Month: July 2023

Stay Focused on Today

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6: 34)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Apprehension, fear and anxiety are destructive emotions that cause turmoil in the hearts and minds of most human beings. Although the majority of our worries revolve around some real (or imagined) future difficulty, they usually cause us distress in the present. Such uncertainties can steal our joy and distract us from the work that God has currently called us to accomplish. Therefore, Jesus commands every believer to live in the moment and to focus wholly and completely upon the blessings, cares, and concerns of today.

In the Old Testament book of Exodus we are given a wonderful illustration that emphasizes the importance of living in the moment. After leaving Egypt and passing through the Red Sea, the Jewish people wandered around in the wilderness for forty years. Every day God miraculously fed them by causing a delicious bread to condense and accumulate on the desert floor. However, no one was allowed to collect and store excess amounts of bread (except on the day prior to the Sabbath.) Instead, they were only permitted to eat what was necessary to sustain their daily lives. Violating this law meant focusing on tomorrow’s needs and concerns. [Note: In the New Testament, when asked how one ought to pray, Jesus reiterated this doctrine; we are told to ask God to “give us this day our daily bread.” Not our weekly, monthly, or yearly bread; but rather, “our daily bread.”] Fear of tomorrow serves only to distract us from the obligations, joys and blessings of today.

When we focus on the present, we are fully able to accomplish God’s will. As we place our trust in the Lord, we will begin to know peace, and to cherish every second of every day. To live now is to live for God; knowing that His love is a present gift and not some future possibility. 

“Lord Heavenly Father, help us to live in the moment and to rely upon You for our daily needs. May our concerns and our cares be firmly rooted in the present. If our hearts are filled with fear and anxiety about the future, remove them, that we may be joyful, loving, and better able to serve You today. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

Avoiding Sinful Activities

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

    “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5: 30)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Sin is defined as any act of willful disobedience toward God. Sin is very serious because it separates us from our Heavenly Father. Because God loves His children, He desires for us to let go of our sinful practices, and be reunited with, and grow closer to Him. Any egregious sins, such as fornication, adultery, lying, stealing, lewdness, drunkenness, idolatry, etc, must be abandoned. In order for us to live, we must cut away the sinful portions of our dead flesh.
    In April of 2003, an experienced mountain climber named Aaron Ralston was hiking alone in a remote mountain pass in Utah. While maneuvering through one of the crevices, a giant boulder dislodged and pinned his arm against the canyon wall; for days he attempted to free himself. He had not told anyone where he was going, so he knew that no one would be looking for him. When he had finally run out of water, Aaron was faced with a terrible choice. He could sever his arm with an ill-equipped pocket knife; or he could keep his arm and simply lay down and die. The only thing standing between Aaron and the rest of his life were two bones, several muscles, and some tendons in his forearm. Aaron chose to break the bones in his arm; he then sawed through his own flesh with a dull knife. After nearly 127 hours of confinement, he left his severed arm behind and climbed out of the canyon. Until that day Aaron had lived selfishly. He had been a ‘loner’ who pushed others away. Shortly after his experience he came to believe that the boulder had been waiting for him his entire life, and that it was destined to transform him. He said, “I left my hand behind in that canyon, but I gained my life back.”
    Like Aaron, many individuals encounter boulders in their lives; giant rocks that pin them down and keep them from knowing complete freedom. If you are plagued by any pressing sins and want to follow Jesus, then you have some cutting to do. Cut away the dead flesh and you will live. Ask God in faith for His assistance, and He will give you the strength to do what is necessary.
  “Lord Heavenly Father we recognize that sin can cause many to become separated from You. Although we know that salvation is a free gift, we also acknowledge our responsibility to refrain from willful acts of disobedience. Give us the strength to put any sinful activities to death, that we may continue to live for You. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!