"Change Your Focus" by Margaret Slaughter

Change Your Focus

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” – Philippians 4:8-9 MSG

How many times do you spend the better part of your day complaining about people, situations, and circumstances that you feel are just not right?  In the end, where does that get you?  Nowhere, but deeper in a pit of negative thinking.

Why not change your focus?  Instead of complaining, speak and see those things or people the way you would like them to be.

Have a disobedient child?  Begin to focus on the small victories, and offer praise.

Disgruntled co-workers?  You be the light in darkness.

Unmotivated church members?   You bring the fire.

Speak what you seek, until you see what you said!  Nothing will change, until you change your focus. 

Margaret Slaughter

"I Am Bold" by Margaret Slaughter

I Am Bold

“Go, and the LORD be with you!” –1 Samuel 17:37

Have you ever faced obstacles in your life that seemed so big, you had no idea how you would overcome them?  It struck a real sense of fear in you.  That paralyzing, immobilizing fear.

The story of our subject scripture tells of the battle of David and Goliath.  The Philistine giant, Goliath, had taunted the Israelite army for forty days, morning and evening (1 Samuel 17:16).  Notice, one man struck fear in an entire army!

Goliath taunts David and the Israelites just as your problems and situations taunt you.  However, David, not even a member of the army, and by all accounts the smallest, was bold.  As they send David out to fight the Philistine giant, they bid him, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”  David fearlessly faced the giant under the power of the Lord.

How do you face your obstacles?

Whose power will you seek, yours or His?

If the word tells us, “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6), then why are we fearful?  Whose report will you believe?

Goliath had been relying on his physical strength to win, but David relied on the power of the Lord.  Just as David spoke to his obstacle, and declared the victory by the Lord’s power, we must also.  “You come to me with sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Speak to that ‘thing’, whatever ‘it’ is.  Be bold, and declare victory through the power of the Lord!

Margaret Slaughter