Today’s Community Scripture – 1/17/2025

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smoothly before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

                            Proverbs 4:23–27 (MSG)

– Reflection:

                           Refusing Negative Seeds

Everyone encounters voices or feelings that hinder our journey toward our destiny. People might say what we can’t achieve, like, “You aren’t qualified.” It might also be experts proclaiming, “You’ll never recover.” We hear alarming news about the economy, inflation, viruses, and division, which can induce fear and anxiety. “What will the future hold?” Words function like seeds; if you focus on them long enough, they will take root and manifest as reality. The positive aspect is that you can decide what gets sown in your mind’s garden.

– Where do we go from here?

Avoid allowing any negative influences to enter your mind. If something causes discouragement, fear or brings you down, ignore it completely. Don’t permit doubts from others or your own negative thoughts to shape your reality. It’s essential to silence all the negative, limiting phrases—like “can’t do it,” “not able,” or “never going to happen.” You don’t have to accept them. When you don’t focus on these thoughts, they will lose their power and fail to impact you. Keep your mind occupied with positive, hopeful, and faith-driven thoughts.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, We thank You for enabling us to protect our thoughts and to prevent negative ideas from taking hold. Please help us eliminate all weak and negative thoughts and focus on what You say about us. We declare our intention to cultivate faith-filled thoughts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach