Having a Heavenward Focus while living here on earth. This is an aspect which my daily readings have been focussing on the past few days, and its challenged me personally, particularly at this christmas season living in a western society obsessed with accumulating "stuff". As a christian I can pray for Gods will in my life, but if Gods will was for me to sacrifice my home, possessions, lifestyle or family would I be prepared to adopt the servant attitude of obedience that I should? Perhaps thats why we are seeing great revivals in areas of persecution, poverty and deprevation; the world doesn't have much to offer people in these situations, so Christs gift or salvation, and an eternity that they can only dream of is more readily accepted. Here in the west sometimes you get the impression that people feel they have no need for God, because they have everything handed to them on a silver platter. What they fail to realise is that everything they have is a blessing from God the creator, sustainor and giver of life itself. Ultimately this life will never satisfy, thats why we should look forward in anticipation to whats promised to us :a better life to come.

Are we storing up treasures in heaven or here on earth? That’s a question I find myself asking at this time of year when we give and receive gifts, accumulating more “stuff” for want of a better word, and adding it to the stuff we already possess. As we receive the latest DVD or CD to add to our collection, pushing the older ones to the back to be replaced by the latest release, I wonder have we, and I’m particularly talking to myself here, lost our heavenward perspective? At this time when we celebrate the coming of our saviour from heavenly glory, to shine in this dark world, and save us from the sin that entangles us are we loosing sight of the goal and purpose of our life. This earth is not our home; we are merely passing through it until one day our Father in heaven calls us home. And as we fleet through this life, what sort of impact are we making for Gods kingdom; are we furthering or hindering the work of building his kingdom by our attitudes, actions and lifestyle here on earth?
Not that I’m being a scrooge or anything at this season, I personally really enjoy the giving and receiving associated with the season, but it’s the emphasis we put on such things I am struggling with personally. Its finding the balance in our lives whereby we can be truly in this world, not of it as we are commanded that poses the challenge. The only way we can achieve this is by placing Christ at the center of our lives, maintaining a heavenward, eternal perspective on things, and seeking Gods guidance and will in our dwelling here on earth however long or short that may be.
Father help me to build up treasures in heaven, to use the resources you have blessed me with here on earth to your glory, and that I would truly seek to build up your kingdom here on earth and be a facilitator, not a hindrance to your will here on earth. In Jesus name I pray.

Nearly 4 weeks have now passed from my last journal entry, excuses could be written at length about how I haven’t had the time to keep to my original intention of a daily journal, but basically I’ve got caught up in the rat-race of working life. God has blessed me with employment at present, and with time commitments now taken up with work, I’m finding myself spending less time with the one who has blessed with the employment I now have. A brief quiet time every morning before work, and that’s about the height of time spent with God over the past weeks, to my shame.
As Linkin Park put it “Time is a valuable thing, Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings, Watch it count down to the end of the day, The clock ticks life away”. And as the clock ticks life away; as one day, one week, one month, one year rolls into the next; how much time are we devoting to the one who took time out for us, giving His life as a sacrifice for our sins. A sobering thought for me right now, as I admit these past few weeks I’ve become consumed in this rat race of life, spending less time with my creator, sustainer and redeemer. At this time of year as we remember His birth I pray that we would use this season to re-focus our lives and attention on the one on whom our faith depends. Help us Lord to keep a heavenward focus, with you at the center of our lives, and help us to make it a priority to daily spend quality time with you, listening to your voice and guidance in our lives here on earth.

Over a week has passed since my last journal entry, easy to slip from initial intentions of keeping a daily journal when other things seem to take up our time. But hopefully I’ll get back on track in keeping this daily, and with Gods help take timeout daily to reflect and record thoughts and ways in which God has spoken to me.
1 Corinthians 15 51-58 was the passage I was studying this morning in my devotions, and one verse that spoke to me in particular was Paul’s closing words in verse 58 (NLT)
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
What an encouragement this is. Sometimes we can get bogged down when we don’t see things happening when we think they should be, or we don’t see instant answers to situations we are praying about, but Paul assures us that nothing we do for the Lord is ever useless. A real encouragement to keep doing what your called to do, and don’t get downhearted when you don’t see instant results. We are merely planting seeds, and God will reap the harvest in his perfect timing.