Tags
Related Posts
Share This
Keep Your Thoughts Fixed on God
Over his lifetime Charles Wesley, 1707–1788, wrote some 6,000 hymns! Let’s do the math on that one. Say he started writing in his thirties at his spiritual awakening and continued throughout his life. That would be a little over two hymns written per week, every week of his life! If he missed a week, maybe he went on vacation, spent some time at the beach, took a cruise, went camping with the kids, then the following week he would have delivered almost one a day!
I believe that he thought very much like God thinks. He had a great ability to focus his thoughts on things that reflect and honor God’s character. He kept his thoughts fixed on God and he obviously placed high value on his time in prayer with God.
He stated, "In fellowship; alone to God, with faith, draw near, approach His courts, besiege His throne with all the power of prayer." As Alan would say, he was a praying mama-jama!
Here’s the thing that brings us back to my favorite recent quote about discipline. Mental discipline is required to keep your thoughts consistently focused. The world certainly has a way of inundating us with information and images 24×7 in an effort to divert our attention from the truth. This requires effort on our part and I think can only be reached with God’s help through prayer in being disciplined and intentional with our prayer lives.
By reflecting on the nature and character of God, who is true, noble, just, pure, lovely and admirable, we have a great filter for our thinking to focus on God and goodness to the exclusion of all else.
Oswald Chambers, who wrote "My Utmost for His Highest" stated, "Every time we pray our horizon is altered, our attitude to things is altered, not sometimes but every time, and the amazing thing is that we don’t pray more."
Martin Luther stated, "The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray, the better it goes."
Our year in prayer gives us a great focal point for our thinking. We have many opportunities to keep our thoughts fixed on God this year.
I invite you to come join the church body in prayer at the next monthly prayer gathering. These gatherings are scheduled the first Wednesday of every month at 7 pm at the church. Next one takes place Wednesday, May 5th. Coincidentally the next day, May 6th, is the National Day of Prayer.
Come fix your thoughts on God through prayer and experience the joy that comes from trusting in God’s promises.
Oswald Chambers also stated, "The whole meaning of prayer is that we may know God."
May we all experience growth in knowing God more this year and always.
Thanks, brother! Loved the message and the picture…
Chuckie D…thanks for your words and your challenge. Being on the other end of the discipline temperament…some would say “indulgent”, I’d say “spontaneous”…this is particularly a challenge to me. So thanks for the reminder of the importance of being more disciplined in these areas of my life. That said, I’m so thankful having you as a friend…God has used your discipline of body, mind, and heart to move me closer to Him and more of the man He wants me to be. So thanks my friend…it’s great serving with you…and doing life with our families together.
Chuck,
Excellent description of praying by fixing our eyes on God! Wesley’s accomplishment could only be accomplished by a complete desire to invest his days in worshiping God continuously. A great motivation for me to carve more time out of each day for glorifying God with my life.
I have challenged our small group to spend 10 minutes a day in scripture reading / meditation, and 10 minutes in prayer and reflection for the next 14 days to see how God moves. I will share this with them.
Thanks,
David Sharp
Oswald Chambers, “Every time we pray our horizon is altered, our attitude to things is altered, not sometimes but every time, and the amazing thing is that we don’t pray more.”
Love this statement . Thanks Chuck for altering my world today.
Chuck, I continue to be proud of you and your willingness to share your faith with others.