Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Encouragement for Today- August 24, 2020

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Encouragement for Today



 
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Karen Ehman August 24, 2020
Putting Life in Portrait Mode
KAREN EHMAN
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14 (CSB)
I often have trouble focusing. Not my eyes, but my mind.
My thoughts love to wander. They trip me up, reminding me of a past mistake, habitual weakness or possible future scenario that might go horribly wrong. No matter how I try to boss my brain around, I can’t seem to make it concentrate.
My phone, however, has a great feature for bringing focus.
Recently, while taking a picture on my phone of my budding geraniums, I used a camera element called portrait mode. This feature makes the main subject of a photograph stay in focus while the rest of the background blurs. My geraniums seemed to leap off the screen, becoming the clear center of attention when up against the haziness of the rest of the backyard.
If only my brain came equipped with a portrait mode!
As we navigate our days, sometimes our past mistakes, wrong choices or long-held habits threaten to steal our attention away from what we should be focusing on — what matters most.
Today’s key passage from Philippians 3:13b-14 gives us encouragement as to where our attention should lie. The Apostle Paul states, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”
Paul is referring to athletes who run a race, emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s eyes looking forward, not turning to glance behind. Looking back would slow the runner, causing a loss of focus of the path ahead. However, when Paul fixes his gaze forward, he isn’t tripped up but pursues as his goal, “the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
The image is even more powerful when we study the Greek meaning of the word “forgetting.” The word translated in its original form doesn’t mean simply a failure to remember — such as when you forget a dentist appointment in a brain blip. It means calculated and purposeful neglect, a realization that you no longer care. This intentional abandonment encompasses forgetting things, events, times and places.
This deliberate ignoring of the past permits Paul to run unimpeded and with clear focus toward the goal. What is this goal he is racing toward? The word “goal” in the English language is never used anywhere else in the New Testament. It signifies an end-marker of a foot race. Paul is using it to mark the end of our race of faith in this earthly life.
As we grow in our relationship with God through faith in Jesus, may we run the race well and with clear focus — eyes square ahead, not staring or even peeking at the past. Jesus was there when the race began, and He’ll be the one greeting us at the finish line … Jesus our Savior, the one who is both the founder and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
Will you fix your gaze ahead today rather than letting the past distract you from where God would have you to go? When we purpose to focus solely on Jesus, the past fades, distractions blur, and we find our faith renewed.
Father, please help me fix my gaze forward, riveting my eyes only upon You. May the past and all other distractions fade away into the background. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY: Proverbs 4:25, “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.” (CSB)
RELATED RESOURCES: Take courage — you are enough! Enjoy your hot beverage of choice while reading your new favorite devotional. Get our new Hey Mama, You Are Enough: A Devotional for Motherhood with our new Take Courage mug together and save! You can even bundle and give one away to a friend. What are you waiting for? Shop now.

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CONNECT: Head over to Karen’s Instagram account, where she is giving away a Bible study basket based on her LifeWay study of Philippians, entitled, What Matters Most. It includes the DVD-based study, two workbooks and a few other goodies for you to enjoy as you study with a friend.
REFLECT AND RESPOND: What past mistake, wrong choice or long-held habit threatens to overtake your thoughts? How might you use Paul’s example of forgetting what lies behind to implement a calculated and purposeful neglect of this distraction?
What specifically about today’s passage gives you courage to focus on Jesus and let everything else fade into the background?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2020 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
─ Matthew 5:10 NKJV

Turning Hurt to Hope

Your first thoughts when you've been mistreated or persecuted are probably to give voice to the hurt and the pain. You may look for justice and expect those who have caused you pain to pay for what they've done.


But what if you celebrated the persecution and even considered the injustice to be a blessing? It may be shocking to think that way, but that's exactly what Jesus' apostles did in today's verse.

Warned repeatedly by the authorities not to preach in Jesus' name, John and Peter did it anyway. They believed they were meant to share their faith, living their lives as Jesus asked them to live, no matter what it cost them.

They believed it was a blessing to be persecuted. They celebrated the fact that they were suffering as Jesus did, for the sake of others to know Him and experience eternal life.

It's likely in today's culture you have been slandered, ostracized or ridiculed for what you believe in.  When faced with difficulty and hardship because of your beliefs in God's truth, you can turn your hurt to hope because of your relationship with God!

Today's One Thing

Take the time to count the cost of sharing the truth of God's Word or standing up for a value you hold because of your relationship with God. Have a conversation with someone you trust today about how far you are willing to go for the sake of God's Word.

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Daily Devotional by John Piper- August 24, 2020

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Daily Devotional by John Piper



 
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The Message of Creation

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:22–23)
It would be a great folly and a great tragedy if a man loved his wedding band more than he loved his bride. But that is what this passage says has happened.
Human beings have fallen in love with the echo of God's excellency in creation and lost the ability to hear the incomparable, original shout of love.
The message of creation is this:
There is a great God of glory and power and generosity behind all this awesome universe; you belong to him; he is patient with you in sustaining your rebellious life; turn and bank your hope on him and delight yourself in him, not his handiwork.
Day pours forth the "speech" of that message to all who will listen in the day, speaking with blindingly bright sun and blue sky and clouds and untold shapes and colors of all things visible. Night pours forth the "knowledge" of the same message to all who will listen at night, speaking with great dark voids and summer moons and countless stars and strange sounds and cool breezes and northern lights (Psalm 19:1–2).
Day and night are saying one thing: God is glorious! God is glorious! God is glorious!

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