Faltered Focus

Sunday’s Monday

Faltered Focus

I remember the movie based on magic titled Now You See Me, where a phrase was used that carries a ton of hidden truth. The magician stated, “the closer you look the less you’ll see” which means our focus becomes so narrow that many of us are easily misdirected. It seems our focus can become corrupt as our mind is filled with life experiences which are encapsulated with the teachings of this world. We operate under the assumption of two extremes, we focus on the expected or the bizarre. Either of which will most always give the magician the upper hand in mesmerizing his audience. Magic depends on blind spots, misdirection, lack of information and a dependence on the workings of the human mind. Luke 10:40 (ESV), But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Martha’s focus was on impressing Jesus (through works) while Mary’s focus was on pleasing Jesus (through love).

Today, each of us enter a daily setting of magic prefilled with negative vibes of doubt, distrust, confusion and so on, due to information from the world. Which of late has been growing exponentially all over the world, as the media is feeding these negative issues. It appears the world has grown accustom to being spoon fed with hate, lies, false agendas, and entitlement leaving some with an uncertain sense of fatalistic doom. Satan has pulled out every stop to infiltrate every person with an antimoral self-centered me first attitude and we can’t (or don’t want to) see his big picture. The vast majority of American’s have resigned to focus only that which they are showing through media outlets. Most, seldom question the news, some might research the subject but truth is, few pray to understand. We completely ignore the warning within Matthew 7:15 (ESV), 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

We get so busy looking for what we’re expecting to see, that we lose all focus for what God is showing us.

There are a few things I’ve learned in my walk with Jesus and they have helped me tremendously in my studies and research. Spiritual opened mindedness, in the beginning of my walk I was afraid to read spiritually questionable material, associate with different beliefs or be part of anything that might corrupt me from being a good southern Baptist. My mind would only accept the expected, my ears couldn’t hear God clearly and my eyes were so focused on the church that I could barely see Jesus. I was gaining spiritual knowledge but completely missing God’s wisdom! My past is riddled with stories of my focus getting so tangled up with perceived notions that I missed a lot of what God had to show me. Just as with Martha and Mary, Martha was so focused on serving Jesus through works, she couldn’t see what Jesus wanted her to see. However, Luke explains in Luke 10:42 (ESV), 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Mary’s focus was on Jesus as Lord, she showered Jesus with love, kindness, respect, she gave Jesus her all, seeing beyond her earthly teachings to reach the very essence of who Jesus was and is.

God gave me this writing after I saw an article by a famous pastor (of whom I do not subscribe) about a group (of which I do not follow) but it dealt with a relative subject that concerns us all. This article was filled with information I was seeking and hadn’t found a clear source of information. The information was of such that I shared it on social media, to which I was informed by a few, that this man and this group was questionable, to which I acknowledge and agreed. But my feelings toward the man nor the group took away from the validity of the essence of what was being said. As my friend would say “if God spoke through a donkey, He can surely speak through me!” Taken from Numbers 22:28 (ESV), Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Numbers 22 is such a good read as it helps to explain focus and the contradictions it can bring when not understood. Sometimes God’s best wisdom can be found in the most dubious sources!

God’s inspired words (in the bible) is fill with examples of focus both good and bad. John 14:9 (ESV), Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? It seems Philip focused so closely on Jesus that he couldn’t see God! Romans 1:20 (ESV), 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. Can we see Jesus in God’s creations? Can others see Jesus in us? Let us ask God to widen our focus, so that we may find He and His wisdom in everything around us!

My prayer for this week is from; Ephesians 1:17-21 (ESV), 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Amen

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

For email version send request to…pal249@hotmail.com…08/02/2020