Category: Focus

2/17/2026 2 Comments

Game Over!

Mighty Joe

Jesus chomped on the Pharisees for their love of money (Luke 16:14). He could have done the same with athletes for their love of sports, or politicians for their love of power, or models for their love of beauty. What we are consumed with or most devoted to reveals much about us, but also about our destiny. And Jesus knew that.

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12/31/2025 1 Comment

A New Year

A new year, 2026, approaches. Achievers eagerly begin plotting the goals they will set and accomplish in the coming year. If they are like me, they may use a format like Luke 2:52 to organize their goals under four headings: spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual. Executors tend to love goal setting because it gives them something tangible to measure and earn satisfaction from. Relators enjoy goals so long as they further or deepen relationships. Influencers find goals helpful for accomplishing an overall vision or agenda. Thinkers tend to be more strategic about what they plan to do, or cautious if the process has not gone well in the past. And some people in each category (depending on their strengths) may find the whole notion of goal setting a waste of time or effort.

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10/20/2025 1 Comment

Obsessed

When I mention the word obsessed does anyone come to mind? I immediately think of many types of people I observe on social media. The first group frequently posts critical messages about the political leader or party they detest. No matter what the leader or party does or says, they find fault. They are unreasonable. Other people fanatically follow their favorite athletes or sports teams. They are seasonable. Some are passionate about sharing or reliving photos and stories of their personal or family accomplishments and adventures. They are personable. The fourth type shares spiritual experiences or uplifting messages. They are inspirable. The fifth group regularly shares food recipes, health, weight, or exercise tips, and accomplishments. They are coachable. And then there are the super-obsessed folks who weigh in with all or most of the above, clearly living on social platforms. They are formidable

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4/22/2025 0 Comments

Fully Mature

In a conversation bemoaning people's lack of curiosity about others today, 81-year-old Ross shared an interesting observation he learned from someone he respected. “We are high in connectivity and low in connection.” People are more engaged on social media than ever, but they are making fewer connections because most posts are self-focused. He identified this as expressive individualism, where “what I have to say is more important than what I have to hear.”

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4/21/2024 1 Comment

Swerving

Driving today requires more situational awareness and alertness than ever before. Too often, I am behind a truck or a car and notice it crossing into adjacent lanes—sometimes even going off the road onto the shoulder. Virtually every time I pass the veering vehicle, the driver is texting or engaged on their phone and not paying attention to their surroundings. For this reason, I no longer bicycle on roads, even if they have designated lanes—it’s simply too dangerous.

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3/10/2024 3 Comments

Are You Prepared?

After hearing Jesus speak about the destruction of the temple buildings, His disciples asked Him what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). He shared with them the signs of the end times and what it would be like before His arrival.

An undeniable unsettledness grips the hearts of entire populations concerning these days. One must hardly look to see that all is not well on Earth. But rather than mope or cast blame, why not cope within a different frame—the frame of preparation? Zach Clinton, author of Even If, asked thousands of men attending the Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend at Thomas Road Baptist Church two questions. “Can you sleep through the storm because you have prepared? Are you training for the trial you are not in?”

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7/11/2023 1 Comment

Grumptitude

What is grumptitude, you ask? Essentially, it is the quality or feeling of being grumpy or unthankful. Whereas people with gratitude look for things for which to be thankful, those with grumptitude prefer to live in a prickly state of dissatisfaction. Their lousy attitude has several consequences. First, who wants to spend time with them? Their negativity makes life miserable. Second, their philosophy is built upon an underlying conviction for fault-finding or gloom globbing. If the sun is shining, it is sure to rain. If it is raining, expect a flood. If it floods, count on losing everything. If everything is lost, it’s because life is stacked against them. Do you get the picture?

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4/30/2023 1 Comment

What Do You Want?

Oswald Chambers wrote a devotional entitled “What Do You Want?” The point of his message was that God is more concerned about us having a close relationship with Him than in our receiving gifts from Him. “There is nothing easier than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not God Whom you want but only what He gives.”[1]Getting what we want may directly oppose what God knows we need and will provide in His perfect timing because it will have greater work not just in our lives but, most importantly, in our relationship with Him.

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4/23/2023 1 Comment

Because of His Majesty

How do we avoid sinning? It’s a fundamental question that has many implications for our lives. Reading through the book of Job, we can pick up some amazing insights from a man horrifically tormented by Satan for his righteous life. In chapter 31, Job identifies at least thirteen things that would be inappropriate for him to do, with verse 23 serving as the lynchpin for his profound reasoning.

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4/13/2023 0 Comments

Completely Open

Meditation
2 Corinthians 5:11--Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

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1/25/2023 0 Comments

The Unhindered Way

Meditation
John 14:9—Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’

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8/3/2022 0 Comments

Vines and Thorns

Jesus taught the parable of the sower to a large crowd assembled by the Sea of Galilee. Seed in healthy soil and free of the threat of birds, rocks, and thorns grows to produce vibrant crops. Had Jesus lived in other parts of the world, He might have added vines to His illustration. In southeast Virginia, there is a vine that produces a beautiful purple flower. It is called purple Wisteria. These vines produce a wide array of leaves in the summertime that form a cover and make for a lush, green setting. Wisteria is a beautiful addition to a lawn or garden if properly grown and maintained. But if left unrestricted, it can destroy trees and shrubs.

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6/25/2021 0 Comments

I Identify As . . .

While at a golf fundraising event I saw a marine veteran wearing a t-shirt that proclaimed, “I Identify As Vaccinated.” It radiated humor but was actually rather brilliant. It subtly broadcast with absurdity the politically-correct notion that someone can identify as whatever gender they desire. As the federal government moves to require schools to accommodate transgender students not surprisingly there is an immediate push back. College of the Ozarks is suing President Joe Biden because his executive order on “gender identity” violates the school’s religious freedom by compelling it to force their students to share dorms and shower facilities with members of the opposite sex.[1] So let’s take a closer, deeper look at the whole issue of identity.

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3/14/2021 0 Comments

Separated Ones

A group of people determined to separate themselves in the pursuit of holiness. They gave themselves a name—Perushim, which means separated ones. Over time as they concentrated on holy living, they became proud and self-righteous. On the outside they looked great but on the inside they rotted.[1]

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7/18/2020 1 Comment

Self-Dependent

Meditation
Isaiah 22:10,11--You counted the houses of Jerusalem so that you could tear them down to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the walls for the waters of the ancient pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or consider the One who created it long ago.

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4/16/2020 1 Comment

How Will You Finish?

“The older man continued. ‘It has been my observation that just one out of ten who start out in full-time service for the Lord at twenty-one are still on track by the age of sixty-five’ . . . What makes you think that you will be the one man out of ten who finishes strong?”[1]

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12/18/2019 0 Comments

Futile or Fulfilled?

Ecclesiastes is a wisdom book written almost certainly by King Solomon. The book title in Hebrew is Qōheleth and translates “Teacher.” A predominant theme of Ecclesiastes is that “under the sun, all is futile.” Futility comes from the Hebrew word hevel which stresses that which is empty and transitory. This key word occurs 38 times and is used to describe outward, physical things as well as inward thoughts. [1] It is often paired with the phrase “a pursuit of the wind.”

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10/24/2019 0 Comments

Essentialism

Greg McKeown is the author of an excellent book entitled essentialism. Greg contends that the disciplined pursuit of less is a major key to success. Lin Yutang says, “The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” From this premise, McKeown lays out a compelling case which helps us understand why it is important to: say “no” and not overextend; prioritize our lives; exercise the power of choice; discern what is important; know when to make tradeoffs; know when to play and to sleep; know what to select and what to eliminate; set boundaries and focus; etc.

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8/6/2019 0 Comments

Focus

Stephen is the project manager for a large construction company. Currently his job is to oversee the creation of a new apartment complex. Ed, a close friend, asked if he would be willing to be the Scout Master for the Boy Scout chapter in their town. Because Stephen has three sons, two of whom were involved in the Scouting program, he was very interested in the offer. His wife, Rachel, who is in charge of their church’s children ministry, asked him if he would be willing to take responsibility for building a new children’s wing—a worthy project that would really help the church. Four of his college friends have put together a softball team and they would like Stephen to pitch, a position he excelled in both high school and college. Stephen is feeling overwhelmed. While he would love to do all of the above, he knows this would be unwise and probably unhealthy. What should he do?

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6/14/2019 0 Comments

Psalm 15--Unmovable

Have you ever wondered, What do I have to do to live a stable life, to not be twisted with every fierce wind of opposition or pulled from what is right to what is ultimately degrading? How can I have the kind of healthy fellowship with God that will bring joy and fulfillment?

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