Sunday's Message, January 17, 2021 - Stay Focused

 Greetings Focused, Kingdom-seekers,

Sunday's message cautions and encourages us to stay focused on the Kingdom of Light in the midst of other narratives being spoken in the world today.  What narrative are you listening to?  

  

God Bless!

Scripture References & Highlights

Prayer for 2021:  This year will be a year of Light; that Light will shine and darkness will not dispel it. 

In Jesus' Name

There are many narratives out there.  What is God's narrative?

I Hear His Whisper...Blog

Message Scriptures:

• Luke 21:5-19
• the disciples' gaze was on the beauty of the temple
• Jesus let them know that what they currently were looking at would be destroyed
• Matthew 24:6
• the world's systems as we know it will end
• interestingly enough how our country has been called out for various social inequalities (injustices)
• Psalm 146:7-9
• God is the God of justice
• Micah 6:8
• do what is right (do justice)
• Luke 24:10
• kingdom against kingdom
• what we are seeing today is the Kingdom of Light vs. Kingdom of darkness
• Luke 21:8
• deception will run rampant
• Colossians 2:1
• Church of Laodicea being prayed for here and admonished in Revelations 3:14-22 to be either hot or cold, but stop being lukewarm
• Colossians 2:8-10, 20-23
• don't follow humanistic philosophies
• Colossians 3:1-4
• set your gaze on the realness of the Kingdom
• Matthew 11:12
• staying focused on the Kingdom of Heaven doesn't come without opposition

 Nuggets for the Week

• Stay focused so that...

1. our lives will honor and please the Lord (Col 1:10)
2. grow and learn to know God better (Col 1:10)
   
3. be stregthened with all His glorious power (Col 1:11)
4. be filled with joy (Col 1:11)
5. share in the inheritance that belongs to His people who live in light (Col 1:12)

• Stay focused so that we can...

1. be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love (Col 2:2)
2. have complete confidence in understanding God's plan of salvation which is Jesus Himself (Col 2:2)

Stay focused so that...

1. we continue to follow Christ (Col 2:6)
2. our roots grow down deep with a life built on Christ (Col 2:7)
3. our faith will grow strong in truth (Col 2:7), this will help in doing justice
4. we will overflow with thankfulness (Col 2:7)

Reflections

• There are many narratives on social media and in the news.  What is God's narrative?

 Key Takeaway for the Body

• we are called to stay focused on things above (knowing the King and His Kingdom)
• exchange our thoughts for God's thoughts
• get Christ's perspective by communing with Him daily

Prayer Time

In your times of prayer this week (9am,12noon, and 6pm) we encourage you to include the following scriptures located below and in the article 7 Verses and 7 Prayers for your Pastor/

Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-17

Philippians 1:9-11

Colossians 1:10-12

Worship Highlight