Focus, Focus, Focus

Where is your focus?

God?

Work?

Family?

Success?

Relationships?

Yourself?

Where should it be?

Father

Son

Holy Spirit

Wrong Focus

English Standard Version Chapter 2

15 vDo not love the world or the things in the world. wIf anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—xthe desires of the flesh and ythe desires of the eyes and pride of life3—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And zthe world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

, Genesis 1:

The New International Version Chapter 1

31 God saw all that he had made,i and it was very good.j And there was evening, and there was morningk—the sixth day.

Distractions

So it is not the world, but rather the LOVE and desire of the things in the World.

James 4:4 NIV

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Lust of the flesh

Sinful desires

Worldly pleasure

Getting what the world values.

Lust of the eyes

Keeping up with the Jones’s

Desiring what others have

etc

Pride

Deceived

You have a better plan for your life than God.

Look at all I have done.

Antichrists?

English Standard Version Chapter 2

18 Children, ait is the last hour, and as you have heard that bantichrist is coming, so now cmany antichrists have come. dTherefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 eThey went out from us, but they were not of us; for fif they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, gthat it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been hanointed by ithe Holy One, and jyou all have knowledge.4 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but khe who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is bthe antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 lNo one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let mwhat you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then nyou too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us5—oeternal life.

What is that?

The AntiChrist we think from Revelation, but guess what? The word AntiChrist only appears in the books of 1 and 2 John. the word is never used in the book of Revelation. Anti Christ means opposition to Christ, and plenty of things and people are listed as opponents of Christ. So, its pretty safe to assume or as Paul puts it in The man of lawlessness who Jesus defeats with his breath. Probably also the beast in Revelation who is empowered by Satan but is not Satan. John is trying to get us realizing anyone who opposes Christ is an antichrist.

The many antichrists?

Verse 22 He who denies the father and son. verse 22, whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.

So think about how many antichrists there are. These are people who proclaim lies about Jesus or who deny he came in the flesh. They are actively fighting against God’s plan for salvation. Some will be saved.

Ephesians 2:1 NIV

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Ephesians 2:1–5 NIV

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:1-

Matrix

They have the wrong focus

Desire is the world

Some appeared to be part of the fellowship, the church, but never really were part or according to they would have never left.

They also try to bring us away from God.

You are God’s Children

You belong to him. You are his. He has given you eternal life. He is fighting for all of us. His desire is that all are saved.

Your focus is on the Father and the son

Your desire if for Him and to do His will. You love him, you love his creation, but your desire is for him.

By the anointing (Holy Spirit)

Cool trinity stuff here. Notice all three persons of God at work.

Father Creator, Lord, Jesus, savior, messiah, Holy Spirit abiding in us and teaching us.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

26 I write these things to you about pthose who are trying to deceive you. 27 But qthe anointing that you received from him abides in you, and ryou have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and sis true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Abide in Him

As we talked about last week, when we abide in him, then we act like him. We can’t help it.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that twhen he appears uwe may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his vcoming. 29 If you know that whe is righteous, you may be sure that xeveryone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Focus, Focus, Focus

Your focus needs to remain on abiding in God, but I repeat you are not alone. He is with you abiding in you. Just remain in him.

Make your desire his desires. Desire to know him. To have a true relationship with him.