God has given this as our call for the year to be a people who grow in Him, not only to grow in maturity but also to grow as a church to reach this community and see people saved. I'm excited about what I see God doing, changing lives and helping us to become more like Him. This morning I want to preach a message entitled, "Focus". I believe that focusing is an important part of our growth.
Psalm 119: 112-114 says, "I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever to the very end. I hate the doubleminded but I love your law. You are my hiding place and my shield, I hope in your word".
Father, today we thank you for your word. Lord, we put our focus, our mind and our heart on that right now. Spirit of God, come and annoint us to hear and annoint me to speak. Father, I pray that we would decrease and that you would increase, amen.
These verses reflect a focused life. "I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes forever to the very end". How many know that you need to be focused in the way that you live? Nothing is as powerful as a focused life. Part of the growth that happens in the life of a believer is that we go from having our attention on everything else in this world to one single focus, one single heart, and that is for Him. When you hear the cry of David, he said there is one thing that I've put my heart to forever; I want to know your word, I'm going to hope in you, I'm not going to stray from it and I am totally devoted to you.
Today, many people live a distracted, over stimulated life. It seems like there's always something coming at them and it is very hard to focus. Many people are dissatisfied because they are running at such a hectic pace and they've lost a clear purpose and goal. Their ways are always changing; their direction, their jobs, their relationships, even churches. They're always changing things left and right, hoping that somehow the emptiness and confusion will go away and settle down. I believe this, that the real issue is knowing God's will for our life and focusing on it, knowing His desire and doing it.
God says that one of the signs of the end times would be people that are distracted with a lack of focus. Daniel 12:4 says, "But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the end of time. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase". I believe that "to and fro" has two purposes: one is that there will be a greater ability to travel. How many are thankful today that you came to church in a car and not on a horse? The truth is people are running to and fro everywhere thinking they've got to do this and they've got to do that. Life is at such a break neck speed that they hardly have a chance to breathe. So distracted we've become that while we're driving we're talking on the phone or texting at home. It's hard just to watch a tv show without working on the computer or doing a hundred other things. But the people who make the greatest difference in life are the most focused.
How many remember when you learned the power of focusing light with a magnifying glass? This is one of those things that I think is tremendous that they teach in school. But how many feel bad for every bug and every critter as soon as the kids get home? The power of a magnifying glass; not only does it help magnify things but if you'll shine sunlight through it you can start a fire. One time in the Royal Rangers we went on a camping trip and they wouldn't give us matches. They told us we're going to get a fire started but we have to do it before it gets dark with a magnifying glass and we did a pretty good job at it.
We all understand the power of focused light. Today they use it with lasers; a laser beam can be a purposeful, wonderful guided weapon or it can also be a surgical instrument that can perform some of the most delicate things that men could ever do. Jeff Allen, one of the great comedians of our time talks about how he grew up with ADHD. When he was growing up they didn't have a fancy term for kids who lacked attention in school. We have this nice way of describing it now, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Back in his day they just called you an obnoxious little punk. He said, "I finally had this one teacher who would get a hold of me during the class and said, "Listen, Jeff, if you're going to make it in this class you've got to focus". That became their salute for the whole year, "Focus". So all year long he would be messing around in class and began to get in trouble. He would be trying to do his work and he'd get distracted; the teacher would look at him and say, Focus".
It's time for the people of God to have a focused life. Sometimes we get so distracted. Some of you are going to look at your husband or wife during the next week and tell them, "You've got to focus". One of my favorite quotes is "Where the attention goes, the power flows". What you focus on in life is what you're going to accomplish and what you're going to do. I believe that baseball and motorcycles have a lot in common. In order to do either of them well, you've got to focus. Last night I was watching the end of the St. Louis and Mets game and they went through 19 innings. It was like the world's longest game. Nobody was focused, the guys in the dugout were saying, "I don't care who scores just get this game over with". How many know, if you're not paying attention you're not going to hit anything? Some people live their life like an amateur baseball player.
If you're going to accomplish something in the Lord, you've got to keep your eye on the ball. If you do, you can hit it every time. If you're going to live for Jesus then keep your eye on the ball. If you're going to raise your kids, you've got to know what you're doing. If you're going to be good at your marriage, you've got to focus on what you're doing and not on everything else. Too many people aren't keeping their eye on the ball. God has called us to be salt and light in this world but we're so distracted by everything else that we're just kind of swinging and missing. But the truth is if we want to be successful at anything we have to focus. If you're not distracted, you'll know what's coming at you. If you're not distracted and keeping your eye on things, you'll know how fast things are coming and you'll know exactly where you're going and what you're going to do. I love those guys who get up to bat and freak the pitchers out by pointing exactly where they're going to hit it; it unnerves the pitcher.
The truth is, when we start messing with the enemy, we can be up at bat and say, "I'm focused on the Lord and on his plan for my life. I know what he's called me to do, I know where I'm going and I'm going to keep my eye on that. In my marriage I know what I want to happen there. With my children I know what I want to happen there. With my life, I want to live a life of purity and I know what I want to happen there". So I can be focused on accomplishing those things, I'm not just swinging at everything that comes my way. I'm not just going to take it as it comes; I'm going to choose my hit and when I do it's going to be a good one.
1st Corinthians 9:24 says, "Do you not know that those who run a race all run, but one receives the prize. Run in such a way that you may obtain it". Peggy Smith ran the race yesterday in the Keys across the bridge. She has been focused on that race for years and she came in first in her age group. That's a great thing. Run in such a way that you may obtain the prize, and that takes preparation. It takes discipline, consistency, tenacity, courage, purpose and focus. Run in such a way that you'll win. God is raising up a people who are winners in the Lord, not a bunch of losers. Focusing will keep you on target. How many people spend their energy and time on things that don't matter, that don't help them accomplish what they want or the things they don't even care about? The truth is that Satan will fill our time and keep us from our family, keep us from soul winning, keep us from rest, keep us from everything because we are so unfocused.
Everyday when I come into the office, one of the things I do is check my e-mail. I'm thankful for e-mail, it's a great communication tool but how many have noticed that you can spend a lot of time reading stuff that doesn't make any difference in your day? The truth is I used to feel bad because I felt like I should read it all but all it did was fill my time and it didn't mean anything. I have a lot of unopened e-mails and usually about once a month I'll look at the title, see what's there that I didn't read and then hit "Delete all". The truth is that I didn't miss a thing.
Everything that God teaches us about our spiritual life can be applied to every area of our life. To serve God we need to fix our eyes on one thing and that is Jesus. Psalms 141:8 says, "But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord, and in you I take refuge". Proverbs chapter 4 says, "Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the left or the right, remove your foot from evil". David was fixed on living for God. Solomon, in all his wisdom, said if you're going to go after the things of the Lord then you've got to look straight ahead. Don't keep looking everywhere else and at everything else. Have your focus, know what you're called to and go after it with all your heart.
The reason I brought in the motorcycle is because one of the first things I learned, is where your attention goes the power flows. I love this motorcycle, it's been a gift from God, but the truth is where you look on it is where you're going. There's a lot of neat things to look at when you're on a motorcycle. When you're out on a ride, part of the fun is having the power underneath you.
How many are glad you have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life? But you've got to get focused or you can get distracted with a lot of things. There's a lot of things I need to keep my attention on when I'm riding this motorcycle but the greatest thing I need to keep my mind on is where I'm going and what is right in front of me. If I start looking all around then that's where I'm going to head. How many have ever been driving in your car and started looking over there and then found yourself driving right towards it? Don't turn to the left or to the right.
One of the neat things you find on a motorcycle is that everything deals with friction and the moment I start turning to the left or the right, my momentum starts to slow down. Anytime I start weaving on this thing, it takes me a lot longer and takes a lot more energy and effort to do what I'm doing. I've found that this is a fun thing to be on so I don't always like to take just the straight way, I'll take detours. People sometimes can't figure out why they're not where they want to be with God. They've been out joy riding in life instead of being focused. I can enjoy where I'm going on this but I've got to stay focused. As a matter of fact, the more I stay focused, the more I'm going to enjoy it. The less I stay focused on it, the more dangerous it becomes.
Some people live their life like that, always looking to the left or the right, not just looking straight ahead and keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus. To those of you who do that, I have a word for you, "get a helmet", because you're going to be in a lot of accidents and run into a lot of things you didn't want to run into and sometimes you'll run into a lot of walls that you didn't know were there. But if you'll keep focused you won't need to wear a spiritual helmet. You'll already have the helmet of salvation on your head that will have you protected and help you focus. Too many people take detours into sin, going here and there, wondering why life isn't taking them where they wanted to be. Some people have careers and jobs and can't figure out why they're not where they thought they'd be right now and it's because they kept going off on different detours. Some people wonder why their marriage isn't like it could be right now. Because they're not going straight ahead and keeping their eyes on Jesus and his word; it's gone this way and that way. Proverbs says, "Don't turn left or right, just look straight ahead".
If there is something you want to accomplish in life it will never fully be what you desired unless you give it your full attention. In a world where mediocrity is the norm, those who give the effort that something deserves will stand out in a crowd. That's why those players who seem to make it big in baseball are not slackers, they've maintained their focus. They're the guys who are going to practice and are focusing on one thing, being good at it. How many want to be good for the Lord? Then keep focused on living for God. Keep focused on those areas of your life that need the Lord in them. You can stand out in the crowd with your family or with your righteousness with God. You can stand out in the crowd on the job. I've watched believers stand out even when the enemy attacks them wherever they are. How many have ever served God on your job only to seem like you had the attention of everyone who were going to set you back just a little bit? The truth is, you stand out when you live for God. You'll be getting people's attention and you will make a difference.
Focused people refuse to live in the past. They learn from it but refuse to get stuck in the hurts, the regrets and the anger, the pain or the embarrassment of their past, or even their victories. You have to stay focused. Some of you have been hurt by people. I want to encourage you; quit looking back and keep your eyes on Jesus. Some of you have had some great victories in the Lord but that superstar on the baseball team may have had a great year the year before but if he wants to continue to have a great career he's got to stay focused year after year, day after day. If you want to have a good marriage you can't just live on one day; you've got to be focused enough to get through year after year. If you want to have a good life with your children, you can't just apply the word of God just one day here and there, you have to be focused on it everyday and God will bless you.
Don't live under the mistakes that you made. Some of you have made some huge mistakes in the past. Philippians 3:13-14 says, "Brethren, I don't count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus". Keep looking forward.
When we went to Tennessee last year we rented a Harley Davidson and went into the dragon's tail with 318 curves in 11 miles. It's a lot of fun but you have to be focused. When I started up that trail with my Dad who lives up north, he is used to all those curves and turns. But we live in Florida and there aren't many curves and turns so we're used to going straight. My Dad was flying around these curves and I was trying to keep up when all of a sudden we passed this awesome sight. I got to the top of the hill and could look over this lake that was absolutely gorgeous but my Dad kept going. Now I'm trying to check my rear view mirror to see that lake behind me because I knew we weren't coming back that way. Here's what I found out, if I don't stay focused where I'm going I might be seeing a great view behind me but I'm going to ride off a cliff that's right ahead of me. I didn't come close to doing it, I wasn't a fool, I've been riding a long time. But some of us keep trying to live our life by looking in reverse. You can't ride a bike if you're looking backwards any better than you can drive forward in a car while looking in the rear view mirror. If that's where your focus is then you're going to hit something.
Italians from New Jersey have a saying about their past, "Forget about it". The enemy will be holding your past against you or maybe even holding up your victories saying this is what you need or this is what you should have. It's a great thing when you get a chance to sit down and rest to think about those things. But if there's a mistake that you made that you didn't learn from, the Holy Spirit at just the right time will bring it up and reveal to you how you could have done better so you can learn from that. What the enemy wants to do is take you back there so you live in that failure, mistake, or even that victory. I want you to listen to me, forget about it, move on; keep living for Jesus and move forward. The good old days were wonderful but there's better ones in front of you. Stay focused, keep after Jesus and know that He's got a good plan for you.
If someone has wronged you, forgive them. If you've been hurt, allow God to heal you. If you made a mistake, ask for forgiveness. Correct it if you can and then go forward. Keep you eye on the prize and on what God has for you; be committed to all that the Lord has in your life. If you do, you will be blessed because we become what we are committed to. Refuse to allow your past to determine where you're going; whether it's a hurt, a failure or a success. Don't let everything back there determine what's going on now. Stay focused.
People who haven't decided if they're going forward or backward begin to lose their identity. They begin to grow confused about their direction because they're not committed to where they're going. If you just stay focused you're going to keep moving forward. Focused people keep their eye on the rewards more than on the difficulties. When we were going through the dragon's tail I didn't realize how tiring 318 curves would be in 11 miles. You were constantly leaning over, constantly turning and watching and people were coming up behind you. Here's what I remembered, to keep my eye on the prize; which was to say that I did it, stop at the end, buy a hamburger and the t-shirt. Focused people keep their eyes on the rewards more than the difficulties that they go through.
Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God". Jesus Christ had a plan for us and he knew that the cross was coming but he looked past the cross to the prize, which was right relationship restored to you and me. Most people would be focused on the difficulty but Jesus wasn't focused on the difficulty. The whole time he was there, we know he looked to heaven. Even when he was on the cross he was doing the will of the father even when he had the nails in his hands and in his feet, and the crown of thorns on his head. There was a thief on the cross next to him who said, "Will you remember me when you get to your kingdom?" Jesus said, I want to keep my eyes on the prize and so should you, in just a little bit I'm going to see you in Paradise. Even in the midst of the trial he was focused on what really mattered the whole time, he never lost sight. Jesus was focused on what he had accomplished to do.
Everything worth doing has difficulty. Christian, you will face temptations but you live for Jesus. Parents, you will face difficulty raising your children but they're worth every bit of it; continue to pour into them and love them. Your good marriage is going to face tough times but face them together, keep your eyes on the goal and that goal for you may be your 50th anniversary, that's a good goal to shoot for. The work that God called you to do for him will take effort. The work that God called us to do to reach this city is going to take a lot of work and sometimes it's going to be very difficult but the issue is souls. At Harvest Feeds 2 weeks ago, a couple of guys got a
little aggravated with each other. They had a little too much to drink, got their bellies full and decided they wanted to duke it out. People ask if it's worth it. When you see them give their heart to the Lord and you begin to see a mind made right and people receive Christ as their Savior; you have to focus, it's worth every bit of it.
If you dwell on hardships and difficulties too long you will grow discouraged. If you stay in discouragement too long you'll develop self pity but staying focused takes self discipline. Those who get to the place of self pity lose focus and begin to let themselves do everything they feel they deserve at that time. If you start to feel sorry for yourself with your kids you'll start to neglect them. if you start to feel sory for yourself in your marriage you'll quit being godly and speak to the other person in ways you should never do. If you lose focus in your ministry with God, you'll just sit on your couch all day and will never do it. If you forget what it means to really work hard on your job and to be someone of excellence that makes a difference where you are, you'll allow yourself to get lazy and your employer will think that you're just like everyone else that they hired. How many know the Christian needs to be focused and be the best they can be wherever they are? Keep your eye on the goal. Those who are focused may still get discouraged sometimes but they don't have the time or patience for self pity, they're going to keep their eye on the prize. I have found that it takes just as much energy when I'm discouraged to do the work that I'm called to do or to sit at home and be discouraged and watch tv. Instead of sitting at home and eating a gallon of Haagen Daz ice cream you might as well get out and do the work that God called you to do. God is faithful.
Those who are focused recognize the importance of those they are friends with and those they surround themselves with. 1st Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good character". Those who are focused recognize those that they surround themselves with. There is nothing more distracting sometimes than certain friends; People who have a different heart than you, a different vision than you, different priorities than you. What is it that God called you to? We're called to love one another and be around one another, to be the friend of sinners and to win people to Jesus. But on a daily basis, those whom you surround yourself with will make all the difference in your life. You can't soar with the eagles if you're hanging out with turkeys.
There are 5 types of people out there: number one are refreshers, those who strengthen your faith and energize you. Those people who constantly stir you up for God and help you stay focused on the Lord. Then there are refiners, those who keep you sharp and help you clarify your vision, that help make you better. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of a friend". Focus, surround yourself with people who help keep you
sharp and you help keep the people that you're around sharp. Be that person where iron sharpens iron. Get with people where you are in that flow together. Sometimes iron sharpening iron means that your friend will be right by your side, and sometimes putting iron on iron can agitate a little bit. A good friend won't always be the one around you saying, "It's ok". A good friend will look at you and tell you, "You're off focus right now".
The third type of person around you are reflectors. They're like a mirror, they mirror what you do. It's nice to be able to look at people and see yourself. Reflectors are good but if you're just reflecting each other then you're just going to stay the same all the time. The next type of person are reducers, they are those who try to diminish you or dominate you. They try to bring you down to their comfort level; when you start to soar they try to hold you back a little bit. When they see you succeed or getting close to God they try to reduce you saying you're getting a little radical. You're ready to go with your hand on the throttle but they're trying to hold you back. Sometimes we mean well by trying to keep these people in our life but when they start to hold you back you need to move on.
Then there are the rejectors, those who don't understand what God has called you to, but focusing helps you to stay grounded so that praise doesn't go to your head or critics cause you to become negative. You're focused on what God has for your life, you're focused on living for Him, you're focused on accomplishing the things that God has put in your heart to do regardless of what anyone else says. God has a plan for you, focus on it. In your walk with God, don't turn to the left or the right; go straight after Him with all that you've got and all that's in your heart. What do you need to be focused on today? How's your walk with God? How's your family? Are you fulfilling what God asked you to do? I have met people who were called into ministry and called to do a work for the Lord and then 30 years later they got focused on this and that and they're not happy. They think it's too late but it's not too late. How many know God has a plan and you can always get on with it?
