Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” emphasizing living with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Scriptures for today:
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time
(I Samuel 18:17-22 ERV)
17 One day Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab. I will let you marry her. Then you will be like a son to me and you will be a real soldier. Then you will go and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul was really thinking, “Now I won’t have to kill David. I will let the Philistines kill him for me.”
18 But David said, “I am not an important man from an important family. I can’t marry the king’s daughter.”
19 So when the time came for David to marry Saul’s daughter, Saul let her marry Adriel from Meholah.
20 People told Saul that his daughter Michal loved David. This made Saul happy.
21 He thought, “I will use Michal to trap David. I will let Michal marry David, and then I will let the Philistines kill him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “You can marry my daughter today.”
22 Saul commanded his officers to speak to David in private. He told them to say, “Look, the king likes you. His officers like you. You should marry his daughter.”
Setting the Stage. (From 1 Samuel 18:19-27)
Yesterday, we learned more about Saul’s calculating, conniving, and underhanded ways. Saul reneged on his offer to give David his eldest daughter’s hand in marriage and then married his daughter off to Adriel the Meholathite. Meanwhile, Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David. When Saul learned of it, he saw it as another opportunity to have David killed. The Bible says he thought, “Ah, a second chance. I’ll use Michal as bait to get David out where the Philistines will make short work of him.”
Again, Saul said to David, “You’re going to be my son-in-law,” but David was not quick to accept the offer. So Saul ordered his servants, “Get David off by himself and tell him, ‘The king is very taken with you, and everyone at court loves you. Go ahead, marry his daughter and become the king’s son-in-law!‘” But David was not taking this lightly. Even though Saul was mistreating him, David still respected authority too much to disrespect the throne. David replied, “I can’t. I’m a nobody, and I have nothing to offer.” The servants went back to the king and relayed David’s message. Saul said, “Say this to David, ‘David, the king doesn’t want you to pay money for his daughter. He wants to get even with his enemy, so the price for marrying his daughter is 100 Philistine foreskins.'” Once again, Saul expected David to be killed in action.
Upon receiving the message, David was pleased. He did not have a lot of money, but he could surely lead men in combat. The Bible says, “So immediately, David and his men went out to fight the Philistines. They killed 200 Philistines. David took these Philistine foreskins and gave them to Saul. He did this because he wanted to become the king’s son-in-law.” Mission accomplished! Saul had no choice this time but to give his daughter to David in marriage. David did not die in combat the way Saul wanted, and in the end, David received a wife who actually loved him.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Maintain humility and a willingness to prove yourself.
Despite slaying Goliath, David remained humble and willing to further demonstrate his worth/value to Saul. He didn’t rest on his past accomplishments but continued to serve with dedication. While what Saul was doing was not right, David’s attitude kept God’s grace flowing in his life and earned him favor with others.
How this applies to you:
— View each task as an opportunity to showcase your commitment in the present, regardless of past successes.
— Remain open to new challenges, even if it seems like you should not have to face them.
— Approach each day with a fresh willingness to serve and excel, no matter what comes your way!
— Don’t become complacent or entitled due to past achievements.
— Consistently give your best effort, day in and day out, knowing that God sees your faithfulness.
2. Leverage your God-given strengths in new ways.
Although what Saul was asking of David was not right, David used his military prowess to meet Saul’s new demands. He adapted his skills to each new challenge, demonstrating versatility and determination. And when Saul asked him to do something he really didn’t need to do (killing 100 Philistines) because he had nothing to prove, David went out and killed 200!
Focus on applying your abilities creatively to overcome every obstacle, even when you feel as though they are unjust or unwarranted. You have the grace to face whatever comes your way, even the things that are wrong. In other words, you can face unjust situations with this attitude: “I shouldn’t have to do this. But if I am going to do it, I am going to do it with a spirit of excellence!“
How this applies to you:
— Remain flexible and adapt your skills to meet changing expectations, even when they seem unfair.
— Keep growing and developing your talents and abilities, knowing God will use them in ways you never imagined.
— When faced with unreasonable demands, keep the right attitude and seek to exceed expectations by going above and beyond.
— Rest in God’s grace, knowing He has equipped you to handle any situation, just or unjust, with excellence.
3. Persevere with excellence even when goalposts shift.
Saul repeatedly changed the requirements for David, but David responded by exceeding expectations each time. I know what it is like to deal with someone in a position of authority, where you can’t honestly do much about it, and they keep moving the goalposts. In business, it can be a customer who tells you one thing but then keeps changing the story when it comes time for you to get the deal. At work, it can be a boss who promises one thing, and when you fulfill your requirements, they come up with something else. No matter the situation, when faced with moving targets, maintain your integrity and commitment to excellence.
How this applies to you:
— Respond to changing expectations with increased determination rather than frustration.
— View shifting goalposts as opportunities to further demonstrate your capabilities and God’s grace on your life.
— Maintain a positive attitude even when facing seemingly unfair demands.
— Focus on excellence in your work, regardless of others’ motivations.
— Trust that God sees your faithfulness, even when others may not appreciate it.
4. Honor earthly authority while staying true to your divine purpose.
David respected Saul’s position and met his demands, all while staying aligned with God’s purpose for his life. He balanced submission to earthly authority with obedience to his divine calling. This is a delicate balance every believer must learn to master. We are called to honor those in authority over us, but never at the expense of compromising our God-given purpose.
How this applies to you:
— Honor those in authority over you, but never compromise your God-given assignment.
— Walk in integrity, keeping your commitment to God’s plan while respecting earthly leaders. But just know that your calling from heaven must trump your expectations from men.
— Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance when navigating complex relationships with authority figures.
— Remember, your ultimate allegiance is to God, even as you submit to earthly authorities.
— Trust God’s timing for your promotion as you faithfully serve where He has placed you.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for equipping me with strengths to face every challenge, even those that seem unfair or unwarranted.
I commit to honoring those in authority while staying true to the divine purpose You’ve placed on my life.
Your Holy Spirit guides me in navigating complex relationships and shifting expectations.
I approach each task as an opportunity to showcase Your work in my life, giving my best effort consistently.
Even in the face of unreasonable demands, I rest in Your grace, knowing You’ve equipped me to handle every situation.
I trust in Your perfect timing for my advancement as I serve faithfully where You’ve placed me.
Your wisdom empowers me to maintain integrity and commitment to Your plan, even when facing difficult circumstances.
Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith, in Jesus’ name.
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!????????????????
