DAY 27 Encouragement

Well, I have "technically" missed a day of my 52 days of encouragement.  We are now into the early morning hours of October 18, but I am still counting this as my Monday, October 17 blog.  I hope you understand.  I didn't forget, I was just engaging in some person to person ministry with someone in real need of an ear tonight.  With that said, here goes today's post.

I have been reading "The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer, and there have been so many good things in this book.  I absolutely love his books.  In particular, there are a few lines I would like to share with you tonight about faith.  I pray they will bless you and encourage you.  I hope that you will see the simplicity of faith as well as the individuality of faith. 

"Faith is a redirecting of our sight, a getting out of the focus of our own vision and getting God into focus."

"Faith looks out instead of in and the whole life falls into line."

"When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on this earth."

I'd like to look at each one of these statements individually.  First, I have talked more than once during these days of encouragement about our focus and keeping our minds, our mind's eye set on Jesus.  We must take our eyes off of our circumstances, and put them on Jesus.  Our circumstances will never change as long as that's all we "see."  We become what we behold.  We will never rise above our circumstance if our "eyes" don't rise above them.

Second, we will never go anywhere if all we do is look within ourselves.  The concept of faith is so self-less.  It requires us to look out.  Therefore, faith, in itself, helps direct our "eyes" to our proper focus.  I want my life to be what it's suppose to be, what God has planned for me, but that will not happen as long as my focus is always about me.  My focus has to be Him!  He must be my desire.  His plans must be my plans.  His purpose must be my purpose.  It's no longer I who lives but Christ Who lives within me.  I must desire to know nothing but Christ, and Him crucified.  Then, my whole life falls into line!

"Whoa, Whoa! Heaven, Heaven on Earth!" What an awesome song!  This song is so prophetic.  As I read this third statement, I couldn't help but think of this song.  Our God is so personal!  When my eyes meet His, it's powerful!  Nothing, absolutely nothing, satisfies like His presence.  That wonderful, beautiful gaze of His flaming eyes of love that just pierces my soul.  It cleanses my very being, yet it saturates me with love.  His gaze makes me melt!  It truly is heaven on earth.

Scriptures for reference and study: Colossians 3:1-2; Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 2:10; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Corinthians 2:2; Philippians 1:21; Galatians 2:20; Song of Solomon 8:6-7; Hebrews 12:29