January | February 2022

Arkansas-Louisiana Conference News

Keep Your Eye On One Thing! I remember my first driving experience at the ripe old age of five. I was behind the wheel of a 1939 John Deere B tractor. I loved that old tractor. It was awesome. To my young ears, the sound of a two-cylinder John Deere was like music from a symphony. I remember often riding with my dad on that tractor—oh, what joy! One day, he said, I could drive. He showed me all the important items on the tractor, where the brakes were, the handheld clutch, the gear shift, throttle and, of course, the steering wheel. Off we went! What a thrill it was to drive that old machine. There is one lesson my dad taught me on that tractor that I have never forgotten. He said that if you want a straight row, pick out a point at the end of the field and keep your eye on it. Drive right to that point. Don’t look to the right or left; keep your eye fixed on that point and you’ll always be centered up. And it worked!

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RECORD MAGAZINE

I have learned in life that dad’s counsel applies to spiritual things as well. As we near the soon return of Jesus, it is of utmost importance to keep our eyes fixed on one thing– Jesus! Nothing is more important. There is the ever-present temptation to engage in church politics and try to label folk as either liberal or conservative. There is the constant arguing on social media and websites about who is right theologically in the church. But don’t fall into this trap. It only takes your eyes off Christ. As we begin a new year, I strongly encourage you to take a break from all that is around you and solely focus on the Master. Ask the Holy Spirit to make Jesus real as you open His Word and study for yourself. Soak in the beauty of His love, His character, His life. Test everything you hear and see by His Word, such as, “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there

is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20 (KJV). The apostle Paul follows it up well in Hebrews 12:2 (NASB), “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…”. May your 2022 be full of joy and abundance, not looking to the right or left, but fixed and centered on Jesus. By Richard C. Dye, Sr., President