OUR FOCUS The Lord speaks to us in an infinite variety of ways. Sometimes He speaks to us through His written Word. Sometimes He speaks through the mouths of our children, or friends, or complete strangers. Sometimes he conveys His desires to us by a feeling or impression within; we just know something. God does not always speak to us with an audible voice. If we limit the way we expect to hear from God, then we are going to fail to get the message. Our God is omnipotent. He has no limitations. Yet we tend to try and manage the things of the spirit, to bring them down to a level that our natural man can comprehend and control. Gods intent is not to come down to our level, but to bring us up to His level. If you have spent any length of time in any of the many denominational churches, you will find that you reach the point where you have spiritual things pretty well figured out and categorized. Man cannot help but try and put God in a box. If you should venture out to other churches, you will discover that they too, have God in a box, only the boxes are different one from another. One group places more emphasis on works, (missions, church building, etc.), while another may stress the operation of the gifts of the spirit. Some have built huge ministries on the gift of healing; or faith teaching; or street ministry. These are all parts of the whole, but they are not the Whole. These are all important to the walk, but they are not the Walk. When we get caught up in these endeavors, we can develop a very nearsighted view. It is difficult to see the scope of another groups view, because our vision is so focused on what our ministry revolves around. We can become very limited in our effectiveness when it comes to operating in spiritual arenas. By way of analogy, picture all of the different denominations as parts of heavenly choir. One sings tenor, one alto, one soprano, one bass. Each has a quality and sound peculiar to their own calling. The sopranos can hit the high notes, while the basss can hit the low notes. Individually they may be able to carry some tunes, but the music repertoire requires all of the sections playing in harmony together. Jesus did not call us to become Baptists or Methodists or Pentecostals, etc. He called us to follow Him, to become as He Is. We arent hearing much heavenly choir music from todays hundreds of denominations. Most of what is heard by the world sounds just like the world, pumped through blaring amplifiers. It is true that the church is comprised of many members with different jobs to do. Not everyone is called to be a teacher, or to prophesy, or has the gift of intercessory prayer. Yet we are all parts of Christs body. We are all called to minister to the Lord. We are all challenged to take up our cross and follow Christ. The danger we are in is that of placing our focus on our works, instead of our relationship. We can get so caught up in the things of God that we miss what the things of God are for. God gives us tools to do His work. Notice I said His work, not our work. Sometimes when we are given a gift to operate within the body of Christ, we become so enamored of the gift, that it takes precedent over the giver of the gift. We see from Pauls many writings in the New Testament, that though he had received a great calling (to take Christs Gospel to the gentiles), yet his focus remained on Christ and not on his calling. He continually exhorted the churches to press in to a relationship, to walk in obedience and maintain a reverential fear of the Lord. The Christians of old were no different than you and I are today. God did not call us to just take our initial steps toward a relationship with Him, and then get all wrapped up in the things about Him and go no further. There is a difference between knowing all about the work of the Lord, and knowing the Lord of the work. There is a danger in becoming so enamored with the things of God that we miss out on knowing the source of those things. God spoke to me one evening through a movie that was on T.V. It was the Star Wars movie the Phantom Menace. I wasnt paying much attention, when suddenly I looked up as the Jedi knight was telling the young Luke Skywalker,your focus determines your reality, stay close by my side. Those words hit me with great clarity, and I immediately knew that Christ is telling us, keep your eyes on Me, stay close by My side. Not just once in awhile, not just when we are in trouble, but all the time. If our focus is on Christ, we will be made Christ-like. If our focus is divided, we will never be effectual. Matt 6:22 The light of the body is the eye, if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Our eye is our focus. We see evidence in the world all around us of individuals who focus on a goal. Olympic athletes put themselves through rigorous training, all the while they never take their eyes off the prize, to compete and win a gold medal. Paul spoke of our relationship with God in the same context. Phil. 3:13-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. We might as well accept that we are never going to have all the answers. We are never going to reach the point where we stop learning and growing spiritually. We should ever be striving to know God better, to get as up close and personal as we possibly can. The prize is freely offered to all, but only those who remain focused and committed to seeking it will attain it. Just as our athletes work toward their goals, so we as Christians are required to earnestly strive to reach perfection. Jesus said in Matt. 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. We have not been called to be perfect in mans eyes, or to meet mans requirements. Our calling is to be perfect in Gods eyes, to give God free reign in our life. Our Focus must be centered on knowing God if we are ever to reach our goal. Many today are focused on everything but their relationship with God, all the while convincing themselves that they are walking in the fullness. They may be deeply involved in religious things; they may work diligently in the programs of their church; yet they have only a vague concept of Who God Is. There are multitudes that believe in some supreme being, out there somewhere, but they have no real experience or relationship with that being. Their reality (personal relationship) falls far short. Which is more important; that we claim to know God or that God claim to know us? Matt. 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in they name? And in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. We need to understand that works will not achieve a relationship with God. God is not interested in our programs and agendas. We need to be concerned with Gods program and agenda. As the above verses demonstrate, we can do mighty works using the name of Jesus, and He will deny ever having known us. What is our focus on today? Is it on knowing God, or on the peripheral things that pertain to God? If we do not possess an intimate personal relationship with God, we have no way of knowing what God is doing at any given place and time. We will be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing. Luke 21:19 Jesus said, In your patience possess ye your souls. God has an appointed time for everything. If we are not in tune with God, we will be out of step and unfruitful. It requires great patience to wait on Gods timing, and great control not to run ahead and try to help God out. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply to wait. A sign of maturity is growing to the place where waiting is no longer a struggle. Where you are content in whatever state you are. When you have learned that it is better to wait, than to get out of step with God. Our focus determines our reality. If our focus is centered on knowing God, the works that He would have us do will come as a natural result of our relationship. If our focus is concentrated on the things pertaining to God, we will be performing our own works from our own strength and asking God to bless them. How do we know the difference? How do we know if what we are engaged in is of God or not? By the results. What fruit are we bearing, and does that fruit remain. John 8:32-32 ...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. There is a vast difference between knowing about the truth, and possessing a living relationship With the Truth. Jesus also said,I Am the Way, I Am the Truth, I Am the Life.? We will never find the Truth, we will never be Free, and we will never experience spiritual Life outside of a relationship with Christ. Where is our Focus? May we all examine our hearts. What kind of fruit is our life bearing? Are we growing spiritually or has our relationship become stagnant? Regardless of how down we may feel, all we have to do is turn our eye to Jesus, and He will lift us up. As we keep our eye focused on Christ, we will begin to grow spiritually. The Holy Spirit will open our eyes and illuminate our understanding, till we no longer see through a glass darkly. Now is the time to examine our priorities. Now is the time to decide what we want, and to work toward achieving it. I pray that we may all have the courage to focus on our relationship with our Lord. We are the determining factor as to how close to God we will get. May we no longer be content to remain in the outer court, but press into the sanctuary and ultimately the Holy of Holies. Jesus said in Matt. 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. This verse is usually interpreted backwards. We cannot seize the kingdom of God by any of our own strenuous efforts. We must be invited into the Kingdom of God. The meek shall inherit the earth. There are many today who are attempting to climb up another way, to sneak into the kingdom, so to speak. The Jewish leaders committed violence against the Lord of Glory, when they crucified Christ. It requires a much stronger person to turn the other cheek, than it does to return insult for insult. It requires a commitment on our part that goes far beyond signing a church membership roster, to become a Son of God. It will require our absolute focus on the prize set before us, our total agreement with the doctrine that Jesus taught. Matt. 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Whatever we consider to be of value, whatever we esteem and desire above all else is our treasure. For some people it is the wealth of this world; material possessions; power; being held in high esteem and regard by others. For the child of God, our treasure should be the privilege of knowing our Father in an intimate, loving relationship. Whatever our focus is, it will soon be evident for all to see. Matt. 11:24-27 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops. We cannot speak what we cannot hear. We cannot hear if we are not in a communicating relationship. May our focus be on Jesus Christ, may we become as our Lord and Master.
Posted on: Thu, 29 May 2014 13:54:00 +0000
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