Keeping the right focus

Keeping the right focus

    We just enjoyed another Christmas season. A time to enjoy family and friends. A time to give and to receive. Now that a new year is upon us we move forward yet again. Let us not leave behind the importance of the impact that this little Jesus child has had on everything, yes everything since His birth over 2,000 years ago.

    The primary way we find God's direction for our life is by making wise God-honoring decisions. At a conference attended by 280 eight grade girls this month I encouraged them to “1) make the right friends, 2) be very careful about anything you say and post on social media because it could destroy your dreams of what you want to do and be in the future, and 3) wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing. I have learned about wisdom from the Bible, the book of Proverbs. You can read a chapter a day in one month because there are 31 chapters. I have done this month after month and it has helped me greatly.” It is interesting that this third encouragement was omitted in the front page newspaper article about the conference where my greeting as the sponsor of the conference was quoted.

    Finding God’s direction for our lives is in Jesus. My friend who writes God Stories found in the Daily Living section on this site shares a helpful hint at this, the beginning of a new year about finding God's direction for our lives. He says, “How do we do this. We follow Mary's advice to the servants at the wedding when there was no more wine, ‘Whatever Jesus says to do, do it!’” How simple, yet so profound.
    
    My friend and pastor Bud McCord wrote in August 2014 something about Jesus and His words. Words from His Father that sent Him to earth as a baby to live as a human being. The Christ child we celebrate at Christmas came for a reason and paying attention to what He said is crucial for us even today. You can follow his writings on this site and connect to his Abide International ministry on the Daily Living / Devotionals / Abide International page.

    “The words of Jesus must be heard as the definitive words in the life of a disciple. His words must not be heard as optional suggestions or insights for life improvement.
    His words are the final words on human life and experience. They must be hears as the words that end all debate, quiet the soul and bring true joy.
    The words of Jesus are the words that fulfill the intent of the entire Old Testament. Jesus’ words combined with His perfect life fulfilled everything God intended for mankind to know and receive.
    We may comment on His words so we help others value them and embrace them, but we must never alter His words for ourselves or for anyone else. Every word that came from the mouth of Jesus defined forever the destiny of mankind. He wasted no words and said only what the Father wanted Him to say.

Hear Him. Fall in love with words of Jesus.”

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    "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me."  John 17:6-8