If I'm going to make it to the top of the mountain...my EYES and my MIND must be focused on the same thing! A focused individual is someone who aims well at the target and pulls his bow of opportunity to the final stretch before letting his arrow of destiny fly.
When God attempts to lead us FORWARD...rest assured the enemy of our soul will do everything he can to get us to RETURN to our old ways. Israel is a prime example of this. They had just left Egypt - headed toward the promised land (Exodus 16) when the ghosts of hunger and thirst raised their heads and frightened them. They had only been on the road for a few days and were only a few miles from Sinai...but because they had missed a meal or two...they wanted to go back to the SLAVE CAMPS of Egypt!
Even though God had proven Himself strong on their behalf by...giving them a dry path through the Red Sea...they wanted to go back to making brick and mud balls in Pharaoh's brickyard. They kept remembering the flesh pots of Egypt and were willing to SELL THEIR FUTURE for a bite to eat. They had their eyes on Canaan but their minds were on Egypt!
They talked about freedom...but they thought about slavery.
They looked one way and thought another.
To even think about Egypt...they had to think about crossing burning desert sands where slime and slavery holds sway. BUT to think about Canaan their minds would have to lift a midst the hills...the cedars and the whispering pines.
It was up to them.
These were two great places of affection for the people of Israel....one was the cradle of their race and the other was the hope of their future. One meant shackles...the other meant a song of deliverance. One meant freedom...the other meant slavery.
They were halted between the call of CHAINS and the call of WINGS! Chains to hold them to their past but wings to lift them to new heights. Chains of SLAVERY or wings of FREEDOM! Both places pointed in different directions - they were at opposite ends of the journey!
How about you?
- Would you rather go back into bondage than to pay the price of victory?
- How do we get off the treadmill of life and move forward in the things of God?
- How can we focus our minds as well as our eyes on the "Canaan" experience of our lives?
- How do we reach our promise land without being detoured by the enemy?
- Change our FOCUS...
- Have FAITH in those appointed over us...
- Move and operate in the FAVOR of the Lord...
Press Past Your Mess 4-22-12
