Focused Even on the Cross - Secret to Staying Focussed in Crisis | John Giftah | Christian Sermon

0:01 Speaker 1: Do you ever look around and think, Wow, the world is a crazy place and it just seems to get crazier and crazier. Ease your mind and take a break. This is Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We're a hub for inspirational Christian sermons, practical keys for Christian living, in Christian discussions and interviews. You'll be inspired to live the life that you were created for. Your host is a top ranking podcaster, best selling author, world record holder, aerospace engineer, life coach, evangelist, and founder of John Gifta International.

0:41 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta.

0:45 Speaker 2: Hello everyone, Welcome to this edition of the Fuel for the Soul with jo on Gifta podcast. If you've been checking out our recent episodes, we've been doing various studies on the incident with regard to the two thieves who're hanging on the cross along with Jesus, and I just want to share with you guys that one of the things that really caught my attention because as I've been telling you that one of those episodes the last couple of days, I said that I've been studying a lot about this because I'm going to be speaking from this passage in two different churches.

1:14 Speaker 2: There's good Friday. I really challenge or encourage you to keep me in your praise. I pray that these messages will be a blessing when I'm sharing with those who are listening as well. So the first things first, I want to talk about the fact that you know, we see that one of the criminals hanging beside Jesus scoffed right like, he ridicules and mocks Jesus and says, so you're the Messiah, right, prove yourself by saving yourself and save us as well while you're at it. I've also shared with you the past couple of episodes ago that both the thieves started off walking ridiculing Jesus, but one of them had a turn of thought.

1:57 Speaker 2: One of them repents. And if you look at when this man made this comment, Jesus did not even respond to this man. Even in the midst of so much of turmoil, in the midst of the pain, in the midst of everything that Jesus was going through, he was focused on spending his energy in the right way. You see something. He didn't respond, He didn't reply, He didn't say amen, why do you say this like, he didn't even reply to this man. But when the other criminal protested and says, don't you fear God when you have been sinceced to die?

2:32 Speaker 2: We deserve to die for our crimes. But this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom and look at forty three. Jesus replies and says, I assure you today you will be with me in paradise. This is from Luke twenty three. Okay, verse forty three. Now here's the thing. Jesus did not reply to the unrepentant man. He did not reply to the one who was ridiculing and walking till the very hand. He replied to the repentant man. He replied to the other thief.

3:09 Speaker 2: Right, here's the thing. In the midst of so much that Jesus was enduring emotionally, mentally, physically, like hit so much for someone to go through, and in the midst of that, he was focused. In the midst of that, he was like, you know what, I need to respond to this, but I won't respond to that, you know what I mean. He didn't waste the time responding to something that did not matter. He stayed focused. Even in the crucial moment. He stayed focused when all of his energy and his vitalities, his mind, and his emotions, everything is in a very bad ship.

3:51 Speaker 2: In the midst of that, he was able to stay focused. He did not waste time explaining himself or trying to prove himself to the unrepentent man. At the same time, he was not silent when the repentant man responded to Jesus, say, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus could have just you know, looked at him and nodded. He could have gnawed yes. He could have just you know, kept his mouth shut. He could have been like, yeah, anyway, you repent it right, you will get you will get saved.

4:23 Speaker 2: He could have kept his mouth shut because he is in extruciating pain. He every word he spoke was there was so much of effort. He could have kept his mouth shut. But he was intentionally responding to this man in the midst of the pain, in the midst of everything. He guarded this energy well in the midst of that moment. Think about it today. My challenge is we never know when you're going to hit a cross like moment. You never know when you're going to go through tough times. But I pray that you will pray and ask God's to give you the grace to be focused in the midst of the earth.

5:01 Speaker 2: You will be able to discern what

5:05 Speaker 2: message to give or in other words, where to spend your energy, how to spend your energy, where not to spend your energy, what to to respond to, which which

5:19 Speaker 2: or opportunity you need to say yes to, and which one you need to say no to. I pray that God will give you the grace. And one of the keys on how Jesus was able to handle this so beautifully was even before all of the drama began. Okay, even before everything started, when Jesus was at the garden of katsu Many. This is the monthly Thursday, right. It's so appropriate because he was in the garden of Kidsumene and there he says, not my will, but let your will be done. Father, if it's your will, remote this cup from me.

5:51 Speaker 2: But he says, but not my will, but your will be done. Before everything happened, before the problems began, before he experienced, you know, this cross movement, he made his commitment with a lord, saying God, not my will, but yr will be done. What I'm saying is, you know a lot of times we go through or get into that cross movement, and then we are trying to figure out, how do I discern God's will? How do I act in the right way? How do I behave this way? How how will I be listening by seeing in the Holy Spirit?

6:27 Speaker 2: You know, like, how will I you know, walk in in the spirit and all of that you see that should not happen when you're in that cross movement. It should not happen when you're in your crisis. You should do all of that before things actually get out of hand. That's what Jesus shows to us, before all of the trauma began, he committed himself into the Lord science and said, not my will, but let yo will be done. Can that be our prayer that today you commit to saying God, not my but you will be done, so that when you actually face a cross movement, when you face things which are excruciating and you know, deep storms and turmoils of life, there you will see that you will have the wisdom, the grace, the favor, the empowerment from God to make sure that you spend your energy wisely on the right things and also spend it on things that need to be spent as well.

7:25 Speaker 2: All right, so I really challenged that you make a new commitment and God will lead you and guide you every step along the way. All right, God bless you guys.

7:39 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta, we hope you were blessed and inspired to live the life that God has for you. Make sure to subscribe to the John gifted YouTube channel for regular uploads of sermons and skits, interviews and more. Follow John Gifta on Instagram for regular inspirational posts, and don't forget to check out the best selling books written by John Gifta, Who Am I which will help you understand your identity and the latest number one best seller Unveil your Purpose, helping you discover your purpose and to start walking in it.

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