WEBVTT
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Hi, girlfriend, Stephanie Cutler here, Women's Ministry Director with your weekly devotional.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.320
This week's G for G devotional is called Focused.
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:14.080
And the scriptures from Nehemiah 6, chapters, verses 1 to 3.
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:22.800
It was told to Sanbelat Tobiah Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of those who hated us that I had built the wall again.
00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:28.719
They were told that the wall had no more open places, but I had not yet set up the doors and the gates.
00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:35.679
So Sanbalat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.
00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:38.719
But they were planning to hurt or kill me.
00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:44.719
So I sent men with word to them saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:49.359
Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.079
That's the scripture for today.
00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:54.640
So how good are you at focusing?
00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:59.359
Do you enjoy being focused, or is it kind of a struggle for you?
00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:10.640
I have three kids who all have different levels of ability of focus, but I know that there's value in teaching them to be able to focus for certain times and certain tasks.
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:22.719
I tend to be ferociously focused, especially when I'm in my green zone and I have an ex and I have a cup of extra strong dark roast black coffee.
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.040
But see, I like being focused.
00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:34.480
Sometimes I do question whether being a focused person, you know, like a Martha, is a good thing, or if I need something to change.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:42.959
At the Global Leadership Summit this year, I heard a quote from Priscilla Shire, and it encouraged my focused-minded heart.
00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:50.480
She said, We cannot use our reliance on God as an excuse to slack off or prepare to fail.
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.719
Sorry, fail to prepare.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:54.959
True faith is not passive.
00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.879
I still believe in preparing well.
00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.760
I still believe in working hard, and I still believe in making wise strategic decisions.
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:13.599
When the sweat beads are bubbling up and you're putting in the hours, faith means you are doing the practical label labor while trusting the one who has called you is the one who will ultimately sustain you.
00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:17.840
That's from Priscilla, our seven-week study author.
00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:23.280
This quote gave me confidence that being focused is okay and even a good thing.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:31.360
However, I am aware that other things need my focus, such as time in the word and prayer, and time focused on family.
00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:36.479
Not being able to be a merry sometimes and slow down can be dangerous.
00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.680
Focus takes balance, discernment, and a dedication to do it right.
00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:50.000
In our Bible passage for today, we see the story of a man named Nehemiah who is building a wall and exclaims just how focused he is.
00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.159
What's the background here?
00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:58.400
God's people, the Israelites, were taken into captivity by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:06.080
When they were taken into captivity, Jerusalem was destroyed, their capital city, including the temple and the city walls.
00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:15.039
Seventy years later, the Babylonian captivity came to an end, and King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Israelites to return to their promised land over time.
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:24.240
Years after the Israelites began returning to Jerusalem, Nehemiah heard that the city walls were still broken down and its gates had been burned.
00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:30.319
Nehemiah was serving as cupbearer to the Persian king when God placed a burden on his heart to do something about it.
00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:35.840
He eventually received permission to go to Jerusalem and lead the people in rebuilding the city walls.
00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:40.800
Nehemiah wanted the walls of Jerusalem repaired, but it wasn't an easy job.
00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:51.840
On top of the hard job, Nehemiah had people like Sanbalat, Tobiah, and others mocking him, threatening, and trying to break his focus, but he kept building.
00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:57.120
Just as he was nearing the end, Sanbalat and Geshem and the crew came at Nehemiah again.
00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:59.680
They said, Come, let us meet together.
00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:06.560
That sounds nice and innocent, but context tells us that Nehemiah knew they wanted to harm or kill him.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:08.879
So how did Nehemiah reply?
00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:13.280
He said, I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.
00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:22.079
He essentially is saying, God has given me something to do, and I'm not going to abandon it because my enemy has invited me somewhere else.
00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.720
You see, the enemy's strategy wasn't necessarily to destroy the wall directly.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.079
Instead, it was to get Nehemiah to stop building.
00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:37.120
And that's an important distinction because sometimes the opposition doesn't have to make you quit.
00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.240
It just has to distract you long enough to stop you from finishing.
00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.480
It can ruin your focus.
00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:50.000
I think focus is a good thing, but we can take a lesson from Nehemiah.
00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.680
Nehemiah wasn't merely good at focusing.
00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:57.600
He knew what was worth focusing on.
00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:07.759
When we are doing God's work, we may, may we have the discernment to say to the enemy, I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.
00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:29.279
Maybe the great work we're doing isn't rebuilding a city wall, but doing God's work could look a lot like this in your life: reading the Bible, praying, implementing a family dinner devotional, visiting someone who is sick, volunteering at a local outreach, or joining a ministry team here at DR.
00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:35.120
Whatever it is, we can stay focused when we can identify the true enemy.
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:43.040
And identifying the true enemy is something that Priscilla Shearer is going to talk about in her first session of the Armor of God, which starts soon.
00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.680
I hope you're signed up for that study.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:46.959
It's going to be seven weeks.
00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:54.800
The Armor of God, Priscilla, giving us lots of great advice how to see the enemy, how to withstand it.
00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.279
And you can get signed up at drlc.org slash study.
00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:06.000
There's 10 study times to choose from, and those kick off the week of September 13th.
00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:07.360
That's all today.
00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.759
I hope you're standing firm on Jesus.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.799
Hi, girlfriend, Stephanie Cutler here, Women's Ministry Director with your weekly devotional.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.320
This week's G for G devotional is called Focused.
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:14.080
And the scriptures from Nehemiah 6, chapters, verses 1 to 3.
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:22.800
It was told to Sanbelat Tobiah Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of those who hated us that I had built the wall again.
00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:28.719
They were told that the wall had no more open places, but I had not yet set up the doors and the gates.
00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:35.679
So Sanbalat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.
00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:38.719
But they were planning to hurt or kill me.
00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:44.719
So I sent men with word to them saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:49.359
Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.079
That's the scripture for today.
00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:54.640
So how good are you at focusing?
00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:59.359
Do you enjoy being focused, or is it kind of a struggle for you?
00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:10.640
I have three kids who all have different levels of ability of focus, but I know that there's value in teaching them to be able to focus for certain times and certain tasks.
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:22.719
I tend to be ferociously focused, especially when I'm in my green zone and I have an ex and I have a cup of extra strong dark roast black coffee.
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.040
But see, I like being focused.
00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:34.480
Sometimes I do question whether being a focused person, you know, like a Martha, is a good thing, or if I need something to change.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:42.959
At the Global Leadership Summit this year, I heard a quote from Priscilla Shire, and it encouraged my focused-minded heart.
00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:50.480
She said, We cannot use our reliance on God as an excuse to slack off or prepare to fail.
00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.719
Sorry, fail to prepare.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:54.959
True faith is not passive.
00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.879
I still believe in preparing well.
00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.760
I still believe in working hard, and I still believe in making wise strategic decisions.
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:13.599
When the sweat beads are bubbling up and you're putting in the hours, faith means you are doing the practical label labor while trusting the one who has called you is the one who will ultimately sustain you.
00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:17.840
That's from Priscilla, our seven-week study author.
00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:23.280
This quote gave me confidence that being focused is okay and even a good thing.
00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:31.360
However, I am aware that other things need my focus, such as time in the word and prayer, and time focused on family.
00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:36.479
Not being able to be a merry sometimes and slow down can be dangerous.
00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.680
Focus takes balance, discernment, and a dedication to do it right.
00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:50.000
In our Bible passage for today, we see the story of a man named Nehemiah who is building a wall and exclaims just how focused he is.
00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.159
What's the background here?
00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:58.400
God's people, the Israelites, were taken into captivity by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:06.080
When they were taken into captivity, Jerusalem was destroyed, their capital city, including the temple and the city walls.
00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:15.039
Seventy years later, the Babylonian captivity came to an end, and King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Israelites to return to their promised land over time.
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:24.240
Years after the Israelites began returning to Jerusalem, Nehemiah heard that the city walls were still broken down and its gates had been burned.
00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:30.319
Nehemiah was serving as cupbearer to the Persian king when God placed a burden on his heart to do something about it.
00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:35.840
He eventually received permission to go to Jerusalem and lead the people in rebuilding the city walls.
00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:40.800
Nehemiah wanted the walls of Jerusalem repaired, but it wasn't an easy job.
00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:51.840
On top of the hard job, Nehemiah had people like Sanbalat, Tobiah, and others mocking him, threatening, and trying to break his focus, but he kept building.
00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:57.120
Just as he was nearing the end, Sanbalat and Geshem and the crew came at Nehemiah again.
00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:59.680
They said, Come, let us meet together.
00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:06.560
That sounds nice and innocent, but context tells us that Nehemiah knew they wanted to harm or kill him.
00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:08.879
So how did Nehemiah reply?
00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:13.280
He said, I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.
00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:22.079
He essentially is saying, God has given me something to do, and I'm not going to abandon it because my enemy has invited me somewhere else.
00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.720
You see, the enemy's strategy wasn't necessarily to destroy the wall directly.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:30.079
Instead, it was to get Nehemiah to stop building.
00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:37.120
And that's an important distinction because sometimes the opposition doesn't have to make you quit.
00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.240
It just has to distract you long enough to stop you from finishing.
00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.480
It can ruin your focus.
00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:50.000
I think focus is a good thing, but we can take a lesson from Nehemiah.
00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.680
Nehemiah wasn't merely good at focusing.
00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:57.600
He knew what was worth focusing on.
00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:07.759
When we are doing God's work, we may, may we have the discernment to say to the enemy, I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.
00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:29.279
Maybe the great work we're doing isn't rebuilding a city wall, but doing God's work could look a lot like this in your life: reading the Bible, praying, implementing a family dinner devotional, visiting someone who is sick, volunteering at a local outreach, or joining a ministry team here at DR.
00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:35.120
Whatever it is, we can stay focused when we can identify the true enemy.
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:43.040
And identifying the true enemy is something that Priscilla Shearer is going to talk about in her first session of the Armor of God, which starts soon.
00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.680
I hope you're signed up for that study.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:46.959
It's going to be seven weeks.
00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:54.800
The Armor of God, Priscilla, giving us lots of great advice how to see the enemy, how to withstand it.
00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.279
And you can get signed up at drlc.org slash study.
00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:06.000
There's 10 study times to choose from, and those kick off the week of September 13th.
00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:07.360
That's all today.
00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.759
I hope you're standing firm on Jesus.
