God Hears Your Prayer

There is alot of bad things happening in this world, war in Iraq, terrorism, racism. People think why would God allow such things, well the fact is that He doesn't want those things to happen to us, but they are there because this world is full of sin and people have made a decision not to obey God.

However even through our disobedience God can still forgive us, there is not a sin too great for God to forgive. The only thing we need to do is come back to Him. When we pray and cry out to Him, our prayers are heard.

Whatever your needs are, cry out to God, come to Him and He will hear your prayers, just like how He heard the prayers of Israel when they were enslaved by the Egyptians.

Thank you Lord that you care so much about us that you hear each and every one of our prayers. I pray that you would meet my needs for today Lord and that I can be a blessing to the people around me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

New Job, New Year

I have confirmed that I will be starting at my new job on the 4th of December. Praise God, prayer really works! The company is bigger than my current company now, and I will be getting more pay. The best thing about it, is that I will meet new people that I can witness to.

Another testimony I have is that, I am now officially 23 years young! Praise God that He has brought me this far. I still can't fathom the fact that I am 23! that's twenty-three!...

God is awesome, He has been so good. Thank you Lord, I pray that you would help me to become stronger as I grow more and more in you and as I walk with you. Forgive me Lord for the sins I have committed, help me to learn from my mistakes. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Education

Education is important, even Jesus had to go through a period of learning. Had he not done that, He would not have known the scriptures to be able to fight the devil, and to teach in the synagogues. Sometimes we see education as a chore, something we must do, even though we don't really want to. Education plays a big part in your life, without education you cannot grow in knowledge and wisdom.

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge" - 2 Peter 1:5

I'm glad I did university, from my degree I have gained the skills necessary to make me someone that is useful in my workplace. If you live a country where education is freely given, think about all the other children living in third-world countries who don't have the luxury of free education. We have education and yet we want to throw it away. Learn to appreciate the education that you have, because through it, you will have the chance to become great one day.

Technology

Being a computer engineer I have always worked with technology, and so it has always been normal for me to be able to do all the cool things I do. One client my work has was amazed at how you could control a computer remotely. Whereas the engineers like myself would never think of it like that.

It's like that when you've been a Christian for so long, you get so "used to it" that you forget how amazing your life is compared to what it used to be. You forget that feeling of salvation when you first accepted Jesus into your hearts. Blogger seems to be having problems, but I'm glad God is always there, no matter what. Even though you may not appreciate Him, God is always faithful, for he loves each and everyone of us unconditionally.

Give thanks for everything that you have no matter how big or small.
"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thank you Jesus for the amazing life you have given me and I know that the journey is still a long way to go. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Eternal Gladness and Peace

We all want to be glad, we want to be happy. However nothing in this world can truly give us true happiness, because everything in this world is temporal. Only Jesus can give us true happiness because:

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

God is not limited and so happiness from God is not limited.

There are many people in this world that live their lives with great sadness, either because they don't have Christ in them or they have yet to receive the joy that is from the Lord. When we are Christians we have the right to be able to receive joy. It is the fruit of the spirit. Many people don't have this joy because of the way people treat them. People long to be loved by other people, they want others to be nice to them.

"There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us." - Psalm 4:6

Other people are humans just like us, they are not perfect, they still make mistakes. We can't totally rely on others to be our happiness. However Jesus will never betray you, God will never leave you nor forsake you.

Thank you Lord that we can have full confidence in you, that you will never leave us nor forsake us. Lord I pray that as I live each day, may the joy that is from you radiate through my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Job Interview

This afternoon I will be going for a job interview at Digitus Information Systems. I'm not really sure what to expect, but I believe that God has already gone before me. Whatever doors are meant to be opened, He will open, and likewise whatever doors need to be closed, He will close.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5

If you lack wisdom today, ask God to give you wisdom in whatever area it is and He will give it to you. God is not stingy, He wants to bless you.

Thank you Lord for the interview I have today, thank you Lord that you have made the way before me. I ask Lord that you would grant me wisdom for this interview. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

No Pain, No Gain

Throughout the book of Job, we see that Job is basically stripped of everything, his property, his livestock, even his family and friends go against him. We need to understand that when we face a trial, it is required so that we may be able to grow. For us to get stronger we need to exercise and as the saying goes "no pain, no gain".

Whenever we come to a problem it is easy to just give up and let the problem take over. However if we have God in us, who can be against us. There is not a problem too big for God.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31

For a plant to grow it must go through the harsh conditions of the weather, the hot sun, the thundering rain. This is why it is important that we make sure we are firmly rooted in Jesus. Only through Jesus can we get through these trials and problems in our lives. If it wasn't for Jesus, I would have caved in a long time ago, but because of Him, I am able to keep going, from glory to glory.

Lord, I thank you that you are a dependable God. Thank you God that through the trials and problems in my life that you use them to help me to grow and become more like you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Behemoth

Behemoth is thought to be one of the strongest animals known. The description given from the book of Job:

"Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you;
He eats grass like an ox.
See now, his strength is in his hips,
And his power is in his stomach muscles.
He moves his tail like a cedar;
The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
His bones are like beams of bronze,
His ribs like bars of iron." - Job 40:15-18

Many times we challenge God, thinking that we know what's best and God doesn't. Human nature is selfish and so we always want to do things for ourselves. In the book of Job, God challenges him saying:

"He is the first of the ways of God;
Only He who made him can bring near His sword." - Job 40:19

God is saying I am the creator of all things, man cannot dare to bring down a behemoth because of its incredible strength. Only He who made him has control over it. Man may think they are oh so powerful, but God still reigns supreme.

I have had many successes in life, from doing well in school and university to being able to accomplish tasks I have been assigned at work. When we do things and we do them well, don't fall into the trap of feeling that you can do anything on your own and you don't need God. Without God we cannot do anything. Only through Jesus Christ can we accomplish what we have and will accomplish.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

Lord, humble me as your child and servant. Only you have power over all things and that only through Christ that I can do all things. Strengthen me each day to do your will. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Heroes

I'm sure we all have people we look up to in our lives. When I was young, my hero was Michael Jordan because I loved basketball and he was very good at it. When we think about heroes, we think about people who are powerful, someone who can stand up and save the day. Some friends have told me that there is a new TV show now in America called "Heroes" and it's about these so called "ordinary" people having special powers. This is a typical image an a hero from our perspective.

Jesus is another hero of mine, but not only is he a hero because of his greatness, but because he actually played a part in my life to take me where I am now. The Jews were expecting a Messiah to come and free them from the Roman empire, so they pictured someone big and strong. However God had other ideas. Throughout the bible God tends to use people who are weak, because when we are weak, God is made strong in us.

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

Jesus came and no one could believe that He was the Saviour of Mankind. Who could believe it when He ended up submitting to the Roman authority and dying in the most shameful way. How could a hero end up dying, it doesn't make sense.

Although Jesus died after 3 days, He rose from the dead to claim His victory. God works in wonderful ways, sometimes we just don't understand until the plan is complete. Jesus is the ultimate hero, because He has conquered death itself. No other person on this earth I know can do what Jesus did, not Buddha, not Mohammed, or anyone else who claims that they have the "truth". For the only truth comes from Jesus.

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

So who is your hero?

Being a Rebel

Why do kids rebel against their parents or teachers? Usually it's because they want to be different, they want to have their own identity. Guess what? by rebelling, they have conformed to the world's standards. To be truly against the flow, we need to look at how Jesus lived his life.

"To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either." - Luke 6:29

What he says is Luke 6 is not an easy thing to swallow. Jesus is totally against the grain of the world. This is what being different means, to be different means we go against what the world says we should do. Rather than revenge, we should love our enemies, give and don't expect anything back. This is what Christianity is all about, it's about going against worldly standards and living up to the high standards set by God.

Lord help me to be different, change my heart so that I may be obedient to your word. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Created For You

"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created." - Psalm 148:1-5

Praise God! He created the whole earth and everything in it from nothing. The more you think about it, the more you can see and realise just how great is our God. He made things to fit together so well, the trees, the sky, the ground and everything else. Don't forget He also made you, and you are good because all things are made good.

It doesn't matter if people tell you you're ugly, they don't see you like God does. You are beautiful and handsome in God's eyes. Then why do we see so much evil in the world? That is because of sin, once sin enters, the pure creation becomes murky and dirty.

Thank you God that you have created everything and you love us above all things - to the point that you sent your Son to die for us. Thank you God that everything you created was for us!

The Greatest Need

What do you think is your greatest need? Is it to be healed from your sickness? Is it financial needs? Peace in the family and your life? You may think that these are important to you, but God knew that our greatest need is to be forgiven for our sins. That's why God came up with such an idea that shows His selflessness - sending His one and only son to die in our place.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." - Matthew 6:33

When we come to God, the first thing we should be asking for is for God to forgive us and to make us righteous before Him. When we seek His righteousness, God will bless us with other things like finances, health, etc. This shows that we need to come to God with the right attitude and the right heart.

Lord forgive me of my sins, make me righteous before you. Let my life be your light unto the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Walk of Faith

A Christian's life can be described as one - a walk of faith. That's what God wants us to do, to walk each day with faith in Him, that in every situation, we put our faith in Him, no matter how big or small the situation is. Having faith means to put our trust in Him completely. We cannot please God without faith.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." - Hebrews 11:6

If you think about it, you can't live without no faith. You must have some sort of faith, whether it be in God or in other things (or maybe in a number of things). If you had no faith whatsoever, you would not be sitting down on the chair right now. You had to do that in faith knowing that the chair will hold you up.

But you say this is different from having faith in God because you already know that the chair is not going to collapse, not true. If you had never ever heard of a chair or even sat in a chair you wouldn't be as certain. Likewise we need to experience God, the more we experience Him, the more faith we will have in Him. Don't discount things before you try them, and you certainly can't afford to discount God from your life.

Undo (Ctrl-Z or Command-Z)

Don't you wish sometimes that y0u could just press the undo button for your life? Maybe you've said something you shouldn't have, or maybe you offended someone. I know I have many times and many times I wish I could just undo it and do it all again. Unfortunately there is no undo button, but there is a way to receive hope and everlasting peace for the future no matter what atrocities or crimes you've committed.

"Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Think of yourself like a piece of white paper, at first God made you to be pure and holy. When you sin you cause yourself to get dirty or even ripped. It's hard to undo the damage, no matter how much you try to tape all the bits of paper back together again. Although it might get close, but it is never good enough for God's standards.

Thankfully there is a way, and that is through Jesus. If we receive Him, Jesus will take away that old and run down piece of paper and make you a clean sheet of paper once again.

Thank you Jesus that I am a new creation in you. Lord forgive me of my sins and help me to be wise and not sin anymore, but instead let me shine your light unto the world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Stagnancy

We live in a society that is so blessed compared to many places around the world. We have access to drinking water, social welfare, abundance of food, shelter and most even have the luxuries of owning a car, a computer and so on. God has given us so much, but do you know that the more you have the more responsibility you need to have? God bless us with things like money just so we can have fun. Sure it's ok to have fun, but we need to be good stewards, by being wise in how that money is being used.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey." - Matthew 25:14-15

The parable of the talents paints a picture of a master giving his servants some of his wealth to take care of. Being wise does not mean we just make sure nothing happens to the talent we have been given by hiding it. When we hide our gifts and abilities and don't use practise it, they will never develop and grow. You may think that hiding your money in a box somewhere means that you keep it safe, but in the end if it's not growing, it's actually shrinking. In the sense of wealth, things like depreciation and tax would eventually cause it to lose in value.

"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money." - Matthew 25:16-18

Likewise the less we use our gifts and abilities, whether it be sporting or musical, over time we start to lose that ability or at least we lose the proficiency we once had. Like when I started to play guitar, there is a big difference when I played everyday to when I only practised every few days or even once a week. By not practicing as much, my skills are no longer improving as much as it was before. Over time you can even forget how to play certain things.

"So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents." - Matthew 25:27-28

We need to keep moving with the Lord, we can't be stagnant, because it means we are moving backwards. Like a car on a steep hill, if you don't press the accelerator/gas, you will roll back down again. God knows your capabilities, he wont give you a hill you can't climb, but we also need to be diligent and not complacent in our walk with God.

Thank you Lord God for the gifts and talents you have given me. I pray that I will use them for your glory that they may multiply and bring you even more glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

God Speaks To Everyone

God can speak to anyone, even people who are not Christians!

"Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!"
So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)" - 1 Samuel 3:6-7

This is how people's hearts can be changed through the power of God and the Holy Spirit. We need to pray for our friends and relatives so that God will speak to them and move their hearts. When we bring someone to the Lord, it is not by our own strenght, but by the power of God.

We need to be wise and remember that God can speak through non-Christians as well as other Christians. Just because they are a non-Christian we totally disregard their advice or point of view. We need to ask God for wisdom so that we may discern between right and wrong.

How Do We Love?

Do you love them by buying things for them? Maybe paying for their dinner. Spending time with them. Always saying nice things. Calling them up and sending them text messages. Giving them a hug. All these things are valid points when we want to show our love for another person. However there is something much deeper that goes on before you can truly love a person.

The bible tells us what love is:
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

But there is still the root of love, which comes from knowing someone. You cannot love a person without first knowing them. The more you know the person, the more you begin to see their character and their personality and the more you can love them for who they are. Likewise when loving God, it all comes down to how much do we know about Him? Are we taking the time to read His word to get to know Him better. Do we pray enough to communicate with God?

Lastly, we need to love for God is love. If we don't love then we don't have God.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8

Notice that love is choice and not a feeling, you choose to love someone, you choose to show love for someone. It is not whether you feel like you're in love. When God says we need to love, it means we need to be shining the love of God through our lives.

Thank you Jesus that you showed the ultimate act of love that You came to the earth as a human being and died just so we could be with You. Lord help me to love others and also help me to be wise with the time I have, by spending time with You and taking the time to pray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pay Attention

Most people like to have things their own way, because they think they know best. We make decisions everyday based on logic, based on what we think makes sense. What do we do when that still small voice inside of us speaks to us? Do we pay attention to it and even listen to it? That is God speaking to you. God knows what is best for you, even though you may not see it, but in the end, God's decision always turns out to be the best for His people.

""For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9

We are only mere mortals, what right do we have to argue against the almighty God? There is no limit in what God can do.

Lead me Lord in your ways for your ways is the best for my life. Forgive me Lord for the times that I have ignored you. Teach me Lord to always be obedient to you. In Jesus name. Amen.

No Fear

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7

Why do we get scared? Maybe because we think something bad will happen. However as Children of God, there is no reason to fear, there is no reason to be afraid of anything. Jesus has conquered sin and He has even conquered death itself.

"knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him." - Romans 6:9

What then is there to be afraid of? We need to realise that we already have the victory in Jesus Christ. Don't let the devil make you think otherwise, he will try to put doubt and fear into your mind, but it is all a lie. The devil is called the father of all lies. Let us learn to live a life with no fear, but full of the peace of God.

Thank you Jesus that you died and rose again for us, and because of that we can have the same victory over sin and over satan. Lord help me to live life with no fear, but with your power, of love and of a sound mind. In Jesus name. Amen.

Living Sacrifice

Back in the day, in the days of Abraham, Moses, Elijah and all the other prophets. They had it so much harder. If people wanted to pray to God, they had to first go through a high priest, who would have to walk into the "holy of holies" and he needed to be clean (righteous) before God or he would be struck down as soon as he enters the holy place. This holy place was where God made His presence.

Then if the people wanted to repent from their sins they would need to offer a blood sacrifice from a clean animal, e.g. goat or lamb. This sacrifice was so that the punishment for sin could be taken away.

God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son to come down to the earth as flesh. Jesus came as our high priest, He was now the way we could reach God. Jesus also became our lamb, who died to take our punishment for the sins we have committed. Now the animals, once sacrificed would stay dead, however when Jesus died He rose again, conquering death and so that is why we call Him the living sacrifice.

When we receive Him into our hearts that same Jesus is living in us, that same power is also in us, we have victory over anything imaginable, even death. For one day we will leave this earth to live eternally with our heavenly Father. There is one thing people cannot avoid, that is death, but you can choose where you will be for eternity.

Perfection

Is it impossible to be perfect? Many people would agree it is. However God calls us to be more like Him, to be righteous, to be perfect. Wait a minute, didn't we just say it is impossible to be perfect? Well you see that is another lie of the devil, the devil says we can't be perfect, but God says we can!

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" - Matthew 5:48

We shall be perfect, through our faith in Jesus Christ. Don't let the devil let you think otherwise.

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." - 1 Peter 5:10

Let's strive to live a life that is perfect and pleasing to God, although we may still make mistakes, we need to repent and turn from our sins.

Lord help me to live a life that is pleasing in your eyes, let me live not by the standards of the world but by your standards which is above the world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

True Wisdom

Do you desire wisdom and understanding? What kind of things are you doing to attain it? The bible says that wisdom can only come from God, for God is an omniscient God and after all He was the one that created the world and each one of us. God's ways are much higher than us, we just cannot understand it.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

So how can we attain wisdom? By revering and fearing God, and obeying His commands.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever." - Psalm 111:10

God is not a stingy God, He will give willingly. He wants to give, but whether you want to receive it is another thing.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5

Sharpen One Another

"As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." - Proverbs 27:17

When I first read about this verse, I first thought it to deal with men to work together, to bond with each other and help each other out. But really what it's saying is that, everyone should be doing it, not just men, for God does not believe in sexism. As Christians we have the responsibility to grow spiritually, but we can do so much more with others than just by ourselves.

As the saying goes '2 heads is better than 1'. When we begin to share our experiences to others, and likewise listen to others, we begin to learn more about God through others and by confessing what we have done, we allow our spirit to be lifted. So lets be people that seek to lift and encourage others, rather than ignoring the chance when it presents itself.

Plan Things Out

"Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;
For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations." - Proverbs 27:23-24

We need to know the state of the things that we have, so this may include money, time, possessions. We need to be wise to be able to manage our finances, time and other things, so that we don't run into problems. Basically we need to learn to plan things out, rather than just go with the excuse that "God will provide". Sure God will provide, but we need to be doing our part as well and not be lazy.

Planning may include building a budget so that you know what you are spending and what you are receiving, and plan it out so that you don't over spend and you are able to pay your bills on time. By planning for the worst, will allow us to always be ready to attend to whatever problems may arise. It could be that your computer's hard drive suddenly fails and you need to go out to buy a new one. Whatever it is you can rest assured that you are ready.

Although we plan our time and finances, our finances will not last forever. So we cannot make the mistake of depending on our finances more than we depend on God. You cannot assume that if you are well off with finances, that all your generations will be ok. Things happen, according to the will of God, there is no coincidence.

"A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

Refined

"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. " - Isaiah 48:10

For silver to be made perfect, it needs to go through a refinement process where all the defects are taken out. Likewise our lives were full of defects before we accepted Christ, but as we allow God to work in us. He is continnually refining our lives so that one day we can be like Him. Being refined is not an easy thing, in fact it hurts, to go through problems and affliction. In the end the rewards are far more than worth it.

Lord I know that you are continually refining me each day, even though it may hurt, I only know that it is for the best. Strengthen me and help me not to stray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Isaiah 40:31

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount on wings like the eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint" - Isaiah 40:31

Today I didn't have a good day with my body, felt really sick all over. Feels like I've got a fever or something. My body is sore, I've got a headache and my stomach feels yucky. The only thing I can be happy about is the fact that God has promised He will renew my strength if I wait upon Him. The devil can do what he likes, but he has already lost! Hallelujah!

What are you waiting for?

Do you know where you will be going after leaving this world? Everyone has sinned and fall short of God's standard, but He is so gracious that He gave His son to die for us on the cross. So that through Jesus' death we may receive salvation.

The world has it's own standard, and alot of people even though they have not received Jesus live a very comfortable life. Some might even say, better than Christians, however what constitutes a better life? If they don't have Jesus they still have an emptiness in their hearts, they still lack looking forward to one day living eternally with the Father. Instead they will have eternal death.

"Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter." - Proverbs 24:11

Imgine seeing your relatives and friends being taken to the slaughter, if we had a heart for them we would not want to see them go to such a place. Alot of the times the only chance that people will get to know Jesus is through you. So what are you waiting for?

My Focus

What is your focus in life? Is it to get the best job possible, so you can earn lots of money? Or is it to be famous and admired by others? Or maybe you don't have a focus at all. It is important to have a focus and a goal, without a focus, we would just be swayed to and fro with what the world throws at us. My focus is to do the will of the father, this includes spending time with God, making sure I fulfill my duties that have been given to me by the church, to always encourage others, to pray, and list goes on.

I have to admit that sometimes I do slack off, I'm not perfect, but whatever happens, I need to continually come back to the right track. How do we know when we are on the right track? Only through God can we be sure that we are on the right track.

"A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." - Psalm 16:9

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

Only in God can we have a future and hope. Only in God can we find true purpose and meaning in life. Money is of no use when you die, similarly fame and power. If you're not living for God, then what/who are you living for?