Linda Lyle's Blog

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Mark 12:30-31

Have you ever said, I love you, but I don’t like you very much right now? I know I have thought it if not said it. At first glance that seems loving, but is it really? During Sunday school this week, it occurred to me that as humans we think that is taking the high road, but God calls us to even higher peaks. A 1 Corinthians 13 love is only possible by the Holy Spirit working through us, and it will not be perfected this side of Heaven.

So, what does it mean to love your neighbor? Mark 12:30-31 tells us that whole law rests on loving God and loving your neighbors as yourself. In a world filled with hate, anger, revenge, and senseless murders, the only way to change things is to change ourselves first. I have to admit I am nowhere near where I ought to be, so where do we start? We start with the source of love.

Love God

We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19

God is the originator of love. He created us in order to have a relationship with us. Even when we were sinners, He sent His Only Son to die for us so that we could be reconciled to Him. God is love. That doesn’t mean He lets us do what we want. He loves us too much to leave us where we are, but He draws us to himself and slowly chisels off all rough spots so that we look more like Jesus every day. When we love God, His character becomes imbedded in us so that we want what He wants, and He wants everyone to be reconciled to Him.

Love Yourself

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:27

Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, boss, etc.) thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible’s astounding words about…
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The world tends to go to two extremes when it comes to loving themselves: either they think they are the center of the universe, or they think they are worthless. We have value to God as one of His children. Everything we have and are, we owe to Him, so we cannot take the credit for it. Yet, we are His beloved children and are of great worth to Him. When we see ourselves in that light, we can take the love of God that overflows into us and pour it out onto those around us.

Love Your Neighbor

And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:21

God poured out His love onto us even when we weren’t likable. We are called to do the same thing. The Bible says hate the sin but love the sinner. And we are all sinners. None of us is above the other in God’s eyes. So when I see someone committing what some consider a greater sin, I need to remember that God still loves that person as much as He loves me. Christ died for that person to have salvation even if they choose not to accept it. We are to love that person, but that does not mean agreeing with their sin. We are told to love and pray for our enemies because God loves them, too. It’s a radical stance in a divided world.

Love IS the Answer

If we want to make an impact on this world, we will have to do it with the love of God. Anything less will fail. It’s a hard lesson, and I’m at the back of the class. Father, help us to love others as You love us so that we can lead them to You because Jesus is the answer waiting for a prayer:

 

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Perspective

The post What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor? first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 27:13

Have you ever been afraid to ask for something you really needed? My birthday was last week, and I had a mental list of things it might be nice to have, but I also had a list of things that I needed. I told some friends that my birthday would be awesome if the following happened

1. The dentist found no problems at my dental cleaning.
2. The check engine light in my car would correct itself.
3. The paycheck I was waiting on would be deposited before the weekend.
4. The water heater to not be broken.

Now, I also hoped to reach 150 subscribers, to stay below a certain number on the scale, and maybe meet a certain someone, but they were just a “it would be nice” idea. It occurred to me that while I had told my friends, I hadn’t actually taken my list to God, so I did.

Good Gifts

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you…If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Matthew 7:7, 11

God is the original giver of the best gifts. He gave his only Son for us so that we could have a relationship with Him. How much better can you get? Yet, he also cares for our daily needs. Beyond that, He also sometimes likes to give us little surprises, moments of joy. He’s not stingy. Last week when I was having a challenging day, he sent a mama deer with twin fawns my way…actually in the way because they were crossing the road. However, the mama deer waited for traffic to stop and then led by example and waited for the little ones to follow. City deer are pretty smart.

Ask Amiss

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:2-3

While God is generous, He will not give us things that are out of His will. He is the giver of good gifts, but he will always choose the best for us over something we think is good. The world teaches the false doctrine of “name it and claim it.” In other words, we can ask for anything and God will give it to us. God loves us too much to give us everything we ask for because He knows the end results of some choices. Sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is not yet. If God doesn’t answer the way we want, then we need to trust that He knows what’s best.

Petition Properly

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15

The key to a healthy prayer life is asking for God’s will. Anything we ask that is in His will, He will answer with a yes and amen. When I put my prayer list before God, I reminded Him that money was short, and I still had a few things to pay for that were not on the monthly budget, necessary things. I wasn’t sure how I would pay all the bills as it was, so added costs would require divine intervention, which is exactly what happened.

The dentist didn’t find anything new, and I paid my remaining balance from an insurance issue. The paycheck was deposited the next day in plenty of time for the weekend. My water heater issue was actually a user error (a story for another time). My car’s check engine light is a story of divine intervention.

Divine Intervention

I had someone trying to figure out the problem and clearing the error message, but it came back twice, so they quit trying to clear it. We hadn’t had time to try to find the problem, but I prayed that it would be nothing. Yet, I needed the stupid light to go off so that I would know when there was a real problem. I got in the car to go home from work Saturday and the light was gone and has not come back on. It is running fine.

As for the other requests, I now have 142 subscribers (an increase of 12) and my weight is staying below that number on the scale, so I have broken the plateau of weight loss. Bonus gifts! As for meeting a certain someone, I have a feeling that is a “not now” answer, but I believe to see the goodness of God yet.

How has God answered your prayers lately? I’d love to know.

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Gifts

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The post God: The Giver of Good Gifts first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

“Hope is the thing with feathers”

Emily Dickinson

Do you ever look around at your circumstances and wonder what am I going to do? Then, do you feel bad for not having more faith? We throw the term “faith” around like it is some ethereal substance that we can’t quite grasp; it slips through our fingers like fog. Maybe we are going about it all wrong.

When Jesus said we only need the faith of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), he was referring to basically the smallest seed; however, that seed grows into a mighty tree. How does a tree grow? It has to take in the right nutrients. Our faith grows every time we take in the right spiritual nutrients and then exercise our spiritual muscles.

Faith Has Feet

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith is often paired with hope and love. All three seem like emotions, but actually all three are actions. They all have feet. For example, love (charity) is shown through action, whether it is a hug, a listening ear, or providing for a need.

Hope is not “hoping for the best.” It is an expectation based on our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Christ gave use hope for a future in Heaven as well as the promise of His Presence here on earth. Because of that hope, we share with others what God has done for us and will do for them.

Faith also has feet. If we want our faith to grow, we have to work it. We have to move forward believing God will do what He promises. The result may not be exactly what we asked for but is always what we need in the long run.

Faith Has a Firm Foundation

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. Psalm 22:5

We have to put our faith in the right place. When we try to depend on ourselves, our jobs, or other people, they will fail. God does not fail. He is a firm foundation. When we put our faith in Christ, we are building on the rock and not the sand.

We also have to keep our eyes on the path in front of us so that our faith feet don’t trip. If you are tempted to look around at your circumstances and start to worry or complain, take another look. Instead of looking at what you don’t have, see what God has already given you. Start making a gratitude list, and you will be surprised how quickly your outlook can change.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Philippians 4:11

Faith Has Focus

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

We have to reset our focus every morning. God is faithful, and His mercies are new every morning. We don’t need to focus on things that might happen in the future. We need to focus on what God wants us to do this day and leave tomorrow in God’s capable hands. If our feet are busy doing today’s task, then we don’t have time for worries. Every time God comes through on His promises, our faith muscle will grow.

It is an everyday choice. Some days I get it right, but some days I don’t. Yet, God is always faithful.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:34

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The post How do we have more faith? first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

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.

Hebrews 12:1

I recently did a deep cleaning of my closets because I was switching my bedroom and my office, including painting and changing up some furniture. It required emptying everything out, so I decided it was as good a time as any to declutter and organize. I found myself struggling over getting rid of shoes, of all things. I am not into shoes as some women are, but I repeatedly kept shoes that didn’t work for me and that I didn’t wear. I finally released several pair, and it was very freeing. Most of those shoes I did not choose personally, but other people offered them to me. They looked cute, and they were free, so I said yes. When they didn’t fit right, or didn’t match my wardrobe, or hurt my feet, I kept them anyway. They became a burden instead of a blessing.

I think the tasks we put on our to-do lists, especially the ones related to ministry, are a lot like those shoes. They weren’t meant for me, but I took them on anyway. Are there some shoes in your life that you need to pass on to someone else, someone they will be a blessing to and not a burden?

Doesn’t Mean It Fits You

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:10

All believers have been given at least one spiritual gift along with natural talents and skills. They are given to us to share with other believers so that we can work together in unity and support one another. Sometimes, however, people try to give us shoes that seem to fit, the right size and width, but the wrong color or heel. It fits your foot, but it doesn’t fit your style.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. People think we have certain gifts that make us perfect for a job or task, but it is not the task God has assigned. We can do the job, but it isn’t our calling. By accepting the job, we often become burdened by something that would be a blessing to the right person that the shoe fit perfectly.

Doesn’t Mean You Have to Wear It

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21

I’m sure you have heard the phrase: If the shoe fits, wear it. I say that just because the shoe fits doesn’t mean you have to wear it. I have tried on a lot of shoes that fit, but for one reason or another I didn’t like wearing. I have several pairs of those in my closet clean out.

Just because someone offers you a job doesn’t mean that you have to accept it. No is an acceptable response. I just got a short-term job offer in my in-box that I am currently considering. I’m qualified for the position, and I’ve done previous work with the company, but I’m not sure if it is the right job for me at this moment. I can say no. The same principle applies to ministry jobs or tasks. Pray before accepting any job or task. God will lead you in how to answer. Sometimes the answer is no.

Doesn’t Mean It’s the Right Shoe

And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

God assigns each of us a ministry, but sometimes we want to do someone else’s job. When I think of shoes, I often think of Cinderella and that glass slipper. The shoe was made just for her, but her step-sisters’ kept trying to wear her shoe. Sometimes to painful consequences (especially if you read the Brothers Grimm version).

God gives us the right “shoes” for whatever task he gives us because He equips his people (Hebrews 13:21, 2 Timothy 3:17). Wearing the right shoe for the job makes work a lot easier. When you wear the wrong shoes for the job, like not wearing shoes that rub when you are doing a lot of walking, or sandals in rainy weather, or going to the back of the machine shop in flip-flops, you can end up in a world of pain. Just because your foot fits in a shoe doesn’t mean it’s the right shoe for you.

It Takes All Kinds of Shoes

And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Exodus 18:17-18

Moses’ father-in-law gave him some good advice, something we all should remember. We can not do it all by ourselves. First, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. Second, we need the help of other Christians. We were meant to work as a unified body with all of the members doing their jobs, wearing the right shoes.
So, take a look in your closet and at your calendar of commitments. God’s burdens are light, so if your load seems too heavy, maybe you’ve taken on too much baggage. Watch the following video and see what rocks (or shoes) you need to throw out of your wagon (or closet).

For further study, check out Joanna Weaver’s book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

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The post If the Shoe Fits … first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

The Christmas Cherub by Ronda Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the way Rhonda Wells weaves historical details into a romance that isn’t about fairy tales. The Christmas Cherub is about loving in the hard times and learning to wait for God’s perfect timing, to have a little faith. It’s one of the best Christmas stories I’ve read in a while. I look forward to more books by this author.

View all my reviews

The post The Christmas Cherub by Rhonda Wells first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”          

Luke 8:22-25

Ever hear of James Spann? Around here, he is a well-known meteorologist and speaker who is best known for the phrase “respect the polygon.” It’s a reference to the boxes representing storms on the radar maps, especially regarding tornadoes. His goal is to warn the viewers of approaching storms so that they can take precautions. He advocates having an emergency plan in place in case of storms, such as having a safe place identified beforehand with all the necessary items like a weather radio.

Spiritually speaking, it’s a given that we are going to go through storms in life. Sometimes we can see them coming from a long way off, but at other times, they can take us completely by surprise. We need to have our own emergency plan for spiritual storms before the overtake us, and I think James Spann may just have the right idea for those as well.

Respect the Polygon

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Psalm 16:6

Many people argue that they need freedom to choose whatever they want, no boundaries. Yet, the thing children actually crave is set boundaries because it gives them a feeling of security. The same is true of storm warnings; we want to know where the storm is located, how to avoid it if possible, and where it is going. When you are in the polygon, you should go to your safe place. You respect the polygon for your own protection.

God also gives us spiritual boundaries for our own protection. Priscilla Shirer in her Bible study on The Armor of God, explains the use of the belt in Roman armor. When you put it on, it helps support your core muscles while taking some of the weight of the other parts of the armor. Our belt is the belt of truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32). When we gird ourselves with the truths of God’s word, it sets boundaries, but in doing so also frees us. God’s boundaries are pleasant. They bind the things that will trip us so that we can move more easily as we battle the enemy.

Shelter in Place

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:6

A storm shelter is a building or part of a building that was created to withstand the winds of storms. It is anchored to the ground, sometimes even under the ground. We have been told time and again to avoid cars and mobile homes during tornadoes because they are not grounded and can easily be taken up in the storm.

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus told the parable of the house built on the rock versus the house built on sand. The house built on the rock will withstand because it is grounded, while the house on sand will wash away. We need to be grounded in the Word of God as well as our position of salvation through Christ the rock. Then we have an anchor that holds no matter what comes our way.

Wear a Helmet

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Ephesians 6:17

Finally, put on a helmet. During a tornado, most injuries are caused by falling debris, which are especially dangerous for your head. Putting on a helmet and good shoes will protect two of the most endangered areas of your body during a tornado: your feet and your head. Tornadoes often happen after dark, and if the power goes out, you can’t see potential dangers, like broken glass. Both the helmet and the shoes continue to protect you as you navigate to safety.

The enemy also attacks our heads first with his lies. When we are grounded in the Word of God, we can detect the lies and counterattack with the truth. Our feet are guarded with the Gospel of peace so that we can keep our footing in any situation. When we remember that we were adopted as children of God, we know that Our Father is with us through the storm. When Jesus told the disciples to set out in the boat, he knew the storm was coming, and he sent them anyway. Yet, he also came with them on the boat. When we keep our focus on Jesus, then we can have peace even in the midst of the storm.

Related Posts:

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The post Storm Warning: Spiritual Storms first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

“Your journey of growth begins with a single step.”

C. S. Lewis

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Have you ever gotten to a place where you are frozen in place, afraid to take another step? I was watching a yacht bounce up and down (way down) in Hong Kong Harbor. I had been invited to go on an evening yacht cruise around the harbor and dinner on Lamma Island. First, I had to get on the boat, but there was no boarding plank or dock. The boat was just moored, bouncing in the wakes of the giant ships moving through the harbor. I had to time my step onto the yacht when it was closest to the wall where it was moored versus the giant gap where you could fall and be crushed. Nothing to it.

However, help had been provided in the presence of a strong guy on the boat and a strong guy on the wall with me. I just had to grab the hand as the boat rocked near and make a quick jump onto the yacht. I almost backed out, but I didn’t want to miss the adventure. So, I took a deep breath, followed the command of the sailor on the ship, and took a leap of faith. I stepped onto the boat, he pulled me in, and I took the first step on an evening of adventure. What if I hadn’t taken the first step?

Forget the Past

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

When I was getting ready to take my first step onto that yacht, I couldn’t keep looking behind me. I had to keep my eye on that next step, or I would miss my chance to jump onboard. Sometimes we get caught up looking back at the way things were or the way we imagined things should be now, and we miss the opportunities in front of us. You can’t move forward if you are looking back.

Put Aside the Weights

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.

Hebrews 12:1

I didn’t take luggage with me when I attempted to board the yacht. I had to be able to make that jump without anything weighing me down. I had only my identification papers and money. It was 1994, so I didn’t even have a cell phone, which is good because it would have probably wound up in the bottom of the harbor.

I am the world’s worst at over packing for a trip, so I know what it is like to drag extra baggage through airports and hotels. In the end, it just slows you down. It can even make you miss your flight. Spiritually, we need do let go of the things that are holding us back, like doubt, past negative experiences, our feelings, or fear. Sometimes we have to get rid of physical reminders, like the three large trash bags of teaching materials, old student papers, and articles I threw away when I realized God was not calling me back into teaching in a college setting. It not only freed up closet space, but it made me lighter spiritually. Do you need to let go of something so that you can move forward?

Take the Next Right Step

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

Sometimes we don’t move forward because we can’t see the big picture. We want to know where we are going. That night on the yacht, I had no idea where we were going, how to get there, or how to get back to where I was staying. I had to trust the captain to know how to navigate the waters and get me where I needed to be. We have a captain who is trustworthy. The psalm tells us that God is a lamp unto my feet, which means I can see the next step clearly while the rest is lost in the fog and darkness. When I make that step, the next step will be made clear. Often, we don’t see the big picture, but we aren’t the ones who are sailing the ship or being the navigator. We just need to take the next right step forward in faith, one step at a time.

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The post The Next Right Step: Moving Forward first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:6, NASB

 

Have you ever been hacked, like your credit card or social media account? There are people who spend all of their time trying to take what you have and use it for their own pleasure. The more money they have, the more they want, and the more they worry about losing it to someone else. It’s a vicious cycle that eats away at their peace.

Spiritually speaking, the enemy is always trying to take anything he can from us using every kind of deception possible, but we have access to a God-given account that can never be hacked. Sometimes the enemy makes us think we’ve lost something, but it is all deception. We have the power to block his attacks and take back what is rightfully ours. We can have a peace that passes understanding because we have a God whose gifts to us are hack proof.

Perfect

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” 

Romans 3:10

Our culture is one that encourages independence and hard work. While those two characteristics are not bad in themselves, they will not make us righteous in the eyes of God no matter how hard we work. The only one who is perfect, who is righteous, is God alone.

When we realize we will never be perfect, we fall prey to comparing ourselves to other people. I may not be perfect, but I am better than Jane or Tom. This is a lie straight from the enemy. In God’s eyes we are all the same: no one is righteous. So, comparison will get us nowhere.

Pardoned

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”

Philippians 3:9

So, how do we get access to righteousness? We receive it as a gift from God when we accept Christ as Lord and believe by faith. As adopted children of God, it becomes part of our inheritance. Sin no longer has a hold on us.

Christ died for our sins, and when we accepted salvation, he wiped our debt and our sins clean. We weren’t just paroled; we were pardoned as if it never happened. Then we became co-heirs with Christ, which means we have access to the righteousness of Our Father.

Practical

“You are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

What are we supposed to do with this gift of righteousness? We are to continually renew our minds through studying God’s Word and put on the new self. We are to put on the breastplate of God’s righteousness to protect our hearts from attacks of the enemy. Knowing that sin has no power over us anymore, we are to grow more like Christ as we follow him in obedience.

A while back I stubbed my toe and most likely broke it because I was moving furniture barefoot. I have shoes and past experience told me that they protect my toes, but I didn’t put them on. Spiritually, speaking I do the same thing: I don’t put on the armor of God. Then, I am open to attacks from the enemy to the point that I fail to do God-given tasks. I not only risk injury, but also risk missing the blessing God has for me.

God has given us all that we need to live an abundant life, but we have to make use of the gifts He has given us. The armor of God can protect us from attacks of the enemy, but it only works if we put it on. We have access to a limitless spiritual account that the enemy can’t touch, but he can try to deceive us and make us think he has taken part of our inheritance, that he has hacked our account. With the armor of God, we can take back what is rightfully ours as children of God. The trick is that we actually have to put it on. The account is full, and the gifts are waiting. What will you do with what God has given you?

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The post A Hack-Proof Account first appeared on The End Of My Yarn.

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Colossians 3:1-2

Have you ever felt like the world was spinning out of control, or even just the room? When I was learning to do spin kicks in Taekwondo, someone suggested finding a focal point and returning to it after each turn to keep from getting dizzy. When your world seems to be spinning out of control and you feel anxious, you probably need a focal point, too.

Find the Right Focal Point

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.

Hebrews 12:2 KJV

In Taekwondo, we focused on the goal of where we wanted to strike. In our spiritual lives we need to also focus on the goal: Jesus. He should be the center of our world as well as our goal for our spiritual development. We are to become more like Jesus every day, which means we have to keep our focus on him and his example and not on the world around us.

Sometimes I find myself looking at the wrong things, like what the world thinks I should be doing or what I want instead of what God wants for me. This week I really struggled to focus because I was looking at everything around me instead of on the one true thing. What you choose to focus on determines your trajectory.

Fix on the Focal Point

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Proverbs 4:25

The world is full of lies and distractions, but when we fix our eyes on him, all that fades into the background. It’s not something that we just do once or just do long enough to complete one task. It is something we have to continually do. Every time I executed a spin kick I had to refix my focus.

This past week I was spinning and seriously lacking in focus. The cat at the machine shop went missing, my cat was sick, and my bank balance didn’t have room for a vet visit. All I could see were the problems. I was praying, but I was focusing on the problems instead of looking to Jesus. It kept me off balance and fighting anxiety. I was demanding a quick response, but the Spirit said, “Be patient.” Over the weekend, a change of food corrected my cat’s digestive issue without a vet visit. I just had to wait for the new food to kick in.

Follow-through to the Focal Point

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

When I am doing a spin kick, I choose the focal point, fix on it, spin, and return to the focal point. Spiritually speaking, I have to keep returning to the focal point and not looking behind me. You can’t win a race or a fight if you are looking behind you. The armor of God does not cover your back because we are to face the enemy while looking to God for our hope and our future. When we face forward and keep taking one step at a time, we will make progress in the race set before us.

It’s been a battle this week, but God has gently nudged me back in the right direction time and again until I found solid footing again. If you feel the world spinning around you, take a moment to consider what you are focusing on. Like me, you may need to turn off the news and social media and find a quiet place to focus on the source of our peace. It did me a world of good, and I think it will you too.

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“You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.”
Robert Louis Stevenson

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

1 Peter 4:10

Over the last couple of weeks I have talked to several people who are dealing with the stuff left behind by parents. They had rooms and storage buildings full of possessions, many of them turned to junk after being forgotten in a dusty corner. Over the last several years I have been trying to rid myself of not only clutter, but also things I don’t use. I have developed a distaste for having things that don’t have a purpose, so I am in the process of assessing the things in my possession to either throw away, donate to charity, or share with someone who would actually use the item.

Yesterday’s sermon at church was on stewardship, and it reminded me of something I had been pondering on a deeper level. What am I doing with all that has been given me? How can I better use it in service to God? So as my author friends always say, start with your why.

Why?

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

Love is all about giving, and it started with God. He loved us so much that He gave his Son so that we could have a relationship with Him in eternity (John 3:16). Everything we have comes from Him (James 1:17, Psalm 50:10). God put us in charge of his creation, so we are stewards not owners. When we give a tithe or an offering, we are like children who borrow money from their father so that they can buy a Father’s Day present.

What?

“And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”

Luke 16:17-20

As stewards of God, what do we do when we are blessed beyond measure? We can go one of two ways: hoard it like the steward in the verses above or share it with those around us. Sometimes God gives us blessings to hold onto for the greater good, like Joseph in Egypt preparing for the famine. Sometimes He gives us extra to help someone else in need. There’s a joy in sharing with others that builds a loving heart, and there is a sense of humility that comes when we are on the receiving end. One keeps us from being greedy, and the other keeps us from being proud.

How?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Romans 12:1

However, stewardship is more than just sharing money or possessions, it is offering up to God all that we are to Him. This includes everything that God has given to us, such as talents, spiritual gifts, knowledge, and skills.

I heard someone once say that when they finished their time on earth, they wanted to have used up all God had given them. I like that idea, and as I assess what I have, I want to look for ways to use it for God. Whether it is a spiritual gift or a material possession, I want it to mean something. I’m just getting started because this is a lifelong project, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Let’s try to be better stewards and make the first step by answering these questions: What has God given you? How can you use it for His glory?

How Do You Redeem the Time?

Daily Bread

 

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