FIX YOUR FOCUS

 Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I took my son Ian to an ophthalmologist last week. He is a Delaney, so he is having a few issues with his eyes and with focus. Nothing new given my genetic record, but while there I was noticing all of the equipment in the doctor’s office and exam room. Tons of gadgets and instruments, lenses and lights, gizmos and charts all designed to help Ian or whoever to “focus” better.

That got me to thinking today. The ability to “focus” sure is important. Not just with our vision, but in life as well.

Yet, it sure is easy for “life” to blur things isn’t it? Our choices and feelings can sometimes fray our focus don’t they?

Even though GOD gives us our focal point for each day in Matthew…

Matthew 6:33

New Century Version (NCV)

³³ Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.

…we sometimes lose that focus. We allow our feelings, our selfishness, our weaknesses, not to mention the plethora of distractions this world offers distort our vision for the day don’t we?

The truth is the DEVIL wants us to lose focus; “forget our focal”point. He plots and plans daily for ways to get us off track because he knows how easy it is for our flesh to sabotage our focus and our selfish nature to cloud our clarity.

And how does he do it? He uses good old temptation.

Nothing like a little spray of old habits and desires to fog our spiritual lenses and divert our attention from the Father to ourselves.

We have all been there right?

The enemy waves that little distraction like the proverbial carrot in front of the horse. He gets our brain to thinking about it. We imagine how we would feel if it were ours and even though God may shower countless blessings on us, can’t seem to take our focus off of it.

Whether it is lustful thoughts, comparative thoughts or even “woe is me” thoughts, we get fixated on the wrong things and before you know it we have lost sight of our focal point; seeking GOD first and there we are burning our time and energy on sin. Sometimes we can't even remember how we got there, can we?

That is why it is SO IMPORTANT TO SET OUR FOCUS each morning and be on the lookout for those things and situations where the enemy could be trying to redirect and distract. Let's NOT kid ourselves. We can have the best of intentions each day, but it we are not committed and steadfast in our focus, we know where those can lead. Like the old proverb says…

“the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

We must remember Satan wants to alienate us from God. He wants us to take our eyes off the Lord so he can lead us to temptation and FOG OUR FOCUS with our selfish interests and desires. So we need to be careful when we feel our focus being compromised. We need to be aware that temptation is the distraction, we must get it in check quickly or our flesh will feed IT and then suddenly we will find ourselves catering to IT or neck deep in IT; whatever IT is.

So the question for today is “how’s your focus?”

Are you seeking GOD with 20/20 vision? Are you aware of the potential distractions, temptations and pitfalls that may come your way today? Never forget, even if yesterday was a complete train wreck (like mine), even if yesterday was a distracted, “out of focus” disaster, today is a new day and our focus can be fixed.

Lamentations 3:22-23

New Living Translation (NLT)

²² The faithful love of the LORD never ends!^[a]
His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Through the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to re-focus.

Ephesians 1:17 (MSG)

…ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focusedand clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Have a blessed and focused day!

I love you all.

Freedom Church