Get Your Feet Wet

Get Your Feet Wet TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!” (Exodus 14:22, NLT) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria When Joshua and the Israelites needed to get across the Jordan River, God said He would open it up, but they had to get their feet wet before the waters parted. They could have sat back and thought, “As soon as God opens it, then we’ll walk toward it. It doesn’t make sense to go now. The river is still flowing. Everything is normal. Nothing is unusual.” No, they took a step of faith and started walking toward the water. I can imagine when water got up to their ankles they thought, “What are we doing walking into a river? We could drown.” Water got up to their knees and thoughts said, “You’d better turn around. You’re making a mistake.” Water up to their waist. They just kept walking. What is that? Bold obedience. About that time, the river supernaturally parted. They walked into their promised land. In the same way, if you’re going to make it to your promised land, it’s going to take this bold obedience. You’re not always going to understand what God is doing. God is not always logical. Faith is not in your head; faith is in your heart. You’ve got to turn your mind off and listen to what God is saying in your heart. Take a step of faith. Get your feet wet and move forward into the blessing and victory He has in store for you! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Father, thank You for parting the waters and leading me in victory! I choose to take a step of faith; I choose to obey You. I choose to step out into the water knowing that you have a good plan for me in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Forget Yourself, and Look to the Needs of Others

BY RICK WARREN — JUNE 11, 2014

“Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Philippians 2:4 MSG)

The starting point for all happiness is shifting the focus away from yourself. If all you think about is yourself, you’re going to be a pretty miserable person. If you truly want to be happy in life, you have to care about the needs of those around you.

Paul gives Timothy as an example of this in Philippians 2:20-21: “There is no one like Timothy for having a real interest in you; everyone else seems to be worrying about his own plans and not those of Jesus Christ” (LB).

Most people are worrying about their own plans and aren’t looking out for the interests of others. Most people don’t get up in the morning and give their first thought to how someone else is doing. Most people are concerned with their own problems. And, that’s why most people are unhappy with their lives!  

If you want to be one of those rare, unselfish people, you’ve got to change your focus. You have to shift your focus away from yourself to other people. That’s not something that comes naturally, so it’s something you have to learn to do.

I have to admit that it saddens me how many times I have missed the needs of people around me that I love because I wasn’t paying attention. I wasn’t taking an interest them. I hadn’t shifted the focus from me to the others in the room. Because I wasn’t looking out for their needs, I missed their needs. And that grieves me a lot.

Instead of grieving missed opportunities, be intentional about looking away from yourself and to the needs of others, where you’ll find happiness in serving God through serving others.

“Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand” (Philippians 2:4 MSG).

Talk It Over

• What are the distractions that keep you from focusing on the needs of others?
• What does it mean to “forget yourself”?
• What needs have you neglected to address in someone’s life because you were too busy or focused on your own problems? What can you do today to shift your focus toward helping that person?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_KXsMCJgBQ