March 17, 2023
Time To Focus
Pastor Ann Bilbrew
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Whatever God has enabled you to do will require you to turn away from some things in order to get other things done. This is a critical component of success. Learning to concentrate and discipline yourself is an essential part of giving attention to priorities that will move you forward rather than bad habits that will drag you backwards.
All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 New Living Translation
You will not always feel like doing what you should do; however, it would be tragic to give advice to others that you do not follow yourself. Ask God for help in this matter--you have no time to waste on trivial things when phenomenal things await you.
Let's pray ~
Holy, Wise, Compassionate, and Revealer of All Truth Creator: Thank You for this clear reminder that I must perfect my ability to focus in order to get done what You require of me. I acknowledge that I am easily distracted. I have often wasted valuable time on mundane attention grabbers. I have frequently left undone what You have clearly requested me to do, pushing it to another day, and oftentimes never getting it done. Forgive me for making the unimportant important in order to appease a short-term pleasure. Help me! Reveal strategies that will help me focus and grace me to follow through on doing what I know is the right thing to do. I offer this prayer of thanksgiving, confession, and petition in the name of Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Amen.
Shalom ~
Time To Focus
Pastor Ann Bilbrew
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Whatever God has enabled you to do will require you to turn away from some things in order to get other things done. This is a critical component of success. Learning to concentrate and discipline yourself is an essential part of giving attention to priorities that will move you forward rather than bad habits that will drag you backwards.
All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 New Living Translation
You will not always feel like doing what you should do; however, it would be tragic to give advice to others that you do not follow yourself. Ask God for help in this matter--you have no time to waste on trivial things when phenomenal things await you.
Let's pray ~
Holy, Wise, Compassionate, and Revealer of All Truth Creator: Thank You for this clear reminder that I must perfect my ability to focus in order to get done what You require of me. I acknowledge that I am easily distracted. I have often wasted valuable time on mundane attention grabbers. I have frequently left undone what You have clearly requested me to do, pushing it to another day, and oftentimes never getting it done. Forgive me for making the unimportant important in order to appease a short-term pleasure. Help me! Reveal strategies that will help me focus and grace me to follow through on doing what I know is the right thing to do. I offer this prayer of thanksgiving, confession, and petition in the name of Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Amen.
Shalom ~