Focused Attention

INTRODUCTION

Series to end our year as we enter into a new year and a new season: RE:FOCUS

Part 1: FOCUSED FORWARD

Life is connected. How I leave one season is how I will enter the next.

Part 2: FOCUSED DIRECTION

DIRECTION – Not INTENTION – Determines DESTINATION

Part 3: FOCUSED ACTION

We are transformed when we put our faith into ACTION

Part 4: FOCUSED ATTENTION

PRAY

TENSION

Direction determines destination, but often its things or people that grab our attention that impact our direction.

When something grabs your attention, it influences your direction and impacts your entire life.

Looking back we all can relate:

Ex: Seeing Catherine for the first time

These are good examples of things that grabbed our attention, but we can all think of bad ones. (Websites, relationships, etc)

On every path that leads to disaster, the reason we choose those paths is because there’s always something attractive and emotionally appealing on those paths.

We say, “IT GRABBED or CAPTURED MY ATTENTION”

When something GRABS our attention, it’s about the emotion of the moment. When we PAY attention to something it’s about intentionality.

The things that try to GRAB my attention are often dangerous.

The things that I PAY attention to are generally the things that set me up for success.

BIG IDEA: ATTENTION influences DIRECTION – DIRECTION influences DESTINATION

TRUTH

Psalm 119:35 (CSB)

Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it.

Psalm 119:37 (CSB)

Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.

If I FOCUS on worthless things, I’m drawn in the DIRECTION of worthless things.

Proverbs 4:25-27 TPT Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions. Watch where you’re going! Stick to the path of truth, and the road will be safe and smooth before you. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked for even a moment or take the detour that leads to darkness.

Generally, the things that grab your attention are not straight in front of you; they’re to the left or right.

Fix your gaze – intentionality of focus.

ATTENTION influences DIRECTION – DIRECTION influences DESTINATION

APPLICATION

What do I need to PAY attention to so that I can be assured my actions and direction will lead me to the intended destination?

Hebrews 12:1–2 (NLT)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

ACKNOWLEDGE, DELIGHT, & BEHOLD JESUS

ACKNOWLEDGE

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE Jesus in every area of your life and He will set your direction.

Acknowledge – yāḏa – Hebrew counterpart to ginōskō

To know by experience, to perceive, to be acquainted with.

It’s to know so intimately that the fullness of who is being known is made known to you.

It’s not just knowing about God, it’s knowing Him to such a degree that the knowledge of Him brings us His very knowledge.

It’s having an understanding of the divine which therefore brings divine understanding to our life.

PRAY

DELIGHT

Psalm 37:4 (NASB95)

Delight yourself in the Lord;

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

When our greatest delight is in Him we allow access for Him to place His desires in our hearts so that His desires become our desires. When our desires are formed by His…we can rest assured that we can follow the desires of our heart. But here’s the truth we need to learn…DESIRE follows DELIGHT. (Spirt led or flesh driven)

Psalm 1:1–3 (NLT)

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

2. DELIGHT in Jesus and His word, and He will give you desires to pursue and make your way prosperous.

PRAY

BEHOLD

Psalms 115:4-8 TPT

“The unbelievers worship what they make— their wealth and their work. They idolize what they own and what they make with their hands, but their things can’t talk to them or answer their prayers. Their possessions will never satisfy. Their futile faith in dead idols and dead works can never bring life or meaning to their souls. Blind men can only create blind things. Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts in these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship—powerless and dead.”

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NASB

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

3. BEHOLD Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will make you like Him in every way.

PRAY

LANDING

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

ACKNOWLEDGE, DELIGHT, & BEHOLD JESUS

1. ACKNOWLEDGE Jesus in every area of your life and He will set your direction.

2. DELIGHT in Jesus and His word, and He will give you desires to pursue and make your way prosperous.

3. BEHOLD Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will make you like Him in every way.