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VOL 1, WEEK 1 –WEDNESDAY
Tag: #dailydevotional
VOL 1 WEEK 1 –TUES
HIDING THE WORD IN OUR HEARTS
The reason there has not been any God Focus This Morning Videos is that my computer crashed. I have ordered a new one. I should have it soon. I will start posting videos as soon as possible. Until then I want to share with you something that has helped my faith walk; scripture writing or scribing. I started a journey of scribing or copying the entire bible.
I created a scripture writing journal called Hiding The Word In Our Hearts. Each morning, I will be uploading a video to encourage you until I can get my computer up and running.
Below is the link to the Intro and the upload for Monday.
Intro Link Sunday : https://rumble.com/v6xeffg-hiding-the-word-in-our-hearts-vol-1-wk-1-sunday.html
Link to Monday video : https://rumble.com/v6xev2y-hiding-the-word-in-our-hearts-vol-1-week-1-monday.html
EP396 THERE ARE NO WORDS
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO VERSION: https://rumble.com/v6wx0jo-god-focus-this-morning-ep396-there-are-no-words.html
WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: THERE ARE NO WORDS
People sometimes use the phrase, There are no words, when they are surprised or in shock. Events unfold in ways that are beyond our imagination and we cannot find words.
Five days a week, I come to you with words of encouragement. There is so much in the Word of God to discuss and share. But there are times when there are no words. God, at times, touches us on a level that goes beyond words. When all we can do is sit quietly in his presence or softly cry in worship. In those times, there were no words.
How do we tell someone how good God is? There are no words to describe that place in his presence. Surrounded by his peace and love. He is more powerful than powerful. He is more loving and compassionate than we can fathom. His vastness is beyond measure.
Isaiah 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
It is hard to imagine being able to hold heaven in the span of your hand. God is amazing. He could do anything, but he chose to make us and be our provider, protector and friend.
There are no words for what he endured on the cross of Calvary. If you really think about it, it is hard to comprehend what he endured. The modern-day church has watered down the description of what he suffered. They feel it is too gruesome to mention that he was beaten beyond recognition. They display pictures of his perfect, almost porcelain skin with only small trickles of blood from the spikes in his feet and hands. There are even smaller dots of blood around the crown of thorns. They are afraid to preach the truth of how he shed his blood. He was beaten beyond recognition.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The word remission means to cancel a debt. Jesus cancelled our sin debt with is own blood. I think about how he suffered for me and there are no words. It is unimaginable how someone could make a choice to be brutalized in this way, just to save mankind. There are no words for the amazing strength it took for him to not cry out for his father to send angels to stop it.
His love is beyond measure, beyond comprehension; there are truly no words. Take some time today to reflect on all that God has done for you. I am in awe of how much he loves me. I think if you take the time to ponder what I have said today, you will be in awe, too, of his great and compassionate love for us all.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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EPISODE 397 –LOOKING FOR A CLOUD
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The title of today’s episode: LOOKING FOR THE CLOUD
I want to encourage you today with a thought God gave me while driving home from work yesterday. The enemy will hold on with everything he has to try to destroy us. It’s like on TV you see the person hanging over the side of a building by their fingertips. They do everything in their power to hang on, but when the time comes that they can’t hold on, they fall. Satan too will have to let go, he knows he cannot hold on to us forever. The stronghold he may have built, will crumble if we turn it over to Jesus. The battle always gets the most intense right before the enemy falls.
We have to be encouraged and determined not to give up. When we turn it over to God, he will give us what we need for our battle-weary souls. It takes us being just as determined to hold onto God and his promises.
I Kgs 18:41-43 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
What if Elijah was like a lot of us. He sent his servant, and he came back and said there was not a cloud. Most of us would complain or say, “well I don’t know if there is any use to keep praying or not.” But Elijah was not shaken by how things appeared; he simply told him to go look again. This happened seven times.
He would pray and send his servant. I am sure by the sixth trip the servant was starting to wonder if Elijah was just trying to run him ragged. Elijah didn’t give up, but knew God would answer in his perfect time.
I Kgs 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
The seventh time the servant saw a little cloud come up out of the sea. The cloud represents God’s presence. We have to hold on and keep praying until we see God’s hand in our situations.
Think about the tent of the tabernacle that was a place God designed, and the children of Israel built. It was a place of worship. When God’s presence would come down and rest upon the tabernacle, it would be overshadowed by a cloud. It is interesting how His presence shows up in a cloud.
We need to keep our focus on God and look for him in every situation. He is not far from us when we seek him. He will answer. Sometimes we have to pray several times before we see his hand, like Elijah. But we cannot give up. Breakthrough comes from persistence and prayer.
Keep looking up, don’t give up, you will reap great things if you keep looking for God’s hand in every situation.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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EP395 OPEN BOOK TEST
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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: OPEN BOOK TEST
Some teachers, if a particular lesson is hard to learn, will all their students to take an open book test. This means that they will be able to read and try to figure out the answers to the questions. It will not be all from memory. This is not considered cheating if the teacher allows it and everyone has a fair chance to seek the answers.
Matt 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
We were never meant to carry the burdens of life alone. This is Jesus’s invitation to enter a relationship with him; to learn about him. When we begin this process of walking by faith the enemy will try to stop us. He will give us every reason to turn around. He will fill our minds with questions.
However, he thinks we do not realize that our tests can be overcome, they are all open book tests. God’s word has the answer to life’s toughest problems. There is nothing that we cannot find the answer for in the word of God.
If we are sick, the word says he is our healer.
Psalm 103:2-3 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
The next few verses list more of the benefits of trusting God. But for time sake I only chose these two verses. The whole chapter is a good read.
The word says he forgives all our iniquities and heals us from all our diseases. We can depend on him to do what he says in this Word.
If we are grieving or heartbroken, he has promised to help us to heal.
Psalm 147:3 – He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
If we are battle weary he will help us to continue to fight the good fight of faith.
Gal 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
He will help us fight our battles and give us strength to keep fighting. We just have to hold on and not allow the weariness of the battle to drag us down.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The key is enduring temptation or passing the test. Encouragement for passing the tests is in the word. They are open book tests.
He was know as Jehovah-Jireh to the Israelites. He was their provider of their needs. They wandered in the desert for forty years and their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out. He provided them shelter from the weather. Food fell from the sky for them to eat.
Psalm 23 is full of ways that God leads and guides us. In many ways, he provides for every need. It is a good place to start when wanting to learn more about God’s character.
People often read books and wonder what the author was thinking. But they never get an opportunity to meet them and ask. Jesus is waiting for our questions and he will provide the answers we seek.
Hebrews 12:1-2 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, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are to set aside the things that are holding us back and run our race. We must not allow the enemy to trip us up. We must focus on Jesus, who is the author and the one who completes our faith. Remember to look to him, study his word, and seek the answers. After all, our life is an open-book test.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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EP394 GOD KNOWS THE WHY’S?
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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: GOD KNOWS THE WHY?
Most Christian’s can look back on a time they did something wrong and wonder why? We cannot allow conviction of sin to become condemnation. There is a difference in conviction and condemnation. The Holy Ghost inside of us will nudge us when we have done wrong. This is so we can make a course correction.
The enemy will use condemnation to make us feel bad and unworthy of God’s compassion. He will tells us there is no use to try, because we will fail again. Satan will tempt us into sin and then use it to further beat us down.
God knows the Why of everything. There is not a question that he doesn’t have the answer. He sees the real version of us, the one we don’t show anyone, even ourselves. He sees the broken parts and He understands why they are broken. He also knows he can create a beautiful masterpiece out of our brokenness.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus had every right to condemn those who had broken God’s laws. He was perfect and he was God. But he came to show by example compassion and love. Jesus never told them how awful they were, he showed compassion. We may not understand the why of our circumstances, but God’s sees the big picture.
Look at the woman at the well. She had plenty of people condemning her. She couldn’t even draw water early in the morning like every other woman in the city. She had to go in the heat of the day to avoid the stares and whispers of judgment. All those people didn’t see her heart like Jesus did, they judged her by her actions. She had been married several times and was currently living with a man that she wasn’t married.
Jesus understood the Why of her circumstances. Maybe she married so many times because she was looking for financial stability. Maybe all of them were lazy bums. Maybe they all talked a good game but were narcissists. Maybe she was just wanting to be loved and none of them had offered real love to her. Maybe she believed the judgements of others that she was not a good person and she felt lucky that anyone would pay attention to her. God was there every step of the way and understood the circumstances that led to each bad decision. He sees all and understands the why. He sees how the enemy manipulated us to trap us into a place of misery. We don’t know the why; it is not our place to judge another person’s issues. We often do not even understand our own whys.
When we turn our lives over to Jesus he can fix the issues that cause the Why? He came to give us an abundant life. He came to set us free, not bury us in a bunch of legalism and religion. Jesus knows how hard it is to deal with religious people. After all the religious people of his day had him crucified.
We are going to have to deal with this type of person. But the only one we have to answer to is God above and he knows our hearts and minds. He knows the Why’s. Do not be discouraged by condemning, legalistic people. Look to Jesus and ask him to show you the why’s of your life. He can take all the bad choices and turn them around to leave a good outcome. Because he is God and that is what he does, he restores the broken to a place of wholeness.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT
EP 393 — IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIP
People have different reasons for online dating. There are some seeking someone to spend the rest of their lives with, which prompted me to think about God wanting a relationship with each of us.
Heaven’s personal ad would read. Loving God, seeking those who will worship me in truth. Seeking a bride for a long-term relationship for all of eternity. Must learn of me and know me.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
When I hear this verse the picture of Jesus knocking on a big wooden door comes to mind. He knocks on everyone’s heart. Some open the door and let him come inside. Others refuse out of fear or disobedience. When he knocks we cannot refuse, he will only knock for a short time, then he will walk away.
John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
As with any relationship, it is important to get to know the other person. To build a friendship, it is the foundation of any good relationship. God called Abraham his friend. He will call us friends also, as long as we put our trust in him.
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
When we seek and search for God we will find him. When we put our whole heart into learning about him and searching to find the heart of God, He will be found. His word is full of love and clues to lead us to his whole heart. What he desires from us is our whole heart.
Psalm 145: 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
His arm is not short, nor is his ability to see us through what we are facing. Nothing is too hard for our God. If we want God to be near, we have to call on him. But not just call on him but call on him in truth. He wants us to yield to his presence and listen to his voice.
Unlike idol worship, Christianity is more than a bunch of rituals around a statue. Christianity is all about a relationship with our creator. The one who made the heavens and the earth. And he created us.
He wants us to really know him, and we do this by prayer and study of his word. Take time to spend in the Word. Look for his character and his love. It is his love story to us, his bride.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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EP 392 IF IT WERE NOT SO…
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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: IF IT WERE NOT SO…
Today I want to start with a familiar passage. If you have been attending church for any length of time you will have heard it.
John 14:2-3 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
People get wrapped up in the mansion part and do not pay any attention to the rest of the verse. They miss the truth nuggets. If it were not so I would have told you. God’s word is true we can rely on it. If he says he is coming again to receive us, then he is coming again to receive us.
He said he was going away to prepare a place for us. Then he was returning to heaven to fix up a place for his bride. He will come again. If it were not so, he would have told us.
We can depend on every word in the bible being true. He will come again and gather his bride. The world will not know until it is too late. Because he is only coming after his bride who has made herself read.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus said he was the way. No one can get to God except through the work of the cross. We can depend on him to be the only way. If it we not so…he would have told us.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
He has given us peace. Peace comes from him because he left it for us when he went away. Then he said let not your heart be trouble. That is worded like we have a choice. We can choose to walk in peace or walk in turmoil.
He said he was leaving peace for us, if it were not so she would have told us. Because Jesus cannot lie. Every world of God is true.
We must possess enough faith to believe that Jesus is real and true. That he is the one true God. Beyond that we just have to pay attention to what the word says. He is the truth and he will not lead us down the wrong path.
He wants nothing more than what is best for us. He wants us to live an abundant life full of peace and joy. But he didn’t paint a picture of sunshine and rainbows all the time. He also told us that we would have trouble. But he promised to make a way for us to escape out of those troubles.
If it were not so, he would have told us.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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EP391 THE ANSWER
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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING
The title of today’s episode: THE ANSWER
Often, we tell people that Jesus is the answer. It doesn’t matter the issue or problem, he is the answer. But when someone is broken, hurting and oppressed or even possessed by the enemy they cannot understand. It is so simple, but we make it so complicated.
I know that I have walked through times of brokenness and even though I knew Jesus was the answer, I tried everything else first. That is human nature, we have the tendency to try to fix things on our own. I am not sure why that is, when we believe that God can do anything. Some may feel that they don’t want to bother God with small things.
It is hard for many of us to relinquish control to someone else, even to God. We are used to doing things on our own and are independent. It is time we learn to be dependent on the God of the universe. How will we ever convince the lost that Jesus is the answer if we do not immediately go to him when we need help? God knows where he is going to take us. He knows all the detours we will take and how long it will take us to get to our destination. We will arrive right on time.
How do we know Jesus is the answer. The word of God tells us that it is so.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
We find mercy and help in the time of need, when we approach the throne of God’s grace.
John 16:32-33 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Because Jesus has overcome the world, he knows how to get around the traps of the enemy. This is how we know he has the answers. He has the keys to unlock the doors of our issues. We can feel safe in his hands, because he will never leave us nor forsake us. It is not complicated, even though we make it that way at times. If you find yourself struggling to find the answers, look to Jesus. Let him be your guide; he will set you free.
Until next time,
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS
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GOD FOCUS--Psalm 34:3 O magnify the Lord with me.... 