Archives For Focus on God

Overcome Fear with Faith

March 22, 2022

When I was serving with a church-planting team overseas, I had memorized a set of five Bible verses that I found especially encouraging. I would remind myself of these verses on the way to outreach ministry activities on a regular basis. They would remind me:

  • how great God is,
  • Jesus has all authority and has commissioned us
  • Jesus has promised to be with us,
  • the enemy of our souls is already condemned, and

Lately, I’ve been searching for a new set of verses for the current season of life. I was reminded of that search this morning during my quiet time. Some of these are strong contenders.

This morning, I was reading/listening to a devotional plan on the YouVersion Bible app titled, “Certainty Amid Uncertainty”. Pastor Gregg Matte, of Houston’s First Baptist, wrote the plan to help those who’ve been struggling lately.

Photo Credit: Kevin T. Cunningham. Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Sedro-Woolley, WA

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, you may be feeling that your whole world is falling apart. In spite of the uncertainty that surrounds us, we have ultimate certainty in God, the Rock of our salvation. We are going to see God do great things in and through us. Walk with hope, for our God is a refuge and an ever-present help in time of need.

Pastor Gregg Matte

Day 3 of this five-day Bible reading plan focuses on five Scripture passages:

  • Psalms 46:1-4
  • 2 Corinthians 12:9-11
  • 2 Timothy 1:7
  • Exodus 15:2
  • Isaiah 41:10

The first passage clearly gets us to shift our focus off of our current situation or problems and onto God.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

The next passage offers comfort in the midst of our weakness, challenges, and confusion.

2 Corinthians
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The next passage reminds us that even though we may be weak, he is strong and through his Holy Spirit, we can be strong.

2 Timothy 1

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Again our hearts are moved to praise as we are reminded that the Lord is our strength, defense, and our salvation.

Exodus 15:2

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The final verse ties it all together.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Pastor Gregg closes out the devotional with a declaration for us to proclaim aloud.

Declare: Jesus, You are my Strength. I know that I am not perfect and that sometimes I become impatient when my faith is tested, but I will not fear, and I will not allow my feelings to steal the joy that is found in You. I trust that You will give me all the strength I need to come out of uncertainty full of certainty.

You can find this reading plan at https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20285. For more encouraging posts, visit https://trinity.encourageandequip.com/Sub-Test/home/start-here/

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A Verse for Today: 1 John 4:4

March 12, 2022

Today’s encouraging Bible verse from the Bible app with an image I shot off the coast of Kittery, ME.

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Writing Scriptures

February 16, 2022

She became a modern-day hero of the faith for me. When I heard that Jill wrote a book, I needed to learn more. When I saw that it was a journal that incorporated Scripture writing, I was hooked.

Continue Reading...
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Grow in Thankfulness

November 19, 2018

The Apostle Paul wrote

Give thanks in everything for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:18)

As I write this, Thanksgiving Day is just a few days away. You might already be in preparation mode to visit with or host family and close friends. As you work to assure that everything is ready, can I suggest you plan to check your own Gratitude Quotient? No, I didn’t make that up. It is a thing.

It’s amazing to me how easily we can overlook the obvious or take the main point for granted. Have you ever gotten to the airport for an international flight and had to go back home to the passport you left on the nightstand so you wouldn’t forget it? No, I haven’t done that but I did drive at least one person who did.

DepositPhoto.com Image ID: 85379016 Copyright: PixelsAway

 

The question I have for us today, especially as we are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, how is YOUR Thankfulness level? After all, it is THANKSgiving Day — a day for giving thanks.

Here’s your chance to see where you are on this continuum and to seize the opportunity to grow in thankfulness.

DepositPhoto.com Image ID: 126987850 Copyright: PixelsAway

Level 1: Ungrateful

Maybe you consider yourself a self-made man or woman. Nobody gave you anything. In spite of the deck being stacked against you, you made it to the top. You see no need to be thankful. If anyone did happen to help you along the way, you figure they did it for their own benefit. So, you see no need to be thankful. Continue Reading…

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Pray for Success, Part 2

October 29, 2018

In Jeff Goins’ bestseller, Real Artists Don’t Starve, he set out to dispel the myth of the “starving artist”. Likewise, in my last post, I began exposing the lies that many people who seek to wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ may have treasures in Heaven but will probably never enjoy much success here on earth.

DepositPhotos.com Image ID: 212529114 Copyright: Sewcream

Passivity and Complacency Are Not Necessarily Spiritual

I assure you, I am NOT crossing over to the Health & Wealth Gospel.  I have no delusions that God owes me anything!  Nor do I believe that God has to provide something just because I “Name it”.

However, I am concerned that while rejecting the excesses of one extreme, we can drift, ever so spiritually, to the other extreme.  We can focus so much being humble and on not appearing proud, manipulative, or materialistic, that we limit the blessings God may long to give.

Success and Spirituality Are Not Mutually Exclusive

I am concerned that sometimes, Christ-followers can make the mistake of equating success with impure motives or tactics and a lack of success as being spiritual.  I understand if you have trouble believing that statement.  I had to read it again myself.  But, I assure you, I have seen it over and over. Continue Reading…

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Wait In Hope

August 2, 2018

These verses were very comforting and encouraging during a time when I was unemployed and seeking God’s guidance for next steps.  May they encourage your heart today whatever your needs may be.

Psalm 33:20-22

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How to Begin Encouraging Yourself

July 30, 2018

The Bible tells us to “encourage one another.” Have you ever asked yourself, how do I do that when I feel dry and empty inside?

You’re not alone. Even grief counselors experience grief when they lose a loved one. Sometimes, even inspirational speakers need to be inspired. Even Jesus, the Son of God, rose early and spent time in prayer with His Father.

One Bible verse has always intrigued me. In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read this one little phrase,

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

The context tells us why David needed encouragement, but it does not tell us what David did.

While David and his soldiers were away, raiders came, burned his city and had taken their wives and children captive. The entire group was overcome with grief. “Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.” In their grief, the men “spoke of stoning him (David), because all the people were bitter in soul.” Not only was David dealing with his own grief, now he was concerned about preserving his own life.

If we take a bigger picture view of the context, we see that David is now being tested to reveal his true character before God officially places him on the throne of His people. You may remember that King Saul failed the tests of staying strong when his men were breaking ranks. He also failed the test of executing God’s command to eliminate an enemy nation. That nation, Amalek, is the very one responsible for raiding David’s camp.

How David responds is critical to his own kingship.

Some modern translations render the verse as “David strengthened himself” in the Lord. Essentially, we are talking about the same concept. Remember the definition of “encourage” is to impart courage — “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courage)

In times of fear, exhaustion, or devastation, we can only focus on one thing. We may see lots of things. But we have to choose where to stay focused — on our circumstances or on solutions. We choose to focus on the enemies of God or on God, Himself. Now, I live in the real world. I am not advocating self-deception or ignoring the facts. But sometimes, our circumstances can seem so overwhelming, we overlook the help right in front of us.

So, what exactly did David do?

As I mentioned earlier, the writer doesn’t tell us exactly what David did, but I have an idea. Ever notice the phrase “O my soul” in the Psalms? Quite a few times, David (and presumably other writers) lets us in on a private, inner conversation he has with himself to refocus his attention on God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 42:5, 11 (ESV)

In Psalm 62, David encourages himself and others to put their trust in God.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 62:5–8 (ESV)

When I was a new believer, I attended a church that began every worship service with a chorus built on the following verses from Psalm 103.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

Today’s post is just to whet our appetites. In upcoming posts, we’ll explore other tools to encourage ourselves so that we can encourage others.

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Revive Your Prayer Life

April 4, 2018

It’s so easy for us to just go through the motions.

Have you ever noticed people sitting together in a restaurant but have their faces are in their phones?  They have real-life human beings in front of them but are essentially ignoring them while having quality time with their device.  These are people we probably even like and we still have challenging nurturing our relationship.

Two diners distracted by their cell phones

DepositPhoto Image ID: 178459526 Copyright: puhhha

Focus

If we can essentially ignore people we care about and can see, think about our relationship with a God that can not be seen.  I need to consistently bring my thoughts back in line so I can focus on an interactive conversation with people that I dearly love.  You can imagine how much harder this is when we are talking about something important like prayer—typically a one-way conversation with God.

Balance

Apart from focus, balance in prayer can be very helpful.  There are types or aspects of prayer that can be helpful (watch for more in a future post).  Having a balanced view of God can also be extremely helpful.  Sometimes, I fear we can forget the WHO of prayer.  We know we are praying to God, but if we are not careful, we can have an inaccurate or incomplete view of God.

I find it helpful to occasionally remind myself of God’s character or attributes.  In Time with God, I divided the prayer sections into four categories so that in a month, I can intentionally dwell on the majesty, gentleness, righteousness, and love of God respectively.  Continue Reading…

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What Am I Still Doing Here?

March 19, 2018

Have you ever wondered why Jesus dwelled on earth for more than thirty years?

I’m not so much asking why Jesus came, although that is an interesting study. Today, I’m asking why Jesus stayed!

Can you imagine for a moment, if you or I lived in the amazing splendor of heaven and had to leave it for a special mission? That might be hard to imagine. Think of leaving the beauty of the Italian Riviera (coast and beaches) to go to on a mission to Newark, NJ. Then multiply both by a thousand. Wouldn’t you want to get back as quickly as possible?

 

Business traveler with a carry on bag

DepositPhoto Image ID: 17139265 Copyright: DragonImages

If you can stretch your imagination far enough to imagine that you were the Messiah (don’t stay there too long or they’ll say you have a complex). If we were called on to save mankind, wouldn’t you pack a carry-on bag? You know, get in… get the job done…get out…back to our comfort zone.

The Point

Sometimes we can be so “bottom line” oriented that we can miss the real point.

Some manufacturing organizations have people who check for quality. I remember asking my uncle if he had quality control checks. His reply was automatic. “You don’t check for quality. You put it in in the first place!” The point was if you create a process that leads to the desired outcome, reinforce the process then you’ll get the right product. Keep that in mind, we’ll come back to it.

I see so many people struggling to find their purpose in life. They’re asking, where do I fit in? What’s my role in this world?

We are considering the questions of Why did Jesus come? And more so, why did he stay?  The next logical question might be, “Why are we still here?” If I am truly saved, why doesn’t God just take us up to Heaven right away?

Why Do We Stay?

How do we begin answering a question like that? May I suggest that by examining times when Jesus said why he came, what he commanded, and what he commissioned while he was physically present, we can begin to see what he wants to accomplish through us?

(Note: I plan to write about the Great Commandment in the next post. Today, I want to focus on three areas.)

He Came to Show Compassion

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt 9:35–36

When people looked at Jesus, they saw someone who cared deeply about them and their situation. While modeling holiness, the only people who felt judged where those who trusted in their own righteousness. The ones who felt that Jesus wasn’t quite religious enough.

When people look into our eyes, do they sense love or judgment?

How can we show them Jesus means LOVE?

He Came to Serve

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mat 20:25–28

Contrast the two philosophies. What’s in it for me? How can I help? Which one do we really live by…in the marketplace? at work? at Church? at home?

Would those who are closest to us say that we model servanthood? What are some ways we can develop a servant’s heart?

He Came to Seek and to Save

Jesus said to (Zacchaeus the Tax Collector), “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10–11

Think about that for a bit. Jesus came to SEEK. Jesus was very pro-active as he sought out those in need. He covered an amazing territory on foot.

Jesus came to SAVE. He endured great pains to secure salvation for you and me.

In John 20:21, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Essentially, Jesus is saying, I gave you an example to follow. God has a mission for you to accomplish. Matthew records Jesus’ words to the original Disciples (and to us), “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations ….

As we call ourselves Christ followers, it’s time to ask, “Am I really following Christ?” “Am I doing the things he would do if he were physically here?”

How do we respond to opportunities to represent or share Christ?

Do we…

  •  create opportunities?
  •  respond to divine appointments?
  •  miss the boat because our face is in our phone?

If we are to grow more and more like Christ, how are we doing in the process? Are we still expecting God to one day to magically turn us into a fully sanctified Christ-follower like the proverbial magician pulling a rabbit out of the hat? Or are we committed to the process o growing in Christlikeness?

Picture of a rabbit and a hat
DepositPhoto Image ID: 64889941 Copyright: yacobchuk1

You might continue this study on your own. Grab your favorite Bible app, software, or even a paper concordance and search for times when Jesus says, “I came to …”. Or instances where the Epistle writers said, “Jesus came to …” Please share your results in the comments below.

Continue Reading…

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4 Keys to a Balanced Ministry

November 6, 2017

If you’ve ever worked or volunteered much at a church, you know there are many aspects of ministry to balance.  It can be overwhelming and balls can get dropped.

There are four major components to my personal philosophy of ministry.  There will be aspects of ministry that may not be included here, however, the following helps me organize my thoughts and efforts.

 

Image credit: 6kor3dos DepositPhoto.com/11826108

 

Focus

Based on John 10:10, as well as ministry and life experiences, I am convinced that in any Christian endeavor two supernatural beings are always at work. God is at work to promote life and our enemy is at work to thwart life and growth and sabotage spiritual progress. Therefore, we need to actively choose to focus our attention on what God is doing in any given situation rather than on what Satan is doing. I am firmly convinced that our attitudes in life are greatly controlled by the one on whom we set our focus. That is the one we actually serve. Therefore, my personal philosophy of ministry is to first maintain my own focus on what God and what he is doing and then to help others stay focused upon God and be an asset to what He’s doing in their lives.

Feed

In the practical outworking of the above principle, I see God entrusting a flock to a pastor’s or teacher’s care with the expectation of their being returned to Him having been well fed, strengthened and protected. Col 1:27-29 speaks of bringing the flock to maturity for God in Christ’s strength. Eph 4:11-16 paints a picture of believers being equipped for works of service so that the body would be a built up, unified, mature, loving and growing organism. I believe these goals are best achieved by sound biblical instruction given in an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion.  Efforts will likely include:

  • Opportunities for people to evaluate where they are in their walk with God along with suggestions and resources to grow during the upcoming season.
  • Expository preaching of Bible books and occasional topical, yet expository, messages.
  • Relevant and engaging teaching during Sunday School/Adult Bible Fellowship or other opportunities (seminars, webinars, workshops, conferences, etc.)
  • Small Groups that help people discover God’s word and his people in a deeper way.
  • Specialized small groups designed to offer a forum for the questioning and a support for the struggling.
  • Well-planned prayer meetings would also help maintain focus in, and excitement about how God is working in and through the various ministries of the church.

Find

The choice of the word “find” for ministry to unbelievers is deeply rooted in my philosophy of evangelism. I often view the evangelist as a kind of spiritual midwife. We are not the parent, but we are there to aid in the birthing process. The relationship of the pre-natal child and the parent has long been established and the midwife would not think of doing anything to hinder that relationship. Therefore, rather than striving for a decision or to manufacture spiritual sensitivities, prayerful efforts should be made to discern those in whom God is already working and seek to be an asset in that process.

We need to teach evangelism as a lifestyle proving ourselves good stewards of God’s grace. Teaching on evangelism should be careful to equip the experienced without overwhelming the novice. Telling people about God’s involvement in our lives should be a natural outflow of a child in love with her Father.  We must also reinforce the truth that we are in partnership with God and not resemble a multi-level-marketing strategy.

While many choose to focus their efforts on the saved or the unsaved, I am greatly indebted to training from Child Evangelism Fellowship who taught that you may never really know where your audience is spiritually. Therefore, each Bible teaching should include a point of application for the saved and a point of application for the unsaved.

Family

I am thoroughly convinced of the communal nature of the Body of Christ.  Not only does God save us, he also adopts as children into his family where we can be encouraged, nurtured, and developed to maturity.  The sheer volume of “one-another” passages in the Bible clearly show that Christian fellowship is not just a nice fringe benefit but an essential dynamic of God’s plan.

Hebrews 10:19-25 also show how this should be a key component of our regular gatherings.  I am concerned that this could be a missing ingredient in many churches in our day.  Beyond the obvious reason of meeting to worship God, the author of Hebrews helps us to realize one of the purposes of meeting together is to encourage one another.  We are to follow Jesus’ example and come together to serve rather than be served.  Interestingly, if everyone comes together with that mindset each member will leave having served and having been served as well.

“Let us encourage one another” is not just an empty or fluff command.  Webster defines encouragement as “to impart courage.”  Then defines courage as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, and difficulty.”  This is exactly the spirit the author is trying to instill in his readers.  As we encourage each other, we are to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  I can’t help but wonder what God could do in our world through bands of believers who regularly leave our gatherings encouraged by the body and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

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