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08.28.04
What is your focus?
What has gotten most of your attention this week? 
What has been your focus? 
Last Sunday, August 22, 2004--
Matt Emmons was
just focusing on staying calm.
It was the ninth and last round of the
Olympic 50-meter three-position rifle final.
He was going for gold.
He only needed 7 more points and
the gold medal was his.
He fired.
He hit near the bulls eye--
of the wrong target.
No gold medal,
No silver medal
No bronze medal,
he finished in 8th place.
His focus was on the wrong target.
Where has your focus
been this past week?
God, I need you. 
When there is chaos around me,
help me stay centered.
When those around me argue and fight,
Let me be your peacemaker.
Show me what's important.
Help me stay centered in You.
Help me to keep an open mind.
Help me remember what is
truly important.
Help me resolve the
conflicts in my life.
Help me stay focused on Christ.
Stay with me, God.
Too often, I focus on myself,
the image in the mirror.
Help me look to You.
Give me faith to stay
focused on Christ.
There are so many choices.
Help me stay focused.
So many things that take up my time.
Help me stay focused.
So many ways to mess up my life.
Help me to stay focused on Christ.
Long before he laid down earth's foundations,
God had us in mind,
had settled on us as the focus of his love,
to be made whole and holy by his love. . .
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah,
his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross,
we're a free people--free of penalties and punishments
chalked up by all our misdeeds.
And not just barely free, either.
Abundantly free!
. . .
It's in Christ that we find out who we are
and what we are living for
. . .
ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory--
to make you intelligent and discerning
in knowing him personally,
your eyes focused and clear,
so that you can see exactly what it is
he is calling you to do.
Ephesians 1 So let's keep focused on that goal,
those of us who want everything God has for us.
If any of you have something else in mind,
something less than total commitment,
God will clear your blurred vision--you'll see it yet!
Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
Philipians 3:15
cross-connected
update:
welcome,
our newest
red
member!
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check
out previous red worships--archive
Resource
List for 08.28.04
The
Holy Bible (Message, NAS, NCV, NIV, NLT)
online
Olympic Information--Matt Emmons
online
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