Based on “Living or Dying - We WIN!” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 7/17-18/10,
Message #6055; Daily Devotional #1 - “Here’s Lookin’ at YOU, God”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): How life goes sure depends on where our focus is. In the movie Casablanca, we find a guy named Rick, who, by his own admission, never stuck his neck out for anyone. Then into his life came a woman and a war that changed everything. He decided at the end of the movie that his own happiness, and the countless lives that hung in the balance, depended on his next move. What did he do? Well, for the greater good he says good-by to his lady love (disclaimer: this is a worldly movie, so the moral character is flawed) and decides to do what is right for others. He refocused his life to give something at a cost to his “happiness” rather than continue to take what he wanted for himself. For those who choose to follow Christ and live for Him, the greater good is the salvation of those people of the world God is calling to Himself, and we are here to bring God’s love at whatever “cost” to those whose future depends on hearing the Gospel and receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Our joy increases by the amount we are willing to give. Jesus is our example, and He gave it all (John 6:51).
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): God is all about giving, and freely He gives (1 Corinthians 2:12). Look at what He has given us: From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided before hand when they should rise and fall and he determined their boundaries. “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist…” (Acts 17:26-29, NLT). He has given since the Garden of Eden and continues to give all the way to Heaven. He has given His Son to die on a cross, and He has given His Holy Spirit to live in us. Doesn’t that make you want to focus on Him? His amazing love teaches us every day how to live life His way. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105, NLT).
Harvesting the Crop (Action): We can’t see anything past ourselves unless we are focusing on God and His Word. Like in the movie mentioned above – we start out sticking our neck out for no one, and then our focus changes when we come face to face with our Savior. We must never lose that focal point; it is the light in this dark world. Daily time in the Word of God (and obeying and doing what it says) keeps our focus where it needs to be; don’t let life go all wrong by losing your focus. Life is meant to be full of joy and lived abundantly (John 10:10), and that is how it is when you are willing to live dangerously for Christ. Let’s go out today saying, “Here’s lookin’ at you, God!”
Cultivate (Additional Reading): Philippians 1:27-30
bam
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
New Living Translation = NLT.