Focus
and Purpose
JKS
Aug 28 2007
To focus on a goal is to prepare
one's heart, mind and soul to accomplishing that goal and to cast off
distraction, discouragement and defeat and pursue that goal with all one's
might and diligence. Obviously the goal must be worth pursuing to give this
diligence to a task however as Christians, we must be focused in our daily
efforts to attain both the immediate and longer term goals God and his
delegated authorities (parents/master) have set for us.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him,
No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
Any godly characteristic must be
discernable in our Lord's own character. Indeed, focus or purpose is seen in
our Lord's words and actions:
At the age of 12:
Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How
is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
During His earthly ministry (30-33):
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My
meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Before His crucifixion:
Luke 9:51 ¶And it came to pass, when
the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face
(like a flint) to go to
John 17:4 I have glorified
thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
The final announcement of the accomplishment of His Father's will while
on the cross:
John 19:30 When Jesus
therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his
head, and gave up the ghost.
There are multiple aspects of
staying focused:
Our eyes:
Proverbs 4:25 Let thine eyes
look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy
feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand
nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Our Mind:
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Our Affections:
Colossians 3:2 Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Our Heart:
Daniel 1:8 ¶But Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the
king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the
prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Our Spirit:
Acts 19:21 ¶After these things
were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia
and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also
see Rome.
Romans 12:11 Not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Our energy:
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever
ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
When faced with opposition:
Romans 1:13 Now I would not
have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but
was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among
other Gentiles.
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore
endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
Our role model:
Hebrews 2:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the
author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God.
Purging ourselves from Distraction
and defilement:
Hebrews 12:1 ¶Wherefore seeing
we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Timothy 2:21 If a man
therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour,
sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:4 No man that
warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please
him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Luke 14:28-33
28 For which of you, intending
to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he
have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath
laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to
mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to
build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make
war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be
able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty
thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is
yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he
be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Compare Rehoboam with Ezra:
2 Chronicles 12:14 And he did
evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had
prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in
Paul also remained focused
throughout his ministry:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith...
Double mindedness is the opposite of
Focus:
James 1:5 If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is
unstable in all his ways.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he
will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts,
ye double minded.
How then do we stay focused:
1. Purposing in our heart as Daniel
and Ezra (Daniel 1:8, Ezra 7:10).
2. Removing distraction and
defilement (Hebrews 12:1, 2 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Timothy 2:21).
3. Setting our mind on God (Isaiah
26:3).
4. Setting our eyes on the task and
on the example of the Author and Finisher of our Faith (Proverbs 4:25-27, Hebrews
12:2).
5. Preparing ourselves for action
(Luke 9:51, Luke 14:28-33)
6. Being fervent in Spirit (Romans
12:11, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Colossians 3:23)
7. Setting our affections on
Heavenly hope (
8. Enduring discouragement (Romans
1:13, 2 Timothy 2:3).
9. Resisting the Devil and Drawing
near to God (James 1:5-8, 4:7-8).
10. Running with patience, realizing
that finishing a task may take time. The Lord Jesus’ life was about doing the
work of the Father who sent Him and He stayed focused until that work was
completed. Noah probably spent the good part of 100 years building the ark in
the face of mockery and opposition. Paul also could say at the end of his life
that he had fought the good fight and run the race with patience in the face of
scourgings, shipwreck, tribulation etc (2 Corinthians 11:23-29, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews
12:1-2).