Title: What are you focusing on?
Contents
Luke 10:38-42 What are you focusing on right now?
Most of our church members are young people. But keep in mind. That young man is fleeting, and the years pass quickly. The Bible says, "Our years are 70, and if we are strong, we are eighty years old, but their pride is toil and sorrow, but they pass quickly, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10).
I look at myself. At some point, when I shampoo, my hair is falling out quite a bit. Yesterday, while I was shampooing, I noticed that my hair was black. When I grabbed it with my hand, it caught two handfuls. I was terribly surprised. "Ugh- where did my hair go?" I woke up and it was a dream. I got up and looked in the mirror. When I look at the back of my head, I can feel the energy of baldness. "Ah- I'm getting old too! Lord, let me lose some of my hair!"
As it turned out, not only did my hair fall out, but wrinkles also increased and the elasticity of my skin was weakened. Thirteen years have passed since I came to Canada. When I first came here, I heard that I was like a bachelor, but the years went by so quickly. The Bible says that the length of our life is as wide as a hand (Psalm 39:5). What do we mean when the years of our lives pass so short and quickly?
The Bible says "Therefore, spare the time. The times are evil." (Ephesians 5:16) What does that mean? It means to focus on the work God wants you to do without wasting your time on absurd or useless things. Just like a magnifying glass burns paper and makes a fire because it collects light and focuses it in one place, when we focus on something, we exert great power and can accomplish things in a short life.
Today I want to ask you a question. What are you focusing on these days? A few days ago I got a call from my sister who lives in Los Angeles. I have a daughter who is in middle school, but it is said that she is rebelling against her parents because she is a teenager. My husband tells me to beat him relentlessly, but what do you think of your brother?" I said. "It's already too late for middle school students to beat and catch them. Now we have to hold on to it with prayer, example, and patience." My brother says, "He doesn't study, he texts, calls, and doesn't drop his cell phone all day long."
I answered. "There are children in our church that do this too. Even during worship, we sit in the back seat and send text messages. Phew - When do these things grow... Everyone, when you come to worship, it is good to focus on worship. Have you ever had trouble concentrating on worship? Is there anyone who doesn't have a good faith? It is said that faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17). Try moving your usual seat to the front. You will be more focused on worship. Your words will be heard better. So your faith will grow. The saying "the front seat of the chapel is the golden seat" is not wrong.
Among the things young people focus on are computers as well as cell phones. Of course, computers these days do almost everything, so computers are essential. If your computer goes down, your government and business will be paralyzed. But computers have two sides. Computer entertainment in particular is very addictive. Computer addiction is like drug addiction. Almost all the entertainment that young people like can be done through a computer. And if you focus on computer entertainment, life becomes a waste.
What you focus on when you are young determines a person's life. Do you focus on playing the piano? Become a pianist. Do you spend time playing the plot like my daughter? Become a plot player. Do you spend time playing soccer? Once you get better, your health and stamina will improve. And if you have talent, you can become a soccer player, and even if you get older, you can become a member of the early soccer club and enjoy a good hobby. Are you concentrating on playing? becomes a bastard. In English, they become playboys and playgirls. Later, as parents, there is nothing to be proud of to tell your children, "Mom, Dad was a bastard." You have to focus on the good.
Are you concentrating on your studies? It's very good. If you focus on studying like that, it will be very convenient for you to eat and live later. However, no matter how hard you study, if you leave God behind, you will not be held responsible. Concentrating away from God is itself a sin. Are you focusing on making money away from God? Listen to Jesus. ?쏧 am the vine and you are the branches; if he in me and I in him, this man bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.??(John 15:5)
Dear saints, what you focus on determines your future. If you focus on studying, you will do well in your studies, if you focus on playing you will become a bastard, if you focus on computer entertainment all night, your eyes will be bloodshot and your body will be tired, so it will be difficult to come to worship. If you focus on prayer, you will gain strength. And if you focus on preaching the gospel, your reward will increase in heaven. You must think about what to focus on in your short life.
This is today's text. Jesus visited the house where Martha and Mary lived. They were poor people who lived as orphans because they had no servants or maids, and their parents died early. However, his love for Jesus was unusually strong, and he wanted to have Jesus. When Jesus came to their shabby home, Mary was busy preparing food in the kitchen.
But Mary, her sister, was sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His words. The older sister Martha couldn't focus on Jesus because she was cooking food for Jesus and doing household chores, while the younger sister concentrated on listening to Jesus. Then, suddenly, her sister Martha became overheated and ran out of the kitchen. And they shoot at Jesus as if they are very saddened. ?쏬ord, I must be busy working in the kitchen as a housekeeper. Do you only play with my sister? Send my sister Mary to the kitchen quickly!??And to Maria, "You're not coming out soon!" send a glance. Then, suddenly, the atmosphere in the house became strange. If Jesus left after the visitation, the younger sister, Mary, was sure to be stabbed by the older sister. Then Jesus says. ?쏮artha, you are anxious and troubled over many things, but a few things or one thing is enough. Mary will not be deprived of her reward because she has focused on this good work.??Everyone, whether you live in Korea or abroad, there is something you need to focus on as a Christian. The Bible says ?쏽ou first pay attention and focus on his kingdom and his work. And all these things will be added to you??(Matthew 6:33) Saints, I beg of you. Please focus on building the kingdom of heaven. How is the kingdom of heaven established? There is a worship service on demand. There is an all-night service. There is a Sunday worship service. Concentrate on worship. Concentrate on evangelism. Concentrate on praying.
Have you been less focused on worship, evangelism and prayer than you did at the beginning of the new year? Find your concentration again. It is said that even if a righteous person falls down seven times, he gets up again. (Proverbs 24:16) There is no need to blame others for the current difficult situation. It only hurts my heart more. When times are difficult, I have to get up quickly and raise others up as well. It cannot be done by human strength, so we must seek God's help.
The Bible says ?쏧n all these things, do your best to make your progress visible to everyone.??(1 Timothy 4:15) Everyone, let?셲 focus on fulfilling the mission God has entrusted to you. Let's try. Let's be zealous. Who meets God and who experiences God's miracles? He is a man who seeks God with concentration and prays. He is a person who concentrates on God's work until the very end.
Elijah focused on prayer. He buried his head in his knees and prayed earnestly. With his earnest prayer, it rained for three years and six months. Jacob also focused on prayer. When he heard that his brother was running with an army to kill him, he wrestled with the angel all night long and focused on prayer. When the morning came after the prayer was over, I was dramatically reconciled with my brother, who was an enemy. God's work has happened.
The Bible says ?쏧f you seek me with all your heart, and seek me, you will find me.??(Jeremiah 29:13) ?쏦e who seeks me earnestly will find me.??(Proverbs 8:17) ?쏧f you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul, you will find him.??(Deut. 4:29) "The eyes of the LORD go through all the earth, to show power for those whose heart is devoted to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9) "Blessed are those who seek the LORD with all their heart" (Psalm 119: 2)
The Bible does not say that believing in God in moderation is a blessing. Believe in God, but not loosely. You have to focus and believe. The Lord said to the Ephesians, "Restore your first love" (Revelation 2:4). To the Laodiceans, He said, "Cold or hot" (Revelation 3:5). He said to pray with all your heart, to give thanks with all your heart, and to be faithful to death in order to fulfill your mission.