I feel like I need to return to the work of the year – do – every so often to keep myself on task. I was reminded on this ‘strategery’ last night!
Let’s keep it up!
And to help, here is one of my favorite verses of all time!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV
As you are rambling around today doing things and doing unto others, here is a little thought that should help you with those interactions. This little principle should help us break down the enormity of the things that are there to be done.
Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.
Focus on one and let the glory of God been shown.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9, 10 NIV)
Then as you move along along you can start to increase the number of ones.
I know I share tweets from Rick Atchley often, but he creates some gems. So I’ll start this last day of February with this, I think it aligns with what I have written about very well.
https://twitter.com/rickatchley/status/438660545319686144
And since it is the end/start of another month, it seems proper to revisit the verse of the year. This time from the Easy to Read Version
22 Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. James 1:22 (ERV)
So continue to do on your way to well done!
Oh, and our counters – 9 out, 43 to go!
I recently received an email with the subject line “Train Today, Triumph Tomorrow”. The email which happened to be attempting to persuade me to purchase soccer gear, shoes and apparel was full of nice catchy images like this:
and this:
Although it did not inspire me to buy shoes, it did inspire me to capture the images and share them with you. Those two slogans, “Train today to triumph tomorrow” and “Train Hard, Win Easy” can be applied to our daily walks as well. They call to the need to prepare our physical bodies. I remind you to prepare your spirit mind. Each day, progressing a little big more down the path, growing and becoming more and more prepare for whatever spiritual battles lie in front of you. That doesn’t mean we will be perfect, although my dad always said ‘perfect practice makes perfect’, a line he borrowed from some basketball coach name Lehman, I think. Anyway, lets do it. Train today, so we will triumph tomorrow!
12 So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship. 2 Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NCV)
These Fridays are just rolling around with what seems to be ridiculous speed. Three weekends are past and this ends the 4 week. 7 segments of seven remain for the year. Including today 49 Friday’s are left in this container we call a year.
This week I was listening to Andy Stanley’s new year new you 2014 message. This was his message to encourage people to continue their transformations in 2014. during that talk he mention the story on Nehemiah, who if you don’t recall traveled to a destroyed Jerusalem to restore his people. When he arrived he began to fervently rebuild the city’s wall. This was his focus. His task. His mission. He didn’t waver, he didn’t allow others to sidetrack him. In a humorous response, when asked to meet with some local dignitaries he responded multiple times with these words
“I’m doing a great work; I can’t come down.” Nehemiah 6:3
As we end this week and take out another marble, remember those words. You are doing a great work. Stay focused on your tasks. Keep going. Don’t get sidetracked, and don’t allow things that are not moving your along to become your focus. And maybe, just maybe we should learn this second lesson from Nehemiah. He leaned on the Creator.
I prayed, “Give me strength.” Nehemiah 6:9