Focusing In
Notes
Transcript
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
PART ONE
Whether in a tree stand or at a station on the firing range,
After safety- What is the next most important thing to consider?
FOCUS
Why focus? (Squirrel!!)
The best shooters have the ability to narrow their field of focus down to a sight line going down the length of a gun barrel and to the target down range.
All the background noise, all the chaos and commotion just fades out
FOCUS
That’s exactly what God tells us to do with our faith.
There are more distractions in this world then I can name-
And each one is aimed at each of us- based on our age, attention span and maturity level
All are fighting for our time, attention and money
Colossians 3:2, is our road map from God to minds and our FOCUS on the best things for us
And off the things that want to pull us away from our faith.
One of the things we encouraged the boys at KOZ camp this year was-
On the day they did the 3+ mile hike through the woods to really focus in on everything around them
God’s creation- On full display for us to enjoy.
He created all of it for our pleasure and enjoyment- Yet we tend to ignore it and take it for granted.
How many here enjoy spending time outside- In the wildness of God’s creation?
When was the last time you talked to God about that?
When was the last time you thanked Him for the ability to be able to be a part of His creation?
Distractions and lack of focus will cause to miss our target-
On the range- In the Tree stand and in our faith walk.
So what are some of the things that might distract you from focusing on God?
What can you do to focus better on God and your faith in Him?
PART TWO
Who likes to dissect things? Who took part in the field stripping of the deer at camp?
How about gutting a fish?
Who has ever taken the time to check our the internal organs of a deer? Or even a fish?
I had several uncles who, in their day were known as gearheads-
Backyard mechanics who could tear it down and put it back together in better shape then its original form.
My Dad took out the engine of the family car in our garage-
All the way down to block
Laid out all the parts on several tables around the inside of the garage.
He lets me watch the process- From a distance...
Because he had to maintain focus of where every part was- The order it was removed from the engine-
So that the new parts could be put back in the block in the right order.
He had the focus to do that- I was about 10 years old- I did not have the focus or the understanding to not want to touch everything- Which would have gotten everything out of order.
What if I told you that just as my Dad took that engine- Stripped it down to its empty shell-
We can do the same thing with the Bible.
Even better- What if I told you that God even encourages us to do exactly that with our Bibles.
“Set your minds...” or dont just read it and move on-
Read it- think about what you read, and read it again.
Here’s the hard part- Concentrate on what you just read.
That takes Focus.
What does it mean to focus on “Things above” and not on things of the earth?
God wants us to focus and be committed to things that will last beyond this life- Eternal things
The things that will last forever.
So, to put in a version we can all understand-
“Concentrate on the things that will last for eternity and stop wasting our time and God’s time, on the things that wont last”
For everyone here, boys and adult men-
There is stuff in all of our lives that we simply need to stop wasting time on.
The kind of stuff that wont matter in two weeks, much less two years or more.
God has called each of us, even the youngest boys here today, to specific tasks for Him.
Some of these things wont be clear for years, for some of you
For some of us older folks- It may be stuff he has been trying to get us to move on for some time.
All of us need to focus on the stuff that will have eternal impacts-
FINAL REMINDER
God has made every one of us to be an amazing example of God’s love for everyone
We are each created-
Unique, individual, and
Special in His eyes.
YOUR MISSION
Ask God for help in setting your mind on Him
Pray every day for God to help you
Ask God to point out the things that are distracting you from your faith
And then ask Him for help to defeat those things and strengthen your faith
