Life Focus

 

Life Focus

Colossians 3: You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God. ² Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ Your real life is Christ and when he appears, then you too will appear with him and share his glory!

 

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Tired of broken down cars, raggedy clothing and cheap food, I sought a career that would afford me a “better” life. When I got into that career, I found myself working incredible hours and being sent wherever they wanted me to go. I could now afford plenty, but my time was dictated to me.

 

• I had no time for other people.
• I had no time to provide a cup of water to my relatives or neighbors.
• I had no time to speak about CHRIST or to show HIS generosity.

 

Paul provides a remedy to the problems of the world. He tells everyone to “set your hearts on the things that are in heaven.” He also says “Keep your minds fixed on the things there, not things here on earth.” Being raised with CHRIST means a “hidden life” that will be manifested later.

 

My Observations

• Focusing in on things here on earth can many times have me think there is no hope, BUT GOD wants me to focus on HIM.
• Seeing all the trouble that is around me can appear like crashing waves in an endless ocean, BUT GOD wants my eyes fixed on JESUS and HIS deliverance.
• Trying to address the current trial with my own power makes me want to give up, BUT GOD wants me to see HIS kingdom and me in it.

 

Seeing GOD is hard when life has trouble. I mean, when money is tight, jobs are scarce, and help is absent, it seems like the only question that is valid is “Where are YOU GOD?” “Don’t YOU see this mess?” BUT GOD remains calm in the middle of my cry.

 

HE knows humans are limited in their thinking and would easily fall into temptation to not follow HIM, so HE hid our lives from the enemy so we would not get stolen. This means our current view of life is fake. Our “real life is CHRIST”, who will one day appear and we will appear with HIM. I place my trust in GOD who raises my thinking above the current trial.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer talk about the heart and the mind?
• Where are your biggest worries?
• Have you examined your heart to see what your largest focus is?
• Will you give what is in your heart to GOD and keep your mind focused on HIS kingdom so you can be raised above your current and future trials today?

Label Belief

Matthew 16: ¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

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“Mud” was the name of the person I was mad at. They could do no right in my eyes and I could not believe in anything they said. “Smart” was the name I gave a rising star and I listened to every word out of their mouths.

• There have been times I labeled people.
• There have been times I have given a person a name.
• There have been times I put someone in a category and treated them in that fashion.

How I perceived people was how I treated them. If I perceived them to be “higher” than me then I treated them with one level of respect, the opposite went for those I felt were “beneath” me. In my labeling practice I soon labeled GOD based on my lack of faith. HE wasn’t “GOD” to me rather “god” just like everything else.

• JESUS deserves the highest label I can give HIM.
• JESUS deserves to be called what HE is, namely GOD almighty.
• JESUS deserves my trust, faith and obedience due to HIS supremacy over all.

Treating JESUS as common was my problem. Yes HE is a brother and a friend but HE is GOD. HE tells me to stop labeling people HE made and get them to focus on HIM who can raise them from the dead. The higher the label I can place on JESUS the stronger my belief will be in HIM.

• What do you call GOD?
• Is your lack of faith blocking you from placing HIM above everything in your life?
• Can you stop labeling those around you and give them over to GOD today?

How to Act High and Mighty

Psalm 138: ⁶ Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
    though lofty, he sees them from afar.
⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
    with your right hand you save me.
⁸ The Lord will vindicate me;
    your love, Lord, endures forever—
    do not abandon the works of your hands.

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“One day I will have an office” I said to myself. Only those who were very high up in the company had offices instead of cubicles. An office had a door that could be closed and people couldn’t just wander in and pry all over “my” desk. I observed how the big bosses would separate themselves from the underlings by placing an admin as a guard; meanwhile anyone could just barge into my tiny cubicle!

• Sometimes I think I want levels especially when I desire to be on top.
• Sometimes I think I like levels especially when I think the top is worth the climb.
• Sometimes I think I would enjoy levels because maybe people would treat me differently.

Adjustment after adjustment, behavior change after behavior change I did emerge on top. I had an administrative assistant who was my guard from those on the bottom but not from those on top. I saw people I wanted to help but could not. Is this how GOD acts? NO!

• GOD is exalted but looks kindly on the lowly and wants me to treat everyone the same.
• GOD is lofty and sees people from afar and wants me to seek HIS people rather than waiting for them to come to me.
• GOD is the preserver of life, vindicator of wrongs and sustainer of love and wants me to look to HIM for power.

Levels are a myth and a creation of man to horde the comforts of life. Levels breed exclusion, limits access and causes me not to answer my phone when people cry out. BUT GOD is the only one who should be exalted. HE should be raised up in my life as the standard, meanwhile I should treat everyone the same, with utmost respect. GOD wants me to point my life to HIM.

• Do you want to go to the next level?
• Are you trying to climb the ladder of success by excluding people?
• When will you mimic GOD’s behavior by seeking the lost?
• Will you lift GOD up, lower yourself and seek HIS people?