This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, by continuing to walk through the parable of the sower. Jesus said:
“The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.
And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.” (Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
Jesus described three types of weeds in the thorny ground: the cares of this world, the love of money and everything else people want. These weeds compete with, and ultimately run the risk of overtaking the Word of God. We have already covered the first two. Yesterday we began looking at the third. This morning, as I prayed over what to share with you concerning this, the Father clearly told me to share with you these words, “Simplify your life”.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God has given you the keys to success, happiness and eternal security. Those keys are found in His Word. If you allow God’s instructions to be the ruler by which you judge every one of your decisions, you will experience an amazing life; it will be the life God birthed you to live. However, if you allow your life to become “full of other things”, things other than God’s ways, you run the risk of missing out on God’s best and becoming someone you were not birthed to be.
2. We make life hard and confusing when we pursue things that are outside of God’s will. But when we strip away everything but God and the life He birthed us to live, life becomes more simple, the pursuit of success become more clear, the rewards become much more fulfilling, and the impact we can have in this world becomes much greater.
3. When your singular focus in life is doing what God sent you to the planet to do, you become constrained by divine vision.
a) When God reveals to you His purpose, it gives birth to vision. Divine vision is sight, birthed from insight, with the benefit of hindsight. God provides you vision because He wants you to live your life with clarity.
b) Solomon taught that those without vision cast off restraint (Prov 29:18). Conversely, those who have clear vision from God are restrained by that vision. People with vision don’t do everything. Their vision restrains them from pursuing every opportunity, from accepting every offer, and from allowing their lives to become “full of other things”.
c) When you live your life with divine vision you are able to enter every day focused and your life becomes much more simple.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by stripping away everything that is not like You. I declare that Your purpose for my life is my single pursuit. I have no other desire. I have no other assignment. You sent me to this planet for a reason and I will accomplish my divine assignment before I die. I refuse to allow my life to become “full of other things”. My life is ONLY full of You and my divine purpose. Living this way I get to tap into the abundance of grace You provided for me, and I get to experience Your best every day. My life simple, clear and focused. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
