WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION? By Wade M. Hughes, Sr Kyfingers@@aol.com Where will we focus our attention? Can we see the problem? Can we see the solution to the problem?
WE HAVE TOO MANY WANDERING STARS! WE NEED A FIXED STAR… NORTH STAR
Text: Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
CAN WE REMEMBER THE NEWS FROM APRIL 26, 2006. There was a terrible wreck that day. A van load of students from Taylor University was demolished by an 18 wheeler in a head on collision. 5 people were killed instantly. One student survived the terrible crash. The one surviving girl was identified as LAURA VAN RYN, 22, survived and was rushed to the hospital. Laura was critical. Laura was so swollen and band aided that no one could recognize her. For 35 days THE VAN RYN family kept vigil over their precious daughter. 35 long days the Van Ryn family suffered as their daughter hung between life and death. After 35 days LAURA had some band aides removed and her parent noticed LAURA’s teeth seemed strange? Perhaps the accident had smashed her mouth? The girl’s parents only comfort was their daughter was the lone survivor of the accident. They bonded with the parents of WHITNEY CERAK as they had lost their daughter. After 5 weeks LAURA yawned and was awake. More band aids were removed and revealed that LAURA’S belly button was pierced? The VAN RYN’s were surprised. Later the nurse asked her name, she answered: WHITNEY, WHITNEY CERA. At the scene the coroner mis-identified the bodies of the two young ladys. WHITNEY’S PARENTS HAD HER FUNERAL OVER 5 WEEKS BEFORE AND SHE IS STILL ALIVE. The truck driver that hit the van received 2 years in jail. Don Vay Ryn said: “There are somethings in life just can’t be explained, but the FAITH we have in God has been so deep. I SAY: STAY FOCUSED!
AS WE LOOK OUT THE WINDOW ON WHAT WILL WE FOCUS? WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT IS YOUR MIND SET AND THINKING PATTERN? IT IS A MATTER OF OUT LOOK? PERSPECTIVE?
I WAS ON THE 14TH FLOOR OF THE SHERATION INTERNATIONAL IN THE D.C. AREA. Really the 13th floor no would stay on the 13th. My friend Jack Spears and I were looking out the window. I said: What do you see Jack? He said: I was admiring those beautiful roses down there. He asked me: I SAID I SEE WHERE SOMEONE THREW OUT SEVERAL BAGS OF GARBAGE? He saw roses, I saw garbage! WHY?
WILL WE FOCUS ON STUPIDITY? REMEMBER DON QUIXOTE? He was a dreamer far from reality. Quixote as a mighty Spanish warrior the fought some crazy battles… Don Quixote read so many romances that they became reality to him. He loses his sanity and in his eyes he becomes a great knight. Don finds an ignorant farmer named Sancho Penza. Then they travel on foolish exploits. They attack WINDMILLS thinking they are ferocious giants. He does not have a shield so he uses pillows. Don thinks an inn is a huge castle. Don Quixote was crazy but he had was exciting times. His focus was twisted, he become very entertaining.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
FOCUS: Your main purpose, where your interest is, adjust your vision, where you place your attention, fixed point, to adjust. . The way you see or feel about something, Your attitude toward the way you regard something, your point of view, MENTAL VIEW, HOW THINGS APPEAR TO YOUR EYE…
While facts are facts, we all have our own personal FOCUS that may or may not be correct. Your FOCUS could be valid and true or it could be way off target and distorted. What is fore sight? Hind sight? A bird’s eye view? What will the farmer’s FOCUS be? The doctor? The funeral director? The bankers? A young person? An old person? A wise person? A fool’s? OUR FOCUS can be positive or it can be negative? Who decides where you focus?
DOES OUR SOCIETY OR FAMILY TEACH US HOW TO FOCUS BY BEING OVERLY PESSIMISTIC AND NEGATIVE? OR POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC?
Are we reaching to better attitudes? On what do your eyes and heart focus? Let us go to the great expert: DR. PHIL. You are the sum total of your daily choices. YOUR FOCUS BECOMES YOUR REALITY! We respond to what we think is
WHERE DO YOU FOCUS?: The way you see or feel about something, Your attitude toward the way you regard something, your point of view, MENTAL VIEW, HOW THINGS APPEAR TO YOUR EYE, ---
THE KING OF SYRIA HAS A GODLY FOCUS, SOMETHING IS ROTTEN HERE… WHAT IS GOING ON…? SO HE ACCUSES HIS GENERALS OF BEING SPIES?
ELISHA was informing the King of Israel what the SYRIANS were going to do in the battle. Elisha was like a SPY in the camp. So the King of Syria hated the Preacher.
THE FOCUS OF THE KING OF SYRIA IS THERE IS A SPY TELLING MY WAR PLANS HE HAS A WINDOW IN MY BEDROOM? 2 Kings 6:12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
Somehow the Preacher Elisha knows what our battle plans are… GOD MUST BE TELLING HIM? SO THE ENEMY
SYRIANS FIND OUT PREACHER ELISHA’S HOUSE IS IN DOTHAN? LET’S SEND CNN TO DOTHAN TO REPORT? WHAT WILL I FOCUS AND SEE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW? GO TO THE WINDOW? LOOK OUT THAT WINDOW? WHAT DO YOU SEE? HOW DOES WHAT YOU SEE MAKE YOU FEEL? The King of Syria sent his best soldiers and military equipment to the battle field at Dothan. So over night the enemy gathers around the PREACHER’S HOUSE. Something woke GEHAZI UP EARLY ONE MORNING. He got dressed and was ready to cook breakfast and Gehazi, Elisha servant, JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW… his focus was all wrong.
GEHAZI WHAT DO YOU FOCUS AND SEE OUT YOUR WINDOW?
GEHAZI SAW THE ENEMY --- OH, NO WE ARE DOOMED, AND WE ARE GOING TO DIE! IT IS OVER! 2 Kings 6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. 15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
AS GEHAZI STANDS AND FOCUSES AGAIN, SURE ENOUGH THERE IS THE ENEMY, THE HOST OF SYRIA…
GEHAZI’S FOCUS IS SO SAD. THIS IS A BAD DAY, GEHAZI KNOWS, WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE TODAY. We don’t have any weapons here. This butter knife will not cut this problem?
GEHAZI RUNS TO THE SHOWER AND SAYS PREACHER, WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!!! WE ARE GOING TO DIE TODAY! MASTER, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? DOOM, DESPAIR, AGONY ON END… DEEP DARK DEPRESSION, EXCESSIVE MISERY, IF IT WEREN’T FOR BAD LUCK, I WOULD HAVE NO LUCK AT ALL, GLOOM DESPAIR AND AGONY ON ME…
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO…? THE EYES OF THE SERVANT’S FOCUS IS ON DOOM AND GLOOM…
ELISHA LOOKS OUT THE SAME WINDOW AND SEES A GOD FOCUS… ELISHA'S LIFE EXPERIENCES TAUGHT HIM THE FAITH PERSPECTIVE… REMEMBER ELISHA WALKED MANY DAYS WITH ELIJAH. THEY LEARNED GOD IS NOT CAUGHT BY SURPRISE BY WHAT IS OUT THE WINDOW? GOD HAS THIS COVERED…
LOOK AT THE MAN OF GOD’S FOCAL POINT. ELISHA MAKES A FAITH DECREE… FEAR NOT … CAN’T YOU SEE THE REALITY?
2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
ELISHA’S FOCUS SEES THE GOD OF POSSIBILITIES NOT THE ENEMY. WHY DO WE TEND TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF THE GOD OF PROBLEMS? ELISHA KNEW ONLY GOD COULD CHANGE GEHAZI’S HAS A LOW FOCUS… SO ELISHA PRAYS: PRAY CAN CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVES… Gehazi has a problem with near sightless or short vision?
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
WHILE GOD’S FOCAL POINT IS TO OPEN SOME EYES, IT CAN CLOSE OTHER EYES… TOTAL BLINDNESS… THERE IS A HIDDEN LESSON ON FOCUS FROM ELISHA…
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
THE KING OF ISRAEL SAW FROM HIS FOCAL POINT, I HAVE THE ENEMY’S ARMY HERE IN THE PALM OF MY HANDS, WE CAN TOTALLY DESTROY THEM… THE PREACHER SAID: NO! DON’T KILL THEM, FEED THEM… TALK ABOUT A GOD PERSPECTIVE… FEED YOUR ENEMIES?
God’s plan was better than defeating the enemy.
2 Kings 6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. If Israel had killed all the Syrians, they sons would have grown up in hatred and came and took revenge and slayed Israel. Hatred feeds hatred. There was peace for many years because the Preacher’s perspective feed them.
LET US CONSIDER WHAT IS OUR FOCAL POINT?? WHERE DOES CHANGE COME? FIX YOUR ATTITUDE FIRST. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
YOU EVER FLY ON AN AIRPLANE AND WATCH ABOUT THE OXYGEN FACE MASK? You always put yours on first then you help those around you…
HOW ABOUT YOUR FOCUS OF TODAY? OUR WE REDEEMING THE TIME? CAN YOU SEE THE CLOCK LOOKING OUT YOUR WINDOW? TIME IS A PRECIOUS GIFT.
UNDERSTAND THE FOCUS WE MUST HAVE HOPE! YOUR ENEMY WANTS YOU TO LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW WITH NO HOPE. Do you fertilize HOPE?
WHAT IS YOU FOCUS ABOUT LOVING PEOPLE? Make the choice to love hard to love people. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
DO WE REALIZE IMPORTANT OUR PERSPECTIVE ON JOY AND PRAISE CAN BE?
DOES SOMEONE ELSE CONTROL YOUR FOCUS? OR DO YOU CONTROL YOUR FOCUS? A recent study shows ONLY 10% of happiness comes from external factors…
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. YOU ARE AS HAPPY AS YOU FOCUS YOUR MIND TO BE! JOY AND PEACE ARE ABOUT YOUR FOCUS AND CHOICES. Never let your joy hinge on things or people.
Your focus can be how you were raises and genetics.
YOUR focus can come from LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES, AGE, INCOME, EDUCATION, and MARRIAGE. BUT MUCH OF YOUR FOCUS IS ABOUT YOUR CHOICES… Do you hang out with negative people? Do you have good habits?
WHAT IS YOUR FOCAL POINT ABOUT APPRECIATION? WE SELDOM FEEL THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL UNLESS WE MAKE THE CHOICE. WHAT IS YOU FOCAL POINT ON FORGIVENESS? DO WE KNOW WE MAKE THE CHOICE TO FORGIVE?
CONCLUSION: STAY FOCUSED: KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING! Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6 (MSG) Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
