Tag: 2 Corinthians 10:8

Focus Stolen…

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For God so loved the world that he gave…
John 3:16

Have you ever received a beautiful trinket only to notice a slight imperfection on what is an otherwise perfect keepsake? You didn’t notice it originally but now every time you look, you see it. It’s absolutely beautiful in every other way but that fault catches your eye every time and that’s all you can focus on. The problem is your focus has been stolen.

Today’s verse lets us know that our God is a giver. He has given us magnificent gifts that are beautiful, powerful & essential for a Godly life. We already have them and we should focus on them. Our enemy, the devil, continually tries to steal our focus and put it on loss rather than gain. Worse still he tries to find fault in what God has given us. When we don’t allow the devil to steal our attention, we keep our focus and our Godly future.

Here are a few things that God’s Word says He’s already given us. They are beautiful, powerful and essential for a Godly life…

2 Peter 1:4 – God has given us his very great and precious promises
2 Peter 1:3 – God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
2 Timothy 1:7 – God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline
1 John 5:11 – God has given us eternal life
2 Thessalonians 2:16 – God has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope
2 Corinthians 10:8 – God has given us authority to build others up
2 Corinthians 5:18 – God has given us the task of reconciling people to him
1 John 3:24 – God has given us His spirit to live in us

This week let’s concentrate on these verses. Let’s continually remember what God has given us and how beautiful, powerful and essential they are for our future.

Yes That Hurt…

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“It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words”
Matthew 12:36

When visiting the doctor because of pain it never fails that they press on the sore spot saying “Does that hurt?” … “Ouch!!! Yes it does thank you very much!” It’s not the doctors who are the cause the pain they simply exposed it. The cause of the pain is the damage beneath that can’t be seen but can surely be felt.

Today’s verse helps us discover the source of some pain we’ve felt in our lives. This pain comes from words that others have spoken to us. Words that seemed innocent at the time but for some reason penetrated deeply. It wasn’t the meaning of the words that hurt…. it was the heart that delivered them. A bad heart causes words to pierce, bruise & cause pain.

Some of the sweetest and most lovely folk I’ve known have spoken some of the most destructive & damaging words I’ve heard. It’s the heart, not the dictionary meaning of the words, that destroys. If we don’t guard our hearts [Proverbs 4:23] we’ll end up speaking hurtful words to others. That’s something we definitely don’t want to do!

This week lets set our direction to the future. Matthew 12:36 continues saying “A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard” Let’s make a real effort to speak words that empower, uplift & inspire. Let’s ensure these words are spoken from a great heart. A heart filled with true compassion, grace & mercy. A heart that’s looking to see the best in others & every situation. A heart that builds up and doesn’t pull down [2 Corinthians 10:8].