June 2019 Focus

Hello June! June is a great month and my birthday month. School’s out. The days are long. The weather’s warm.

This month meditate on...

GOOD RELATIONSHIP

Good relationships don’t happen by accident. They take cultivation, work, and a lot of time. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (ESV).

Did you know that your socializing can keep you from having deep relationships? You can be so busy networking, contacting, and making acquaintances that you never invest the time and energy and effort it takes to cultivate the deep, satisfying intimacy of a good friend or a good spouse.

It’s not wrong to have a lot of acquaintances, but they can keep you so busy that you don’t develop any vital, close relationships. You don’t need a lot of friends to make it in this world, but you do need a few good ones. Focus on quality, not quantity. Your acquaintances—your hundreds of Facebook “friends” and Instagram followers—aren’t necessarily going to be there when you need them. But the friends you are truly connected and committed to will be there.

Every important, close connection begins with a commitment. If you want to get beyond shallow, superficial relationships, you’ve got to be willing to stick with it. This month I challenge you to take one practical step to move a specific relationship forward and deeper!

May 2019 Focus

Let’s Grow Through The Rain

The popular phrase “April showers bring May flowers” is true both literally and figuratively. April is usually a very rainy period that yields new life and fresh growth come May. When it comes to our lives, we’re sure to have seasons where it feels like the storms of life are never-ending, yet the rain is just watering the ground for the seeds that were planted to sprout and flourish. Spring brings rain, but it also brings the harvest! 

How do we walk through something difficult times with our eyes fixed on Jesus and our hearts full of hope? How do we move forward when things don’t make sense? How do we trust God when everything seems to be going wrong? 

Jesus says a powerful statement in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

Jesus never promised us a storm-free life, but He promised to be our shelter in the middle of the storm. Are you going through a stormy or rainy season? Don’t run from the rain, run to your shelter, your hiding place, your secure spot found under the shadow of His wings. When the rain comes, don’t just go through it, grow through it. 

Maybe you’re experiencing a storm in your family, relationships, career, dreams, or finances. If so, know this: spring is coming! The difficult times in life often lead us to the breakthrough we need! Hard situations produce patience in our hearts as we develop in endurance, character, and spiritual maturity. No rain, no gain. As a farmer, rain brings the harvest. Let’s learn to sing in the rain, dance in the rain, and make the most of the rain as we grow through it! 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do when we’re in the middle of a storm is to look up to see that other people are hurting as well. One way we can intentionally love and serve others in the midst of our pain is through our giving and serving in kingdom building.

If the rain is raging all around you, hold tight, God’s got you! He will lovingly lead you through to the other side. He is working all things together for your good. You will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Storms always come to an end—the sun always shines again. 

Let God turn your pain into a purpose. Let Him turn your mess into a ministry. Embrace the rain and run to Him—He’s faithful to shelter you through the storm. That’s how we grow through the rain. Amen!

March 2019 Focus

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?” (1 Corinthians 4:7 TLB).

In past we talked about how trusting in God’s goodness helps us face life’s struggles. So, what happens when we forget God’s goodness?

When we forget God’s goodness, we start claiming credit for things God has done.

In Luke 12, Jesus tells a story of a rich man who had been very successful but didn’t give God any of the credit. This man thought he built his wealth all by himself. God says to him, “You fool. Tonight you’re going to die, and I’m going to give everything you’ve amassed to somebody else who will appreciate it and express their gratitude to me.”

That’s a serious warning!

Prideful ingratitude is the sin that got Satan kicked out of heaven, and it’s the source of all our sins. When you stop being grateful to God, you get into trouble: “Yes, [people] knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused” (Romans 1:21 NLT).

The problem with the self-made man is that he worships his maker. You may be thinking, Wait a minute; I built this business with my bare hands. But who gave you your hands? I thought up the business plan totally by myself. But who gave you your mind? I worked for where I got today by the sweat of my brow. But who gave you the ability to work so hard?

“What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?” (1 Corinthians 4:7 TLB).

Everything you have in life—the ability to see, the ability to hear, the ability to eat, your freedom, your thoughts—you owe to God. You would not take your next breath if it weren’t for the goodness of God. You wouldn’t exist if God hadn’t made you to love you.

Ingratitude is actually one of the roots of atheism; when you’re ungrateful, you start dismissing or even denying what God has done. And that’s just a short step from denying that God even exists.

Yet the truth is we don’t even have to know a lot of the Bible to know a lot about God. All you have to do is walk outside. The Bible says it like this: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20 NLT).

When you start to doubt the goodness of God, just take a step outside your door and look around!