RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL ;
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14th 2019;
PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME PHD. DsC. D.D;
BE FOCUSED;
?For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed (Isaiah 50:7).
God wants us to set our hearts on His Word and not be distracted by circumstances, experiences, or adversity. It brings to mind the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:69 (MSG): “The godless spread lies about me, but I focus my attention on what you are saying.” Also, Romans 4:19 (MSG) says, “Abraham didn’t focus on his own impotence and say, ‘It’s hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.’ Nor did he survey Sarah’s decades of infertility and give up.”
In the New Testament, the Bible talks about Jesus in Luke 9:51: “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Why was His face set steadfastly on His destination? He knew that was His last visit to Jerusalem, and this time, it was for His life; He was going to the Cross to die for the sins of the world, and He wasn’t going to let anyone distract Him from it.
In our world today, there’re so many distractions, but you must remain focused on the dream, the vision,that the Lord has put in your heart. Have a tunnel-vision towards God’s agenda. It’s the way to win. Many years ago, the Lord said to me, “Son, don’t look around. Be focused; refuse to be distracted.”
Some Christians have found themselves being distracted by too many things. They’re distracted by the state of the economy and several other happenings around them. They can’t accomplish much in life that way. When you’re a man or woman of purpose and vision, you’re not perturbed about the economics or economies of this world, because you know that you’re not of this world.
Nothing in, and of this world can place a limit on you or cause you to be disadvantaged, because you won before you came. You were already a success before you started. Therefore, set your sail and rule your world.
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the high calling with which you called me in Christ Jesus. My eyes are on you, the author and perfecter of my faith. I don’t see shadows; I’m walking in your perfect will and destiny for my life, victorious all the way, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
Hebrews 12:1-2 AMPC THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Revelation 6 ; Amos 1-4
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 20:11-18 ; 2 Chronicles 28