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
Setting the Stage. (Based on 1 Samuel 16:14-23)
After the prophet Samuel left Jesse’s house, life seemingly returned to normal. The Spirit of the Lord was upon David, and there was a grace on him for national leadership, but he went right back to tending sheep, and everyone went back to their everyday lives. However, since the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and he no longer had the grace for national leadership, so he started to be tormented by an evil spirit. As a result, King Saul was filled with depression and fear. Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.” Saul said, “All right, find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.” Remember, Saul was still the king, so his servants would do just about anything for him.
At this point, if you are not familiar with David’s story, you might be thinking, “Okay Rick, where are you going with this? What does this have to do with David?” Actually, it has a lot to do with him. Surprisingly, one of Saul’s servants said, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him.”
Can you believe that? In one moment, David was minding his own business and tending to his father’s sheep when one of his brothers pulled him out of the field to be anointed as the next king of Israel. After his impromptu coronation, he went back to the fields, and then, unbeknownst to him, his name was being brought up before King Saul. Not only that, but the servant who brought up David’s name told the king that he was a talented harp player, a brave warrior, a good-looking young man with good judgment, and above all of that, the servant said the Lord was with David. How in the world could the servant know all of that? Here’s the answer: God! This was a setup if there ever was one. Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.”
The king did not send his servants empty-handed. Saul sent gifts to Jesse for allowing his son to serve him. Jesse, who did not do anything but allow David to go help the king, received a donkey, some bread, a leather bag full of wine, and a young goat. The Bible says, “So David went to Saul and stood in front of him. Saul loved David very much. David became the helper who carried Saul’s weapons. Saul sent a message to Jesse. “Let David stay and serve me. I like him very much.” Any time the evil spirit from God came on Saul, David would take his harp and play it. The evil spirit would leave Saul and he would begin to feel better.”
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So, what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Grace will open doors no man can close.
Once the grace for national leadership was on David, he could not go back to his normal life, even if he tried to. When there is grace on you for a certain area, that grace will open doors that no man can close and doors that no man can open. Things will happen for you, not because you did anything to earn them or because you deserve them; they will happen simply because of God’s grace and because God will do His part to help you walk in your purpose.
How this applies to you:
— Recognize that God’s grace, not your own efforts, is the key that unlocks doors of opportunity. Don’t ever think you are a “self-made man.” Remember, that is what got Saul in trouble.
— Trust that the grace of God on your life will make a way where there seems to be no way.
— Be confident that God’s grace will bring you before whomever you need to be connected to, positioning you exactly where you need to be to fulfill your purpose.
— Understand that when doors open unexpectedly, it’s often God’s grace at work, not a coincidence.
— God can see to it that your name is brought up in rooms you are not in when decisions are being made that can change the trajectory of your life.
— Rest assured that no human opposition can derail what God’s grace has set in motion for your life. Said another way: God can do something by grace that you did not ask for or pray for and set something in motion in your life that no one can stop.
2. One moment of favor can do more than a lifetime of labor.
David could have worked all his life and never had an audience with the king. But once the grace of God to be king was on him and the favor of God was moving, favor did in a moment, what labor could have ever done in a lifetime. The favor of God will bring you before all those you need to be exposed to in order to maximize your purpose and potential.
How this applies to you:
— While you are doing all you can to honor God and experience His best (which is your part), you must also, at the same time, expect God’s favor to accelerate your progress in ways that hard work alone never could.
— Be open to divine connections and “chance” encounters; they may be God’s favor at work.
— There will be moments when you have a “chance” encounter, and God whispers in your ear that it is a divine appointment. I love it when this happens. These divine appointments are designed to help usher you into your destiny.
— Recognize that God’s favor often manifests as influence with the right people at the right time.
— Trust that God’s favor can elevate you to positions you’re not qualified for on paper.
— Remember that favor is not about you earning or deserving something. It is about God’s will, and once God is moving, His will can put you in positions that have nothing to do with your past performance. Just as long as you recognize that you are there to bring glory to God’s name, you won’t make the mistake of taking credit for something you clearly did not earn.
3. You can’t earn Grace or Favor, but you should appreciate them.
I am clearly a recipient of grace and favor, and while I could never earn them, I can (and should) thank God for their operation in my life. It should be the same with you. You can’t earn God’s goodness, but when it comes to your proper response, you should say, “Thank You!” Enter every day with thanksgiving on your lips, a smile on your face, a song in your heart, and a spring in your step. This way, you will always be ready to give God praise!
How this applies to you:
— Start each day with gratitude, acknowledging God’s unearned grace and favor on your life.
— Resist the temptation to take credit for blessings that are clearly the result of God’s grace.
— Let your appreciation for God’s grace fuel your faith for even greater manifestations of His goodness.
— Use the grace and favor you’ve received as a testimony to encourage others. Make sure you give God the glory!
— Remember that humility in the face of God’s grace positions you to receive even more.
— The quickest way UP with God is down, meaning that you humble yourself. And the quickest way DOWN with God is up, meaning that you exact yourself. If you exalt yourself, God will humble you. If you humble yourself, God will exalt. I have experienced both and can testify that the latter is much better.
4. God’s grace is always at work, even when you can’t see it.
David had no idea that his name was being mentioned in the king’s palace. He was simply going about his daily routine, tending to his father’s sheep. But God’s grace was actively working behind the scenes, orchestrating events to bring David into his destiny. This is a powerful reminder that God’s grace is always in operation in our lives, even when we’re unaware of it.
How this applies to you:
— Trust that God’s grace is working in your life, even in seasons when you feel stuck or unseen.
— Remember that your faithfulness in small things positions you for God’s greater purpose.
— Be encouraged that God is setting up divine appointments and connections for you, just as He did for David, and he will bring you into the presence of those you need to know at just the right time.
— Recognize that your current circumstance is not your final destination; God’s grace is moving you toward your destiny.
— Stay faithful and focused on what God has called you to do today, knowing His grace is preparing you for your tomorrow.
— David was minding his own business when he was called out of the fields to be anointed by God’s Prophet to be the next King of Israel. Later, after he tried to go back to his normal life, he was called out of the fields again, but this time, he was summoned to the royal palace to go spend time with the king. And when he stood before the king, God saw to it that he had favor with royalty. This should assure you that God will working, even when you don’t know what He is doing!
— The highest form of faith is rest. This means that your faith will be the strongest when you are resting in God’s grace, knowing that He is working, even when you can’t see Him working.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, Your grace opens doors for me that no man can close, positioning me perfectly for Your divine purpose.
You make a way where there seems to be no way, and no human opposition can derail what Your grace has set in motion in my life.
Your extraordinary favor accomplishes more in a moment than a lifetime of my labor ever could.
You bring divine connections and accelerate my progress, elevating me beyond my natural qualifications.
I am deeply grateful for Your unearned grace and favor, starting each day with a heart of thanksgiving for Your goodness.
Your grace is always at work in my life, even in seasons when I feel stuck or unseen.
Your favor surrounds me like a shield, empowering me to walk confidently in my divine calling.
Living in Your grace, I stand in awe of Your goodness, knowing GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. AMEN!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
