Focus

Trying to write a story for my blog during a Packer game is not the easiest thing to do, nor the smartest. It seems like just as I get an idea or a thought about what to write I get distracted, lose my focus, and end up watching the game.

If I were sitting here all by myself, the decision about what to do would be easy. I'd turn off the television and focus on the task at hand - writing. But I am sitting here with my wife - the Packer fan in the house. She is also a God-honoring recipient of my attention. What to do? That's easy. I spend time with my wife. And I type when I can. I'll be back later . . .

Jeopardy Theme

There, the game is over. My wife is ironing. We have eaten dinner. The Packers are 6-0. Life is good. Now what was I writing about? Oh, yeah . . . . staying focused. Oops.

This world we live in has so many things that distract us from God. I personally cannot go through a single day without something distracting me from reading my Bible . . . which I haven't done for two whole days now! Yard work, taking walks with my wife, those are a few GOOD distractions but there are other things that distract us more sinful ways. Television, movies, shopping, reading (books other than the bible). I struggle devoting enough time to God in my daily life and that bothers me. God should be my number one priority and so often God gets brushed aside in our lives. It should NOT be that way. It CANNOT be that way.

It is so hard to get this world we live in out of our lives. We are saturated by it. It is everywhere. It sticks to us as we walk through it and we simply cannot get rid of it.

Whoa. That's not exactly right. We CAN get rid of it, at least the power it has over us. We cannot get rid of it on our own but Jesus can help us loosen the chains by freeing us from sin. Thank God for Jesus!!!

If we think of who were are, who we were before placing our faith in Christ, there is really no need for despair. We have been chosen, hand-picked by God, to be one of His children. Yeah, we're misfits, broken, failures at being perfect. But guess what . . . :)

There is power in the name of Jesus. He heals the sick, He raises the dead, He can make the blind see and the lame walk. There is no other name by which we are saved! So rejoice!! Place your hope in Jesus. Keep your focus on the finish line and not on the crowd. Finish the race!

"When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” - Matthew 11:1-6

Name Of Jesus - Chris Tomlin