I wrote on how we are living in an age of distraction.  These are intense times.  We are constantly hit with news, advertisement, games, amusements, and other distractions.  We now have extreme sports that give people overly intense experiences.  The intensity of distractions in our lives can obscure our focus and pull our attention off of where it needs to be.  The distractions often feel as if they are full of joy and happiness and often feel good and exciting to our flesh.  Distractions are of the world.

1 Peter 5: 8-9 (NIV)

8Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

When we lose our focus on God we often then turn our focus on the pain and trials of life.  And these things can suck our joy dry.

We get more of what we focus on.  When we change our focus we find that our actions change as well.  We need to set our focus on Jesus Christ.  If we want to grow our relationship with Christ we need to focus on Him and His Word.  We need to be led by the Holy Spirit.  We need to listen for God’s word in our lives.  Keep your focus on eternal things, not external things.

Hebrews 12: 1-3 (NIV)

1Therefore, 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, 2fixing 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. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Christ kept His focus so that we would be redeemed through Him.  He is a perfect example of how to keep the focus in life.  Focus on your potential, not your limitations. Focus on your purpose!  Knowing your purpose keeps you focused. 

Acts 20:24 (NIV)

24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

You need intense focus and do not be moved by the world’s distractions.  So therefore keep your focus on God and His word and God will focus you on everything else in His will.  In this place your focus will remain on His promise.  Prayer is one way to build and keep the focus.

In prayer…

Holy and gracious God, give us the focus to diligently seek you and patience to wait for you.  Grant us a focused mind to meditate on you and your word, ears to listen for your word, an open heart to embrace the gospel, and a life to proclaim you to all.  We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Keep the Focus

Keep the Focus

Stay Focused on God when it gets tough: Psalm 119:143 (NIV) "Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight."

Leaders who are effective walk by the power of the Holy Spirit.  They recognize that we all are prone to failure or stress when we try to rely on our own strength and not that given to us through faith in Jesus Christ and empowerment from the Spirit.  Leaders can come away from 1 Peter knowing firmly that they are not alone in sacrifice and suffering.  Leadership can be a thankless job.

1 Peter 1: 13-16 (NIV) is a call to Holy living and leadership.

13Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

God is telling us through this passage to keep focus on Him and be self-disciplined.  We know of Peter’s life that this was a lesson from God that Peter learned the hard way.  God continued to work with Peter to transform him from a hard, impetuous person to a humble and thoughtful leader.  Peter reminds Christians of the time, just as today, to guard the mind.  Verse 14 continues to challenge us not to return to old ways and patterns.  It’s easy when not focused to have thoughts that distract us or strip our joy. When the mind wanders so too does the man.  Today, I struggled with feelings of anger and stress from a job loss almost three years ago.  I felt it bubbling to the surface once again and I could feel the anger reforming.  I spent the day trying to focus on God and the blessings that he has brought into our lives.  Finally leaders must seek holiness.  To do this we all must follow Christ as the example of the only true and perfect leader.  Christ is the ultimate mentor for all leaders.

A leader’s identity is found in Christ not in structure or position.  When I lost my job several years back I felt as if a huge part of who I was was ripped away from me.  I have spent the last three years working, reading, and meditating on God’s Word to become a leader, a man, God would have me to be.  God challenges leaders to be holy and humble in the message of 1 Peter.  When we humble ourselves we are open to receive God’s power.