It's About Focus December 4, 2014

¹² Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12 ESV

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Timothy 6:12 ESV


⁷ To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 ESV

The verses above are from the three readings I access each morning for my Bible study.  The verse from John is the "Verse of the Day" sent out via the Internet by Bible Gateway.  The Timothy and Revelation verses are from books written many decades ago:  My Utmost for His Highest and Daily Strength for Daily Needs.

As I have considered these three sources this morning, I realized that the two older sources focus a lot on trials, struggles, and overcoming.  While that is certainly an aspect of the Christian life (both spiritually and physically) there is the other side of the Christian coin--light, joy, praise.  The verse from John is a shining (pun intended) example of the lighter side of Salvation.

Praise is not easy for me.  Thanksgiving gives way to supplication too quickly.  Joy is outstripped by toil.  

I have a tendency to turn my Christian life into a series of battles and lose that balance between struggle and celebration.  

Some of that is my nature; however, it is being aided by my choice of reading materials.  I would welcome any devotionals that may lean more toward celebration and thanksgiving.  

Christians are conquerors, victors, winners, not JOE BTFSPLK.