As I look around the world today I see many people worried about marriage, having children, getting a high paying job, purchasing a home, purchasing a high value car and findings ways to increase the amount in their bank accounts. There is nothing wrong with these things until they become our first priority.
I am not pointing finger at anyone because I am guilty at times. But what I am trying to do is encourage everyone that reads this entry to learn how to balance your life. A child of God deserves to have good things and be financially stable but we should not focus on the material things but on the one who provided it for us.
I know many single Christians that spend majority of their time worrying about getting married before they reach a certain age to the point where they lose focus of their first love, Jesus. When we lose focus on Jesus the object or person that we are focus on as become our idol and the bible warns us so many times to keep away from idols, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols, amen. (1 John 5:21)” It is ok to desire something but don’t let it become your idol.
Many single people tend to look forward to the moment where their prince charming or queen will come into their lives, so they don’t have to worry about temptations that come in that area. I am a single female and one thing that I do to keep myself focus on the Lord and not worry too much about finding the right guy is to convince myself that the Lord is preparing me for my prince. Each day He is cleansing me and getting rid of all the ‘dirt’ within me. The Lord is teaching me patience, and so many other things. And I believe with that in due season I will meet that guy that the Lord has in store for me.
This reminds me of the story of Esther in the Bible. She had to go through a purification process before she was presented to the king to be chosen to be his queen. In the book of Esther 2: 9 it states, “…and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: ….” Then it goes on to verse 12, “Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrth, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women)” I know that we don’t go through this custom today but I think that the Lord sends single people through a purification process before he hands them over to the person He has in store for them. Some of us are dirty inside and we need to get rid of all that mess before we can live a life time with someone. It is not good to bring garbage into a relationship because it will only bring division. Therefore, why not wait until the Lord thinks you are ready to be in a serious relationship. The main reason why a lot of people end up hurt in a relationship is because they did not wait for the completion of the purification process and rushed into a relationship they were not ready for. It is almost like you are setting up yourself for failure. The best advice is to wait on the Lord to send you the person that is right for you.
The second major thing that is distracting Christians is their finance. The economy is going through a hard time financially and we are all affected by it. Many people have lost their job, home, car, and might be in a desperate situation to gain few extra cash in their pocket. This is a situation where we have to be very careful because we can get so caught up in our job that we miss church services and reduce the time we spend with the Lord in prayer or reading the Bible. I always tell myself that my time with the Lord should not be compromised for anything. The Lord gave us seven days in a week. Most of us go to church on Sunday for couple hours and maybe Bible study. But most of our time is spent at work (40 hrs a week), and at home. The Lord is already getting the bare minimum of our time, why give Him less.
The list will differ for each individual based on their circumstances but the bottom line is still the same; don’t allow anything or anyone to turn your focus away from God. Whenever your focus is changed the new item or person has become your idol. If we are looking for love seek the greatest lover that ever walked this earth. If we are in need, seek the PROVIDER, Jesus. He is willing to help; all we have to do is ASK. If we need comfort, seek the comforter. It is not hard He has everything we need all we have to do is ASK.
My encouragement to everyone that is reading this entry today is to keep your focus on the Lord and not to allow anything or anyone to take our eyes off the Lord. It was the same way in the days of Noah and Sodom & Gomorrah, there were many giving into marriage and focusing on things that were not of God and because of that they were destroyed. I would hate for any of you to fall into that situation, so why not keep the focus where it belong ---- ON GOD.
I am not pointing finger at anyone because I am guilty at times. But what I am trying to do is encourage everyone that reads this entry to learn how to balance your life. A child of God deserves to have good things and be financially stable but we should not focus on the material things but on the one who provided it for us.
I know many single Christians that spend majority of their time worrying about getting married before they reach a certain age to the point where they lose focus of their first love, Jesus. When we lose focus on Jesus the object or person that we are focus on as become our idol and the bible warns us so many times to keep away from idols, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols, amen. (1 John 5:21)” It is ok to desire something but don’t let it become your idol.
Many single people tend to look forward to the moment where their prince charming or queen will come into their lives, so they don’t have to worry about temptations that come in that area. I am a single female and one thing that I do to keep myself focus on the Lord and not worry too much about finding the right guy is to convince myself that the Lord is preparing me for my prince. Each day He is cleansing me and getting rid of all the ‘dirt’ within me. The Lord is teaching me patience, and so many other things. And I believe with that in due season I will meet that guy that the Lord has in store for me.
This reminds me of the story of Esther in the Bible. She had to go through a purification process before she was presented to the king to be chosen to be his queen. In the book of Esther 2: 9 it states, “…and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: ….” Then it goes on to verse 12, “Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrth, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women)” I know that we don’t go through this custom today but I think that the Lord sends single people through a purification process before he hands them over to the person He has in store for them. Some of us are dirty inside and we need to get rid of all that mess before we can live a life time with someone. It is not good to bring garbage into a relationship because it will only bring division. Therefore, why not wait until the Lord thinks you are ready to be in a serious relationship. The main reason why a lot of people end up hurt in a relationship is because they did not wait for the completion of the purification process and rushed into a relationship they were not ready for. It is almost like you are setting up yourself for failure. The best advice is to wait on the Lord to send you the person that is right for you.
The second major thing that is distracting Christians is their finance. The economy is going through a hard time financially and we are all affected by it. Many people have lost their job, home, car, and might be in a desperate situation to gain few extra cash in their pocket. This is a situation where we have to be very careful because we can get so caught up in our job that we miss church services and reduce the time we spend with the Lord in prayer or reading the Bible. I always tell myself that my time with the Lord should not be compromised for anything. The Lord gave us seven days in a week. Most of us go to church on Sunday for couple hours and maybe Bible study. But most of our time is spent at work (40 hrs a week), and at home. The Lord is already getting the bare minimum of our time, why give Him less.
The list will differ for each individual based on their circumstances but the bottom line is still the same; don’t allow anything or anyone to turn your focus away from God. Whenever your focus is changed the new item or person has become your idol. If we are looking for love seek the greatest lover that ever walked this earth. If we are in need, seek the PROVIDER, Jesus. He is willing to help; all we have to do is ASK. If we need comfort, seek the comforter. It is not hard He has everything we need all we have to do is ASK.
My encouragement to everyone that is reading this entry today is to keep your focus on the Lord and not to allow anything or anyone to take our eyes off the Lord. It was the same way in the days of Noah and Sodom & Gomorrah, there were many giving into marriage and focusing on things that were not of God and because of that they were destroyed. I would hate for any of you to fall into that situation, so why not keep the focus where it belong ---- ON GOD.
I am preaching on Esther tomorrow Sis. Sharmin.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the confirmation. You have a tremendous heart for the Lord and I am looking forward to seeing how He blesses you and those around you through your ministry. (When the Lord shows you the door don't fear to try the handle ; ) )
Thanks Bro. Carl For the comment. I try to listen to the voice of the Lord when He inspires me to write an entry.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you.