Staying Focused

I love the way the pastor at this church doesn't sugar coat things. Yes, he keeps things humorous but serious as well. I love the way he reminds me every time why I am there. The way he has me always reevaluating myself and checking myself. Asking myself, am I still on board? Do I not only take from church, do I give as well? Am I staying focused trying to continue to do as I should in my everyday actions? Am I letting other things in my life steer me away from God in any way? Am I keeping up my prayers? Am I talking to God everyday? Am I really repenting from my sins? Am I letting Satan get away with things that I could be beating? Am I giving it my best or am I being lazy at it? Do I carry around this label of being "a Christian" or do I live it, truly be one? Am I really letting God in my whole life? We get so used to our traditions that sometimes the real meaning of celebrating holidays like Easter and Christmas seems to get lost in all the rest of the things we do and we may not take much time to pause and really focus on that. We can say that we need to remember, we do say that often, but how much are we really putting into it? The pastor said that once some time ago he was introducing and sharing the word of God with some German teenagers. One of them happened to go home to the states with another teenager, a Christian teenager, at Thanksgiving time. This German teenager came back later to the pastor puzzled about it. He said that everything went as was said it would, they gave thanks and ate a lot of food. And then they watched football. He expected to go to church or something. He didn't understand what the football had to do with the celebration. He was trying to understand the importance of a relationship with God but this confused him. The point isn't that you shouldn't watch football on holidays, the point is that we should stay aware of making it ring clear and true to others the true meaning and importance behind these things. To share the love of God. It's important for ourselves as well as others to stay focused on the true meanings of these celebrations.

The ending hymn:

I Saw the Cross of Jesus

1.
I saw the cross of Jesus, when burdened with my sin;
I sought the cross of Jesus, to give me peace within;
I brought my soul to Jesus, He cleansed it in His blood;
And in the cross of Jesus I found my peace with God.

2.
I love the cross of Jesus, it tells me what I am--
A vile and guilty creature, saved only through the Lamb;
No righteousness nor merit, no beauty can I plead;
Yet in the cross I glory, my title there I read.

3.
I trust the cross of Jesus, in ev'ry trying hour,
My sure and certain refuge, my never failing tower;
In every fear and conflict, I more than conque'r am;
Living, I'm safe, or dying, through Christ, the risen Lamb.

4.
Safe in the cross of Jesus! There let my weary heart
Still rest in peace unshaken, till with Him, ne'er to part;
And then in strains of glory I'll sing His wondrous power,
Where sin can never enter, and death is known no more.

-ladyworpledinker