Turn Away From All That Distracts

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2018, Accomplish, desire, distract, distractions, problems

“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bring it to maturity and perfection].  He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

If you’re going to accomplish anything in 2018 you’re going to have to turn away from all distractions.

Satan uses all manner of things to distract us from doing the will of God.  He uses our families, our finances, our bodies, our phones, our computers, our communities, our government, and so much more.  Here’s why, he knows that when we’re distracted by the problems in our environment we’re not focused on doing what God has called us to do.  You can’t do both.  You can’t focus on what God has called you to do and focus on the problem.  Paul compares it to a man called to war.  He says in II Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier”.   We’ve been chosen to be soldiers in the army of God and we’re fighting the good fight of faith.  Jesus is the Leader and the Source of our faith and the only way for us to finish strong is for us to keep our eyes on Him.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus is easy when we realize that He is the answer to all of life’s problems. There is no problem that we can encounter that Jesus hasn’t already solved for us at Calvary.  He is our answer and our solution.  He is bigger than any problem we could ever face.  We need only to see Him as He is, bigger than any problem we could ever face.  You’re not going to be distracted by the problems in your environment when you’re looking at the solution.

Not only that, He alone can fill the thirst of our souls.  We don’t have to be distracted by our phones or social media because none of these things can satisfy like Jesus can. Take the women at the well in St John chapter 4.  She was longing for love and attention that’s why she had had five husbands. Even the man she was living with couldn’t satisfy her longing for love.  It was only when she met Jesus that her thirst was satisfied. You’re not going to be distracted by your thirst when you’re drinking what satisfies.

Whatever the enemy is using to cause you to look away from Jesus turn away from all that distracts and fix your eyes on Jesus the Author and Finisher, the Leader and Source of your faith.  He has set the example for us.  He didn’t get distracted by anything the enemy was using in His environment He finished His course because He kept his eyes on the prize, the joy of completing the will of His Father.  Let’s start the year strong and finish the year strong by turning away from all that would distract and keeping our eyes on Jesus.

I Can Only Imagine – Part II

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Accomplish, dream, I Can Only Imagine Part II, Imagination, imagine, Thiink, Vision

I read somewhere once that the universe is expanding. If that is true what does that say about us.  We too should be expanding.  First, we should be expanding in our knowledge of Christ until what we know becomes who we are. Second, we should be expanding on our visions and dreams. Isaiah 54:2 says, “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”  In other words, prepare for increase. In order to prepare for increase you must desire increase. Not just desire it but desire it to the point that you are willing to prepare for it.  You see some people want increase but the’re not willing to prepare for it.  God told Israel to prepare for increase by enlarging their tents, stretching forth their curtains and lengthening their cords.  They had to take what they had and expand upon it.

At some point each of us must take inventory of where we are to see if we are expanding. It doesn’t matter if you do it daily, weekly or monthly you want to make sure you’re looking at your life, your visions and dreams so that you don’t become stagnant. This is why Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus he wanted them to continue to grow and increase in their knowledge of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Look at the story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, each servant was given talents; to every man according to his several ability.  To one He gave five, to another two, and to another one.  Along with the talent was the responsibility to increase what was given.  The one with five increased to ten, the one with two increased to four.  But the one with one talent didn’t brother to try and increase what he had, he buried it instead.  Maybe he thought his one talent was insignificant or that it was too little to increase.  If you notice he didn’t even use his one talent.  He could have brought something with it but instead he chose to bury it.

The bottom line is this; it’s up to you to increase on the desires, visions and dreams that God has given you.  There are times when God will give you an idea to increase you but you don’t move on it.  Maybe you’re thinking the idea God is giving you is too insignificant or too small.  What if Ruth had thought gleaning in someone’s field was insignificant.  She would have missed being in the right place at the right time and missed Boaz.  Or maybe you’re thinking that too many other people are doing that.  Listen my friend; God is unlimited, never think because someone else is doing something that God can’t add to what’s already done, He’s God.  There’s always more!

Today, I encourage you to take inventory and ask yourself these two questions; One, I’m I expanding in the area of my visions and dreams? Two, am I limiting God in what I’ve already accomplished?  If you can answer yes to either of these questions then it’s time for you to grid up the loins of your mind, ask God for a new vision and begin to expand.