{"id":35647,"date":"2023-08-12T03:30:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-12T10:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=35647"},"modified":"2023-08-10T09:09:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T16:09:26","slug":"august-12-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2023\/08\/12\/august-12-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"August 12, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

My Priority<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cSet your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.\u201d Colossians 3:2<\/em><\/p>\n

I had a new experience during my devotions this morning. Usually, I open my Bible and get my journal ready, then move into a time of praise for Who the Lord is, and prayer for all my loved ones and the situations on my mind.<\/p>\n

Today, though, felt different. I felt sleepy. Unmotivated. Confused. Unfocused, and very distracted. After several minutes, I almost gave up. I almost said to myself, \u201cOh well, tomorrow will be different.\u201d I almost excused the distractions by saying, \u201cThe coffee hasn\u2019t kicked in\/I haven\u2019t had my shower yet\/I\u2019m not fully awake. God knows I love Him. His grace covers this. It won\u2019t hurt, just this one time….\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, a vivid thought came to me (I know it was the Lord speaking to me): This is the most important thing I will do today. I was about to let go of the most important thing, and do only the lesser things! I was making excuses for not doing the one thing that had the potential to change my day, to change me, and to change my life.<\/p>\n

Then these words came: PRESS IN. I knew what that meant. I\u2019ve been down this road before. It meant, \u201cGet a move on. Push stuff out of the way. Don\u2019t let anything stop you. Move forward as if there are no roadblocks, no stop signs, no detours. There is only a destination. Get there!\u201d<\/p>\n

Harsh? Not a bit. To me, these are loving words. Grace words. Encouraging words. This means that my heavenly Father is calling me to do business with Him. He has something to say. He\u2019s got a plan, and I\u2019m to be a part of it!<\/p>\n

Mentally, I pictured myself pushing through a crowd of tiny people, all clamoring, grabbing at me, yelling distractions, getting in my way. I pressed forward, inch by inch; a throne was ahead. Suddenly, the way opened up. All the people were now subdued, quietly walking alongside me, all of us headed together for the throne.<\/p>\n

I knew in an instant what this picture was: I was bringing my thoughts into submission to Jesus Christ. It wasn\u2019t me \u201ccorralling\u201d my thoughts, as if I was fencing them in\u2014this was me moving forward in spite of them, not paying them any attention, having a single focus on reaching the throne of God so we could have our meeting. And so we did.<\/p>\n

Do you have an experience to share about bringing your thoughts into submission to Jesus Christ? We\u2019d love to post your comments.<\/p>\n

Dear Lord, forgive me when I make excuses for stopping short of meeting with You each day. Show me the way, and help me to make time with You a priority over all lesser things. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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