February 2019 Focus

We Need To Be Cross-Conscious!

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” ~1 Corinthians 2:2

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian church, said that he determined to know nothing among them except “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” In other words, Paul, who wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, had his mind full of Jesus and His finished work.

Beloved, God wants your mind full of the cross of Jesus. He wants you cross-conscious.

But what does it mean to be cross-conscious?

To be cross-conscious is to see Jesus, who loves you so much that He willingly died for you on the cross. To be cross-conscious is to look to Jesus, who offered His own body to be punished, so that your body can be free from all punishment.

To be cross-conscious is to fix your eyes on Jesus, who has provided for your deliverance and victory at the cross. At the cross, all your enemies were vanquished. All your diseases were destroyed. Your poverty was removed at the cross. Your sins were wiped out at the cross.

When the Israelites tasted bitterness in the waters of Marah, God showed Moses a tree, which he cast into the waters, making them sweet (see Exodus 15:23–26). The tree represents the cross, which turned the bitter waters sweet. Today, Calvary’s tree has turned your bitter situations sweet. Because of the cross, you can expect to see the bitter situations in your life made sweet!

When the Israelites were bitten by serpents in the wilderness, God told Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole. The pole represents the cross and bronze speaks of judgment. Those who beheld the serpent on the pole lived because they saw their problem—the deadly serpent—nailed and put to death on the cross (see Numbers 21:6–9).

Today, you too will not die but live when you see all your sins judged at the cross, and with them, all your sicknesses, diseases, pains, failures and defeats! At the cross, all that is deadly in your life has been removed! Praise the Lord!

2019 Focus for the New Year

You Can Easily Enjoying Life In A Way Most People Don’t

Focus Scriptures: Proverbs 3:5-6; John 10:10; Matthew 28:19

In the past few years, I’ve been enlightened more on enjoying life in the present. I also realized that many of us assume that we need to make drastic changes to our habits, routines and/or bank balances to be happy. In reality, however, that’s not the case. Often, we already have everything we need to enjoy life—it’s just a question of prioritizing what’s really important. Throughout my life by way of studying, researching and observing; I have developed a list of some simple ways you can enjoy your life more—starting today!

1. Focus On Yourself

Other people will always be on hand to offer up their opinions and advice. Ultimately, however, it’s we, and we alone, that have to live with the consequences of our decisions.

2. Make Time To Relax

Making time to relax and reconnect with ourselves leaves us better equipped to deal with more challenging periods.

3. Avoid The News

It’s all too easy to get sucked into public drama, online and offline. Trust that if something important happens, you’ll know about it. Otherwise, save your energy and spend your time on something more worthwhile.

4. Nurture Your Positive Relationships

Make time to nurture the positive relationships you have with friends and family. Identify the people who lift you up and focus your energy on them.

5. Meet New People

Community is one of the most important needs we have. Making a consistent effort to meet new people helps us fulfill that need and introduces us to new ideas and perspectives.

6. Explore New Places

New places and cultures offer a different perspective on the world and add a healthy dose of inspiration and possibility to our lives.

7. Keep A Wish List

Whenever you think of something you’d like to try or a place you’d like to visit, write it down and keep a collection. It keeps the dream alive and stops it from fizzling out as a forgotten thought.

8. Try New Things

Commit to trying a certain number of items from your wish list each year to make sure they don’t just stay as wishes.

9. Spend Money On Experiences, Not Possessions

It’s experiences, not possessions, that create memories and meaning.

10. Cut Down Your Junk

Physical clutter equals mental clutter. Reducing the amount of stuff around us fosters a calmer mental state.

11. Make Time For Gratitude And Appreciation

Creating a routine of writing down three things we feel grateful for each day helps us focus more on what we’re grateful for in life.

12. Track How You’re Spending Your Time

It’s easy to get to the end of a day and wonder where all the time went, so track how you spend your time in an average week. When we’re conscious of how we’re spending our hours, we can make the most of the time we have on this planet.

13. Be Deliberate In Your Choices

We’ve never had so many opportunities to create a lifestyle that we truly love, yet many of us still live life on autopilot. Be deliberate in your life choices: Remember that it’s your life and no one else’s.

14. Invest In Yourself 

The more self-aware and self-accepting we are, the happier we are. Make time to read the Bible, Biblically-based personal development books, journal, and focus on being compassionate towards yourself.

15. Remember That All Feelings Pass

A key part of enjoying life is accepting that we’re not going to feel 100% happy 100% of the time. During the more challenging times, remember that life is one big cycle of ups and downs, and remember that all feelings pass.

16. Celebrate Wins

In a goal-obsessed society, it’s easy to bounce from one milestone to the next without savoring our successes. Make time to celebrate your wins—no matter how small, and focus on enjoying the journey rather than the destination.

17. Allow Yourself To Feel Happy

Many of us find it challenging to enjoy a calm, “normal” life. Give yourself permission to enjoy a drama-free existence and focus on finding pleasure in your daily experiences.

18. Practice Mindfulness

Noticing how we feel and what’s around us right now is an effective way of getting out of our heads, detaching from our worries, and returning to the experience of what it’s truly like to be alive.

19. Get Outside

Feel the wind on your face, the sun on your skin, and enjoy a good dose of Vitamin D and fresh air.

20. Speak Your Mind

When we hold back our thoughts, opinions, and desires out of fear of displeasing others, we’re not being true to ourselves. Speak up and feel uncomfortable in the short-term, and you’ll enjoy life more in the long-term.

21. Record Happy Moments

Take photos, journal, draw—whatever you need to do to record happy moments and memories.

22. Get Active

Exercises release endorphins, natural pain-relieving and stress-busting chemicals.

23. Keep Learning

Find enjoyment through a sense of purpose, and make time to explore subjects that interest you. After all, you never know where your interest might lead!

24. Practice Compassion

When we can feel compassion for ourselves and compassion for others, even difficult situations become rewarding and, ultimately, more enjoyable.

25. Give Back

Spending time on activities that make a difference to others, through pursuits like volunteering, helps instill a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. Even though some of the activities might not be that enjoyable or exciting, the simple act of giving back is a reward in itself. 

Brenda JP Crawford Ministries encourage you to have the Best Year Ever!