1) Members that have not been attending church
2) All sec sch students' exam
3) Vision, direction & prog of the youth ministry for 2007
4) Youths overseas for school or work
Prayer meeting on 6 Oct, Fri, 8pm at Fel's home
Monday, May 02, 2005
Focus on God by John Fischer
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul andwith all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And thesecond is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and theProphets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)
Are you ever overwhelmed by so much spiritual advice that you wonderhow you can remember all this stuff? Ever return from a seminar orweekend retreat and almost wish you didn’t go because now you havefifteen other things to add to your “to do” list in order to really be agood Christian? Ever feel like you are inundated with too many steps,principles, guidelines, yes, and even purposes, that you can’t keep themall straight?
Well good news, there’s really only one thing to remember: Focus on God.
If reading this devotional every day only complicates your life thenunsubscribe; I am doing you a disservice. If they are true to what theyshould be, these words every day should simplify your life. They shouldbring you some relief. The success of The Purpose Driven Life is notthat it gives people five more things to think about, but it reduceseverything to five, and ultimately to only one thing: you were made forGod, focus on Him. Phew! Thank you!
Ever notice how when you hear the truth, it’s like a knot coming undoneinside you? And conversely, when you hear falsehood, it’s like someoneis pulling the knot tighter? The truth lets you take a deep breath;falsehood chokes you.
If you need a degree in order to get it right, then it is probablywrong. The truth “uncomplicates” our lives. St. Peter is not going to bestanding at the gate of heaven when you get there and say, “Oh, I’m sosorry, but you were only a four point Calvinist. You have to have allfive to get in,” because just inside that gate are a bunch of childrenwho got in by being… well… children. If a child can’t get it, then it’snot the truth. Incidentally those children are there because they gotone thing right: God is their Father and they are at His mercy. Focus onGod.
Even the two great commandments Jesus gave us (quoted above) come downto one, because if you love God, you will love your neighbor. He gave usthe second one to show us whether or not we were doing the first, asJohn later wrote: it’s impossible to love God and hate your neighbor (1John 4:12, 20).
So focus on God. Get that one right and you’ll get all the rest. Phew!