Having a Wrong “Focus” Can “Derail” Your Faith (Part 1)

In my last two articles I talked about the “Battle in our Soul” and how we all must struggle to keep a healthy soul.  The Soul does not take care of itself, it is something that directs us towards a healthy life or a sick and broken one. I would like to start this article on exposing what I consider one of the prime hinderances of the modern church and believers everywhere. Most of today’s preaching revolves around our personal need and brokenness and although this condition is often true, the fact that more often than not we are in a broken and needy condition is due in large part on our focus on the problem rather than the solution. So much hinders our ability to see the way out of this dilemma and if all we do is focus on the problem we never or rarely gain enough hope to expect a change in our condition. If you keep telling a child that he or she is stupid that will not motivate them to expect something different and our words become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is from this premise I would like to encourage us to look more at the solution for our brokenness resting in the character and nature of God. Few sermons capitalize on this important topic and generally the subject is reserved for bible college or seminary. If you have ever gone to such a class the subject is often taught by lackluster professors who often make you fall asleep in class instead of an excited teacher ready to blow your mind with illustrations of who God really is. That being said, there are great teachers who can teach the subject but, more often than not, the teaching or teachers are boring.

This brings me to the second important observation I have and that is that more often than not most churches stay in the New Testament rather than relating to both the Old and the New Testament equally. The Old Testament establishes the foundation for our faith both in the character and heart of God. It lays the groundwork for the belief in the Messiah and our understanding of who and what the Messiah would teach and do. Without the Old Testament there is no justification to believe Jesus was who he said he was. Much of what Jesus taught always referred back to the idea of “This is to Fulfill” what Moses or one of the prophets said. If you are not getting a healthy diet of both the Old and New Testament you are developing a “warped” sense of who God is and how he governs.

From here I would like to suggest we look at one key leader from the Old Testament that set a high standard for what God is after and what he delights in.  That person is King David. There is no other person that God spoke so highly of. He declared that he was a man after God’s own heart. This is very significant, partly due to the circumstance by which this revelation of his character came to light, but also because God often related to future leaders and people in general using David as a standard. Now, granted, we have Jesus as our role model now as Christians, but we should never discount the examples in the history of the Old Testament of character and heart that God elevated so high.

1 Samuel 13:14                                                                                                                                                                             

But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

One of David’s hallmark character traits was he was a worshiper of one God. The church for over 1,500 years used the psalms to fill the service no matter how small or large. In these psalms, which David wrote the majority of, he gave us “Keys of Understanding” by which we can develop the same kind of heart that he had. David was an extraordinary man and king primarily because he learned to focus on God’s character even though he lived a rejected life by his father and brothers. He learned to thank the Lord for large and small things. This gave him an advantage of seeing God bigger than most people could image. This practice of “Blessing God” was key in his early life when he heard of the Philistine Giant Goliath.  He was angry that this heathen was saying foul things about his God. He faced this nine foot giant with simple stones in his pocket because he saw God as able to do great things with small things like himself.

Look at the following passages of scripture that remind us where our focus needs to start so it can flow to a right attitude throughout the day.

Psalms 16:7-8                                                                                                                                                                           

I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.  I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalms 26:12                                                                                                                                                                                 

My foot stands on a level place; In the congregations I shall bless the LORD.

Psalms 103:1-2                                                                                                                                                                   

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;

David had this understanding that we as mere mortals can “Bless God“. We have the ability to impact God in a way that no other created thing can. We can choose to see and acknowledge God’s greatness and as a “By-product” our lives are enriched because of it. It’s the same as our giving. If we give to get we short-circuit the blessing from God, but if we give freely without expecting to get something in return, God promises blessing. God knows if we see His goodness and are willing to bless Him it changes our character and often our circumstance. I remember growing up being taught to always say “Thank you & Please”. As dysfunctional as my family was I learned that proper respect changes things, me included. I make the one receiving the thanks feel better about the giving and I feel better for the giving.

It is an amazing thing that we can change God’s Day! Think about it. We can cause joy to come to the heart of God because we bless him. You know the saying, “You Can’t Out Give God”, well it’s true! Every time we act like a true son or daughter of God we bless him. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross is validated through us and the Father is blessed, especially when we take the time each day to bless his name before the day even starts.

Questions:

Do you realize the effect you have on God by blessing his name? If not, read David’s psalms.

Do you regularly start your prayer with thanksgiving for who and what God does? You can start today.

Starting out 2019 with purpose and intention to be a blessing.

Pastor Dale