Sunday, November 15, 2015

Keep Focused on Jesus


Keep Focused on Jesus
 
While Pastor Allan was ministering I took notes and present a digested sermon.

Pastor reminisced that when we are children, we say, "When I get bigger I want to be a - - Doctor, teacher, maybe President.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

Timothy was preparing the church to mature and grow up, so that the mantel of ministry could be passed on to others.

Be focused like a soldier and keep your eyes on Jesus.  We all have problems, but God will get you through as you focus on Him. 

Peter walked on the water as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, but he lost his focus when the waves became too high.

When I was a child I did childish things, but it is time to grow up and stand up straight.  It is time to put aside those habits and things that hold you down.

A soldier must be willing to give up his life for others.  Jesus was willing to give His life for you.

Stop for a moment and focus because you represent something greater.  Not Open Door Church, but you represent the Body of Christ.  Our goal is to see souls saved and delivered from bondage.  Don’t change your focus.

Soccer games for five year olds are still in the learning process.  Some of these kids have never seen a Soccer ball before.  They must learn the rules and begin to practice in order to gain skills.  They must listen to the coach as he calls the shots.  They must know the game and the goal.  If they stop when they should go, there will be a penalty.

We can apply that to our lives and to Coach Jesus, as we embrace the rules.

Learn to play by the rules and be willing to change if you are following the system of the world.  If you love Jesus, then keep His commandments, and don’t be afraid of hard work.

See how Jesus wants you to be.  Follow Him and His word like an athlete.

Some one has said the best leaders are followers.

In the past some rather famous preachers lost there way and were caught up in greed and lust as they fell.  Even though they were restored, their ministry was never the same and their light went dim.  Keep your light burning bright.

My Grandfather had a large garden and grew everything we needed.  Much was canned for the winter months when the garden did not grow.  The soil had to be tilled and compost added before the seeds could be planted.   It was necessary to pull weeds and get them out by their roots, so that weeds did not overrun the garden. We were self sustained as we fed ourselves from the garden.

You wonder why your faith is weak and at time you are not making it. Are you only eating on Sunday?  I don’t live with you, so I can’t follow you around and ask if you have read your Bible and prayed today.

This may take you out of your comfort zone as you learn to be sustainable and feed yourself during the week. You say you don’t have time to read the Bible and pray, yet you stay up all night watching the Television.

Stay focused on the things of God and do not allow bitterness or offence to come your way.  Go ahead and laugh and have good clean fun, just avoid that which smacks of evil.

Begin this week to spend at least twenty minutes in His Word and prayer as you learn to discipline yourself and focus on Jesus.

 

2 comments:

caryjo said...

Focusing on Jesus is all that counts, forever and ever. I TRY many times a day for certain sure. All I can count on forever is Jesus and my Heavenly Father!

Cheryl said...

Sounds like great advice. So many times, when dealing with someone or spiritually counseling them, it is found that the root of their spiritual dryness is their lack of spending daily time with God. Thank you for sharing this, Hazel, and I trust you are feeling better from your fall.