Where Is Your Focus (Part 1)

What is it in your life that has most of your attention and focus?  Our interest in the things of God should be increasing and should permeate every area of our lives. Unfortunately, there are many distractions but we must be careful to not allow them to draw us away from our relationship with God.  This happens when we "compartmentalize" our relationship with God from all the other areas of our life.  God should be the focus in all aspects of our being, our family, career, schooling, etc.  In this day and time we are living, we can't afford to take our eyes and our focus off God.  He must be the "all in all" of our life.  I want to share with you "why" it is important for God to be first and foremost in your life and what some of the "danger signs" are that you may be losing your focus on God.

Why?

Without God you can't survive in this present world and because of that, you need God more today
than ever before.  With all the problems we face in this world and sin more rampant than ever, we can't afford to lose interest in our relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ.  And now more than ever, is not the time to give up, but rather to press forward.  We can't afford to take our eyes off of Jesus and lose interest and give up.  We have to stay focused on God, no matter how hard that may be.

Danger Signs

I want to make you aware of six danger signs that you may be losing your focus on God.

1. Your interest in the Word decreases.  Psalm 119:9-11 tells us "How can a young man keep his way pure?  Buy living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."  It's God's Word that will help keep us focused on Him.  If you find yourself reading and studying the Word of God less and less, it is a clear sign you are losing focus on what is really important.
2. Your prayer life begins to diminish.  Whether you realize it or not your prayer life is extremely important to you and your success in following God. 
3. You no longer have a desire to gather with other believers to worship God.  It is important that you make time to be with other believers.  You will find that when you take time to pray and attend church, God will multiply your time!  The purpose of joining with other believers is found in Hebrews 10:24-25 -- "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
4. You aren't giving faithfully.  God has blessed us so much, we should be giving  back to others who have need.  Luke 6:38 -- "Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall me give unto your bosom.  For with the same measure you use, it shall be measured back to you."  
5. You no longer have a desire to share your faith with others.  Sharing your faith with others is an important part of following Jesus.  This should be done humbly and with much love for people.  Don't worry about being politically correct, just be concerned about following God's Word and being "biblically" correct.
6. You no longer feel close to God.  This feeling generally comes about as a result of the first five.  When you lose interest in the things of God, you will begin to feel that God is distant and doesn't care about you.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  God never moves away from us, but we move away from Him.  

Be aware of the danger signs of losing interest and focus on God.  When you see them creeping in, reject them and submit yourself to the Lord.  He will deliver you from any of the dangers of falling away from God if you will only let Him.  What changes will you make this week to stay focused on the One who is of utmost importance?  In my next post I will cover some of the consequences of losing focus on God and how to get back on track.

Pastor Temple