Trending
Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus! Tony Evans said: "Regardless of what happened yesterday, if you stick with the Lord today, your yesterday doesn't have to control your tomorrow." Great thought there!
The enemy of our soul loves nothing better than to distract us from the plans our powerful God has for us. Any time he can get our minds off of God and onto circumstances, we are headed down the wrong path. Each and every day, before our feet hit the floor, we get to choose who we will follow throughout the day. We get to choose what our focus will be.
Priscilla Shirer says, in her book "Fervant: A Woman's Battle for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer": Fervant prayer keeps our true identity in focus. It reminds us of who we really are and taps us into the power we have in Christ."
Currently, we can choose to dwell on the war going on in Ukraine. Horrible, yes! These situations strike fear in our hearts, along with anger, sadness and so on. Or, because we get to choose, we can make this situation a matter of fervant prayer. Let's choose fervant prayer.
COVID has held our lives captive for so long now. Not only our lives, but our thoughts, too. We fear dying. We fear a loved one dying. We are angry about so many restrictions that have caused us to believe we have lost our freedoms. Again, we get to choose our mindset. Some of this situation is legitimate and some is just not. We must choose whether we dwell on the things of God or the things of Satan.
As I write, I have the joy of being with family in Colorado. I am blessed beyond measure to be enjoying a few of my grandchildren here. Yesterday, my grandson and I went "shed" hunting. We were looking for shed deer and elk antlers, which are treasures in the west. Many homes are adorned with piles of antlers on display. Some will use them to make chandeliers, while others may collect them to sell. Well, we didn't find any yesterday, so we are planning to search again today. I know that simply walking along the road searching, won't cut it. We've got to choose to go deeper. We've got to hike into the hills, climb over fences and sage brush, and search intently for these treasured antlers. It puts pressure on this old grandma -- this five year old wants to find even one shed!
The Word of God is filled with treasures, isn't it? I could sit here all day and dream about finding those sheds my grandson wants to find. That wouldn't produce the treasures we are searching for. Good intentions do not produce anything good. Or, we can make a plan and work towards the goal of finding the antlers. It may require more of me than I feel physically fit for, but I sure don't want to disappoint my grandson!
Likewise, I don't want to disappoint my Father by the things I do or say. James 1:22-26 tells us: Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his face in the mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works-this person will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
Again, we get to choose each and every day just which path we will take. One path will lead to peace, joy, and the abundant life God has for us. We'll find treasures all along that path. The other path only leads to misery and destruction! I guess my question for each of us to ponder this morning is this…which path will we choose? Remember, we get to choose. God is not interested in our "amen" if our actions aren't backing up the faith we profess to have.
In my Bible reading this morning, the lost sheep story is told. The shepherd left the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep. When he found him, he picked him up and gently held him in his arms. Jesus is out searching for that one lost soul, while He expects the ninety-nine who are safe in the fold to "behave" til He returns for them. Dear reading soul, this morning, I implore you, if you've "misbehaved", if you know you have disappointed your Father by getting off on the wrong path of life, just come running back into His arms and find His love and forgiveness. Be held in the arms of Jesus.
The treasures to be found in His arms are so worth admitting to Your Good Shepherd that you've wandered from His side. And that peace that passes all understanding will once again be yours, as you return to being "doers" of the Word, and not "hearers" only. I pray that today will be that day for each of us…the day we choose the right focus, the right path of life, as we pray fervently for the wisdom to know the difference. Remember, what happened yesterday doesn't need to rob us of our tomorrows. We get to choose! I pray that each of us reading today will make it our goal to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world so in need of Him.
Soon, my grandson will be home from school, and we'll set out in search of treasures again. He doesn't get easily distracted. He will remember that grandma said we would look again. I pray we find even one. I don't want him to be disappointed. As we search, I'll also be pondering in my own heart, "Lord, have I chosen the right path, the one You have for me? If not, Jesus, will You hold me close and lead me there? Cause, Jesus, I never want to disappoint You. Forgive me where I have failed and show me the way back to Your heart, Lord. I want you to love all my "Amens", while I put into action all the treasures I've found in Your Word." Amen!
¯¯¯
Debby Renninger is a freelance writer and inspirational speaker. She holds a Bible study in her home in McVeytown, where seeking women are always welcome. She may be reached at (717) 250-7086 for speaking engagements.