Download MP3
Scripture:
"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NASB)Reflection:
How are you doing these days? How are you coping up with the “New Normal”? maybe for some you are already in GCQ, MECQ or whatever kind of quarantine and lockdown. I hope and pray that you are all doing well there and your able to keep yourself productive by living your life with a purpose.Once again, we are here in our daily devotionals in sea cross missions incorporated. To all my brothers and sisters out there in their respective ships, I want you to know that God has used this ministry to back you up not just in prayers but also in moral and spiritual support.
As a seafarer I always have this memory when it comes to navigation. We’ll I am from the engine department so this is something. Whenever we cross into a narrow water I always observe our deck officers using this binoculars 'telescope in layman's term. Yes, by and by they shoot to a particular spot and observe it. but not only that but during normal days, I still see them using it. Why? To have a greater look, to have a greater view, and to have focus on that particular sight or place. It useful because it keeps the whole ship protected and when the ship is protected the people are protected aboard the ship.
However when we relate to our lives, try to imagine if there is a binoculars that you can use so that you can have focus in life. How is your personal focus in life? To where are your lenses directed? Are they clear? Or are they blurred. What year are we now? 2020, therefore let us have a 20-20 vision.
How can one live a life deeply rooted in the Word of God? Why will I focus on God and Him only?
1. Focus on God’s Blessings
"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;" (Deuteronomy 30:15 NASB)The Word “See” in the passage clearly tells us to have a vision, to look at, and gaze upon what God done has to the Israelites. God has set before them life and prosperity, death and adversity. These two are both extremes of the other. life and death. Prosperity and adversity. And the Israelites experienced all of these, the moment they went out of Egypt. God was with them through pillar or clouds and fire to guide them. He provided Mana and Quaill in Exodus 16. He promised deliverance to them and are now close to the Promised Land. But also, they experience what it is to see death and adversity when they disobey God.
As Moses is telling the Israelites to have clear vision on these two contrast. We of the people of Today need also to look and gaze upon the blessings of God. What Moses is telling to his people, with all the blessings and punishments you have experience, I want you to see the blessings. The blessings that God can only supply to our lives. Who among you’re here believe that you are blessed by God?
Can we declare this to ourselves: I AM RICHLY BLESSED BY GOD.
The Unknown of the future especially this pandemic time will put us into situations where our character will be tested. Our "hope tank" will be empty but the scripture reminds us to Have focus on the what God has done in your lives. Remember how God was so faithful to you in the past, before this crisis and focus on His character of fulfilling His promises. Do not let yourselves to fall into the trap of losing focus on the blessings of God.
One of the greatest learning that we can learn from the lives of the Israelites is to see how God blessed them and claim that in our lives. You see, most of the time our focus in life will determine the outcome. As Napoleon Hill said, “Keep your mind of what you want in life not on what you don’t want”. God calls you and me to believe and keep in our mind the blessings of God
When we make the blessings of God as our focus. We will then develop of life that will always hold fast to God, to cling on Him, depend of Him, and we will never get away from Him. So we will always go back to His Word.
2. Focus on increasing your Spiritual Discipline
"in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it." (Deuteronomy 30:16 NASB)Looking at the first part of verse 16, we can see three verbs (action words) to love, to walk, to keep. I believe that this the key to maintain a focused life.
Love the Lord your God. This is so easy to say but when it is done, it gets tougher. And sometimes, it is tough because we create in us other lords, our intellect, our friends, our skills and talents, and some other stuffs but when you go back to the first point, they are all blessings from God. Do not think it is from you. Love the Lord your God only. Loving him means that we walk on His ways, and keep His commands.
Walking in His ways can be sometimes difficult, I remember that I was told by my good friends while working on the ship to do unscrupulous things to make the job done, bypassing safety procedure, just to have a good smell to your officers. By the grace of God I chose to walk on what I know is right and from God. And I guess that is how we should live, we increase our devotion to God when we day by day make a decision to walk in God’s ways, not our own or other’s ways but God’s.
Keep His commandments, keep the Word of God being applied in our lives. That we remain our love to God and to others, our mouths are the sources of godly stories, wisdom, encouragement, motivation. We become accountable to one another. And most of all, we read, read, and read the Bible.
Our focused determination to increase our devotion to God will result to being right with God and experience his blessings.
When was the last time that you had your family devotional time? OR FOR THOSE IN THE SHIP, PERSONAL QUIET TIME?
When was the last time you read God’s Word and pray?
When was the last time that you prayed to God?
Devotion is our enthusiasm to pursue God at all times.
What will be the result if we will not love God, not to walk in his ways, or keep His commands?
"But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it." (Deuteronomy 30:17-18 NASB)
I am not scaring you but this is what the Bible tells us.if we keep on not following God which is a Sin, according to Romans 6:23, “for the wages of Sin is death…” so the call that Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “To be transformed by the renewing of our mind” which is focusing and having clear of what God has done and will still be doing in our lives, we will be able to experience and attain is good, pleasing, and perfect will in our lives.
LET US DECLARE: I WILL PRIORITIZE GOD IN MY LIFE.
3. Focus on God’s Promise
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NASB)God has set before you and me what is life and what is death, what is to experience his blessings and also adversities. From the stories of the bible and and even from other people. It is very Evident, Moses exhorts to the Israelites to choose life and the same way to us. The scripture is telling us to choose life, to choose God who gives life and who has the key of the floodgates of heaven.
For what?
That you may live. There are two ways to that we can live life, one is living but living empty, second, living full. Full of hope, love, assurance, and most of all promises from God.
Lord, how can I Hold fast to you in this crisis, in this pain, in this dilemma, in this relationship, in this blessings, in this career I have? In everything we do let us hold fast to God. Choosing life is not just a one-time decision but a lifetime commitment of believing, trusting, and perseverance in loving God.
Why hold fast? For this is your life and that you will increase the length of your days.
Conclusion:
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, always remember that our Loving God is in the business of blessing and making His people flourish. That is why the Prophet Jeremiah declares in Jeremiah 29:11 that “God has a wonderful plan for all of us” you and me. The only thing that we need to do is to hold fast to Him by being obedient, loving, steadfast.Fixing our Focus to God comes from the truth that God loves us and He has a wonderful plan to all of us even in this situation.
Do not let this COVID-19 thing dismantle your dreams and goals in life. Do not be disappointed but be encouraged by the Word of God. Do not be disheartened but fill your heart with the Promises of God. Do not be worrier but be assured of God’s presence in your life until the end. Holding fast to God brings Focus to life.
Photo by: Myungeun
Connect With Us