Dealing with the Negative- Morning Devotional – Seeking Jesus From the Edges –

Seeking Jesus From the Edges – Morning Devotions
Dealing with the Negative
Pastor Calvin Cook – September 16, 2024
Scripture Focus – Philippians 4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is nearby. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Imagine with me a few minutes the meeting between Jesus and Peter, Adrew, James and John on the lake shore. We know the story of the calling of Jesus to the fishermen to lay down their nets and follow Jesus to be fishers of people. This morning, I am asking you to think just a little deeper – it was Jesus asking them to be “world changers”. It was Jesus saying we can do this. As you recall or reread the story once again, do you notice any type of refusal, questioning, or negativity? The account of scripture simply presents, they followed.

I am sure there were those who said, “are you crazy?” think what Zebedee might have said to his sons “you are doing what? Leaving me with all this work.” We don’t see any of that, but what we do see is a positive life changing influence brought on by Jesus, his calling, his direction, his compassion. Now what about you, what is influencing you in the call that Jesus has placed on your life. Do you think of all the reasons and excuses why you can’t or do you embrace the call, direction, and compassion as a new purpose for life.

Dealing with the negativity is tough! Dealing with defeat is often caused by the negativity of self, others, and the evil one. We set our goals way to low and expect the end results as defeat. I want to claim today this is not the will of the God for you, me, or anyone.

One of my life scriptures is Philippians 4:8 which is the Apostle Paul describing to the people about focus and things worthy of gathering our attention – those things which are honorable, praiseworthy, right, pure, and true. I know for some this sounds sunshine and rainbows jargon, but it is a salve and supplement for the soul – it is refreshment for the life we need to be a part of and not the negativity of that which is destroying us.

Friends, I want to say if you live in the negative and what is wrong with everything. You are destroying the true joy and happiness that God desires for you to experience. I know you won’t believe this because you will see the negativity in it. If so, that is hopefully what will help you to realize your own self-destroying condition.

I hope and pray you take to heart the scripture focus this morning and turn it into a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you to the richness of all that God has in store for you and that will begin by surrender to Jesus.