Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Focus, Focus, Focus
I have been in a pretty poor mood lately. Seems like the whole country tried to save one woman's life last week, and has, at least to this very late date failed. We managed to get the US Congress to bend to our will and yet in the end, our desires appear to have been thwarted. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO?
Fortunately, I have three preacher friends to help me remember what is important and necessary.
John Brown of Scotwise, in his Tuesday Encouragment reminds me of the urgency of evangelism. Ultimately, we can never convince those on the other side, only the Holy Spirit can do that. But we have to help them find the Holy Spirit, and that is what evangelism is all about.
But the world seems so hostile to God's movement among us. We open our mouths about God, and they rush to shut us up. They deliberately close their eyes to God.
But they cannot close their eyes to us, so we have to let them see God through us. That is a tall order, I am such an imperfect vessel.
Milt Stanley of Transforming Sermons reminds me of the single minded focus, not on the job of evanglism, but on its object is the only way that to make God visible through me.
I must focus on God with such intensity that I begin to disappear, and only the focus of my attention becomes apparent. But again, how to I accomplish that.
Along comes friend John Gillmartin at Sheep's Crib. John tells a personal story about how important reading that which God has written is to maintaining our focus.
Devotion, prayer, and scripture. No matter where I wander, I come back to these things. These things will change the world. They are simple things, all we have to do is be faithful in them.
Fortunately, I have three preacher friends to help me remember what is important and necessary.
John Brown of Scotwise, in his Tuesday Encouragment reminds me of the urgency of evangelism. Ultimately, we can never convince those on the other side, only the Holy Spirit can do that. But we have to help them find the Holy Spirit, and that is what evangelism is all about.
But the world seems so hostile to God's movement among us. We open our mouths about God, and they rush to shut us up. They deliberately close their eyes to God.
But they cannot close their eyes to us, so we have to let them see God through us. That is a tall order, I am such an imperfect vessel.
Milt Stanley of Transforming Sermons reminds me of the single minded focus, not on the job of evanglism, but on its object is the only way that to make God visible through me.
I must focus on God with such intensity that I begin to disappear, and only the focus of my attention becomes apparent. But again, how to I accomplish that.
Along comes friend John Gillmartin at Sheep's Crib. John tells a personal story about how important reading that which God has written is to maintaining our focus.
Devotion, prayer, and scripture. No matter where I wander, I come back to these things. These things will change the world. They are simple things, all we have to do is be faithful in them.
