I'M NOT THERE YET

My life is not one of constant accomplishment and
success like yours is.  I have to admit that I often
fail to live as God would have me to and seem to
have few if any accomplishments.  In fact, I often
want to just go hide or disappear.  Or even simply
tell God I've had enough.

That is one reason that this comment made by
Erwin W. Lutzer in his book
Failure The Back Door to Success
makes such a impression on me.

"Bible records and church history reveal to us that

many of God's servants have at times handed God

their resignation." 

Well, at least I'm not the only one.  So, I will try
to take the example of the apostle Paul when
writing from a prison cell in Rome near the end
of his life.

"I don't mean to say that I have already

achieved these things or that I have already

reached perfection.  But I press on to possess

that perfection for which Christ Jesus first
possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters,
 I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one 
thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward 
to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end
of the race and receive the heavenly prize for 
which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling 
us."  (Philippians 3:12 - 14 NLT)  

OUT OF FOCUS

OUT OF FOCUS

I am not young, spry, strong, stable, and smart like you.

The photo above was taken hand held.

The photo below was taken with the same camera.  Of

the same object, in the same light, only a couple of 

minutes earlier.  BUT,  on a tripod.

THE DIFFERENCE IS HOLDING STILL.

Life is like that.

I know a "person" [Perhaps several] like that.  This 

person will not hold still long enough to truly hear.

Oh, this "person" says "Go on talking, I'm listening."

BUT,  latter it comes out that person did not hear 

what I was saying.  What this person was clearly

told, was totally unknown to them later.

Are we like that with life?

So engrossed with what we are doing, or want to

do, that we do not know where we are going?

God said;

"Be still, and know that I am God."

(Psalms 46:10 RSV)

"Be still before the Lord, and wait

patiently for him;"

.......

"Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."

(Psalms 37:7 and 8 RSV)

Have you taken time to hold still and 

take stock of yourself to see where your

life is taking you??

MISSING THE POINT

You guessed it.  That is "The Weather Channel".  It say's so in the 

little blue box over on the left side.  And that's the weather for when 

ever.  Yes, that was all it would show me, no matter how long I waited

this morning.

I do not know about you, but when I go to "The Weather Channel"

it is for data or information.  Information about the weather.  You know.

Is it going to rain today?  Can I wear a short sleeved shirt, or do I need

a jacket?  What can I expect, or what happened here or somewhere else.

Over the last few months I have made an observation about "The Weather

Channel".   Every time they have "upgraded" [Ha, ha, ha or LOL or 

snicker, snicker.] it has downloaded slower.  Yes, every time.   They

have been spending their time trying to "pretty" it up.  And that adds more

data for the poor old computers to download.

This may only be true of us on satellite or wireless.  It might not effect

"dial up" and other forms of internet service.

But "The Weather Channel" is missing the point.  Most of us do not go

to "The Weather channel" for wallpaper for our computers.  Nor for art

work, or pretty pictures or pleasing backgrounds.  BUT DATA.  Weather

information to be exact.  When "The Weather Channel" was not so pretty,

at least I could get the information I as after and get it in short order.

However, am I doing the same thing with my life???

Trying to impress others?  Or accumulate a bunch of stuff that I cannot 

take with me anyway?  Or squeeze all the fun out of life that I can?

In short, clutter my life up with stuff that does not count in the end?

Ed McCully, one of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador said,

"It's hard to keep our primary purpose in view when

we get so swamped with secondary things."

-Ed McCully September 1953.

I believe it was C.T. Studd who said,

"Only one life 'twill soon be past, only what's

done for Christ will last."

Am I focused on my purpose of being here and the day I stand before

God to give an account of my years spent here?  Or am I dragging in a

lot of unrelated material and effort?

PUTTING LIFE IN FOCUS

"'Meaningless!  Meaningless!'
says the Teacher.
'Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.'"
(Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV)

That is the way life seems some times.
And more so everyday.

Of course a person can always look through rose colored glasses.

Or filter life through their outlook and think that will change something.

Consider, 

Emile Coue de la Chataigneraie

the French psychologist and pharmacist.

He came up with the mantra,

"Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better."

In fact he got so good that he 

committed suicide.

It must have hurt his feelings being so much better than every one else.

Any filter or lens that mankind dreams up to bring life into focus is 

going to fail

There is only one lens or filter that will truly put life into focus.

That is the word of God.

The Holy Bible.

If we will allow God to shape our thinking through His word.

Then and only then can we begin to understand what life is all about.

MULTI-TASKING CHRISTIANS ?

It began several decades ago. Some friends

declared that talking while they work did not

effect their work. So I began to watch.

I noticed that when they were working and talking, they had to begin again and redo
things a lot more than when they were not talking. Maybe it's just in the definition!!!!

Today it has become very popular to "multi-task".

But does it work? Consider an article from the

Los Angeles Times back on July 19, 2004.

"Multi-tasking, for most Americans, has become a

way of life."...

"But researchers peering into the brains of those

engaged in several tasks at once are concluding what

some overworked Americans had begun to suspect:

that multi-tasking, which many have embraced as the

key to success, is instead a formula for shoddy work,

mismanaged time, rote solutions, stress and

forgetfulness. Not to mention car crashes, kitchen

fires, forgotten children, near misses in the skies and

other dangers of inattention."

It comes as no surprise that there are a huge number

of articles about multi-tasking not working, at least

well. Each time we add a task to the one we are doing,

we are distracted to a greater degree from the task at

hand. The solution is obvious. FOCUS.

A couple of quotes from the business world. Their

interest is success in business, or finance. But the

trues apply in the spiritual realm as well.

"The secret of success is focus. It is the one secret

that ties everything together. According to the law

of attraction, what you focus on is what you get."

-Enoch Tan in Dream manifesto.

Terri Zwierzynski in Solo Entrepreneur states,

"O: 'How to stay focused?'

A: One easy way to get and stay focused is to

have less to focus on!"

The girl is right on. It is so obvious it is almost

funny.

What does all of this have to do with living for God?

A Christian wants to get close to God. As it were, to

walk hand in hand with Him through life. (I hope.)

So God tells us how.

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse our hands, ye sinners; and purify your heats,

ye double minded."

-James 4:8 KJV (Emphasis mine.)

See that "double minded". Dear old brother James

Strong tells us that double minded is,

"Two-spirited, i.e. Vacillating (in opinion or purpose)"

Hey. That's multi-tasking. That's unfocused.

The apostle John says's it a little different.

"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."

-1 John 2:15 KJV

When we have divided interest; money, ambition,

success, enjoyment, toys, honor, entertainment,

more things, fun etc., etc., etc. And trying to live

for God. We are multi-tasking. AND IT DON'T

WORK.

Jesus said,

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his

righteousness;"

-Matthew 6:33 KJV

The apostle Paul was such an outstanding success

in living for and serving God because; his attitude

and example was,

"... but this one thing I do..."

-Philippians 3:13 KJV

Yes, I had to follow Terri's advice. Drop some things

so that there would be less to focus on. I do not need

every thing my little heart or mind desires. I do not

need every comfort or convenience there is. BUT I DO

NEED JESUS.