Are you putting your focus on the good things?
This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is close at hand, and My righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the one who does this—the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil…
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to lose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say:
Here am I…If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.”
Isaiah 56:1-2; 58:6-11
How to focus on the good things
Focus on what you are doing.
What others are doing is God’s business – not yours.
God is very well aware of what they are doing. You do what is right and to be successful, remember …
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:12-16
Your turn …
Where is your focus?
Make sure it is first on God, then serving others, THEN doing what is right.
Write a commitment in your own words to follow these instructions in this order.
On your knees pray for focus
“LORD, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Habakkuk 3:2
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8
You can focus on the good things.
How to do this as a weekly Bible study
Day One: Experience
Read the entire devotion. Do any verses stand out to you? If so, write it down and work on memorizing it over the week. I personally love the app “Scripture Typer.”
Day Two: Observe & Read
Chain. Look up and chain verses (For example on how to chain verses, see this video).
Day Three: Interpret
Read through the chain of verses starting with the first one. What do they say? Do you notice when it says “never” or “always” or “If, but, however, therefore, all…..”
Day Four: Application
Do “Your turn” and make a list of people that God has put on your heart when you read this.
Day Five: Testify
Who in your life, right now, can you share this with? There is somebody in your life that needs to hear this. Close your eyes. What name came to mind?
Would you like to get more involved in the beLydia Movement?
Parents and friends, there are kids being sold for sex right now and they are still going to school and their parents have no idea.
They are being tricked, (often through social media and texting apps) into sharing compromising photos and then trapped into selling more or are tricked into having sex.
WE CAN PREVENT THIS THROUGH SHARING AWARENESS.
Learn more about how you can get involved and prevent child sex trafficking
