1 Corinthians 16: 14 NIV – Do everything in love.

Do you ever stop to evaluate your motives? In our key verse, we are instructed to do everything in love. Bad motives can’t achieve well in the end (A bad motive can’t achieve a good end; double-talk brings you double trouble. – Proverbs 17:20 MSG). Good motives may not always be perceived as intended. We can’t control a lot in our lives but we can control our inputs and the motives behind them.

What does a bad motive look like? What does a good motive look like? I think all of us could come up with different responses. I encourage us all as we go about our day to evaluate our whys. May we always keep our “Y” with Yahweh in mind, which is another name for Lord or Jehovah (“I am Yahweh” Exodus ‭6‬:2‬ Legacy Standard Bible).

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for giving me the gift of ambition. I desire for all my motives to come from love. Help me to always keep my “Y” with Yahweh in mind. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV – But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Can you recall times when God’s love felt the strongest for you? How about during times of weakness? In our key verse, God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), thankfully His grace is sufficient. 

When I think about my sin and God’s unconditional love I am overwhelmed by His presence. Will you allow God to shape you with His unconditional love? Over time water can make rocks smooth. As we all go about our day, may God’s love wash over us and smooth out our rough edges.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for Your strong, unconditional love. Thank You for Your grace that is sufficient in my weakness. I desire for Your power to rest on me and shape me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV —- For we live by faith, not by sight.

Today I am reusing Ray’s photo from my Friday post. As I have looked back at 2023 I have realized how out of focus I can get when I am caught up in my busy schedule. Watch today’s “See You Saturday” video as I talk about looking at the future through eyes of faith.

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV — Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

At the beginning of the week I reminded you that each day, each hour, each moment is a gift from God.I pray you have been able to take time this week to reflect, resolve, reevaluate, and refocus so you can have God-driven results when you arrive at the end of 2023. God is making a way for you and I to become more Christ-like. Let’s not waste the opportunity to reset, but instead do all we can to make Him proud.

Let’s pray. Dear Father, Thank You for doing new things and making a way. As I embark on the remainder of 2023 with Your guidance and help, may I make You proud of the steps I take. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV — So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Today, let’s spend some time thinking and setting goals so we will have God-driven, positive results at the end of 2023. Take a moment now to read this article Ten Steps to setting God-Ordained Goals which is an excerpt from The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

I encourage you to spend time today in prayer and planning. If you don’t have the time to commit to it today, then plan a time for goal setting soon. Take some time alone to sit with God and set goals for the remainder of the year. Keep in mind Proverbs 16:3 — Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Let’s pray. Dear God, I commit to You the remainder of 2023. Lay upon my heart Your goals for me and I will give You all the glory for the results we accomplish together. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Matthew 14:29-30 NIV — Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

As you have reflected, resolved, and reevaluated the first half of 2023, have you discovered that perhaps you have lost your focus on Christ? Have you been focusing on the wind around you instead of the eyes of Christ?

Take some time to imagine being in the boat with Peter when Jesus called him out onto the water. Peter took a bold step out of the boat and onto the water. As long as he was focused on Christ, he was able to walk on water. However, he began to sink the moment he focused on the wind instead of Jesus. Today, let’s refocus our attention. We have spent enough time looking back at the first half of 2023. Now let’s move forward. Let’s step out of the boat with laser-like focus on Christ. Focused on Him we can move forward in the remainder of 2023 with renewed strength and courage.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for Your presence in my life. Help me to refocus my attention and move out of my boat toward Your path for me the rest of 2023. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalms 32:8 NIV — I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

As I reminded you Sunday, my word of the year is “relish” and my mantra is, “Forever is composed of nows.” I shared with you yesterday that I write down my word and mantra every day. I do that to keep them on the forefront of my mind, but I also realize writing it everyday can become routine and not a mindful act if I am not careful. As I reevaluate this practice today, I realize I have got to mindfully write them out or it is for naught. Today as I write them out I will be present in the moment so I can carry the words through all the moments of my day and be impacted by the words. 

For the last two days I have asked you to reflect and reset your resolve you had set at the beginning of 2023. Today, reevaluate your priorities. Were your resolutions, word of the year and/or mantra realistic? Did God guide you as you chose them? Have you allowed God to guide you since you chose them? Since we are halfway through the year, do you need to change your choices? This is our opportunity at a re-do or take-two towards our goals for 2023. Let’s make the most of the next 25 weeks.

Let’s pray. Dear God, help me reevaluate my choices from 2023. Show me my downfalls and guide me in my approach for the next 25 weeks. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen