What’s Your Focus?

Matthew 26:14-16 NLT

“14:Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” 15:And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16:From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.”

With reading the passage above, everyone knows what eventually happened between Judas and Jesus(and if you aren’t aware, Judas sold Jesus out to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver)…but the part that stuck out to me were verses 15-16 …once Judas received the money (which could be any other worldly desire), he began to look to please the people of the world who gave it to him … he began to look for opportunities betray Jesus.

Once Judas’s eyes were taken off following Jesus and focused upon worldly satisfaction, it placed him in direct opposition against Jesus. Because I love YOU dearly :-), I challenge you to re-evaluate your focus today. …Which brings me to where He brought me (lol):

1 John 2:15-17 NLT

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

God has declared that YOU are blessed coming in & going out, blessed in the city & blessed in the fields, the head & not the tail, a lender & not a borrower, above only & not beneath, blessed in the land that He gives you and that EVERYTHING you put your hands to is blessed.(Deut 28:1-12) ….See, God WANTS you to be blessed so much so that you’re able to be a blessing to someone else. But as much as He wants you to be blessed, He wants you to be THANKFUL to Him. He wants to know that you appreciate Him, His kindness and that He is still the object of your affection & the “apple of your eye.” Enjoy the things that He blesses you with, but don’t make them your idol.  :-)

P.S. - Stay Focused! :-)

(originally posted: March 12, 2011)