Sharpen My Focus

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With another year starting up, I have been contemplating and praying about how to manage my life in better alignment with God’s Word.  While a new decade is upon us, I am more concerned about the year ahead.  Better yet, I need to build my faith day-by-day.

Last year, I kept three key words close to my heart:

  • Faith
  • Family
  • Health

While I have been successful in managing my pre-diabetic condition, and my family has been a true blessing in so many ways, I still feel there is room for growth in my faith.

In reading Scripture, Jesus is always connected to us.  At the same time, there is a need to reshape my daily habits by reading God’s Word with a deeper understanding and to be more consistent in prayer.

From John 15:1-2:  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.”

  • God prunes and shapes. 
  • Bear more fruit by sharpening my faith.

From John 15:11:  “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”

  • Christ’s joy resides in me. 
  • He keeps my cup overflowing with joy. 
  • I will abide in the Father and the Son.

My mother (she will turn 82 this month) reminds me to make each day precious.

With faith at the forefront of my agenda for 2020, I will use a phrase to better emphasize keeping my faith on track and growing.

  • “Sharpen My Focus”

With God’s guidance, this Grace-driven foundation will consistently build up my spiritual energy.

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Henri Nouwen Quote

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A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly form an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some inner space where we can listen to our God and follow His guidance.

From Psalm 37:23-24:  “Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when He delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.”

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.

Waiting For Rain

 

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What is so special about simple rain?

Have you truly witnessed God’s gift of rain?

 

Everywhere, anticipation of rain

Withering crops crave God’s rainfall today

Farmers wait faithfully for rains to come

Without rain, hearts and plants start to decay

 

The farmland depends on these vital rains

Last year, little rain arrives to help out

Sunny skies chase away clouds too often

“Next year” cries out from thirsty lands of drought

 

Farmers sow their spring crops on faith alone

Waiting for nature to moisten the ground

Praying to the Lord, asking for His rain

Rain arrives, new life rising skyward bound

 

God sends righteousness, in the form of rain

Fulfilling prayers, easing farmers’ pain

From Isaiah 45:8:  “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also; I the Lord have created it.”

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God’s Team

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Jesus gathers up His apostles from humble ground

Making up God’s team, their witness shall abound

 

God’s Word oversees the performance of this team

Standing as chief executive, seeing holiest theme

 

The Holy Spirit earmarks the hearts and brains

Serving as the binding glue, better than chains

 

Returning to the beginning of God’s creative time

Transforming a land, His Word continues to climb

 

The Creator conceives of a perfect place for man

Placing Adam and Eve in Eden, always His plan

 

But, Adam and Eve journey on a sin-filled path

Leaving the ample garden, under God’s wrath

 

From this moment, God’s team stumbles and wanders

Facing estrangement from God, His people squander

 

Jesus comes to bridge what separates us from God

Sitting at the right hand, coaching a humbled squad

 

God establishes His expectations, perfectly high

Faltering and imperfect mortals, will never satisfy

 

The team continues to collapse over and over again

Forgetting God’s Commandments, sin seems to win

 

Many teams measure success by the flashy show

Works by themselves, will never add much glow

 

But, Jesus shepherds His team on a brand new track

Following by faith alone, Jesus always has their back

 

He reminds us to always love our God in Heaven’s seat

Loving each other as you have loved Me, always repeat

 

A bloody, criminal’s Cross summons all to take a knee

Accepting Jesus as Savior, teammates look up to see

 

Our Father orchestrates, with infinite patience and love

Creating and molding, the Great I Am looks from above

 

Jesus remains alert at the Creator’s side

Carrying keys to eternal life, all bona fide

 

As team members, we must trust, follow, and abide

Playing for Jesus, His coaching is forever our guide

 

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Napoleon Hill Quote

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Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

From Habakkuk 2:2:  “Then the Lord answered me and said:  ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.'”

Jesus Will Be With Us

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An early winter blizzard covers the immense ranching country.  The harshness of the storm threatens everyone’s safety, both people and cattle.

Phone lines are disconnected, with most on the ground.  Electricity is off except where well-prepared ranchers turn on generators to provide for their needs.  All roads into each ranch are drifted shut with the heavy, dense snow.

One rancher is overly concerned for the welfare of his family and his cattle herd.  The family is warm and safe inside their home, and they have enough groceries to last for several more days.

However, the cattle stand in harm’s way.  Their water supply and feeding schedule have been disrupted, and the rancher worries about the length of the storm and the consequences for his 300 plus head of Black Angus cows.

At suppertime on the third night of the storm, the atmosphere is tense.  The rancher’s son sees the worry painted on his father’s face.  This faithful, little soul of a five-year old reminds his father with words filled with hope, “Jesus will be with us.”

Overnight the storm begins to abate and move on.  In the morning, crews begin to slowly and carefully clear the roads.  In a matter of hours, they will reach the isolated ranch.

Using his powerful four-wheel tractor with its giant dozer blade, the rancher clears a path to where his precious cattle are nestled against the wall of a massive shelter.  While he makes sure the water is running, and the cattle receive their hay with a helping of rolled oats, he smiles and remembers the faithful words of his young son, “Jesus will be with us.”

Henry Blackaby Quote

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Our ways may seem good to us.  We may even enjoy some moderate successes.  But when we do the work of God in our our own ways, we will never see the power of God in what we do.  God reveals His ways because that is the only way to accomplish His purposes.

From Ephesians 1:18-19:  “So that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe, according to the working of His great power.”

Angel’s Message

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Summer’s radiant warmth fills the morning air

Playing children scamper, filling simple cares

 

Park trees arising with lively hues, bounty of dreams

Dancing shadows flowing beneath, moving like streams

 

People come and go, some stay for more

Singing above, summer birds fly and soar

 

Empty benches welcome many, resting a spell

Inviting a gray-haired man to sit now and dwell

 

Images scurry around him, some only in his mind

Remembering yesteryears, when all felt defined

 

Career, money, and power once meeting his needs

Sitting all alone now, like ancient dried-up reeds

 

One detail has been missing in his life

Leaving God has wounded like a knife

 

Alone, feeling forsaken, helpless at times

Living a life, nothing richer than springtime

 

Laughing and carefree, small children bring him joy

Filling his empty heart, much like a brand new toy

 

At God’s chosen bench, now sharing with a stranger

Smiling, a lady shares about a stable’s Holy manger

 

She notices him here quite often, sitting all alone

Inspired by God’s love, now enters his quiet zone

 

This visit and chat create sweet treasures

Sharing God’s Word, true by any measure

 

Jesus’ message of Salvation brings honest light

Kneeling, the old man accepts his Holy might

 

This worn bench brings God to a lonely heart

Allowing this man, a fresh and bold restart

 

Her assignment being fulfilled, now time to travel on

Replenishing this man’s heart with Grace and a song

 

Many others arrive at this park every day

Missing out on what this angel has to say

 

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Lee Strobel Quote

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All we needed when we first came to Jesus was His grace, and grace is all we need to grow in Christ.  Grace liberates us.  Our tendency toward performance imprisons us.

From Ephesians 2:8-9:  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God–not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”