Hi family!

 

From a young age, the world drills into us the message, "work hard and make a living".  Most people have unquestioningly accepted that mindset, but it reinforces self-reliance instead of reliance on God.  When we struggle with the double-edged sword of trying to live up to the world's standards or face condemnation, we miss out on God's promises to us.  His plan for us includes prosperity and abundance, but the Scriptures teach us to trust Him and SEEK HIM FIRST.

See, what we focus on can either bring good or evil. Spiritually, having a SINGLE-MINDED vision of God fills us with light.  Matthew 6:22-23 says,

  • The lamp of the body is the eye.  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 

Taking our focus off of God and striving to be rich first is evil.  Proverbs 28:22 says,

  • A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

So, if we split our focus and try to get rich while trying to focus on God at the same time, we will be full of darkness.

Family, we may not be able to stop thoughts fleetingly passing through our minds, but we can examine them and bring them into captivity.  2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says,

  • For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down imaginations, arguments, and reasonings that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

We can train ourselves to cast out the thoughts that do not conform to God's will and actively focus on those that do. Thoughts contrary to God's Word divide our attention, and we cannot accomplish our God-given goals if our attention is divided.  We should also be aware of a divided heart which comes from trying to trust in ourselves and in God simultaneously.

Know this:  God's principles and the world's are different. We must keep our priorities in order:  God first, followed by everything else after.  This is what Matthew 6:33 says,

  • But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

When we do this, everything else we want will show up in our lives. What we think in our hearts determines what we say, do, and believe (see Proverbs 23:7). Thinking soberly lines up with God's will. We do this by renewing our minds to the Word of God. Romans 12:2 says,

  • Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Being single-minded,

Lisa Gordon

Gordon Ministries and Jesus City Church