MATURITY IN SPIRITUAL FOCUS

 By: Jun Taccad

Text:  Mark 6:45-56 / Matthew 14:22-32 

Being one who specialized in training and development for a large company in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, I have known that one of the most in-demand behavioral courses is building and maintaining focus. From time immemorial thought leaders emphasize that FOCUS is one of the major determinants of success, without it, there can only be uncertainty and lack of direction.  

Socrates, the great philosopher of olden times wrote something about focus:  “The Secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” 

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the first telephone, contributed in making the word “FOCUS” quite sensible when he said; “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand.  The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

For Brian Tracy, one of the well-known Sales and Leadership gurus of our times, “The key to success is to FOCUS our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear.”

Likewise, for Stephen Covey through his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, we should “Begin with the End in Mind” in order to be effective as a person. This can be paraphrased this way, “Focus first on the End-Result before you start to build something".

It is an undeniable principle that without focus, it is hard to achieve what we want to achieved.  

-       Our Solar System will not work just as fine as it is working now without that concentrated central gravity that holds all planets and spin them through their respective axis.

-       All Companies and Organizations are operating based on their respective Vision and Mission which remain as the elements that keep their unified action.  The Vision and Mission maintain their focus.

-       In gymnastics competitions, athletes usually fix their eyes straight forward to gather all the concentration they need before they finally jump into their first exhibition.

-       A painter, before he starts moving his brushes, should first close his eyes, picture what he wants to depict in his artwork, and gather up all the FOCUS he needs in order to sketch on the canvas what his imagination contains.

Indeed, there is success in being focused.

In our relationship with God, FOCUS is indispensable.   That kind of concentrated attention that will elevate our faith and spirituality.  A kind that should be moving the heart of God and impress Him.  In our FOCUS God should be highly glorified.

Psalms 105:16-22 = Joseph refused to be shaken by the trials and bad situations in his life but set his vision on the plan of God to save his family from the coming difficulties.  He chose not to be bitter, but tried to understand the plan of God for him. In this focus, he became successful and gained victory in the end.

Genesis 42:36 = Jacob, on the other hand, was greatly swayed away and devastated by focusing on his misfortunes.  He just accepted his fate and did not do anything about it but wallowed in regret.  He dwell in the belief that, “Everything is against him”. He grew old hopeless and full of worries, waiting in fear for the next misfortune to happen.  He lost his FOCUS and everyday he grew more and more helpless.

In our lives today, there are certain negative things that usually snatch our focus:

a)  Financial constraints

b)  Family situations

c)  Relationship issues with family members, spiritual brethren/relatives, colleagues at work, close friends

d)  Ministry and Evangelism concerns. Fearful or too shy to share faith with friends

e)  Physical and Psychological Insecurities

f)   Job stability, pressures in the workplace, unfriendly boss etc.

g)  Health Issues

h)  Finding someone to marry or not having a child

i)   Spiritual and emotional battles (purity, attitude, bad habits, lust, pride, laziness, self-pity, loneliness, homesickness etc.)

j)   Misperceptions of the people around (Others are better or worse than I am)

When we have all these negative things in our views and concentrate on fixing them, we become more disoriented than we can imagine. We tend to be shaken, we feel apprehensive, and eventually become hopeless, just like Jacob.  We will sink like Peter, when he set his eyes on the winds and waves, rather than keeping his sight on Jesus who has the power to control them.   

Point No. 1:  Focus on the conviction that God’s love protects us

The story in Matthew 14:22-32, points out to one reality:  at that time, the Kingdom of God was inside that boat.  The “Hope of Mankind” had been mounted in that small boat when the strong winds and storm was threatening to kill them all. 

The reason why Jesus let his disciples go first was for Him to commune with His Father.  Being an All-Knowing God, He knew beforehand that the voyage would be very dangerous because of the coming strong winds and storm.  Jesus needed to intercede with the Father for protection.

We are a small ministry here in Saudi and we are now riding on that same boat, not knowing of what is in store for us.  We can never tell whether or not it will be a dangerous journey for Desert Fires Ministry.  But, there’s one thing the Bible can assure us, GOD IS PROTECTING HIS MINISTRY.  We don’t have to worry, we just need to trust and focus on growing it.   

            Psalms 5:11 – God is our Shelter

            Psalms 23    -  Your rod and staff, they comfort me (Direction and Protection)

            Psalms 46:1 – God is our refuge and Strength, the present help in times of trouble

            Psalms 91:2  - He is my refuge and my strength

Psalm3 94:18-19 – When my foot is slipping, your love, O Lord, supported me.      When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul

This point challenges us to Trust God’s love.  It has the power to protect us and makes us successful in our ministry and all other aspects of our lives.

Point No. 2:    Focus on the things that can be seen through the eyes of Faith.

It was night time (Fourth watch of night or around 3 AM), deep darkness was covering the place, there was strong winds and storm, the disciples were struggling on the oar, fighting to go to the shore that they didn’t even know where because it was out of their view.  Sadly, there were no electric bulbs in those days but flickering lamps that cannot lit further than where they stand.  From the boat, they could only see deep darkness.  For the disciples, it was a horrible moment, not knowing what to do. They were fighting for their lives.  It was doubtful whether they were already accustomed to praying and calling upon God’s help, because at that point, they only learn the basic of prayers just as Jesus taught them few hours ago.  Most probably, they only relied on their own ways and efforts to save themselves. 

Let us go back to the Bible and check what we supposed to do when we are faced with situations wherein we our focus is affected.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18  Focus on what is unseen – the permanent and eternal. 

What are the UNSEEN THINGS that we should focus on?

ü  Matthew 6:19-20 Focus on spiritual things not on material possessions, money, properties, problems, worries, sickness.  

ü  Luke 10:27-28 =   Focus on loving God and Loving one another.

ü  Matthew 26:18-20 = building God’s Kingdom by sharing faith and discipleship, invest quality time praying and reading the Bible to gain wisdom

ü  Matthew 25:31-46 -  encourage the struggling and weak, serve and help the poor.

In the story of Maria and Martha in Luke 10:38-42, Jesus made His point that Maria, who sat at His side, listening to His teachings had chosen what is noble, while Martha who was so busy preparing food for the visitors was not commended.  Maria chose to be with Jesus – she focused on the unseen and eternal. 

So we must do the following:  

·         To know more about Jesus

·         familiarize His teachings

·         Be committed to obey God commandments

·         Be closed to Him through prayers and fasting

They saw Jesus from afar yet they thought He was a ghost.  We cannot blame them at this point.  If we existed in those days, we would believe it also as ghost.  Theirs was a superstitious generation and supernatural was very common. Since it was pure darkness, you could easily mistaking a moving white object in the middle of the water to be a ghost, so much so that they were not expecting Jesus to be walking over the deep waters, in a stormy weather and darkness of the night.  They were tremendously horrified!  So Peter, in all his daring character, decided to test Him.  Well, Peter trusted Him so well, being a witness to Jesus’ many miracles; he knew that if Jesus would invite Him, He could easily extend His power to Peter so he could also walk over the water.  To test Him was the only way to prove that they were not talking to a spirit.  To test Him was the only way to prove that they would be finally safe.

Then Peter began walking like Jesus on the water.  The seemingly impossible thing was made possible through his faith and strong determination to try and explore. Peter was known to be daring and aggressive.  In this story, his daring tendencies again showed up. Sadly, Peter had also the tendency to waiver and be easily shaken by life’s circumstance.  When his attention was stirred by the storms and waves, he started to sink.  He paid more attention to what is seen and not on the unseen power of Jesus which was at work at that moment he stepped on the waters and be able to walk.  Going back to the scripture:

ü  Hebrews 12:2-3  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…. So that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

ü  Matthew 14:27  - Take Courage, It is I, Don’t be afraid

ü  Psalm 112:6-8   Those who focus on God will never be shaken, will have no fear of bad news, his heart is secure.

ü  Joshua 1:9 & Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and take courage…. For I am your God.

This point challenges us not to remove our focus on Jesus.  He is far more powerful than storms, than famine, than any strong principalities in this world.  He had overcome even the power of death.

Point No. 3: Focus on worshipping God by our obedience

And so, the story went on.  Jesus stepped into the boat to join them and the storm eventually calmed down.  There were many miracles happened in this scenario; Jesus knew that the sailing will be dangerous so He first intercede through prayers, He saw them through thick darkness rowing in the lake, He walked on waters and Peter also did, and thereafter, calmed the storm.  Do we still see Him as a mere human being or we believe that He is the Son of God? 

The seeds of the Kingdom of God, the12 disciples who were riding in that boat, eventually did their part in spreading the good news of salvation (except 1 who betrayed Him and took his own life).  Refer to the book of Acts.

Worship did not stop inside that boat.  The apostles spent the rest of their lives in faithful obedience.

ü  1 Samuel 15:22  - Obedience is better than sacrifice

ü  1^st John  5:3  - Love for God is shown through obedience of His commands

ü  John 14:15-21 - If you truly love me, obey my commands.

ü  Psalm 119:97 – Love God’s Law for it will give you wisdom to obey.

The Challenge for us through this point is to Commit ourselves to follow His commandments; the Great Commandments mentioned in Luke 10:27-28, Great Commission mentioned in Matthew 26:18-20, and practice goodness by sharing our lives to others as mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46.

·         Be obedient to the Great Commission – to “Go and Make Disciples, Baptize them and Teach Them to Obey”.  Don’t be lazy and bashful in sharing your faith.  Dwell in the promise that Jesus will never abandon us while we obey.

·         Don’t make excuses.  Deny yourselves, Take up your Cross Daily and Follow Christ (Luke 9:23)

·         We have to get ourselves out from the entanglements of problems and concerns, stop paying attention to other people’s critical behaviors, and think of things that are nobler and more beneficial.  Philippians 4:8-18  (Whatever is….)

·         Stop saying you are weak, hopeless and helpless.  The Spirit within you is far powerful than the impossible.  Practice daily repentance and remain pure for God.

Conclusion:

We, as disciples, are the stabilizing element, the salt and light, the encouragement to those who lose courage, strength to those who grow weak and weary, the teachers to those who need wisdom.  We should not easily be shaken, as we believe that the Spirit is strong and stable within us.

Let us stay FOCUSED, keep our sober judgment, be strong in spiritual discernment. 

Application:

·         In our Desert Fires Ministries, what are the things that stir or snatch our focus? List them all and pray about them until the ministry will overcome them.

·         How can we help in keeping the Ministry at the right Focus?  What can we do as a member to maintain and intensify this focus?

·         As a one member of this ministry, do you sometimes commit some acts that make other disciple lose their focus?  Do you sometimes stumble them and be instrumental for them to fall into sin?  Refer to Luke 17:1-2  and be humble enough apologize and repent.