The Power of A Focused Life.

Memory Verse: "My son, stay focused; listen to the wisdom I have gained; give attention to what I have learned about life so you may be able to make sensible judgments and speak with knowledge." (Prov.5:1-2, VOICE)

Scripture Reading: Gen.24:1-67.

If you want the Lord to use you in a great(er) way this year, you will need focus. The more focused you are in 2016, the more effective you will be — and the Lord will use you.

There is awesome power in a focused life. Diffused (scattered) light does't have much of an effect on what it touches. But when you focus light — like the sun's light through a magnifying glass — you can light a piece of paper or grass on fire. If you can focus it even more, it becomes a laser. A laser can cut through steel and destroy cancer.

The same is true with your life. If your 2016 is directionless, you will just drift through without impacting much. But if you focus your year on a few key goals, then you can make a powerful impact in the world for God.

One of the great examples of focus in the Bible is the story in Genesis 24. Abraham was getting old, and his son still hadn't married. God had promised Abraham that through his own family he would create a great nation through Abraham, which God did. But Abraham's son, Isaac, still didn't have any kids. He wasn't even married yet. So Abraham gave his servant, Eliazar, a goal of finding a wife for his son. Abraham told his servant, "Don't get a wife from the Canaanite girls who live around here. Go back to my country, to the land of my relatives, and there get a wife for my son Isaac."

Like all good goals, Eliazar's was clear. He knew he needed to find Isaac a wife, and he knew exactly what kind of wife to look for. He needed to find a wife from Abraham's homeland. You will never reach a vague (undefined) goal because you will never know if you have hit the mark. Eliazar was free from this problem. Little wonder, he enjoyed supernatural speed because his goal was clearly defined.

For example, if your goal for 2016 is to be a better person, that is vague. Even if you make the goal to spend more time with yourself this year, you will never really know if you have completed the goal.

But if you focus on a particular area of your life that you desire to be better and you commit to spending atleast two hours every Friday evening so as to develop yourself in this particular area of your life, that's specific. You will know whether or not you're heading in the direction of your set goal(s). Sweetheart, [specific and little] goals like this can change your life forever.

In wrapping up today's devotional, I ask, "What specific goal will you [or have you] set for yourself in 2016? With whom can you share your goals for encouragement and accountability? Are you progressing in the direction of your set goal(s)?"

Ponder Point: A goal without a plan is just a wish.

Action Point: Have a workable plan and be focused on this plan for your 2016 goal to achieved.

Prayer Point: Beyond setting a goal Lord, give me the wisdom for effective planning and focus so as to hit the mark in Jesus name, Amen.