Author: romans-five8

By Pastor Ron Watlington

 

During our leaders meeting, I asked the leaders what was the focus and scripture for the church for 2025? Some of them answered unsure of themselves, while some hesitated to answer, and some just flat out admitted that they were unsure or couldn’t remember. I reminded them that Word of Knowledge Ministries’ focus for 2025 is Philippians 4:4-7, Living in the Peace of God.

I don’t share this to embarrass the leaders, but to ask you as well, do you know what the focus for Word of Knowledge Ministries is for 2025? So, if you don’t know or can’t remember, how do we as a church stay focused? Focused on God… Focused on Kingdom things… Focused.

I’ll tell you – we can’t. Again, not to embarrass anyone but to remind us of our focus. Philippians 4:4-7 states:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When I preached this message on January 5, 2025, I shared 4 points with us:

1. Don’t worry and let things get the best of us
2. Pray about everything
3. Be thankful for ALL God has done
4. Let peace work in our lives

I reminded us that we have to make a decision to live in the peace of God because the world also offers peace, the world kind of peace. That peace is unstable, shaky, and dependent on our situation. The God kind of peace is spiritual, everlasting, stable, and comforting. The Holy Spirit helps us live in the peace of God.

We’ve made every effort as a ministry to stay focused on living in the peace of God. We’ve begun fasting and praying every month from the 1st through the 7th. We have our morning prayer line going strong every Monday and Thursday at 5am. We’re still doing intercessory prayer before our Sunday and Wednesday services. Ask yourself, have you made it to intercessory prayer? What about prayer during our monthly fast? Are you joining us for morning prayer on Monday or Thursday?

Only you know the answer to those questions. If we truly want to get closer to God, to live in his peace, we must make the effort. God tells us in His word exactly what to do to enjoy His peace. Are we doing it?

Staying Focused Takes Intentionality

You know, it’s easy to get distracted. Life comes at us fast – work pressures, family responsibilities, health concerns, financial worries. Before we know it, we’re caught up in the whirlwind of everyday life and we’ve lost sight of what really matters.

But here’s the thing: focus doesn’t just happen. It requires intentionality. It requires making a choice every single day to fix our eyes on Jesus and His promises rather than on our circumstances.

When we forget our focus, we start living like everyone else in the world. We worry about things we can’t control. We lose our joy. We forget to pray until we’re desperate. We complain instead of giving thanks. And slowly but surely, that peace that God promised us slips away.

The Choice is Ours

Living in the peace of God isn’t automatic – it’s a choice we have to make every day. The enemy wants to steal our focus and rob us of our peace. He’ll use anything he can: discouragement, fear, anxiety, busyness, even good things that become distractions.

But God has given us everything we need to live in His peace. He’s given us His Word, His Spirit, and His people. He’s provided opportunities for us to come together in prayer and fasting. He’s made a way for us to stay connected and focused.

The question isn’t whether God’s peace is available – it absolutely is. The question is whether we’ll do what it takes to receive it and live in it.

A Challenge and an Invitation

I want to challenge each of us to get serious about staying focused for the remainder of this year. If you haven’t been joining us for morning prayer, I invite you to start. If you’ve been skipping our monthly fasts, I encourage you to participate. If you’ve been missing intercessory prayer before service, come a few minutes early.

These aren’t just church activities; they’re lifelines to the peace of God. They’re ways we stay connected to our source of strength and keep our focus where it needs to be.

Remember, we’re not just trying to be busy Christians – we’re trying to be focused Christians. Christians who know where to find peace when the storms of life come. Christians who remember what God has done and trust Him for what He’ll do next.

So, let me ask you again: Do you know what our focus is for 2025? Can you recite Philippians 4:4-7? More importantly, are you living it out?

The peace of God is waiting for you. The choice is yours.

In these uncertain times, we all need something solid to stand on. I want to remind you of one unchanging truth: the God kind of faith never wavers.

What is the God Kind of Faith? I’m glad you asked…

There are different kinds of faith in our world today. Some people have no faith at all. Others have the “world kind of faith” – the kind of faith that believes it only when they see it. But as Christians, we’re called to a different standard – the God kind of faith. It is unique. It doesn’t waver, hesitate, or doubt. It’s unwavering regardless of what’s happening around us or what circumstances we face. This is the faith we’re called to live by, and it’s the only kind of faith that pleases God.

The God kind of faith always produces victory. Not sometimes, not most of the time, but ALL the time. It might not look like victory immediately, it might not feel like victory in the moment, but the God kind of faith always leads to victory.

Think about some of the heroes of faith from Hebrews 11:

– Noah built an ark when he’d never even seen rain

– Abraham left his home not knowing where he was going

– Sarah received strength to conceive a child well past her childbearing years

None of these people fully understood what God was doing, but they trusted Him anyway. They took God at His word, not because they could see the outcome but because they believed in the One who made the promise.

We’re not called to understand everything God does or asks us to do – we’re called to trust Him. The Bible tells us that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). God didn’t tell us to understand Him – He told us to trust Him. Our job isn’t to figure everything out; our job is to be obedient even when we don’t understand – that’s operating in the God kind of faith.

I want to challenge us today to be more like King David and praise God regardless of our situation – whether we’re entering a storm, in the middle of a storm, or coming out of a storm. Even during his challenges, King David knew where to put his trust. When we spend time in God’s presence – praising Him, worshiping Him, communicating with Him – it takes our minds off the storms around us. Before we know it, the storm has passed, and we’ve made it through by the power of faith.

As we stand on the threshold of 2025, it’s natural to reflect on the journey that brought us here. Through the challenges and triumphs of 2024, one truth remains constant: God’s faithful presence in our lives has never wavered . Just as He carried us through the past years, He stands ready to guide us into the future.

Remember, 2024’s end isn’t truly a finish line – it’s a new beginning . While we may face similar challenges in the coming year, we can take comfort in knowing that the same God who protected and provided for us will continue to do so.As Isaiah 43:2 reminds us, “When you pass through the waters, Iwill be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

But as we step into this new season, we’re called to do more than just maintain – we’re called to grow. This growth starts with raising our spiritual levels in several key areas:

1. Prayer Life: Make prayer a priority, not just a routine. Let it be sincere, heartfelt communication with God.
2. Time in God’s Word: Commit to deeper Bible study and meditation .As 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us, we should “study to show ourselves “
3. Church Attendance: Regular fellowship isn’t just about showing up – it’s about growing together as a community of believers .
4. Faith and Trust: Build your faith through hearing and studying God’s Word and learn to trust Him more deeply in every
5. Service and Giving: Look for ways to serve others and contribute to God’s kingdom

The same challenges that tested us in 2024 might appear again in 2025, but we don’t have to face them the same way. By strengthening our spiritual foundation and drawing closer to God, we can meet these challenges with renewed strength and wisdom .