FOCUS ON JESUS
FOCUS ON JESUS
If you do not know anything about God; please; know this one thing: GOD IS GOOD and HE WILL NEVER CHANGE. He is still “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8 KJV We are the ones who change; our beliefs, our circumstances, our lives, our priorities, our situations, our values, our wants, our ways. But Jesus remains the same, unchanging , in an ever changing world. It has been said that the only thing that is constant (in this world) is change. Therefore we would do well to embrace change, otherwise we very well run the risk of atrophying when all around us is thriving and growing.
So yes, the world is fast changing. And some of the changes are actually good while on the flip side a lot of bad changes are making headline news too. But we are not to be discouraged. Jesus said that we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Therefore we should be blazing a trail and making a difference for good. We should not ever be at the forefront of scandals. We should be the yard stick for great things happening in these times. But sadly, it is not always the case. Blazing the trail for good, or being the yard stick for excellence cannot be achieved if we try to do it in our power. Because “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Psalms 103:13 – 14 KJV God knows our weaknesses. He knows we are human before anything else and He is ready to help us. But are we ready to let Him? We are classically looking for help in all the very wrong places. Yet; “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.” Isaiah 50:7 KJV We should stop shifting our focus off of Him. He wants our attention. He wants us to tell Him what the issues are. He wants us to see Him as the One who can help us and solve the problems. He wants us to “Be Still ( in His presence) and know that He is God.” He said He will pity those who fear Him. Those who worship Him in reverent fear. It is now time, like the children of Issachar to be discerning of the times we are in. “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.” 1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV Simply put it is time to be wise. “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT To succeed in these days wisdom will direct us. The Psalmist puts it so aptly. “Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! Psalms 2: 10-12 NLT
The truth is that no matter how tough things appear, no matter how chaotic the world has become, we are still here! We have not transitioned to another realm. Therefore let us roll up our sleeves and do what we have to do to survive these times. Do not lose focus. There is a saying in native Yoruba (a language spoken predominantly in the South Western part of Nigeria) that could be loosely translated like this “Do not be distracted by the rowdiness of the open market, focus on what you are buying and get a good bargain.”
Do not be discouraged! Focus on Jesus in worship and let Him order our steps.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©