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  • TFRStaff 6:19 am on April 27, 2013 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: focus, , one thing, vexation   

    A Thought Worth Sharing 

    by Brittany Davis http://www.virtuousmagazine.com

    When my husband and I were dating we had many “disagreements” and one time in particular he told me I couldn’t see the forest for the trees; he was right. I was so caught up in the details and slight nuances I perceived as major obstacles that I was putting a strain on our relationship. Sometimes we have to take a step back and really look at what we have and be thankful. Instead of noticing all of the minute ways it could be improved.

    In Esther 5 Haman had a severe case of this same issue. Esther 5:9-13 says,

    “So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. Moreover Haman said, “Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

    Someone looking at Haman from the outside would have said that guy has it all. But all Haman could see was one man refusing to tremble before him. His refusal to look the other way cost him his place in the king’s court, his riches, his family and ultimately his life.

    Is there something in your life that is vexing your spirit that could be overlooked or completely ignored? Maybe like me it was something in a relationship, perhaps like Haman it’s someone who just gets under your skin or maybe it’s a task you have to accomplish.

    Consider whatever it is and decide if all of the good things in your life outweigh the burden of this thing. Don’t be like Haman and close your eyes to all that God has blessed you with and only open your eyes to the one thing or person that bothers you.

    Proverbs 11:16-17 says, “A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches. The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.”

    Be gracious and merciful and don’t trouble your own flesh by focusing on things you’re better off ignoring. Instead focus on the good then let go and let God.

    In Christ, Steve Preston

    Sign up for BibleTalk, short messages from

    God’s word, by sending an email to

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    or on the web at

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  • John Henson 11:58 am on August 7, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: focus, ,   

    Inside Out and Upside Down 

    A friend recently decided to buy a car because his was wearing out. Sounds like a simple thing, but it turned him inside out and upside down.

    His problems buying the car illustrated what can happen to a person when he is consumed with the pursuit of things. He became despondent because he could not close the deal and had to leave what he desired sitting in the parking lot. His despondency turned to depression.

    Being denied the object of desire is not a feeling people like. In this age of instant gratification, having someone say no to what we want is difficult to accept. What often follows is a time-consuming attempt to fulfill our desire. When that happens, focus shifts from important things (like serving God) to useless things (like getting what is desired).

    This is one of Satan’s traps. Focus is something that must remain constant. Shifting focus away from serving God to the accumulation of things has troubled many people. Simon the Sorcerer was a person who obeyed the gospel and embarked on a life of serving God (Acts 8:13), but his focus shifted from that service to the gratification of a desire.

    Simon, who had been used to a life in which people paid attention to what he said and did, saw the apostles impart the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17). Simon offered the apostles money to be able to do the same. His focus had been shifted from the service of God to the attainment of power. He was not interested in having the gift, but to grant the gift as the apostles had (Acts 8:20). His request was met by strong condemnation from Peter. The apostle told him, “Repent, therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee,” (Acts 8:22).

    To his credit, Simon realized his sin and decided to turn from it. So should all whose focus falls from God on the pursuit of things or power for personal benefit.

    Materialism is a very real trouble in our world. Because the world is composed of things, it is easy to believe things are more necessary than God. We must remember things will burn up (2 Peter 3:10). A person may find himself turned inside out and upside down by the pursuit of things that will be nothing more than ashes.

    Our eternal souls are worth more than that aren’t they?

     

  • Chad Dollahite 1:40 pm on April 24, 2012 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , focus, , , ,   

    Illustration: On the Way to the Barn… 

    There’s an old story about a farmer who one morning decided to plow the south forty acres.  His tractor needed oil, so he started for the barn to get it, but on the way noticed that the pigs hadn’t been fed.  Near the corn crib was a pile of sacks, reminding him that the potatoes were sprouting.  But, on his way to the potato pit, he passed the woodpile and remembered that the kitchen stove was burning low.  While picking up the wood, he saw that one of his chickens was ailing, so he dropped the wood to doctor the chicken…and so it was till the end of the day, and he still hadn’t oiled the tractor or plowed the south field.

    Is your Christian life like this trip to the barn?  Do you have grand visions of great service that never gets done?  Have you found too many “other things” to do that interfere with your goal of being a productive servant in God’s kingdom?

    The only way you and I will “get to the barn” of Christian service is to get our priorities in order.  The farmer in the story didn’t have any priorities.  He just flowed with the tide of events around him.  Our life contains plenty of “pigs to feed,” “wood to cut,” and “chickens to doctor.”  But, we can’t allow them to get in our way of serving God.  If we will make the commitment and extend our effort, God will make a way for us to “get to the barn.”    —George Miller

    “Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” (1 Kgs. 20:39-40a)

     

  • J. Randal Matheny 7:43 pm on September 28, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , focus, Gospel Advocate   

    Gospel Advocate in PDF format, back to 1855 

    This tweet from Tom Childers: “We have been given the ok to make the Gospel Advocate publication available in PDF format all the way back to 1855.” That will be a tremendous work, both in time required to get it done, and in benefit to others.

    • I added the Diaspora* social network to my online business card, plus a few other tweaks. Here’s one guy’s reason and approach to an online card. If you want to be social, but still control your data, check out Diaspora*.

    • Patriarch Job may not be a good example to mention, certainly, he’s not typical, but doesn’t it seem that personal challenges, problems, and losses come in bunches or bundles?

    • Somebody asked in an email group about “The Message” paraphrase of the New Testament. What I’ve read of it I found unsatisfying. It’s very loose, too much, in my mind, to be useful. A much better paraphrase is the 1962 edition of J.B. Phillips translation. It’s online.

    Compromise• The Willow Creek association will host several leadership summits around Brazil this year. The Itu Church of Christ is partnering with the Presbyterian Church to host one in their city, and in their building (see image). The church is led by Antenor Gonçalves, who is sponsored by the Highland church in Abilene TX. Antenor cohosts a TV program with F.H. Gates. Gates is sponsored by the Henderson TN church. Sigh.

    • I finished reading a Dale Brown novel today, set partly in Brazil. He must have used Google Translator for the Portuguese dialog (included to make it sound authentic, maybe?), because it was more often wrong than right. Released by a major publishing house, the book apparently had no editing whatsoever on the foreign language. Very annoying to read, for this Portuguese speaker.

    • This morning, a friend posted on Facebook something to the effect that she was having a hard time focusing on, I suppose, her tasks for the day. Who can’t relate to that at times? Probably, we today have a harder time focusing because of the clamor of noise and intense competition for our attention. Seems that so much more is going on around us these days. Plus, we know about more with the 24/7 news cycle.

    That reminds me of one of James Taranto‘s segments in “The Wall Street Journal,” where he uses media headlines to make jokes, called “Too Much Information.” A recent one was, “Beyonce Discusses Pregnancy and Her New Fragrance.” As if we care. I say, Beyonce Who? This time, better that Horton not hear a who.

     

    • Weylan Deaver 12:22 pm on September 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      But do you think Diaspora is going to succeed? I’m a bit disenchanted with Facebook, but it seems that’s where the people are.

      • J. Randal Matheny 12:59 pm on September 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Depends on how one defines success, but yes I think there will be a place for it, especially considering it’s a distributed network. Which means all the nodes (installations, think WP) can communicate among themselves, so you can befriend people on other nodes.

  • Mike Riley 9:57 am on July 22, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: author, compelling, , , , , focus, , , ,   

    “Looking Unto Jesus” 

    One of the most compelling phrases in the book of Hebrews is found in Hebrews 12:2:

    “Looking Unto Jesus.” The NASB renders this phrase, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (More …)

     

  • Mike Riley 2:17 pm on March 5, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , focus, , , pilgrim, , stranger   

    How do I keep a good attitude? By maintaining a spiritual mindset – keeping focused on those things above – looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith – looking for that “better country” (Colossians 3:1-2; Hebrews 12:1-2; Hebrews 11:16). Many times in my mind, I sing “This world Is not my home, I’m just a passing through.”

    If we’ll think of this world as just our temporary dwelling place, and that we are nothing more than “strangers and pilgrims” on it (Hebrews 11:13), we’ll have a better attitude toward life and living.

    Brethren, there’s something “better” ahead of us!

     

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