Our world is filled with chaos and ugliness
Jesus is here for us in His fullness
He is to be our focus in each situation and every moment
He should always be the preeminence
Whatsoever things are good, we are encouraged to look on
Behold the beauty of the Lord
The loveliness of His presence
Casting down vain imaginations
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the Lord
It’s so easy to get overcome by the filth and negativity of the world
And lose our focus
And lose our purpose
It takes effort to keep carrying that cross
If we lose our focus, the prize, the glory of the Lord,
we can stumble and get off track
Determination and perseverance, like we are running a race,
while carrying our cross
How else can we get there, to the finish line?
That determination and perseverance must be in Christ
and not in our own strength, lest we fall, fall in many ways,
our victories, our achievements that seem so righteous
but that lack trust in our Savior
Without keeping Jesus as our focus, we will fall prey to pride
and the accomplishments we admire about ourselves
Peter is an example of how someone trusted in himself,
but failed to stand for the Lord
Even standing for the Lord takes His strength,
that is because what we do without the Lord means nothing,
even if it is seemingly for the Lord
Nothing we accomplish without the Lord will mean anything in the end
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5
He is our help and our shield
He is our strength and our protector
Jesus is the One who will be there for us as our flesh fails
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 8:13-14
Scriptural References:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
Psalm 27:4
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
2 Corinthians 10:5
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:14
Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:20
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.
Isaiah 40:29