Focus ("Resolution") for 2016

I'm not one for "New Year's Resolutions" anymore or yearly "prophetic slogans", but I will share my personal focus for 2016 and beyond: "Stay in your lane, run your race at your pace, do what's right even if it seems you're the only one doing it, teach as you were taught & gifted to do because that's your commission in this life, and let your dreams become words to communicate & translate into blueprints & plans for the actions you take towards the things you create." You must learn to fully accept who you are with the gifts and purpose you've been given whether others accept it or not.

JEREMIAH 23:28 (ESV); "Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD." 

God Almighty's words were "verbs" that created "nouns" and brought the intangible into being tangible as well as spoke faith and gave hope to others to do the same within the scope of their ability and the purpose given to them. Do whatever you've been assigned to do faithfully and let none ever make you feel like what you're doing isn't enough when they aren't called or made to do what you do. Nobody can beat you at being you, so you have no competition. The "message" is always more important than the "messenger" and the results always matter more than getting credit for them or anybody knowing that you were the one responsible for them.

HEBREWS 11:3 (ESV); "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."  

Writers, poets, and authors write as their actions to present in writing thoughts & ideas to change the world. Teachers teach as their actions to instill knowledge & information into others to stimulate their thinking and help give direction for them to utilize their abilities in fulfilling their life's purpose. Artists, architects, and engineers draw, design, and build things as their actions to give concrete visual imagery of their ideas to impact the world. Scientists, scholars, and researchers study & investigate matter, life, history, and information to give greater understanding and help develop things as their actions to improve things around us. Whatever it is, do what you do to your best.

COLOSSIANS 3:23 (ESV); "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."  

GALATIANS 6:4 (KJV); "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5) For every man shall bear his own burden. 6) Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." 

Let others do what they do and focus on doing your part. Support one another as you are able but never try to block or stop someone because they're doing what needs to be done but what you won't do just because you don't agree with how they're doing it. Celebrate the victories of others with them as if they are your own and comfort them when they mourn as if you share their pain. And finally, love others the way you want to be loved but don't let love become an excuse for cowardice to allow abuse or misuse of yourself or others. Love is kind, but it also demands defense of righteousness, correction from unrighteousness, and wise confrontation with truth in one's pursuit of perfection. Shalom.  ~ I.J. West 

2nd CORINTHIANS 10:11-13 & 15-18 (ESV); "Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 12) Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. 13) But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.

15) We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, 16) so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. 17) "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 18) For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."