Focus

God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed in the Garden.


Gen 2:8-9

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Notice that even the Tree of Life was available for them among the variety of other trees that were good to eat from.

Gen 2:15-17

And the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."


Next, notice that all satan had to do was to get their attention off of everything else that God had provided them and on to the one thing they didn't have.


Gen 3:1-7

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, "Yea, hath God said, `Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said unto the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, `Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it,lest ye die.'" And the serpent said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and ate, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he ate. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together, and made themselves things to gird about.


Adam and Eve had a perfect environment, a perfect relationship, and all of their physical, soulish, and spiritual needs met. I believe that since He is the same yesterday, today, and forever that they could even ask any questions of Him that they wanted during their cool of the evening walks and He would gladly share His wisdom.

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.

Yet instead of focusing on and being grateful for everything they had that God had freely and liberally given them, they got focused on the one thing they didn't have, and ended up loosing everthing.

Compromise

Folks today are so quick to compromise. We practice compromise daily on little things, and get far too comfortable just going along with the crowd. Is it really difficult to imagine that many who consider themselves christian will give little thought to compromising even in the last days even when the warning is clear and the
ramifications undeniable?

Rev 13:16-18
And he [the beast] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

How will we provide for our families if we can't buy or sell? If we do not believe that God is our source and provider now, then how will we believe that God will provide for us if we choose not to take the mark?


Rev 13:9-11
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.


Rev 16:1-2
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.


Rev 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Foolish Comparisons

Probably the most damaging, stress and contention causing behavior we can engage in is comparing ourselves to other people...


2 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV)

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.


2 Corinthians 10:12 (AMP)
Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.


Instead we need to examine ourselves and the only comparison we should make is ourselves to Jesus...

2 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP)
Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?

Treasure

Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 6:45 (Whole Chapter)
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh.

Matthew 12:35
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.


What you dwell on and focus on becomes your treasure.


Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Inoculation

I heard Billy Graham talking about how he would have to get cholera shots before going to some foreign countries. He described how the shot would give him just enough cholera to keep him from getting the "real thing".

He went on to say that many folks who call themselves Christians are like that. They get just enough religion in them to keep them from getting the Real Thing.

Stumbling

Proverbs 4:19
The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

When you walk in darkness, you know not at which you stumble

Renewing Your Mind

Most folks think that they spend time on what they desire.

The reality of the situation is, you build a desire for what you spend time on.

Whatever you give attention to, that is what you are going to desire.

Attend to the Word. Seek the Kingdom of God.

Spend your time and attention on the Word and renew your mind, renew your desires.

Change what you give attention to and your desires, appetites, personality, and entire world view will change.

Opposite of Love

Up until yesterday, I had always thought that the opposite of love is hate.

It isn't.

The opposite of love is selfishness. Love is the focus on giving into the lives of others.

Interestingly enough, hate can actually be a component of love. If you love God and people, then you will hate things that hurt God and people.

No Worries

God is not the author of confusion. We are not given a spirit of fear.

If you are confused then you are trying to figure something out yourself and have crossed the line from attentive concern into "worry". If you are in fear, then you aren't trusting God.

When you realize you are confused and in worry, you should stop yourself and cast your cares on Him.

How do you cast your cares on Him?

Casting your cares on Him is not the same as "blowing it off". Casting your cares on the Lord is taking action in Faith and Trust that God will be there to help you through it. More often than not, a solution will present itself or come into your mind that you would never have considered by yourself.

1. refocus your mind on God, He will keep you in perfect peace
2. pray, ask God for His wisdom in dealing with the situation. He gives wisdom liberally to all who ask
3. praise God, worship God
4. thank God that He is there for you to help you
5. get the focus off of yourself, refocus on loving others
6. seek God and His kingdom first, and everything else will be added to you
7. encourage yourself in the Lord
8. when you know not how you ought to pray, pray in the spirit\

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Judges 20:22 - And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

1 Samuel 30:6 - And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Jude 1:20 - But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost

Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Who's Your Daddy?

There is a choice of either life or death.

You are either of the Father which art in heaven, or a child of the father of lies, satan.

There is no in between. You can either submit yourself to God, and let God reveal to you who He created you to be, or you are wandering around letting the world tell you what you want and who you are.

We only operate at optimum efficiency if we function in the way we were created to function. We can only find satisfaction and peace if we are functioning the way we were designed to function.

Character of Love

Love suffers long
Love is kind
Love does not envy
Love does not promote self
Love is not puffed up
Love does not behave unseemly
Love seeks not its own
Love is not easily provoked
Love thinks no evil
Love does not rejoice in iniquity
Love rejoices in the truth
Love bears all things
Love believes all things
Love hopes all things
Love endures all things
Love never fails

Abide in Faith, Hope, and Love; and most of all, in Love

1Cor 13:4-8,13

Evil Communications Part 2

1Cor 15:33 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

If you think that listening to, reading, or watching evil communcations has no effect on you, then you are deceived.

Now, don't go and blame television or the media for your behavior. Don't blame your gossiping friends or your complaining coworkers for your bad attitudes.

Don't shift blame and responsiblity for your thoughts and behavior to anyone or anything else.

Now that you know that these things will impact you, you now know you need to take action to minimize that impact.

Even if the evil communications provided the seeds you have a choice in how far they develop.

There is a process in which seeds develop into weeds. They get distributed, planted (exposed but not resisted), germinate (concieve the idea), develop roots (impacts thoughts, overrides your resistance and rationalizes), develop leaves (begins impacting speech and behavior), and finally bear fruit (result in sinful behavior).

The earlier you interrupt this process the better.

First, in the vast majority of cases you have the choice in whether you expose yourself to corrupt seeds. If you are never exposed to it, then you are never tempted by it. The things you see or hear the most will dominate you.

Being that we are in the world, we cannot expect to prevent all exposure. We can still interrupt and reverse the process.

To prevent the seeds from developing into weeds, you must first recognize them as counter to God's Word. To do this, you must actually know what God has to say about the subject by having spent time in the Word. Once you recognize it as wrong, then remind yourself repeatedly of God's view on the subject.

Additionally, you must starve out the weeds by not feeding and watering them. Repeated exposure, daydreaming wrong things, or idle conversations go to reenforce and grow the weeds.

(Updated 3 Aug)

Part I

You Reap What You Sow

Galatians 6:7 - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Did you realize that "what goes around, comes around" was a biblical principle?

If you think you can go around sowing contention and strife and not have it come back to you, then you are deceived.

Additionally, whatever you sow will always come back to you multiplied.

If you sow a kernel of corn, you will get several ears worth of corn and thousands of kernals back in return when it comes time for harvest. Same goes for a grain of wheat, you get a header of wheat that has hundreds and thousands of grains just in that one plant.

Different kinds of seeds give different kinds of harvests. Corn and wheat cycle just for one season. Other kinds of seeds, like apple seeds, can result in trees that give multiple harvests over many seasons for the lifetime of the tree.

Be careful what you sow, it will come back to you. If you want to harvest love, you need to sow it.

Evil Communications

1Cor 15:33 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

You can turn this around and say it another way:

"If you think you can listen to, read, or watch evil communcations and not be effected, you are deceived."

Just turn on the television, listen to the radio, or flip through a magazine at the supermarket. Within in 5 minutes you will be exposed to more perversity and obscenity that most folks might have been exposed to in an entire lifetime not 50 years ago.

All around us, every form of media seeks to push the limits and go to another level of extreme in order to get our attention. The reason they have to keep going to extremes to get our attention, is that we get desensitized to what we are repeatedly exposed to. A side effect is that once they sink to a deeper level of depravity or go to another level of extreme, we become desensitized to what once we had an emotional reaction to.

Desensitized simply means that we are no longer sensitive to it, that it no longer provokes the emotional reaction it once did.

Desensitized DOES NOT mean that it no longer has an impact on us. To the contrary, it merely means that our guard is now totally ineffective, and we now let these media messages come pouring into our minds without any check or balance.

Things that were once abhorrent are now the subject of sitcoms that we blithely laugh along with the prerecorded audence to. All the while our minds are being conditioned to accept and even support things that are an abomination before God.

Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!


Part II

Train Up a Child

Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The bible says that a child needs to be trained in the way they should go.

God puts responsibility for training up kids in the hands of parents.

Children don't come out of the womb knowing right from wrong. Children come out of the womb instinctively self-centered and ruled by thier appetites, needs, feelings, and emotions.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

We, as parents, are the ones who have to show them right from wrong. We are responsible for managing their "appetites" until they learn to do so for themselves. We are responsible for helping them learn to manage their emotions and desires.

Prov 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Children have a natural tendency from the flesh to want sweets and junk. Unchecked, they will fill themselves with empty calories that will rob them of health.

We are responsible for training their tastes to appreciate more healty forms of food. Without our intervention, they would never develop a taste for what will build them up.

So it is with what they spend time doing. Without any external guidance, they will have a natural tendency to spend time watching and doing things that feed the flesh instead of their spirit.

Many of the things of God require time and repeated exposure in order to develop a taste for them.

As Godly parents, we must make sure our children are being exposed to the Word of God and things that are pleasing to God.

Otherwise, our children will grow up without ever having developed a taste for those things and learn nothing other than how to gratify the flesh.

Part II

Fear Hath Torment

1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment, He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

God is not a tormenter. Satan is the tormentor. If you are overlording over someone, or use threats and fear tactics to get your way with someone, you are working the works of satan and tormenting them. You might get temporary compliance, but you are planting seeds of contention and strife that will reap an evil harvest in your home.

What possesses you?

Deuteronomy 11:16 - Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

How much time do you spend upset about "things".


You know how strong a hold "things" have on you by how much time they occupy in your life.


How many idols have possession of you?


We are instructed to "take heed of ourselves". Otherwise it is up to us to continually keep ourselves in check in order to keep ourselves free from making an idol out of commonplace things. If we are not watchful, then according to this verse we will be deceived.

5 Things Not to be Deceived About

Deuteronomy 11:16 - Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;


Luke 21:8 - And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.


1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


1 Corinthians 15:33 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.


Galatians 6:7 - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Priorities

Think about it. On your death bed, what will you be thinking? Will you be regretting not having more money? How about having watched more TV? Putting more hours into work, watching sports, getting one more promotion, getting the fancier car, spreading more gossip?

Will you be regretting time wasted on things instead of people?

On your death bed, what you will regret will be lost opportunities to build more and stronger relationships.

You can't take money, jobs, cars, or TV with you when you die. These things are temporal and do not last.

The only thing you can take with you are the relationships you have built. The only thing that lasts forever are the time and efforts invested in developing relationships. Your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, your relatives and friends will last on into eternity. Relationships with saved loved-ones will last forever in heaven.

Your #1 priority while here on earth is building these relationships. You will not find satisfaction in any other activity.

Satan and the world continue to try and sell anything and everything else as *the* source of fulfillment. These things may provide distraction or pacification for a short time. However, they cannot provide a source of fulfillment, purpose, and strength.


1. The first relationship you need to build is with God.

God has an unlimited supply of strength for you to draw on. He is your source of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If you expect to draw love from anyone else, you will drain them and sap the strength out of them. Your relationship with God must come first, in order for you to be continually filled to overflowing with love that in turn you can pour out on others around you.


2. Your next priority is to minister to your spouse.

The bible says that husbands should love their wives (Eph 5:25, Col 3:19). Notice this is not optional, nor does it say "love your wife when you feel like it". God wouldn't tell us to do it without giving us the ability to do it. You must decide and make a commitment to love your wife regardless of your feelings. Once you make the commitment and take action on it, your feelings will catch up. Loving your wife is your most important ministry. You need to treat your wife better than you treat anyone or anything else. You need to speak highly and kindly about your wife to other people whether she is around or not.

God's kind of love must be learned. (Titus 2:3-5) The natural, fleshly kind of love centers on self fulfillment and is only concerned with what it wants. God's love is not concerned about self, and instead is more concerned about the other person.

When the husband/wife relationship is out of balance, then there is strife and contention in the home. This strife is like a cancer that destroys everything else in the home and steals any and all blessings that God wants to pour out on the family.

Children look to the parents for love and security. If the parents do not have a loving relationship, then they cannot strengthen each other, and the parents do not have anything left to pour out on the children. The children then become a drain.


3. Train up your children

Next is to pour your love and attention into your children. Time is the most valuable asset we have. Children value time and attention higher than anything else. Too often we bend over backwards trying to buy the best, latest, and greatest toys out of guilt for not having spent enough time with our kids when all they need is your attention.

Train up your children in the way that they should go. If you do not maintain discipline over your children, you are setting them up for failure. They need to learn there are consequences for behavior. They need the consistency and security of a stable, firm, loving home environment. You provoke your children to wrath by being inconsistent with your discipline, or spoiling your children by not disciplining them. They are provoked to wrath because they gain an expectation of being able to get away with bad behavior and then resent being disciplined for things they have gotten away with in the past.

Children learn more from watching you. They learn how to develop relationships by watching how you develop relationships. This again leads back to the importance of a healthy husband and wife relationship in the home.


4. Know your role

God has especially created us to fulfill certain roles. We are "coded" and tailor made to fulfill specfic purposes in our lives.

Satan and popular culture have sold most of the world lies that fulfillment only comes from a career and accumulation of possessions. Those who buy into this lie, end up bitter and/or depressed due living an unfulfilled, aimless life.

We will only truly enjoy the things that we have been created to do.

The role of a husband is to submit to and willingly love and obey God, love his wife, and love his children. After that, his next priority is to provide for his family. The bible says that if a man doesn't provide for his family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1Tim 5:8).

Only Human

Too often I hear believers say "Well, I'm only human."

If that is what you believe, then all you will ever get is human results.

The statement "I'm only human" is not true for a disciple of Jesus. You are no longer "only human". The bible says you are a new creature. If you have accepted Christ as savior, then you are born again in the spirit and one-third of you is "wall to wall" Holy Spirit.

If all you look at is in the natural, then all you will see is natural results.

Let God be true and every man a liar. Choose to believe God's Word and walk in the Spirit. Walk by faith and not by sight.