FOCUSED Ministries, Inc. Blog

We all have a story to tell – our life story. Stories about survival, about perseverance, about strength, about overcoming, about heartache, about pain. The thing that I love about life stories is that no one can tell the story like you can. You were there in the pain. You were there in the victory of overcoming that obstacle. That is your testimony and no one can take that away! You’re still here! Praise the Lord! You’re still here! You are here for purpose to fulfill God’s purpose in the Earth. You’re still here because God planned for you to still be here. Now, imagine you…check this out…

Staying FOCUSED!
tjb

Greetings Ladies!

Reflecting on this walk with God…
Listening to my iTunes genius and it pulled up this song…check it out on YouTube…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRcoB10LW80

Here are the lyrics…kind of long, but the words speak a powerful, humbling truth…WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED by God…redeemed means to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable (Miriam dictionary). Yes, we were bad, unpleasant, and other synonyms, but God redeemed us through Jesus Christ! Amen…think about it…

I am a Christian
Do you know what that means?
That means I’m far from perfect
Simply redeemed, born with a purpose
Purchased by love

It’s not a form of religion
But a gift from above
I am not perfect, no
But I have been redeemed

I am a believer
Do you know what that means?
That means I’ve pledge my life, giving everything
I never knew that this was meant to be
I’m not perfect but I have been redeemed

While I was yet in my transgressions
Somebody paid the price for me
I offer up my life to Him and now I say again
I am not perfect, oh but I have been redeemed
Oh yes

I am your brother
Let me show you the way
We’ll take this road together
Take it day by day

Somehow I know
We’ll make this journey’s end
Make no mistake about it
You have been redeemed, redeemed

While you were yet in your transgressions
Somebody paid to set you free
So offer up your life to Him
Accept this love and we’ll begin
Walk together for we have been redeemed
Redeemed

While we were yet in our transgression
He gave His life for you and me
So why not give your life to Him
Accept His love and then begin

To stand together hand in hand
And truly He will heal our land
And we will wear this chains no more
As these walls comes crashing to the floor

And then someday He’ll come again
And we will find our rest in Him
This will be perfect
We will be perfect, yeah

Simply redeemed 

Choices..life experiences leave us with choices to make. Life is an interesting thing, it is. For many, life has been a hard thing. Not fun, not enjoyable, not pleasant. We’ve all been in a place we never thought we would be. Seemingly stuck. Seemingly no way to get out. Dark. Cold. Lonely. Wondering how in the world we got there! BUT this is where God steps in. Not that He wasn’t right there with you all the time. He was. In the middle of it all, He was there. The Bible tells us that He would never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). When we give God that pain, that disappointment, that mistrust, He is more than able to deliver us, heal us, and take our life hurts and use them to help someone else. Let God into your hearts today through Jesus Christ and your life won’t be the same! 

1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? 22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:1-24 NIV)

What is sin?

Skunks…they really smell terrible, don’t they? Sitting in my dorm room many years ago, on a hot summer night I got up close and personal with the smell of skunk. One of the wild dogs that ran around on campus caught one right in front on my open window! The room wreaked of skunk for a week! Clothes, hair, personal belongings, books, everything smelled like skunk! 

Well, just as we find the smell of skunk oh so disgusting, so too, does God when we sin. We set traps to relocate skunks in our area because we want them to be gone. The Word of God does the same for the life of man, it removes the stench of sin when we obey God’s word. It is sin that builds a bridge between us and God. Thank God for Jesus who came to rebuild that bridge so that we can reach him but more importantly, so that He can reach us! And isn’t that what we want and really need? I certainly hope so. So, go to the Word of God and let it wash the sin out of your life. The Bible tells us in First John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). 

By whose standard do you live by today? For many nowadays, there seems to be a sliding standard of living in place. Anything and everything goes – AND it’s ok! The new mantra is do what makes you feel good…and shame on anyone who objects to this feel good way of living. Besides, whose is it to say what is right or wrong? If I want to, then I will!  Children have the same way of thinking…they do whatever they want to do, whenever they want to do it, however they want to it because they feel like it! They do not think about consequences or how their actions effect others or themselves. What a free kinda way to live life! If only this was true…

The Word of God is truth! Written within its pages are wonderful, life-changing nuggets that will affect our lives.  The Bible teaches us that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV).

Today’s nugget:  Psalm 139:14 (WEB)- “I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well.”

You were created special by God Himself; You have purpose here, now, at this point in time; Pray and ask Him what it is He has for you to do. He wants to complete the special plan for your life that He foreordained to be done before you were born. Let His Word mold you into the trophy of His grace for all to see!

Moving forward!  Staying FOCUSED!
tjb