Phil Pringle Blog

Focus

Monday, February 20, 2012

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, you do not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

The biggest enemy of focus is obviously distraction - the sun's surface temperature is 24000'F, but unless a magnifying glass is held steadily (not moving around) on one spot, the heat will not start a fire. Martha is a works based performance orientated believer. She thinks God will love her if she engages in much serving. She thinks God doesn't love her or care about all the work she has to do ALONE. She's a martyr, a victim-self-imposed. If people don't help her, she feels abandoned - 'left me.' Martha tries to manipulate Mary to come and help her however Jesus replies that Mary has chosen ONE thing and was focussed on that & He wasn't going to disturb that focus. Give your time, energy, resources to the ONE big thing God has called you to do!

See you in church!

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What do you have in the house?

Saturday, January 28, 2012

2 Kings 4:2 So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."

The woman's husband has just died. Her two sons are about to be sold as slaves to pay debts. She ran to God not from God when she has this problem. She doesn't go to the bank or government, but to the man of God. She looks for a God answer for her impossible problem. The best start for a miracle is not to presume you have the answer but ask the question, 'what shall I do?' As you ask, the answer will come. It's an unselfish question, 'for you.' Not what can I do, but what will I do. Committed to bring an answer. Step by step the miracle unfolds. Her answer is in what she has in the house. It doesn't matter what it is, whatever it is, God is going to use it. She thinks that what she has is not much. Most of us do. But God can use your little & provide answers to impossible situations. He tells her to POUR it out. Don't hold back. Give it all you've got. Don't dribble, POUR! As long as there were empty vessels in the House, the oil kept pouring!!!

See you in church!

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Lean and Trust

Monday, January 09, 2012

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

We either lean on God or we lean on ourselves. It's a choice who we will trust. When we rely on our own understanding, we make decisions with no reference or prayer or asking God. This will result in disaster at worst & at best take us in a direction that is not the plan of God. In every way we take, we need to place it before the Lord, commit it to Him, look to Him & let Him guide, however He will, as we take steps forward.

When we look to Him FIRST rather than bring our plans to Him to bless, then God has an open book to write in & we then agree to do His will. This is the greatest key to blessing - Trust & obey. The power of intuition, knowing, comes into play when we 'let go,' our plans & our methods & simply trust God to guide us.

See you in church!

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Attitude

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

John 5:7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

Jesus has asked this man who has been sick for 38 years if he wants to be healed. It would seem to be an obvious answer, but Jesus still asks us if we want what might seem obvious. He doesn't force himself on anyone. He seeks your decision to have Him. He (the sick man) suffers from a self pitying, complaining, victim attitude - 'I have no-one,' 'others always beat me to the water,' I try, but nothing happens for me.' Jesus asks the question, 'Do you want to be healed,' to start the man on the pathway to realise he needs to get involved in changing his life, by first changing his attitude. As we choose to stand on our own feet, rather than waiting for others to change our life, God will help us. He works in our moving. Don't wait around for others, or a chance to favour you. Stand up, walk, be healed, connect with Christ & victory over long-standing problems is yours.

See you in church!

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God with us

Monday, December 12, 2011

Dan 3:17-18 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery burning furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

When the three Hebrew young men refused to bow down before the false god, the King threatened them with a fiery death in the furnace. Their answer was that God COULD deliver them, but if He didn't that's ok also. Their integrity of devotion to God did not depend on whether He answered their prayers. They determined to worship God and no other regardless of whether it brought benefits. God Himself must mean more to us, than what He can do for us. Fellowship with God is the highest calling, of prayer - 'that I may know Him.' Happily, when they were thrown into the furnace, their bonds were loosed and they were not burned, (not even the smell of smoke on them), because Jesus was in the fire with them. Pure worship ensures Jesus is with us in our worst moments. Refuse to bow down to any other. Make Him Lord & He will be Emmanuel - 'God with us!'

Merry Christmas - See you in church!

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Shut the door

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Matt 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place;

Jesus took it for granted you & I pray, and that we pray daily. This is not about praying while we're doing other things, gardening, cooking, cleaning, walking, driving, etc. This is doing one thing - prayer. We are to go into a room & shut the door! This gives us undistracted time with God. We can say things to God that we wouldn't if other were listening. We become focused on the Father & can hear and see what He is saying to us. A far greater closeness & intimacy is discovered in the 'secret' place. 'Shut the door' on the devil, your past sins, your mistakes and move on from this world into God's world of grace, acceptance and mercy. Make time & have a place to be alone with God every day!

See you in church

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Come over and help us

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Paul had twice attempted to go to another part of Asia but God had not permitted him. And now he saw a man in Macedonia calling for help. There are reasons some things don't work! As people with the answer, we need to 'Come over,' from where we are to where other people are who are searching for answers. The best way into anyone's life is by HELPING them, not trying to convert them, change them, argue with them, but to help them. Paul's vision was a person, not a program, a building, an event. He SAW people. That was his vision. He saw ONE man, not a vast crowd. He was changing the world one life at a time. We must see people, individuals, and cross over from where we are to where they are, to help them.

See you in church

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Think on this

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

'To cap it all off' - 'To complete your life' - control your mind - Make your mind think on the right stuff. What we replay & repeat in our mind is our 'meditation.' If you think of what's wrong with your life, you'll get discouraged. If you think about how people have wounded you or offended you, you'll get angry, bitter and malicious. If you think about immoral things you'll be tempted to do the wrong. BUT YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS! Point your mind and thoughts to the good things in your life. Smile at the people you think of. Forgive them, bless them, love them!

See you in church!

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Keep your heart.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Proverbs 4:23 'Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.'

This means 'to guard.' Our heart is under attack. Wrong desires, sour attitudes, resentment, unforgiveness, distrusting cynicism, fear, envy, all come from the heart. If our heart goes bad our whole life will follow. The heart is the seat of love, trust and desire. As we focus on the right things, our heart will be 'right.' God commands us to 'love one another.' Love is something we can choose to do, as with trust and desire. 'Keeping' our heart is a matter of choice & spending time in God's presence in prayer so we are empowered with His Spirit to do His commands. Our whole life springs from our attitude therefore we need to do whatever it takes to not give our heart to the wrong attitudes, desires or even the wrong people. On the cross Jesus forgave those who put him there. No revenge, complaining or hatred. Even under the most difficult circumstances we can choose to own a great heart.

See you in church!

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