My Children, Where Are You Focused?

My Children, Where Are You Focused?

We live in a world that is often distracted from the main purpose of our existence. Distractions abound and multitudes are able to have their attention diverted from the true priorities of their lives. People with the ability to remain focused have become a rarity today.

This attitude in the Church translates to shorter services, fast paced worship with all the trappings of the entertainment industry of lights, sound, shorter messages without substance or repeated emphasis on the lighter aspects of the gospel that are none offensive. Admittedly this is especially prominent in North America where all the “tools of communication” are available.

One of the problems with this approach to the gospel is that often, the message becomes subject to the tools, rather than the tools being subject to the Gospel and the leading of the Spirit.
An illustration of this is seen as we watch “Gospel TV”. Gospel TV presentations are seen as defining success. We have allowed the world’s definition of success to creep into the Church. It has brought the quality of the presence of the Spirit of God down, because so much attention is given to performance and staging.

Excellent is one of the goals pastor, musicians, ministers and minsitries should have. The problem comes when excellence and performance takes the place of the Spirit of God’s leading in any of the expressions of ministry. All of our ministry in whatever field of expression, needs to remain subject to the Spirit of God. It is He Who is sent to lead us and guide us into “All Truth”. That is a journey from where I am to where Jesus dwells. Until all of me is there, I need to be led.

In my personal Spiritual journey, it has been a continual going forward. Recognizing that in spite of all my study and my academic accomplishments and honours, I still am not fully in “All Truth” therefore I need to continue to let myself be lead, even in my worship.

Because I do not dwell in the manifest presence of God all the time, nor carry it with me all the time, I have not yet ‘arrived’. Anything less than the leading of the Spirit of God in meetings could be called excellence, performance, or staging. It is not that these cannot or should not be used, but, without the power, presence and leading of the Holy Spirit, a meeting is just a religious gathering where we come to have an emotional experience that reaches our soul but not our spirit.

Jesus statement to the woman at the well is still true today. John 4:23-24 KJV  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  (24)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Because we have only visited there at best, we need the Holy Spirit to lead us there and teach us how to live there.

The early Corinthians clearly had a prominent manifestation of the presence of God through His ministries and giftings, but, none of that touched their every day life, if we read 1st Corinthians right. Although they allowed the Spirit to move among them, they did not allow Him to lead them anywhere at the time of that writing.

There are multiple thoughts to be shared that will help us remain focused and to help us grasp and understand the importance of the above statements.

For now please ponder the above examining your walk with God personally to see if the manifest presence of Jesus is the focal point of your relationship and ministry.