Goodboy
Just waiting for the Rapture at this point!
What Are You Focused On?
Php 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
In the verses above, Paul is stating that the circumstances in his life do not change or affect his attitude, his purpose, his joy or anything about him as he receives ALL he needs from Christ. Nice place to be, but how did he get there?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
In the verses above Jesus tells us what we should be focused on, the Lord God and your neighbor.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
In the verses above Paul states that his efforts on earth will be rewarded.
Paul had an extremely hard life, so why wasn’t Paul suicidal?. It is all about what Paul was focused on. He was focused on Jesus of course, but he was also focused on others and Heaven, but was not focused on himself. This makes ALL the difference. God wants you to first focus on him, then focus on others then focus on Heaven. Satan wants you to focus just on yourself.
To not focus on yourself in our current society is extremely difficult. We are taught by almost everything and everyone that we should focus on ourselves. In Church maybe not, but in almost every other place we received information from including most parents. Think of things that you have read, seen on TV, were taught in school or even heard from your parents. Isn’t it all about how you can or should better yourself? It is always about you and not the you in Heaven, but the you now!
The funny thing is that Christians (I am including myself here) believe in and know there is a Heaven where we will spend eternity, but live as though these 70+ years on earth is all there is. If it was indeed all there is, then it would make sense to focus on yourself now. I can understand why an atheist would focus on the now, but why do we Christians? We accuse atheists of being ignorant and we are right. Atheists accuse most Christians of being hypocrites and sadly they are also right. If we truly believe that it is all about the after life, why don’t we live that way?
I guess from here I could make a lot of points, but there is only one point I want to make at the moment. Are you feeling sad, depressed, angry, annoyed, lonely, hurt and the list goes on and on. If you are feeling any of these things, most likely you are focusing on yourself. I say most likely because you could have these feeling thinking of someone else, but most of the time it is about us. Do you realize that suicide is one of the most selfish acts you can engage in and is a direct result of focusing on yourself!
So what should you do? First of all you need the correct prospective. Let’s say that you are on a ship (this life) destined for an island paradise (Heaven) where you will permanently live. On this island paradise (Heaven) lives your father (God/Jesus). Your father (God/Jesus) tells you first of all that you should love him. Second that you should also love anyone that you see. Thirdly that everything you do on this ship as per your father’s (God/Jesus) wishes, will give you untold rewards on the island paradise (Heaven).
Would you now ignore your father’s (God/Jesus) instructions and try to reach a high status on the ship (this life)? Or would you think to yourself that it does not matter that much what I have on my journey, I am focused on what I will have at journeys end! Are you looking for temporal rewards now or everlasting rewards in Heaven? If you are truly looking for eternal rewards then you will not be focusing on yourself, but as Jesus states God and your neighbor.
So back to Paul. If we met Paul we would think poor guy, no place to live, no money, in jail all the time beaten a lot what a sorry life! Why, because we would look at and be focused on him. But ironically Paul is not focused on himself, so he therefore does not see himself as you do. He sees himself as Christ sees him as a good and faithful servant destined to receive untold rewards! Kind of like never looking directly at yourself, but looking at yourself through the mirror of Christ.
So let’s be real you say, how many people really live like or even think like Paul today? I would say probably few to none. That does not mean however we can not strive to be like him. Paul could never be like Jesus, but that did not stop him from trying. Most of us want to feel sorry for ourselves when ever we have the chance and yes, I am including myself. What we need to do is to stop focusing on ourselves! If you really do this, you will be surprised how what ever it is you are going through will seem just that much smaller of an issue.
What are you focused on?
Goodboy
Php 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
In the verses above, Paul is stating that the circumstances in his life do not change or affect his attitude, his purpose, his joy or anything about him as he receives ALL he needs from Christ. Nice place to be, but how did he get there?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
In the verses above Jesus tells us what we should be focused on, the Lord God and your neighbor.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
In the verses above Paul states that his efforts on earth will be rewarded.
Paul had an extremely hard life, so why wasn’t Paul suicidal?. It is all about what Paul was focused on. He was focused on Jesus of course, but he was also focused on others and Heaven, but was not focused on himself. This makes ALL the difference. God wants you to first focus on him, then focus on others then focus on Heaven. Satan wants you to focus just on yourself.
To not focus on yourself in our current society is extremely difficult. We are taught by almost everything and everyone that we should focus on ourselves. In Church maybe not, but in almost every other place we received information from including most parents. Think of things that you have read, seen on TV, were taught in school or even heard from your parents. Isn’t it all about how you can or should better yourself? It is always about you and not the you in Heaven, but the you now!
The funny thing is that Christians (I am including myself here) believe in and know there is a Heaven where we will spend eternity, but live as though these 70+ years on earth is all there is. If it was indeed all there is, then it would make sense to focus on yourself now. I can understand why an atheist would focus on the now, but why do we Christians? We accuse atheists of being ignorant and we are right. Atheists accuse most Christians of being hypocrites and sadly they are also right. If we truly believe that it is all about the after life, why don’t we live that way?
I guess from here I could make a lot of points, but there is only one point I want to make at the moment. Are you feeling sad, depressed, angry, annoyed, lonely, hurt and the list goes on and on. If you are feeling any of these things, most likely you are focusing on yourself. I say most likely because you could have these feeling thinking of someone else, but most of the time it is about us. Do you realize that suicide is one of the most selfish acts you can engage in and is a direct result of focusing on yourself!
So what should you do? First of all you need the correct prospective. Let’s say that you are on a ship (this life) destined for an island paradise (Heaven) where you will permanently live. On this island paradise (Heaven) lives your father (God/Jesus). Your father (God/Jesus) tells you first of all that you should love him. Second that you should also love anyone that you see. Thirdly that everything you do on this ship as per your father’s (God/Jesus) wishes, will give you untold rewards on the island paradise (Heaven).
Would you now ignore your father’s (God/Jesus) instructions and try to reach a high status on the ship (this life)? Or would you think to yourself that it does not matter that much what I have on my journey, I am focused on what I will have at journeys end! Are you looking for temporal rewards now or everlasting rewards in Heaven? If you are truly looking for eternal rewards then you will not be focusing on yourself, but as Jesus states God and your neighbor.
So back to Paul. If we met Paul we would think poor guy, no place to live, no money, in jail all the time beaten a lot what a sorry life! Why, because we would look at and be focused on him. But ironically Paul is not focused on himself, so he therefore does not see himself as you do. He sees himself as Christ sees him as a good and faithful servant destined to receive untold rewards! Kind of like never looking directly at yourself, but looking at yourself through the mirror of Christ.
So let’s be real you say, how many people really live like or even think like Paul today? I would say probably few to none. That does not mean however we can not strive to be like him. Paul could never be like Jesus, but that did not stop him from trying. Most of us want to feel sorry for ourselves when ever we have the chance and yes, I am including myself. What we need to do is to stop focusing on ourselves! If you really do this, you will be surprised how what ever it is you are going through will seem just that much smaller of an issue.
What are you focused on?
Goodboy
