3 Steps to Refocus Our Lives on God

Written by Lauren Hunter 

I recently read a great blog post by Michael Hyatt on the problem of drifting away from your life’s focus. It reminded me that not only can we drift away from our life plans–work, family, creative endeavors, for example–we can also drift greatly from God, and quite possibly, the two go hand-in-hand.

What does it look like when we drift from God? Is this perhaps one of the biggest ways or areas we drift from in our lives? Perhaps when we recalibrate ourselves to be in tune with our Savior, then setting our life’s goals and priorities become that much more clear.

Here are three steps to help you refocus your life on God:

1) Assess: Review your current situation and priorities and pray over what you’re doing. Ask God to show you areas to correct, re-prioritize, and refocus. I find journaling through this process quite helpful, because many times you can’t quite see how God has shaped your refocusing over months and years, but when you go back and review the steps you made to focus on God, it’s much easier to see your progress and feel more at peace about changes you’ve made.

2) Listen: Schedule times throughout the day to listen to God and to be open to hearing what he desires for your life. Pray for willingness to change, to be flexible when God wants to shape your priorities, even if it means making drastic moves that seem unreasonable. Sometimes fasting can help clear your head and allow you to better hear God’s call; or perhaps a day alone, like a mini-retreat will help as well.

3) Tweak: Be open to adjusting and making changes in your priorities as needed–all the while praying and asking God to confirm new direction. If things need to be tweaked or changed, try new options out and ask God to help confirm decision he is leading you to make. Often listening to God and just being open to his gentle counsel in our lives is taking the first step to refocusing our lives on God.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Lauren Hunter is a freelance writer, church technology consultant (http://lhpr.net) and founder of the blog ChurchTechToday (http://ChurchTechToday.com), Technology for Today’s Church.

Projecto PÃO DO CÉU 2013

Reconciliação

Portanto, uma vez que fomos justificados pela fé, estamos em paz com Deus por nosso Senhor Jesus  Cristo. Foi por meio de Cristo e pela fé que nós conseguimos esta harmonia com Deus que agora temos. E isso dá-nos a maravilhosa esperança de tomar parte na glória de Deus. Mais ainda, nós sentimos alegria nos nossos sofrimentos, porque o sofrimento produz a perseverança; a perseverança provoca a firmeza de carácter nas dificuldades e a firmeza produz a esperança. Esta esperança não nos engana, porque Deus encheu-nos o coração com o seu amor, por meio do Espírito Santo que é dom de Deus.

Na verdade, quando nós ainda vivíamos nas nossas fraquezas, Cristo, no seu devido tempo, morreu por nós pecadores. Seria muito difícil alguém morrer por uma pessoa, mesmo que ela fosse inocente. De facto, talvez alguém seja capaz de dar a vida por uma pessoa boa. 

 Mas Deus mostrou-nos até que ponto nos ama pois, quando ainda éramos pecadores, Cristo morreu por nós. Pela sua morte, nós agora estamos em boas relações com Deus. E agora que somos justificados pelo seu sangue, com muito mais razão por meio dele seremos livres do castigo final. Pois se, quando éramos inimigos de Deus, fomos reconciliados com ele pela morte do seu Filho, quanto mais estando reconciliados seremos salvos pela sua vida! E ainda não é tudo. Nós sentimos alegria em Deus por meio de Jesus Cristo, nosso Senhor, por quem agora recebemos a reconciliação. 

(ROMANOS 5:1-11 BPT)

Outra vez C. S. Lewis...

‎"A igreja é a única organização que existe primariamente para benefício dos não-membros” C. S. Lewis

Vivendo uma nova vida!

"Portanto, visto que já ressuscitaram com Cristo, busquem as coisas que são de cima, onde Cristo está sentado à direita de Deus. Que as coisas celestiais encham o vosso pensamento, e não as que são terrenas. Porque vocês já morreram com Cristo; e agora a vossa vida está escondida com ele em Deus. E quando Cristo, que é a nossa vida, vier de novo ao mundo, então participaremos da sua glória. Portanto, mortifiquem os impulsos da vossa carne, tais como a imoralidade sexual, os pensamentos sujos, os apetites descontrolados, as paixões infames, e a avareza, que é uma forma de idolatria."

Bíblia - Colossenses 3.1-5

Janela 4-14 - Uma nova oportunidade de evangelismo

Do catequismo de Lutero...

Martinho Lutero

The Creed

As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.

The First Article - Of Creation.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?--Answer.

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them; in addition thereto, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and homestead, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

The Second Article - Of Redemption.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

What does this mean?--Answer.

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won [delivered] me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, in order that I may be [wholly] His own, and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

The Third Article - Of Sanctification.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean?--Answer.

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.

Deixo aqui o link para o documento integral.