Don't Refuse to Gaze Upward Because Good Things Can Be Easily Overlooked

Hello friends and welcome back to Dedicate. Today we continue on our Biblical hunt for the key words we found in part 2 of this series: 'Qualities of a Dedicated Person'. In fact, all of these key words are qualities I spoke about in that blog. Let's jump right in.

Focused:

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

Focus your attention on Him - be dedicated to pursuing Him. In the last part of this series, I talked about something God told me, 'Grasp these qualities and put them in your life as your walk with your Lord and Savior. Do not let them slip away as good things can do in hands made of the flesh.' I feel like I could add to that with: 'Good things can be overlooked by eyes made of flesh.'

God also mentioned a lot about this age, in which I live, and He is telling me more today:

These days have been declared in weakness, not strength; in the immediate, not the long term. The people of this age are impatient and only desire the things in which that they can hold, grasp, and use with their desires of the flesh. They only want the immediate, the temporary, the seen. They have no patience for anything less, when there is so much more. But they refuse the see the more, the higher; they refuse to look upward. They don't wish to see me as they walk through life, but wish to only waste their time with fruitless activities and desires.

Wow. Jesus is coming back soon you guys. Soon... Don't let go of the eternal.

Diligent:

A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Proverbs 13:4

The diligent, the dedicated, are satisfied because He gives us purpose, wisdom, and life.

Intentional:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Be intentional with bringing things to God, dedicate these things to your Father. He has a bigger shoulder than we do.

Persistent:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Let us be persistent, to be dedicated, to doing the good things of God.

Faithful:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

I've mentioned the fruits of the Spirit many times and this series, but have yet to go over them until now. One could consider all these fruits qualities of a dedicated person.

Rising:

Rising up to pursue His aim and being dedicated to His plans. Rising has also been mentioned a bunch in this series and I have consider this the action response of dedication, along with being still, because dedication isn't just about rising, standing, doing - but it's also about being still, listening for God, and reading His word and I want to show my dedication with my movement and with my stillness.

But rising has many definitions. There is the rising we do, the standing to pursue His purpose, and there is the rising that He did.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He lay."

Matthew 28:6

He has risen! Hallelujah! Easter just past so how perfect for this to land on this week! I didn't plan that by the way.

Well, friends, that's all I have for you today. Don't forget to take your gaze upward and strive to see the good, the joy, that is all around you. With our flesh it is so hard to hold on to and to focus on the good, it's hard to maintain for the qualities we should have on our walk with Christ, and it's hard to remember to be dedicated. But don't let dedication slip away. As for me, I have painted it on a rock which sits on my desk. I have a similar rock right beside it that says 'Entrusted' which I painted in 2020 when I did Beth Moore's Entrusted Series.