Tag: #dailydevotional

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP606 A WARNING TO THE CHURCH

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dtuuu-god-focus-this-morning-ep606-a-warning-to-the-church.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: A WARNING TO THE CHURCH

I normally come to you on Fridays with something light and encouraging. But sometimes God deals with me to do something else. What the Lord has been speaking is a heavy weight and I want to share this warning with you.

It is about the future of the church. Not all members are on fire for God. Those that are lukewarm cause more harm to the kingdom than they help. The lukewarm are normally judgmental to make themselves feel better. They end up hurting and running off those who are new to the gospel and those who have not decided if they want to be a Christian. This is one reason why it is dangerous to be lukewarm. Another reason is that if you are lukewarm you end up dabbling with sin, this is being a bad light. Our God is a jealous God and wants us to not create little gods in our lives.

Then you have entire congregations that attend services and are more like a country club than a church. They never do true outreach, they are about building their kingdom bigger. This type of greed will not stand before God. He is about to bring it all down.

REV 3:15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

If someone is hot, they are an on fire Christian, full of zeal and desire to follow Jesus. They are a good light because fire produces light.

Someone who is cold, has turned their back on God completely or has never made a start to live for Christ. The light of God is not in them.

In the middle is the lukewarm, full of apathy and going through the motions. God says he would rather we be hot or cold. If we are lukewarm, he will spue us out of his mouth. I think that explains it. We will be cast out like tares. The lukewarm have just enough light to do damage to the kingdom of God.

REV 3:17-19 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Many say this is about the church today. They will tell you that they have need of nothing. They may give God credit for what they have, or maybe not. We are poor, blind and naked without God’s light in our life. If we are sold out to God and allow him to shape us, he will cover our nakedness or sin with his garment of grace.

The next verse is something that I kept hearing, hell hath enlarged. For a couple of days God dealt with me about these verses in Isaiah.

ISAIAH 5:14-16 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: 16But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

God gave warning to the prophet Isaiah for the people of Jerusalem. They were full of pride, self-righteous, judgmental, covetous, not yielding fully to God. God warned that his judgment was going to fall. That so many were going to be swallowed up by hell that it would have to expand to take them all in, because of their disobedience. This passage depicts hell as a giant creature with its mouth wide open devouring everyone in sight.

This was a warning of being lukewarm and being morally corrupted. It was a warning to the proud and morally bankrupt. Hell is making room for everyone that is not on fire for God.

These people instead of following God they chose their own way, but wanted people to think they were obedient to God. He is patient and long suffering. But he will only allow evil to reign for a season, especially in a group of believers. In order for him to bring judgment on the evil of this world first he has to clean up the church.

I feel that the warning God gave Isaiah about Jerusalem could apply to the modern day church. There is a parable about wheat and tares and how God will divine the two.

I Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Peter was calling for the people to examine themselves to see that they were on a solid foundation. To see if they were on fire for God. Were they living in a way that honors God or were they lukewarm?

This is a serious thing. I am sure most of us have experienced a time of being lukewarm. I know I have several times in my life. But God’s long suffering toward the church is wearing thin. In order for us to step over into the glory of God we need to have clean hands, pure hearts and be on fire for Jesus. He is about separate the wheat from the tares.

I have been doing some soul searching this week. I don’t want to be found lacking. I shared this today to give you something to think about over the next few days. Ask God to show you if you have anything in your life that would cause him to think you are a tare and not wheat.

Because the tares are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. That is not the type of fire we want, hell fire is torment. God’s fire is pure and holy. This is a serious thing, so meditate on it and pray about it before you dismiss it.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP605 SEARCH ME

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7ds624-god-focus-this-morning-ep605-search-me.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: SEARCH ME

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

This is a prayer we should pray as a spiritual tune up. It is possible over time to let little things creep their way into our lives. When we ask God to search our hearts and try us and our thoughts, look out. He will do what we have asked. Sometimes we may not like the answer.

He will find that little bit of hurt, betrayal, even maybe a sin that we have tucked away in a small closet in our heart, behind lots of other things. This is a closet we leave closed and do not look in, unless God does some searching.

It is when he brings the things to light that we have to deal with them and get rid of them, like a sweater that is three sizes too small, but we hold on to it. But when we remove things from our heart like, hurt, pain, bitterness, jealousy or even maybe hate, God can use that space to place more of his fruit of the Spirit.

If our lives are so full of hurt and bitterness, we will not have room for joy. Maybe we aren’t carrying hurt or bitterness, but we are holding on to something else that it is time to let go. We don’t even know we are carrying these weights until God lifts them off of us and then we can feel the difference.

God wants us to give it all to him. Our ugliest messes, our worst pain and hurt, our anger, bitterness and jealousy. We are not hiding anything, at least from him. This is why we can be totally honest in our prayers. Once he has cleansed our lives of all of these things that are weighing us down, we can run faster. We will be able to run this race that is set before us with patience and God’s love.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

As Christians we desire to finish our race well. We want to hear the Lord say, Well done. He is faithful to lead us in the right path and will not deny us when we ask him for ways to draw closer to him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP604 BROKEN CISTERNS

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dqi96-god-focus-this-morning-ep604-broken-cisterns.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: BROKEN CISTERNS

A cistern is a manmade reservoir that is used to catch and store rain. It is different from a spring, stream or well because it is a holding tank for something that is poured into it. A broken cistern is symbolic of human shortcomings.

Empty and broken cisterns were often used as places for punishment or as prison cells. Imagine being underground, the only light or air you have comes from a hole at the top. It is muddy, musty and damp.

Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

God told the prophet Jeremiah that Israel has committed two evils, they had forsaken him. Then he referred to himself as the fountain of living waters. They dug out cisterns that were broken and could not hold water. In other words, they carved out their own way, while forsaking the one true God.

I feel like there are also a lot of churches today in which this verse can be applied. They have forsaken the real and true God. They say they are a Christian church, but have built idols of their watered-down version of the gospel.

In doing this they have compromised and become vessels that can no longer hold the living water of God, because the truth is broken. They have allowed the enemy to fill the reservoir with sin and lies. Making it good for one thing, a place of imprisonment.

In the case of these churches, nothing will change until they decide to cry out to God and ask him to repair the damage. They need sound doctrine and truth, not watered down entertainment.

On a personal level, when we allow the world to creep in, we will be spiritually broken and cannot hold God’s living water. It will take repairing the cistern of our lives to make us capable of holding God’s presence. But in order to make those repairs we must look to our God. He is the only one who can fix our brokenness and make us strong enough to hold his living water.

We need fresh water daily to live. Allowing the world to creep in, our spiritual water becomes stagnant or polluted with sin and the cares of life. We will not produce fruit when the water of life within us is polluted. In order for fruit to grow in our lives we need fresh water. The stagnate and polluted water needs to be purified. Just as our soul is purified by the blood of the lamb.

Before a harvest can take place, something has to be planted and watered. Many souls are in need of being harvested. Its time the church repented, repaired the altars and cisterns, prayed for clean hands and clean hearts. Then we will be ready to go out and make disciples teaching them about our great God and his wedding plans for his bride.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING — EP603 DEER FEET AND MOUNTAIN TOPS

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dpcl8-god-focus-this-morning-ep603-deer-feet-and-mountain-tops.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: DEER FEET AND MOUNTAIN TOPS

Yesterday we discussed the fact that the devil doesn’t have power to make us do anything. The Psalmist David, wrote “He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet.” Hind is another word for deer. They have the ability to swiftly get away from danger or threat. Just like we are empowered to resist the enemy and are able to get away. But we have to learn to recognize his whispered lies from our own thoughts.

PSALM 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

David went on to say, that God, “setteth me upon my high places.” This is often another way of saying upon a mountain or mountain top. Mountains are used to represent many things in the word.

High Places or mountain tops were where people of God built altars. It was a place of elevation. Pagans often built altars to their false gods upon mountains as well. (What ever God creates the enemy tries to duplicate). This is why all thorough the story of the different kings the word says they pulled down the high groves of the false gods or they built up the high places. Israel struggled with idolatry.

Elijah told them they were going to have to choose once and for all who was going to be God. Baal or the One True God Jehovah. They made a contest that the real God would answer with fire. The prophets of Baal did their rituals, prayed, cried, cut themselves and nothing happened. Elijah said a short prayer and our God answered with fire.

Mountains are also a sign of strength. A place that has stood the test of time and is still standing. It is a place of security and shelter. Which is where Jesus got the parable of building on a solid foundation. The man that builds on the rock, though he goes through storms will still be standing when the storm passes.

The man that builds on sand will have his house destroyed by storms. Because it is not anchored to a rock or a solid foundation. Have you ever thought about sand. It is just small pieces of rock. People often have small pieces of truth, but do not want the whole thing. Being anchored to the rock will cost you something. You have to be anchored. People that are built on sand have nothing to stand on when the storms of life blow in with hurricane force winds.

Being set upon the high places means God is sheltering us and we have security to know that we are not alone. We can swiftly run to him, like the deer. He will be there ready to protect us from the enemy.

If we never had a rough road, we would not know that we could climb. He allows things to happen to teach us strength. Other times things happen that comes from someone’s freewill or even bad choices. Whatever the reason for the rough road, he has made us resilient enough to keep going. God never leaves us to struggle on our own, he is always with us. He makes our feet like hinds feet, which means we will always be able to climb any mountain we have facing us. Be encouraged that as long as you keep holding on to Jesus, you will make it.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP602 GOD INCREASES

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dnlt6-god-focus-this-morning-ep602-god-increases.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: GOD INCREASES

Gal 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He often used stories about sheep and shepherds or about planting seed and reaping the harvest. God placed the laws of reaping and sowing in place from the beginning.

When we show kindness to someone in need, it will come back to us. The opposite is true too, if you show hate to others, you will receive hate. If we choose to walk and live righteous lives, we will reap the benefit of that choice. If we choose to walk in darkness and sin, we will reap all sorts of things in this life.

Our flesh would love to take us down the road of instant gratification and pleasures for a moment. Things that on the surface appear to be pleasant. But are dark and evil. They will grow the fruit of deceit in our lives.

It is not easy to walk not after the flesh but after the things of the Spirit. God is there within us to give us strength to do the right thing. We just have to say no to the devil and ask God for strength to sow good things.

Often, we hear people say, “the devil made me do it.” The devil doesn’t have power to make us do anything. He can come and try to tempt us, by whispering in our ear. We have the right to resist him. It may take resisting a time or two. But we do have the power to resist. God will help us to resist but will not make us do anything either. We have free will and the right to make the choice. Which ever voice we yield to, will determine the outcome of our future.

It is up to us to decide, are we going to sow evil things that seem easy but is actually fumbling in the darkness of sin? Are we going to sow good things that seem a little more difficult but will reap wonderful things from the Lord including eventually eternal life?

One key is not allowing the enemy to wear us out. When we get weary it is easier to give into temptation. But if we can stay strong and not get battle weary, we will not listen to the devil’s lies that he comes to whispers.

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.

We are not to be weary for trying to do the right thing. At the right time we will reap the harvest and we will reap benefits from the Lord for our own lives, if we don’t get too weary to keep going.

I COR 3:6-8 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

This passage reminds us that we just need to do what we are lead by God to do. If it is plant, water or harvest. But other than being happy that another soul was plucked out of the hand of satan, we should not feel like we did anything. Because God gives the increase to our efforts. We are not meant to plant, water and harvest a person. We are meant to work in unison with the Holy Ghost and other believers to accomplish the end goal of seeing people saved. Remember God is the one that gives the increase.

Go out this week and sow good things into people’s lives. Be encouraging and be bold, time is short. But remember, it is God that gives the increase.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP601 MEDITATION

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dh4m6-god-focus-this-morning-ep601-meditaiton.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: MEDITATION

The world will tell you that meditation is sitting quietly and clearing your mind of everything. Yoga is popular, but what they don’t tell you is that yoga means yoke. You are literally tying yourself to a spirit. This kind of meditation is not anything a Christian should be doing. For everything God created the enemy has tried to counterfeit.

We are told in the scriptures to meditate on the things of God. His goodness, mercy, grace and love. We are to meditate on the scriptures, not clear our minds to allow room for the enemy.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

David asked God to search his words and the meditation his heart to see if they were acceptable. We too need to live as though God is searching our hearts and analyzing our words to see if they are acceptable. This should be our thought and prayer every morning that our thoughts and words are found pleasing to God.

What does meditation mean in the Christian sense of the word. It means that our heart concentrates on God. We ponder his truth and allow his word to fill our lives with actions that are pleasing in his sight. We want to be obedient to the word.

Peace will wash over us as we sit quietly thinking about his word. Meditating on the word is an act of worship.

Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Our delight should be the word of God and we should meditate on it all the time. Before reading the word, we should ask God to meet us in his word. Then read a passage, take time to look up words that you are not 100% sure about the meaning. Read the passage and then read it out loud. Ponder the meaning of the passage. It is about spending time in God’s presence, listening for his voice and direction.

I Tim 4:13-15 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Paul told the young minister to not neglect the gift that was in him. In other words, the gift of the Holy Ghost. He told him to pay attention to reading and encouraging others. Then he instructed him to meditate on them and give himself fully.

We too need to give ourselves wholly to meditating on the things of God. Spending time with him is always a good investment of our time. It is our duty as children of God to draw close to him and learn how to meditate on the goodness of God.

Thanks for watching,

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP600 GOD IS CALLING

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dfauo-god-focus-this-morning-ep600-god-is-calling.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: GOD IS CALLING

Many believe that giving our lives over to Christ is a one-time thing. We repent and then all is well. But I am here to tell you it is not a one-time thing. It is an everyday, every hour maybe every minute thing. As we go about our day, things arise that can cause us to pull away from our relationship with God. Trials, temptations, distractions and even well-meaning tasks.

God wants us to submit to him, but what does that mean? To voluntarily place oneself under the authority of another. It is translated from the Greek word, hupotasso, which means to “arrange under” as in a military ranking order.

Biblical submission to God is an active choice we make to prioritize ourselves below God, under his authority. This submission is rooted in trust and love for God. We submit to God’s will because we trust his authority.

I Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

We are to submit to one another as the joint body of Christ. Submitting because we care for one another and to humbly serve God. In other words, we are to love one another as Christ loves us.

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

I want to cover a couple of examples: Judas never fully submitted to living a life for Christ. He never submitted his authority to God. He was submitted to his lust for money. Like us, he could only fully commit to one. We have two choices God or satan. He allow the spirit of lust and greed to get him to submit to satan. Evil overtook him and he betrayed one who had done nothing to him but care for him. He sold information about where Jesus was to the Pharisees. He submitted to thirty pieces of silver, instead of submitting to following Jesus.

Sampson is another example; he took the authority he had and shared his secret with the enemy. He lost his submission to God the moment he started toying with Deliah. He allow his attention to be drawn away from God. Slowly he submitted to his desire for her. He allowed the source of his power to be cut off, which was his hair. In our case, we may allow the enemy to get us to stop praying and reading the word. Soon he was captured and bound by the enemy.

He prayed for God to forgive him. He realigned his submission to God and his strength returned. When his strength returned, he pulled down large pillars that held the roof of the temple. The enemy had chained him to them. In collapsing the roof, he destroyed around 3000 men and women of the Philistines. He also died in the collapse. It could have all been avoided if he had stayed committed and submitted to God in the first place.

It is easy for us to sit in judgment of these two men. But we too have some work to do to make sure that we stay in submission. It is easy to allow the cares of this life, troubles and trials to weaken our dedication and submission to God. He wants our complete surrender to him. He doesn’t want half of us. He doesn’t want our attention just on Sunday. Submission 100% of the time, we need to choose to surrender to his authority.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

We are in serious times. Lines are being drawn in the sand. Today is not a time to be trying to straddle the fence or be lukewarm. We need to be all in with both feet, calling down the fire of God. To prove that he is God to a new generation that may be following an illusion of who he is or a false little “g” god of this world.

Today is the day to re-dedicate, renew, and surrender ourselves more fully to God. In submitting to God, we will resist the devil. He has to flee because if we are under God’s authority. We will have no authority to give the enemy. He will not have any control over our lives. He only gets authority over us if we submit to him. That is something to really think about. Let me say it again, satan only gets authority over us, if we submit to him.

All the more reason to stay in submission to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks for watching,

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP599 ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7ddi7c-god-focus-this-morning-ep599-ordinary-to-extraordinary.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY

I watch a lot of cooking competitions. I love watching the creativity of some of the chefs. They take ordinary ingredients and sprinkle in a little passion and they have a dish that looks and sounds amazing. While most people would fix the ordinary ingredients with little or no imagination. The ordinary becomes extraordinary in the right hands.

We often think of ourselves as ordinary. But God sees our potential to be something special, all it takes is for us to put our lives in his hands. He takes our lives and makes them extraordinary. Every human being has gifts and talents that God has placed within them. Some use those gifts for personal gain or to serve our enemy the devil. It is not until we give God our gifts and talents do, they truly grow into their potential.

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Our gifts come from God above, who does not change, he remains the same. This verse refers to him as the Father of lights. He is the source of light which he shares with us, to be little lights. Within us we carry his light to the world, because he has shared the glow of his love with us and within us.

With this verse we are reminded that all good things come from God and God alone. We must be good stewards of the gifts and blessing he has placed in our lives.

Matt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The world will never know how amazing our God is unless we let our light shine. If they see our light shine, they will glorify our heavenly Father. There are many verses about not hiding our light, but allowing it to shine. It is not always easy to do when you are surrounded by darkness. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself, but actually we are meant to be seen so that others can see the direction we are pointing. Our lives should always point to Jesus and His work on the cross.

If we shine a light on his unending, amazing love and amazing grace, we will win the lost. God took a shepherd boy, gave him five ordinary stones; using one of those stones to kill a giant. Elevating him to a position of king. He took ordinary water and turned it into wine. He took an ordinary girl, elevated her to queen, using her to save her people from destruction.

He took a young woman and used her to bring forth the miracle of Christ’s birth. These are a few examples of how God uses the ordinary to further his purposes and further his kingdom. He took ordinary fishermen, a tax collector and turned them into mighty men of power and witness.

Never feel like you are too ordinary to make a difference in this world. God can use ordinary people for extraordinary times to save our lost and dying world. Be encouraged, we are about to find out what he can do with us.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING–EP598 LOVE NOT THE WORLD

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7dbs2e-ep598-love-not-the-world.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: LOVE NOT THE WORLD

Every day we have choices to make, do we continue to walk out our faith or do we allow the world to dictate our path. As children of God, our choice must be to continue to draw closer to God.

I JOHN 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We are not to love the world. This verse says that if we love the world the love of the Father is not in us. The things of the world we often think of as being external things we do. But it is a spiritual thing, notice lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life. These things come from the enemy and are not of God. The lust of the flesh is the desire for physical gratification. The lust of the eyes, is when we want everything we see. The latest designer purse, the new fancy car anything that is materialism driven. The pride of life, this is all about status and feeling like you are more important than others.

Satan attacks us in these three areas which is nothing new, he tempted Jesus the same way. He tried to get him to turn stones to bread playing into the hunger his flesh felt. When that didn’t work he also showed him the kingdoms of the world and promised them to him if he would bow to him. That was playing into the lust of the eye. Then he tried to play into his ego, if you are the son of God prove it. That was the pride of life. He was trying to play into his ego. But Jesus was secure in who he was and didn’t allow any of it to shake him.

I JOHN 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. The more we resist the things of this world the less control they have over our lives. If we resist the devil, he will flee. If we resist his lies, they will have less and less power over us.

ROMANS 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We can be transformed from walking in the flesh by renewing our minds with the things of God. If we allow the things of this world to transform us we will conform to the evil of this world. If we renew our minds with the word of God and prayer will be the example of how to walk acceptable in the sight of God. Others will see the light that we have in us.

Walking like the world will only serve to confuse those that are lost. Some people say they are Christians but have not been transformed. Others look at them and say, I am just as good as they are, they do this or that. This leaves the door open for Satan to give them another excuse to not walk in the will of God. Many love their sin too much to release it and give their lives to Jesus.

The word says that sin has its pleasure for a moment, then it fades quickly and leaves death behind. Learning to walk by faith and not walk by the desires of our flesh is a long process. But the closer we draw to Jesus, the less the things of this life matter. I encourage you to pray and draw closer to him.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT

GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING EP597 HOW THIRSTY?

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v7d6uhy-god-focus-this-morning-how-thirsty.html

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

THE TITLE FOR TODAY’S EPISODE: HOW THIRSTY?

How thirsty is your soul for God’s presence? Do you desire for more of God’s living water? Longing to feel the presence of God in a more powerful way should be all of our desires. God wants us to want to be in his presence. He longs for us to quietly commune with him.

Psalm 42:1-2 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

True worship is about a heart connection to God. You can sing, pray, praise, lift your hands, kneel, lay flat on your face, it is all about the heart posture. God wants to be first in our lives, there is no room before him or above him. But in our human capacity, we have to fight constantly to make him our number one thought, care and priority.

Matthew 16:24 –Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Total surrender is what he longs for from us. Jesus emphasized surrender by denying ourselves the things we would do or want to do, to follow Jesus. He desires our complete surrender to his will.

1 Peter 5:7 –Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Surrender means trusting him with our cares and burdens. We must come to him as a little child. Think about how trusting they are with their parents. They will believe whatever they tell them. We should also trust God with that childlike trust. He wants only good things for us, he will look out for us.

As the weekend approaches and hopefully we all find a little bit of time, think about the question I asked when we started today, How thirsty is your soul for God’s presence?

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGMENT