Tag Archives: keeping your eyes on Jesus

May 3, 2024 · 5:38 AM

Adjusting Your Focus

There are distractions everywhere for us. Sometimes they’re financial distractions, job distractions or relational. Distractions try to take our focus off of what is true, and they cause us to lose perspective. When you focus on something, you give sustained attention to it. The Bible gives us several things to focus on to help us keep our lives in balance. When we focus on what God asks us to focus on, we have peace, even in our problems. When we focus on the things that try to distract us from what God asks us to focus on, fear walks in, temptation comes knocking and worry tries to make itself at home. Where is your focus today? If it’s not on what God tells you to focus on, make some adjustments and retrain your mind by giving it your constant attention.

Here are some Bible verses on where to keep your focus.

1. You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Isaiah 26:3 AMP

2. 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.

Philippians 3:12-13 NLT

3. We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 TPT

4. For I’ve kept my eyes focused on his righteous words, and I’ve obeyed everything that he’s told me to do.

Psalms 18:22 TPT

5. Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2 AMP

Photo by Davidson Luna on Unsplash

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October 16, 2023 · 5:47 AM

Seeking God’s Plan

We recent,y had a guest speaker at church who is also a professor at a Christian college. He told the story of how one of his classes asked him, “What do you think Christians struggle with most?” He then posed it to the audience and fielded responses. Some said loving others, obedience, overcoming temptation, etc. All the usual suspects were called out. He then said he asked his class for two days to ponder the question. As he thought about it, there wasn’t an answer for Christians as a whole because Christianity is made up of unique individuals with their own propensities and struggles. As I’ve thought about my own personal answer to that question, I’ve also thought about us as a whole and how we are good about praising God, but then forgetting what He’s done in the past, as well as, making decisions without involving Him or seeking His plan for us.

In 1 Samuel 13 King Saul been king for a couple of years and had seen God miraculously deliver him and the army in battle. In this instance, he had attacked a garrison of the Philistine army and then called the warriors to him for battle. While the arrived, he waited for Samuel to arrive to sacrifice and to seek God’s guidance and blessing. He began to see the Philistine army arrive in force and panicked. He made the sacrifice himself and the kingdom was taken from him. He acted much like israel did when leaving Egypt. They had seen God’s hand deliver them with the plagues, yet they forgot and began to doubt God at the Red Sea. Psalm 106:12-13 says, “Then Israel believed in [the validity of] His words; They sang His praise. But they quickly forgot His works; They did not [patiently] wait for His counsel and purpose [to be revealed regarding them]” (AMP). In each of these instances the consequences of forgetting and acting without waiting on God had dire consequences.

Proverbs 19:21 says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (NLT). Is this something you struggle with too? The consequences are too dire for us to continue trying to execute our own plan without seeking what God’s plan is. There’s too much at stake when we forget what He’s done in the past for us. James 1:5 tells us He will give us wisdom if we seek Him for it. In Matthew 6 Jesus told us to seek God’s kingdom first then everything else will fall into place. Let’s work on keeping our eyes and hearts focused on God even when our current circumstances want to make us doubt and forget what He’s done for us in the past. Let’s ask Him what His plan is for us and then give Him the freedom to execute it because His plan and purpose for us is what’s going to succeed. You probably won’t overcome your struggle overnight, but you can focus on getting a little bit better each day.

Photo by Glitch on Unsplash

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June 30, 2023 · 5:41 AM

Building Endurance

In the Bible, the Greek word for endurance is hypomone. Strong’s Concordance defines it as, “The characteristic of a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials.” Over and over the Bible says we must have this kind of endurance. We must be the type of person who keeps our eyes and mind on the things above and not lose our focus when things come against us. Our nature is to be like Peter where we take our eyes off Jesus and look at the storm around us. Like Peter, we can lose our footing if that happens, but God is gracious and helps us back up so we can continue. If you’re going through trials, remember your purpose and reset your focus. You’re building an endurance that is necessary to your faith.

Here are some Bible verses on endurance.

1. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,

Colossians 1:11 NLT

2. For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.

Hebrews 10:36 AMP

3. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT

4. May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 NLT

5. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].

James 1:3 AMP

Photo by Ashley Knedler on Unsplash

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March 23, 2022 · 5:41 AM

Distracted Lives

We live in the age of the distracted driver. Because I’m a nosy person, and I’ve spent a lot of time in traffic, I’ve seen a lot of distracted people. I’ve seen someone reading a book while driving on a highway. I’ve also seen a lady applying mascara while traveling at least 70 mph. It seems theres a new video or story each week of Tesla drivers who are asleep while the car drives. Most of us are guilty of eating while driving, and there’s probably just as many who are on their phones while cruising at a high rate of speed. These distractions take our eyes off the road, and often causes us to veer out of our lane, which is very dangerous.

The Bible is full of people just like that, except they weren’t driving. They were living their life with the right intentions, but got distracted from the truth. Adam and Eve kicked off the human race by turning their eyes from God to the forbidden fruit. David was supposed to be on the war path, but ended up getting distracted on his balcony. Judas followed Jesus wherever He went, but got distracted by greed. Temptation happened to all of them, just like it does for us. It’s goal is to get us to take our eyes off of where we’re headed so that we will veer. Once we start veering, the road can get pretty rough and bumpy.

Solomon, who also got distracted, gave us this advice in Proverbs 4:26. He said, “Watch where you’re going! Stick to the path of truth, and the road will be safe and smooth before you” (TPT). It’s important for us to keep our eyes on Jesus each day. Temptation is lurking at every corner trying to get us to leave the path God set out for us. Like Jesus, we need to know the Word of God so we can use the truth of it to combat the lies. We can’t afford to live distracted lives. Commit each day to following the paths of truth. When you find yourself getting distracted, and notice the road is getting bumpy, refocus your attention on the One who laid out a path before you. There’s no better way to get back on that path than seeking forgiveness and repenting. Look to Jesus and live distraction free.

Photo by Cristofer Maximilian on Unsplash

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May 26, 2020 · 6:04 AM

Chasing Illusions

One of my buddies is a pretty good magician. He has mastered the art of illusion. Over the years, I became his set up man for his tricks we would do in trainings. Because of my investment, I got to see behind the scenes to each illusion. One of our favorites was a disappearing coin. He would show someone two different coins of different sizes and have them open their hands. He then placed a coin in each of their hands. We would have them close their hands on the coin and identify which was larger. They then clasped their hands, shook them up and separated again. Once they identified the larger coin, they would open their hand and show us. When they opened the other hand, it was a coin exactly like the other. They always wanted to know where the smaller coin went. So he would send them back to their seat and it would be in their book or purse, and neither of us moved.

All illusions trick the brain into believing something other than what’s true. Once the brain believes it, it’s very difficult to convince it otherwise. There are so many illusions that our enemy uses to distract us, and to get us off the paths God has for us. We end up chasing something that looks good, and our brain believes is good, but in the end, it’s just an illusion that distracts us from what God wants. We all fall for them because we’re human and the devil is a master deceiver. He is constantly trying to disrupt our focus, our direction and our relationship with God. His goal is to get us to believe something other than what God said or meant. Think of Adam and Eve in the garden. The fruit was the illusion to distract with the belief that God was holding out on them. The moment they fell for it, they realized they had been fooled.

The main way to combat the illusions and lies of our enemy is to know God’s Word and put it in our heart that we might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11). David knew this importance and wrote a prayer just a few verses later. It says in verse 37, “Help me turn my eyes away from illusions so that I pursue only that which is true; drench my soul with life as I walk in your paths” (TPT). Asking God to help us keep our eyes on Him is another important thing we can do to keep from falling for illusions. Any accomplished magician has mastered the art of distraction. So has our enemy. Keep your eyes on Jesus, stay in His Word and pray that you stay focused on Him. The enemy’s illusions end up leaving you empty handed chasing after something that isn’t real, but God’s paths lead to fulfillment and life.

Thanks to @omkarn285 for making this photo available freely on @unsplash

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May 5, 2020 · 5:54 AM

Start Running Again

I’m going to tell you something, but you have to promise not to laugh. Years ago, I lived near the local YMCA. I had a membership and would use it to exercise. They had their treadmills right up front facing the window towards the parking lot. I went in and started jogging on one working my way up to running looking outside. There was a TV in the room, but it was four machines over to the right and up in the corner. As I was running, something came on that made me look. I started watching TV while running. My right foot missed the treadmill and landed on the side, which is stationary. I went forward, hit the front of the machine, fell backwards on my rear onto the now sprinting speed treadmill. It shot me off backwards. I did a backflip when I hit the floor. I jumped up, like nothing happened, because people were in there jogging next to me. I got on the treadmill, ran for about 10 seconds, turned off the machine, walked out and never went back.

I’ve never been able to get on a treadmill without thinking about that moment since. Falling shook my confidence in those machines even though it was my fault. As a former runner, I should have known better than to look anywhere but straight ahead while running. Looking anywhere else distracts you from the goal and causes you to drift, losing precious time. In this case, I lost my pride too. The same feelings happen when we take our eyes off of Jesus and fall. Sometimes our fall is public and we feel like we can’t face those people again. Sometimes there’s a constant reminder of it that causes us to hang our head in shame even though we’ve been forgiven. And almost all the time, you have feelings of being a second rate Christian because of it. I’m here to tell you those feelings of shame and condemnation are not from God.

Proverbs 4:25 says, “Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don’t hang your head in shame” (GNT). It’s time to pick up your head and start running again. Your sin and your past is no longer remembered by God. It has been cast as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). There is a robe of Christ’s righteousness around you and your relationship with God is based on that and not your past failures. It’s time to get back on track and to start moving ahead with confidence. You’ve stayed in the swamp of despondency long enough. God still has a plan and a purpose. Nothing you do could ever remove that from you. It is irrevocable according to Romans 11:29. So fix your eyes straight ahead on Jesus and start running once again.

Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash

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