PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 6:19-24
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)
What we focus on impacts our whole life, for good or for bad.
Healthy eyes refer to healthy focus, keeping our mind on what is good.
A life focused on money is not healthy, it is a dangerous master.
Paul warns about those who ‘pierced by grief’ because of money. (1 Timothy 6:10)
It may not be money, but whatever it is, it is your master.
What Jesus says about money applies too: “No one can serve two masters!” (v.24)
Jesus is not being a killjoy, He is showing us the things that will kill our joy.
It does not help us to focus on pleasure, possessions, fame, success, etc..
How many are ruined by gambling, drug or sex addiction, unhealthy eating, online gaming?
What is it that you focus on, what is it that captures your mind most of the time?
We tend to find what we look for, but is what we are looking for what we really want?
If our focus is unhealthy, our whole life will be full of that unhealthy darkness.
But if we eagerly seek and desire what is good, you will experience more goodness.
And we will overflow that goodness too, and others will also feel it!
PRAYER
Lord, choosing to focus on something lesser than You starts as a choice, but soon it becomes a bondage. I know what this is about. Thank You for the gift of forgiveness and freedom… and the fullness of Your goodness!
I remember a twist on the last verse: You cannot serve both God and money – but you can use money to serve God. God blesses us to be a blessing – not to keep it for ourselves – the parable of the man with the abundant harvest makes that clear. No matter how much we have been blessed we can be a blessing. I’ve been blessed working with very poor people who have been a blessing to me! So I need to work hard not to let my abundance of possessions possess me – but instead use them to be a blessing! The focus is eternal – the present is but a training ground. Will I keep my priorities straight in the face of personal abundance that could so easily distract me?
Downward look or the upward look?
What do value? We are bombarded once again during this Christmas season to buy, buy, buy. But all what we get will loose their luster very quickly. And yet we stockpile these items.
I need to value items such as love, justice, hope, faith, living for Jesus and not myself. I need to focus on the everlasting.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON, JESUS,
WHEN THE TIDAL WAVE OF TROUBLE
AROUND YOU ROLLS.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON, JESUS,
HE WILL CALM THE STORMS OF LIFE
THAT TOSS YOUR SOUL.
LIVING IN A WORLD THAT’S FULL OF SORROW,
WE ARE TRIED AND TEMPTED EVERY DAY.
KNOWING NOT THE SECRETS OF TOMORROW,
WE FIND Rescue IF YOU WIN, WE WATCH AND PRAY.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON, JESUS,
WHEN THE TIDAL WAVE OF TROUBLE AROUND YOU ROLLS.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON, JESUS,
HE WILL CALM THE STORMS OF LIFE THAT TOSS YOUR SOUL.