Getting our focus right!

[mattfivefour]

Here's another old post that is certainly timely for me. I pray it helps someone else, as well.

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Sometimes as we live our lives and deal with the issues that swirl around us and often flood in upon us we wind up almost drowned in the waters of our lives. We worry about what is going to become of us? How are we going to make it through? What about our jobs? Our homes? Our possessions? Why isn't God doing what we want Him to do in our lives, what we think He should be doing. And our daily thoughts and worries focus constantly on ...

.................................... ... US.

Us ... us ... us. "Lord, I have given you my life. I have asked you to be my Lord and Savior. So why am I going through this? Why must everything be so hard for me? Where is my deliverance? Where is my help? My burden is so heavy, my situation so tough. What will happen to me?"

Friends ... brothers and sisters ... dearly beloved of God ... when we feel this way, we need to get our eyes of ourselves. Off our problems. Off our worries. Off our fears. And realize that He has everything under control and He will work everything out for our good. We need to stop worrying about ourselves and start worshiping HIM.

We need to worship Him not just with our lips but with our lives. As Paul said, "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) Why?

BECAUSE HE IS GOD!!!

He is God and worthy of all praise, honor, and glory! We should praise Him for Who He is. the Almighty Creator who by the word of His mouth spoke everything into being and by Whom everything continues in place. Our call to worship the Almighty God is not because of what He has done for us ... though He has done marvelous things. Nor is it because of what He has said He will do for us ... though those promises are more precious that all the gold and the silver and the most valuable riches on the entire planet. It is simply because of WHO ... HE ... IS.

\o/

So I just want to praise the Lord today ... and give Him Glory. Not for my salvation … though there is nothing I have which is more precious ... and there is no love imaginable that does not pale in comparison to the love He has shown to me. Not for what He has done in my life … though He has done so very, very much... way beyond my ability to tell. Not for what I see Him doing in my Christian brothers and sisters … though what I see fills my heart with praise.

No I just want to praise Him today for Who He is!

As Moses sang:

“Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb. For I proclaim the name of the LORD! Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:1)

As Hannah prayed:

“There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)

As David exulted:

“For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth." (Psalm 108:5)

As the glorified saints cried:

“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10)

And as all the angels and the elders and the four living creatures replied:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:12)

O LORD, allow me, as weak and as worthless as I am, to add my poor voice to the throngs from Adam to the last saint to make it to glory who fall on their faces and cry "Worthy! Worthy! Worthy! All glory to the One by Whom are all things, through Whom are all things, and for Whom are all things. You are perfect in all your ways, O LORD."



But Lord, I know that while it is Your right to be worshiped and I desired today to do nothing but worship You for who You are, it is also Your express will that we bring our needs to You ... for You delight in hearing our prayers and answering in Your wisdom. (You have given us so many privileges by making us Your children!) So, Lord, having worshiped you for Who you are, I now come to you with personal petitions.

Teach me to always trust you in all things, for You love me and care for me with a passion and a promise that cannot be overthrown, that cannot be overcome, that cannot be over shadowed ... that can never fade away. Each morning your mercies are renewed. Teach me, O LORD, to always keep my heart stayed on You ... that I may be kept in perfect peace as Your Word promises.

O LORD, continue to change me that I may be a better and more faithful witness for you, a better and more faithful servant, obeying you in all things. And help me get my eyes off this world and that which is in it and instead get them on the promise you have given, the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, the promise of eternal life in Your Holy Presence:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.' And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true.' Then He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.'" (Revelation 21:1-7)

Hallelujah!

\o/

Amen

[Meg]

Amen

[Elijah's Mantle]

so very true brother Matt


In my heart Ive believed more than ever lately that God is insisting that we trust and believe him and turn all doubt fear and worry regarding our lives out .

Its a tuff call for us craven mortals yes

But so necessary so vital and important I really believe God is serious very serious about some things and trusting him totally is one of em

out on a limb gets a little nerve racking I realize
but its better than live switches retaliating because of doubt and fear

one means of a way or another God insists we get it learned

as Ive gone along Ive had one notion that is like a rock
choose wisely

Its occurred fully to me why

[Kathy_57]

Amen - Thank you Matt for sharing - As Elijah's Mantle said - we are mere mortals and it is easy to lose focus when our lives are turned upside down. No matter what we go through in our lives, we need to cling to that wonderful promise - He will never leave us nor forsake us! We do not see the bigger picture as He does (which is probably a good thing) - I am reminded of that old hymn "Trust and Obey" for there is no other way! We need to be trusting Him in every area of our lives as we all know His ways are far better than anything we could ever imagine. It is not always easy and I for one can attest to that in my life but if we are to find true peace in our lives, then we need to take the focus off of ourselves and unto Him.

[BobFin]

Amen and Amen!

I the last couple of years, I have become convinced that most of my problems occur because I focus too much on myself! I took on the mantra that I was going to look for those who I could be a blessing to instead of looking at myself and my situation. Boy did things change for me - attitude wise! I was blessed beyond any blessing I ever deserve. I was (and still am) full of more Joy than ever before.

In Oregon (where I live) public education is being cut big time. My wife is a teacher and I work with special needs students. With the cuts of the last 3 years, we live on $500+ a month less than 3 years ago. That's a big chunk. It's been hard, but God is taking care of us and we don't go without what is needed. There might be some things that I would like that I don't have, but we have food on the table and a roof over our heads and we are happy. God supplies our needs!

We always need to remember that our lives are not our own. We belong to Him! Thank you for re posting this Adrian!