VERTICAL FOCUS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“We love others best when we love God most.” ― Kyle Idleman

Jesus thought so too.

…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

(Mark 12:30-31 ESV)

Jesus set the PRIORITY for our day.

Love GOD.

That will open and prepare our hearts and minds for the other part; loving others.

Jesus came at this prioritization another way in Matthew; a familiar refrain.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...Matthew 6:33 (V)

That is VERTICAL living.

That is the way that GOD wants us to live.

We are to WAKE each day with HIM in mind.

We are to first affirm our love for Him.

We are then to give the reigns for the day to Him.

And we are to then be obedient to where He takes us trusting that HE will do all things right if we surrender to His will as that powerful "serenity prayer" reminds.

Benson said it this way... 

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities."

Remember:

“We often can't see what God is doing in our lives, but God sees the whole picture and His plan for us clearly.”― Tony Dungy

So today encouragement is a familiar one; but one I needed to hear again myself especially this week.  I have been WAY too HORIZONTAL.

Let's both get VERTICAL with GOD before attempting to go horizontal.

Let's: 

Allow GOD to govern our affections.

Allow GOD to govern our interests.

Allow GOD to set the agenda today.

Allow GOD to author His plan for our energies and focus today! 

For:

what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. 

Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG)

Have a blessed WEEKEND!

I love you all.

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE