February's Focus

Well Hello February! Hard to believe we’ve unwrapped and tucked away the gifts of January 2018 already. It was a month of getting into the Rest and Grace of God’s rhythm by spending time in His presence so that we can hear His voice and learn His ways. Have you gotten in the groove? Are you moving to the beat of His heart?

Personally speaking, it’s a discipline. It’s still work, it’s still a choice and it’s the desire of my heart that one day it will not be my second nature but my first!

In my own journey through cancer, in relationships and day to day, the question that I keep hearing is  “But what about you?” he (Jesus) asked. “Who do YOU say I am?”  Simon Peter was blessed for his answer, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” from (Matthew 13:15,16)

Jesus’ response is mind blowing, “You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are.”  I want that! I want God himself to reveal to me who He is in every situation. And I want to know who I really am in God’s eyes. 

In verse 19 Jesus proclaims “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”  To live in that truth, in that blessing, in that kingdom, that should be ours.  

But quite honestly, where I get hung up is always wondering what others say about who I am. Why does that matter? But maybe it should? If Jesus asked it, should we also ask it? Maybe I’m afraid of the answer.

The truth of the matter is, once someone answers that question, even if you didn’t ask it, the tape just keeps playing. The wounds and words, the offenses become a part of us because we collect and carry them with us for so long they become familiar. We think we need them. What we need to find is the delete key. The delete key is the one that says “forgiveness”. 

In order for us to know and live in the truth of who we are in Christ, daughters of the the king, joint heirs, we need to release to God the pain, the wounds, the incidents, the person, the offense and let Him handle it. When we release it, we are free from the effect of the poison in the remembering. Forgiveness will clear our vision so that we will see ourselves through the eyes of God. To live our lives in the light of how God created us and has always seen us is just the beginning. 

So the journey continues and the question keeps me seeking. Seeking in the quiet, seeking in the stillness, seeking in the beauty of His creation. “God sets out the entire creation as a science classroom, using birds and beasts to teach wisdom.” (Job 35:11)

Thank you for joining us as we continue to focus, adjust perspective, re-focus and always, always look for the light that dispels the darkness of disease, broken families, shattered dreams, shipwrecked relationships and the lies of Satan. Our Focus for Hope is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. He alone gives Life, Hope and Restoration. Let all that is within me bless his Holy name. 

 Psalm 103

A song of David.

1 O my soul, come, praise the Eternal
    with all that is in me—body, emotions, mind, and will—every part of who I am—
    praise His holy name.
2 O my soul, come, praise the Eternal;
    sing a song from a grateful heart;
    sing and never forget all the good He has done.
3 Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you.
    More than any doctor, He heals your diseases.
4 He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death.
    He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king.
5 When your soul is famished and withering,
    He fills you with good and beautiful things, satisfying you as long as you live.
    He makes you strong like an eagle, restoring your youth.

6 When people are crushed, wronged, enslaved, raped, murdered,
    the Eternal is just;
    He makes the wrongs right.
7 He showed Moses His ways;
    He allowed His people Israel to see His wonders and acts of power.
8 The Eternal is compassionate and merciful.
    When we cross all the lines, He is patient with us.
    When we struggle against Him, He lovingly stays with us—changing, convicting, prodding;
9 He will not constantly criticize,
    nor will He hold a grudge forever.
10 Thankfully, God does not punish us for our sins and depravity as we deserve.
    In His mercy, He tempers justice with peace.
11 Measure how high heaven is above the earth;
    God’s wide, loving, kind heart is greater for those who revere Him.
12 You see, God takes all our crimes—our seemingly inexhaustible sins—and removes them.
    As far as east is from the west, He removes them from us.
13 An earthly father expresses love for his children;
    it is no different with our heavenly Father;
The Eternal shows His love for those who revere Him.
14 For He knows what we are made of;
    He knows our frame is frail, and He remembers we came from dust.

15 The children of Adam are like grass;
    their days are few;
    they flourish for a time like flowers in a meadow.
16 As the wind blows over the field and the bloom is gone,
    it doesn’t take much to blow us out of the memory of that place.
17 But the unfailing love of the Eternal is always and eternal
    for those who reverently run after Him.
    He extends His justice on and on to future generations,
18 To those who will keep His bond of love
    and remember to walk in the guidance of His commands.

19 The Eternal has established His throne up in the heavens.
    He rules over every seen and unseen realm and creature.
20 Adore Him! Give Him praise, you heavenly messengers,
    you powerful creatures who listen to
    and act on His every word.
21 Give praise to the Eternal, all armies of heaven—
    you servants who stand ready to do His will.
22 Give praise to the Eternal, all that He has made
    in all corners of His creation.
O my soul, come, praise the Eternal!