Richard Craig, Author at GraceAndWorks - Page 18 of 60

When driving down the road, how easy it is to lose concentration. You see something off to the side of the road and glance over for a look. Conversation can be distracting to the driver. Talking of the phone or texting. Listening to the radio can take your attention away from driving. There are all kinds of things that will cause us to lose focus and some times it will cause accidents.

I watch a lot of sports. I see teams get a big lead and think they have the game won only to lose concentration and end up in a close game and even losing. In football, teams will employ what they call “Prevent Defense” only to see a lead evaporate, trying to run out the clock and win the game. I call this a “Prevent to win Defense” because there are times when the team loses focus and ends up losing the game. Individual sports like golf, tennis, and track and field require extreme focus. You hear athletes say “my head just wasn’t in the game today.” What that simply means is they couldn’t gather the concentration or focus to make good things happen.

Life is full of distractions. We lose jobs, friends and family members pass on, health issues, bad attitudes, not knowing what is going to happen, worry, stress, procrastination, bull headedness, and the list goes on. However, things are going to happen to cause us to lose our focus on the job at hand and we must be able to adapt and overcome. Not easy at times, but can be done with the concentration, attitude and focus.

Christian lives are also suspect to losing focus. We get tired, grow apathetic, and lose interest. We become comfortable and lose focus on the goal. All of this persuades us to slow down, back off, drop out, and give up all because we lost focus.We don’t like quitters, we hate ourselves for giving up, and the very word SURRENDER leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Even when things are bleakest we need to persevere, hang on, not giving up, and never cry “Uncle”. We have sayings we use, such as “Keep on keeping on”, “Never say die”, “Tie a knot and hold on”, and “It’s not over ’til it’s over”. Catching sayings, but they won’t work unless we can stay focused.

In 2nd Timothy chapter 2, Paul gives us good examples on how to remain focused. He tells us to be as single minded as a soldier, be as disciplined as an athlete, and be as hard working as a farmer. Most of can relate to one or all of these. We need to be patient under hardship, abstain from wicked ways, and be a pursuer of a good and pure heart. If we can do these things, we will remain focused on the goal. That goal being Heaven.

SMILE God loves YOU!! Have a good week all.

Tractors without cabs, air conditioning, stereos or radios. Cars, pickups, and trucks with no air conditioning and not much of a heater. Up at 6 AM and work until 6 PM. Get done what you could and start all over the next day. Winter time, up early in the morning to feed the cattle and then off to school. Working on a farm was a way of life. It wasn’t easy, but you never gave it a second thought. You just did the work without question.

We had about a thousand acres of wheat land to farm and 125 head of cattle to take care of. We had alfalfa, cane, and grass for the cattle. Some 15,000 bales were put up each summer so we had feed for the cattle in the winter. We didn’t have the equipment that is available today. Bales were rectangular, weighed 50-75 pounds, and all had to be handled by hand. We would load them on a trailer and haul them to a stack to store for the winter. Hard work, yes!! But a way of life and we never questioned doing it. We had miles of fence to take care of and tended to that when it had rained and it was too wet to work in the fields. Working in the fields we sat on open tractors as the dirt swirled around us. We were never concerned about spraying for weeds or bugs and sitting in the open breathing all that in. This was back in the 50’s and 60’s. I don’t know exactly what farming is all about today, I’ve been away from it for many years now. However, I do know it has evolved with better and more efficient equipment. The work still has to be done. The work is still not easy. The work is still a way of life.

Why did I tell you all this? In 2nd Timothy 2:6, Paul encourages and admonishes us to be as hard working as a farmer. He is talking about our work in God’s kingdom. Are we as dedicated as the farmer? Are we as diligent to our work as the farmer? Are we as focused as the farmer? The work has to be done. The work isn’t always easy. The work should be a way of life.

Count your many blessings and thank God for them, through prayer and your work for Him in the Kingdom.

If you are like me, it seems that life is like a NASCAR race. You just go around and around in circles making nothing but left hand turns. Sometimes we don’t even get the circle completed before something else comes up.

There are several paths as we go through life. When I lived on the farm we had paths that we drove on through the fields. They were bumpy and rough to ride on. Then there were the gravel country roads. Better that a path, but could still be bumpy and rough to ride on. We then graduate to the paved roads. Smooth sailing along the way. Until…..you hit that dreaded “Chuck Hole”, then BOOM, the ride turns bumpy and rough.

If this all sounds waaaaay to familiar, take a look at your life. Are things bumpy and rough and the ride you have isn’t as smooth as you thought it would be? Maybe it’s time to do something about the rough patches.

Awwww if only we would do what God wants us to do, life would be a much smoother ride. He doesn’t want us to hold grudges, harbor anger, worry about things that don’t matter, covet what others have–be satisfied with what He has provided for us, have a disrespect for others, and being self-centered. He wants us to be obedient to Him. Lead a righteous life, go to Worship services on the first day of the week, be baptized for the remission of sins, be cordial to others, and have the love and respect for others that they deserve. What a better world we would live in, if all would abide in God’s rules instead of just doing what we want!! No more lying, cheating, murder, stealing, and gross immorality. Those things would all be gone and out of our lives. Awwwww the smooth ride through life that we desire.

Everyone has an opinion!! However, they are like armpits–everybody has a couple and most of them stink.  Millions of voters have once again been duped and misled by the President, Congress, and Senate. Voters were promised that the Affordable Care Act would be overturned and replaced. Well, how did that work out? I have a couple takes on this: 1) Congress has gotten so used to saying no that they don’t know any better. The last administration put up with this for 8 years. Soooo it’s only fitting that they continue the practice of “Just say no”. 2) The Republicans that said they hated the Affordable Care Act, now, can’t find a way to make it better. They must have decided it wasn’t so bad after all. The past Administration and the Democrats must be having quite a chuckle over the “Non” vote to make changes.

Since when is it OK to hate all Muslims, when the majority are good people? Is this not an act of prejudice? We don’t hate all blacks because there are a few that create problems. We don’t hate all whites because there are a few that create problems. We don’t hate all Indians because there a few that create problems. There is an old saying, “Because one white dog bites you, do you shun all white dogs?” I think most of us would say, “No that is crazy!!” I, personally, don’t see the difference. God created all men equal and I don’t think He intended us to have hate or prejudice in our hearts toward our fellow man.

I’m extremely happy to be a Christian!! God is my Commander In Chief. His decisions are always the right ones. He doesn’t have to rely on anyone to say, “It’s OK.” He has made Christians a promise to prepare a place for us, if we are obedient and live righteous lives. You can go to the bank with His promise. It’s fair, just, and will not change.  God will not lie to us, He will not dupe us, and He will not mislead us. His commands are simple ones and VERY easy to understand. 2nd Timothy 2:15 and following tells us to study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the Word of God. Know what He has to say, don’t take things out of context, and all will be good for you.

God has the say!! Quit worrying about things you have no control over.