Refocus (3/7/2021)

SALUTATIONS: Greetings Everyone, I hope you have had a wonderful week. You ever start the morning off great, then somewhere down the line you get distracted by life, social media, emotions, or some other diversion? Welp, that is a weekly - daily battle for me. Yall who have been part of this ministry since I began many years ago, know how tough it's been for me to stay consistent. I'll be the first to admit, it's always due to my loss of focus. Tonight we're going to discuss practical ways to refocus our attention on the Lord. Let's get right into it. As always, take time to review ALL of the Announcements, Healthy Living Tips, and other information detailed below, following the Reflections and Power in Prayer, whenever time permits. Your continued support is always appreciated. Keep spreading God's Gospel and feel free to share the Scripture of the Week with the hashtag SOW. Enjoy! **Disclaimer: Production and distribution days of the SOW are subject to change without warning**

PRAISE REPORTS: I am grateful to be here delivering another word to you all. Abba, Father, we thank you through our struggles, we praise you for our past trials, our current obstacles, and our future triumphs. Help us in our unbelief. Hallelujah! If you have a specific praise report, please share, because we “overcame [the adversary] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of [our] testimony” (Revelation 12:11). **NOTE: All praise reports are shared with reference to your name unless anonymity is specified**

PRAYER REQUESTS: This week, let's pray for women who struggle with fertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and/or loss of a child. Let's continue to pray for one another and thank Yahweh for the victory while refraining from confessing the problem caused by the enemy; ALWAYS pray for the desired result, NOT the unfavorable outcome (refer to the book The Tongue – A Creative Force, by Charles Capps; you can download your FREE copy here https://rb.gy/niy4go). If you or someone you know needs prayer, let me know, and your request will be added to the following SOW. **NOTE: All prayer requests are shared with reference to your name and need unless anonymity is specified**

BE ENCOURAGED: NEVER lose sight of God amidst adversity… Ponder this: "Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. Focus on your character, not your reputation. Focus on your blessings, not your misfortunes" (Roy T. Bennett). I'm no theological scholar, and even if I were a pastor or an expert on God's word, I would still advise you NEVER to take someone else's word as solid truth; "Study to show thyself approved" (2 Timothy 2:15), and CHALLENGE EVERYTHING by comparing it to the Word of God. If what you see, hear, or read does NOT fall in line with the Word of God, then it is NOT true... The rest of this day isn't promised, let alone tomorrow, so why not strengthen your faith TODAY? Feed your body healthy nutrition, be cautious of what things you allow your eyes, ears, and spirit to be exposed to (e.g., media, books, TV, music, etc.) so that YOU can start anew and become a better you NOW, rather than later. If you need someone to help you get there, or you're looking for an accountability partner, you've come to the right place. Here I am.
 
FEATURED SONGS OF PRAISE: "God Great God" by Kurt Carr (you can listen to it here https://rb.gy/upaa5s) and "When You Praise" by Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ (you can listen to it here https://rb.gy/hfnigs). I would also like to recommend Classical for Studying Radio on Pandora to better facilitate your meditation on the Word as you study, you can listen to that station here https://rb.gy/wtbmva.  

OPENING PRAYER: Yahweh, please let your presence set the tone for how this lesson will flow and how we will grow from it. Clear our mind and open our eyes, ears, and heart so that we may be decreased in self and increased in you. Fill us with your presence through the Holy Spirit to see as we look, to listen as we hear, to come into alignment with your word and your will, to receive, believe, and apply your truth, that we may be transformed by your intended message from this fellowship and become better as a result of it. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!
 
KEY PASSAGE(S) – COLOSSIANS 3:2: "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." 

**Unless otherwise indicated all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage**
 

REFLECTIONS: I don't know about yall, but I have been on a 20 plus year journey to find self-discipline and consistency. Every time I think I've mastered it, BOOM, life happens. Or does it? Often we blame the devil for our poor decisions, and even more baffling, we often blame God. But who's really at fault? Every day is an opportunity for us to make good or bad choices, right? True, God allows every temptation the enemy presents us with. However, it is YOU, it is ME, it is US who make our daily DECISIONS whether in wisdom or folly. So again, who can we blame but self?

That's tough, right? I know. I don't always want to swallow that horse pill either, but it's reality. Happiness is a choice. Joy is a choice. You can mope around and complain about what's going on in your life all you want. Did you take time to consider how you may have gotten there? When I almost lost my home to foreclosure, I had to accept the fact that me quitting a good-paying, stable position with the federal prison system without a backup plan was a poor decision. I had already depleted my savings to front the closing costs as opposed to saving up for them before I hastily purchased my home. I also hadn't considered the miscellaneous expenses that came with homeownership - more expenses that tapped out my savings accounts. Naturally, when I came close to losing my home, people wanted to comfort me by saying Satan was attacking me. However, he wasn't. It was God allowing me to learn a lesson while taking me the scenic route of my journey.

When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and they built the tabernacle, that temporary dwelling moved when the Lord moved, it was still when the Lord was still. Could He have just taken them straight to the promised land? Absolutely, but He didn't, because they lacked trust. With every complaint, He had to show them how they lost their focus and He'd refocus their attention on Him by sentencing them to deserved consequences for their CHOICE to complain though He provided every NEED. God knows the end result and how to lead us there, however, He often allows the detours to distract us from our destiny so that we can pick up a lesson along the way. We've lost our focus on God and have allowed our distractions - our detours to keep us focused on the things of this world.

Proverbs 4:25 says, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee." We need to concentrate on the desires that keep us God-centered. It is necessary to place boundaries on the things we're feeding our internal selves; mindset is developed by allowing the opinions of others to define us, or allowing insecurities to settle within as we compare ourselves to someone else. I read a quote earlier today that said something to the effect of "popcorn kernels enter the same pot with the same oil but not all the kernels pop at the same time"; someone else's journey isn't yours. God doesn't need our help to usher us into status, materials, relationships, or anything else. But like Peter, we lose sight of God when we focus on the wrong things. In the Book of Matthew, Peter was walking fine on the water with all the elements the same, but then he shifted his focus away from God and to the wind, only then did he begin to sink (read Matthew 14:28-30 here https://rb.gy/uhntmv); Peter's circumstances hadn't changed, the wind and waves were already surrounding the ship when Jesus called Peter to Him, but when he "saw" the wind, he was "afraid." Here's the thing, our circumstances only scare and worry us because we've grown so comfortable with shifting our attention away from the Lord, that we've forgotten how to refocus our attention to Him.

"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest" (Hebrews 3:1, NIV). The apostles are acknowledging Jesus as the Apostle of the apostles - the master teacher, and the Chief of all the high priests; the Lord is our Authority, or Leader, one whom we should follow, listen to, and obey. In following, that means to walk with Him, learn His Word and His decrees so that we become more like Him, allowing our spirits to be lead by His Holy Spirit so that our desires mature and we can distinguish the difference between affection for materials as opposed to sustenance and contentment with necessity. As we refocus our attention, we're able to consider the Lord's significance in and over our lives. Think about it, if your desires and habits aren't pushing you in the right direction (toward a deeper relationship with God, self-improvement, spiritual growth), then they aren't serving you. When you're focused and following the Lord, you're walking in forgiveness, love, and service to others in the world, NOT trying to figure out how you can be serviced by the things and people of this world.

To "fix" your thoughts on the Lord is to securely fasten your attention to the Word so that your mindset postures you, and helps you to approach your circumstances with a positive attitude. As you "look straight" you aren't allowing your peripheral vision to affect your focus. And as you "set your affection on the things above" you are being trained to love the things that mature your relationship with God. Don't be sidetracked by the detours of temptation. The difference between a Christian who is content and one who is consumed by worries is the object of their focus. When you refocus your attention to the Lord, your focus is on your BEST outcome, everything else is out of focus because all you're giving attention to is the feelings YOU've attached to the circumstance. Neither God, the devil, nor your circumstances are responsible for how YOU choose to FOCUS your attention and energy to manifest your happiness, contentment, and joy. Refocus your attention on God so that your circumstance doesn't lead you to falsely accuse the devil or the Lord for your blurred vision. #SOW

 

POWER IN PRAYER: POWER IN PRAYER: Father God, King of kings, Lord of lords, our Deliverer, our Provider, we thank you for your everlasting love and grace. We thank you for the gift of salvation we inherited through the blood of your Son, Jesus. We thank you for the resilience, strength, power, and self-discipline that we've been equipped with, and for your Spirit's guidance to help us tap into those Christ-like characteristics so that we are an embodiment of your written word. Father, we call upon you with aching hearts for the mothers who have suffered inhospitable wombs that have terminated their desired pregnancies and robbed them of the joy of motherhood. We need you to touch the mothers who have lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, or some other unfortunate circumstance. But Lord, we know that not every one of those women we're praying for was entering motherhood as a single mother. So, we thank you for not only healing the void caused by the loss of a child to those women, but also to the fathers who were present and who stepped up to train their children in the way they should go; for every parent who has suffered the loss of a child at any stage of development, we thank you for your grace, love, comfort, and triumph over their grief. If you will it, we ask for you to touch the barren wombs, tame the inhospitable wombs, and protect those future men and women of the world before, during, and after their conception, and give their parents the strength, patience, and know-how to handle every circumstance. In the name of your Son, Jesus, we ask that you accelerate every Christ-like trait within us so that we may fully mature in you. Transform our misery, our disbelief, our doubts, our worries, our fears, and our insecurities into peace and joy as we refocus our attention to you so that we will trust and allow you to work through us to carry out the purpose you have over our lives. Thank you for helping us to avoid every detour that leads to distraction and temptation. Thank you for helping us to fix our eyes on you and consider your ways over our own. May your will be done in our lives, and may our trust in you be secure enough to render this request genuine in your sight. As your angels and Holy Spirit do your bidding on Earth and in Heaven, protect us and them with your recourse as you bind, loose, and cast out the demonic spirits of distraction, destruction, retaliation, revenge, and backlash. All these things we ask in the matchless name of Yeshua, Amen!

HEALTHY LIVING TIPS: Change begins within... I have another quick full-body workout for you this week, although, I didn't time this one so I cannot give you the exact time frame. I encourage you to just pound out each circuit (one round/set of each exercise) taking a 40-second break between each circuit, or a 10 to 15-second break between each set/round of reps. Here it goes:

 

• 4 rounds of chin-ups - how many reps you do is purely up to your capabilities, post covid, I can only do about 4 each set. The main difference between a pullup and a chin-up is the position of your hand-grip on the bar; your grip should be facing you for a chin-up. Now, if you don't have a pullup bar, then alternatively, you can do a bent-over dumbbell row (use something with some weight, like canned food if you don't have dumbbells). Both exercises work out your biceps, triceps, and shoulders to improve your upper body strength, posture, and strengthen back muscles to help stabilize the spine.
• 4 rounds of 30-rep lateral reach for ankle crunches - (lay on your back and lift in a crunch, leaning side to side as you reach for your ankles; a reach for each ankle constitutes one rep) these crunches help to strengthen your oblique and transverse abdominal muscles. 
• 4 rounds of 15-rep weighted situps with a Russian twist at the up position - situps help to improve core strength, which contributes to improved posture and lessens your chance for back injuries in later years. Russian twists slim your midsection increases your core balance and strength, works your obliques, hip flexors, and transverse muscles. 
• 4 rounds of 20-rep wall pushups (alternating each rep between wide and close hand) - pushups activate your chest and tricep muscles, builds upper body strength, strengthen your back, and can also improve core strength and posture.
• 4 rounds of 30-rep squats (use a leg band to increase your resistance) - squats work your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Engage your core by holding in your abs as you complete each rep, which will work your abdominal muscles. If you want to challenge yourself, add ankle weights and/or add an alternate leg lift at the standing position after each squat.

 

Don't forget to stretch before and after any exercise routine, to reduce achy muscles and to prevent injuries. As always, be mindful of the things you feed your body, both physically and figuratively. Be safe, be blessed, and prioritize your health and wellbeing!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Join me for the Neighborhood Beautification Project in Los Angeles, taking place on Saturday, March 27th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the West Athens area. If you're interested in physically joining this crusade, donating supplies, and/or know of resources or contacts that can assist in this venture, hit me up.
2. If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, I invite you to join my virtual support group via Zoom; we meet every 3rd Sunday at 2:30 PST. Just text "heal" to (323) 800-8616 to be added to our text notifications/reminders.
3. Help me get FMBS Inc. back active in the community yall! I'd like to start regular community beautification projects, homeless outreach, and live workshops that will provide guidance, mentorship, resources, and helpful information for at-risk youth. Here's the thing, I don't know how to do any of this, but I'm willing to learn; if you have any helpful information or affordable training opportunities please share.
4. Please take a moment to register your Ralph's, Food 4 Less, and/or Kroger Rewards cards to enroll your member number/phone number for the Ralph's/Food 4 Less Community Contribution Program to help Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (aka FMBS Inc., serving communities throughout Southern Cali since 2012) raise funds to give back to the community; for every purchase you make, a small % is given as a donation to our non-profit organization - your rewards points are NOT affected by this enrollment. To enroll, you must go to their website here http://www.friendsindeedpas.org/get-involved/ralphs-community-contribution-program/ and link your rewards cards and/or telephone numbers (Alt ID) to our organization each year, and we will earn money for every purchase made under your rewards cards. Your continued support is always appreciated. 
5. Update on my 1st children's book, Color Isn't Who I AM © 2019: There was a minor setback on its suggested retail pricing but it's just the setup for my God to come through. When He does, my book will be on a bookshelf near you.
6. Be on the lookout for the relaunch of my non-profit organization, Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.). Although I am willing to carry out my plans solo, I would be remiss if I didn't extend an invitation to ALL willing volunteers to help me serve our communities by accepting a significant role as a committed and trusted board member, or a contributor of time (physical volunteer work), monies, supplies, and/or resources. My appreciation is extended to anyone that can help facilitate making an impact in surrounding at-risk and underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. Part of our mission is to help supply the homeless as well as needy families with food and hygiene bags throughout the year and especially during the holidays and to serve as mentors and/or advocates for at-risk youth and victims of abuse. Reach out to me regarding your interest in service or to arrange another form of contribution; contact me via email at fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com, or leave a voicemail and/or text at (951) 790-2127.

JOIN OUR CAUSE: Fostering Mind, Body, and Soul Incorporated (FMBS Inc.) is on a never-ending quest to locate deserving individuals to extend our services to. Therefore, we are always in need of monetary donations and/or contributions of hygiene items, sealed snacks, bottled water, seasonal items (gloves, scarves, blankets, umbrellas, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, etc.), mini bibles, reading books, and so forth; our YEAR-ROUND mission is to serve homeless and/or needy individuals and families in underprivileged communities throughout Southern California. We also need DEDICATED volunteers and members – is this your calling? Eventually, when we have met our need for volunteers and board members, we will extend our services to assist and address some of the needs of our veterans and their family members. We are successful because of YOUR continued support. Please continue to back us up through participation, and/or by encouraging others to join our cause!
 
For more information about our organization contact fmbsinc_2012@outlook.com. 

 
Respectfully,

Tylesha "Tye" Allen    Behavioral Interventionist | Mobile Notary | CEO/Founder of FMBS Inc. ·         Mobile: (951) 790-2127 ·         Address: Los Angeles, CA ·         Website: http://www.ready411.weebly.com | http://sodbytye.blogspot.com   ·         Email: professional1_99@hotmail.com ·         Change begins within; work on becoming a better You ·         "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)