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About three years ago on a trip to China, a friend of mine, John Pearson, encouraged me to read “Focus” by Al Ries.  I bought the book and read part of it.  The main idea that I took away from the book was this: long-lasting success depends on focusing on core products and staying away from the temptation to diversify into unrelated enterprises.  In his book, Al shows the power of focus in…

• A tiny laser beam of concentrated light to drill a hole in a dimond or wipe out cancer.
• Successful airlines who focus on just one type of flight rather than offering business class, baggage flights, coach class, etc.
• Other similar examples that show how we develop our power by narrowing our focus.

Though a secular book, I think there are spiritual applications:

• If we focus ourselves to read God’s Word every day, we will grow in knowledge, strengthen, wisdom, power, and maturity.
• If we focus on reaching people and discipling them, we will look back over a life of investment and making others a success.
• If we focus our influence, time, resources, and commitment to one church, we will be able to make a world-wide impact through strengthen and supporting that church.
• If we focus our energy to a ministry God calls us to, we can see that ministry grow and help many people.

So often, we try to diversify our lives.  We read a little here and a little there in our Bibles instead of systematically reading through our Bibles on a daily basis.  We give out a tract here and there, instead of every day praying and witnessing like we should.  We attend this church, that church, and this house fellowship, instead of commiting to a church we believe in and placing our whole influence there.

The truly successful Christians will learn the lesson that Paul taught in Philippians 3:13 “…this one thing I do…”  One person said, “Success is knowing God’s will and doing it.”  I want to know God’s will and then do it.  Once God shows me His will, I need to focus on doing that until God shows me more of His will or opens another door.  How focused are you? on His Word? on Prayer? on Evangelism? on Ministry? on Discipleship? on a Local Church?

I read this on John Pearson’s blog and thought I would pass it along to my readers.

II Timothy 2:2  And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also  When something is committed, it has been pledged or given in trust for its preservation.  The place or person who has something committed to them takes on the responsibility for its preservation.   Since we don’t have to invent anything, just hear it then commit it to other faithful men we need not be geniuses, just honest and disciplined.  These are learnable traits and diligence beats genius any day of the week.

It doesn’t matter if you know it. The question is will you teach it.  Anything else is just plain thievery.  The things committed to us were put in our trust.  Anything committed to us that we are not willing to teach dies with us.  The idea of preservation involves propagation.   The things heard from the Word of God and our mentors in the faith become the tools for our ministry of discipleship to others.

Find faithful men.  Jesus was looking for men that would follow Him, not those He had to push.  He did not waste time on those who did not value the truth or were lazy.  He knew that they would not be good stewards of the truth that He came to teach.  When there was a war on Saul looked for the valiant and strong men and took them to himself.  I Samuel 14:52.  Find faithful men and then tell them all you know.  Commit to them the things you have heard. Teach only truth:  Teach the truth that will stand the test of accountability that many witnesses provide.  We are commanded to teach the things we already heard, and its even ok if the guy that taught you hears you using his stuff.   John the Baptist and Jesus both had a message entitled, “repent for the kingdom is at hand.”   

1. Don’t be a black hole of learning.  If you are not teaching anyone the things you learn then you will become like the dead sea.  Go burn off some information calories and ask someone if they understood the message Sunday night.  If they did, ask them to explain it to you.  If they didn’t then explain it to them.
2. You may not be able to create faithfulness or discipline in your first disciple.  Remember, Jesus had entire cities come out to hear him only to have them leave when the sayings became difficult or the cost to high.  Be ready to look hard for faithful men.  When you find one, then invest heavily. 

The article garnered a fair amount of attention and there were plenty of comments and trackbacks. I was surprised to see that most people who commented actually agreed with me. A few took the other side. One called me a neo-puritan. I kind of like that, so feel free to call me that whenever you like. I’ve been called far worse!

Yesterday I was finishing up Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by C.J.

Mahaney. While the book is written primarily for and about men, the final chapter is written by the author’s wife, Carolyn, and is targetted at women. Carolyn wrote a section called “Make No Provision for the Flesh”

which seemed appropriate to this topic. I will provide a few paragraphs for your reading enjoyment:

“But now your family is finally asleep, and you want to escape from all the unpleasantness of your day. So you flip on the TV ‘just to see what’s on.’ A show piques your interest, and you pause with your finger on the remote. Although you know this program can be vulgar at times, it’s the only amusing thing on, and you think you deserve a little leisure time.

You promptly dismiss your conscience and settle down to enjoy yourself.

“This scenario I’ve just described may or may not be a familiar temptation to you. Regardless, Scripture teaches that we all have areas where we are susceptible. In Romans 13:14 we read: ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.’ In response to this verse, each of us needs to ask: When, where, and with whom are we most tempted to accomodate our flesh and gratify its desires?

“Now I am not insinuating that rest or leisure activities are sinful.

God’s Word actually requires us to rest, and there are many God-honoring activities that provide us with refreshment!

“However, I am insisting from God’s Word that we never indulge our sinful desires in our recreational pursuits. For example, we should not read anything, view anything, or listen to anything that arouses impure thoughts or compromises our biblical convictions. That would be sinful!

“Observe David’s commitment in Psalm 101:2-3 (NIV): ‘I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing.’ The psalmists resolve was sweeping - no vile thing. Notice also that David determined to walk with a blameless heart at home. As Charles Spurgeon once said: ‘What we are at home, that we are indeed.’

“So can we say like David, ‘I will walk in my house with blameless heart’?

Have we purposed not to see, read, or hear any vile thing? Or are we taking liberties where we shouldn’t? Do we watch any unwholesome movies or television programs? Do we read worthless materials - such as romance novels or magazines - that tempt us to sinful fantasies? Do we listen to ungodly music that stirs up impure thoughts? If we answered yes to any one of these three questions, we must expunge these practices from our lifestyle” (pages 113-114).

I think Carolyn speaks with great wisdom. Perhaps she is a fellow neo-Puritan. When we watch movies or participate in other recreational activities, no matter what they be, do we do so from a desire to heed God’s requirement that we rest, or do we do so from impure motives? Do we do so to indulge our sinful desires? Just a couple of days ago I wrote an article which examined the depth of my own depravity and my own propensity towards evil. Evil always seems to draw me to itself. When I watch movies, do I watch them to indulge these sinful desires which are always lurking just under the surface of my life? Am I drawn to movies by my old man, or by the new man?

Can I say with David that I have a blameless heart and that I have set before my eyes no vile thing? Or do I purposely, recklessly set before my eyes all manner of vile things and perhaps even do so in the name of growth and godliness? Is it possible for me to put on the Lord Jesus and to make no provision for the flesh, while at the same time I seek to indulge my flesh? What I am at home, that is what I am indeed. What I am in the darkness of a movie theatre is what I am indeed. What I am when no one is looking is a clear indication of my character and the extent of my pursuit of godliness. What do these moments say about me?

Sometimes, as we look around us, we are appalled by the spiritual apathy we see.  We moan and complain about the condition of church, Christians, and society.  We all wonder, “What will it take to stir us up?”  I want to suggest an answer:  Get stirred up yourself.

The need of Christians, churches, and the world is for passionate, on-fire, sold-out, praying, Bible-reading, soul-winning, zealous Christians for the world.  The follow examples illustrate what can be done by stirred up disciples of Christ:

• The early church turned the world upside down with the gospel.  (Acts 17:6)
• Paul said the gospel had been preached to ever creature under heaven. (Colossians 1:23)
• Evan Roberts repeatedly met with God from 1.00 AM - 5.00 AM, a young girl named Florrie Evans testified, “I love Jesus with all of my heart”, and the Welsh revival began leaving 100,000 souls converted in 6 months.  (Read more here.)
• John Wesley knew the secret when he said, “Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.”
• Mark Coffey and Jeff Bush spent time in Peru under a very passionate missionary, Austin Gardner.  Mark and Jeff came back to Crown College.  They was excited.  Their excitement spread to others, like me, Bro. Aaron, Trent Cornwell, and many other young men.  A movement of missions has been started.

Fall in love with Jesus; meditate on Him, His Word, and His Work.  Get around those who have the fire.  Stay away from those who put out the fire.  Get stirred up and your passion will become contagious.  It will spread; it will get caught; and a revival will begin because it began in You. 

Read here for a similar article by John Piper.

I read the following on this blog, and thought it was a very sad thing to think about. 

$23 billion is projected to be given to global foreign missions in 2008…yet…

$25 billion is projected to be embezzled from churches and Christian institutions in 2008.

I am convinced that greed is one of the most powerful forces in all of humanity. But these figures shock even this humble researcher. How horrible is it to see people exchange the significance of the cross for the dollar sign?

Steve’s wife Pat sent me the following poem that you may enjoy:

As I go walking through the world,
Lord, walk along with me,
And through the beauty of the world,
Lord, help me look and see.

As I go listening through the world,
Lord, let me hear your voice,
And with the wind and sea,
Lord, help me to rejoice.

As I go slower through the world,
Lord, give me quiet peace,
And show me always in my life,
Your love will never cease.

Steve at our church gave me a few thoughts to post, and I wanted to put them on here.  I hope that they are a help and blessing:

Thought 1: On My Father’s Side

Do you remember what you was doing when you were just twelve years old, no neither can I.  Yet our Lord was just that age when he started His ministry, by going to the temple and placing himself in the midst of teachers, learned men of the scriptures.  Jesus began hearing them, and asking them questions, and everyone that could hear Him was amazed at His understanding and the answers He gave them.

Here are some of the questions they might have asked, and the answers He may have given:

Ÿ         What is your name?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, it is Jesus.  On my Father’s side, I’m called Emmanuel.

Ÿ         Where are you from?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, I was born in Bethlehem.  On my Father’s side, I came from the portals of glory.

Ÿ         How old are you?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, I am twelve years old.  On my Father’s side, I am everlasting to everlasting.

Ÿ         What religion are you?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, I am a Jew from the house of David.  On my Father’s side, - before Abraham was, I am.

Ÿ         Do you think you will ever amount to anything?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, I will be despised and rejected.  On my father’s side, I will throughout eternity, be worshipped and adored.

Ÿ         What are your plans?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, I will go to the cross and die.  On my Father’s side, after three days in the tomb I will burst forth.

Ÿ         How will we know you?

Ÿ         On my mother’s side, you will see the nail prints in my hands and feet.  On my Father’s side, I will be seen as a Lamb standing as if it had been slain, and riding a white horse with many crowns upon my head. 

If you think back at the life you had then, and the life you lead now; would you change anything especially if you knew what you future held for you.  Most of us if we are honest would say yes in order to avoid all the bad experiences we went through.  Jesus was only twelve and knew what His future held, the pain and humiliation, and the way he was to die if He was to carry on with His ministry.  Yet He changed nothing and fulfilled every reason why he became the Saviour of the world……Amen

 And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

(Luke 2:45 - 49)

Thought 2: To Err is Human - To Forgive is Divine

Love and forgiveness go hand in hand with each other, Jesus tells us: to love one another as I have loved you; He also tells us to love our enemies.  If a man can’t love another, what love as he for himself, and if he can’t love those that wrong him, how can he forgive.  God says: Forgive those that trespass against us, He also says that if we can’t forgive them, He won’t forgive us.

But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

Matthew 5 . 44

Let brotherly love continue.

Hebrews 13 . 1

As brothers and sisters in Christ we must show our love for one another as a testimony to Him that saved us, how else can those who are not saved come to know God as we do.  If they see us divided they will also be divided, but if they see us with God’s love within us for each other then they will enquire of His love also and want to be saved.

To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also; for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ.

2 Corinthians . 10

Jesus said: Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.

Luke 6 . 37

Scripture says sinners love them which give love to them, as saved sinners by grace it is our Christian duty to show our love and forgiveness for one another……Amen.

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink.

For though shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

Proverbs 25 . 21 - 22

Thought 3: Giving Thanks Every Day

As we go through our daily Christian lives and our faith and strength we receive through the precious blessings which God bestows upon us, we tend to sometimes take these blessings for granted:

 Ÿ         Give thanks for our Lord Jesus Christ for without the price he paid for us on the cross, we would not be sinners saved by grace through His precious blood nor gain salvation.Ÿ         Give thanks for His love which He gives us freely day by day.Ÿ         Give thanks for his guidance which he gives us through His word.Ÿ         Give thanks that we can come together as brothers and sisters in fellowship without fear of persecution, arrest or even death.Ÿ         Give thanks for our health whether it be good or bad.Ÿ         Give thanks for our love ones Ÿ         Give thanks for the good times and the troubled times that we go through in our lives. 

There are so many things that we should thank God for yet we don’t or we forget, it doesn’t cost us anything to give a few minutes each day to give thanks.

On a day like today, when it is cold and rainy and we were getting blown about as we passed out tracts, stories like the one below, sent to me by Wayne Cooke, will help uskeep on keeping on.  Little is much when God is in it.

I read this on Austin Gardner’s blog and though you might enjoy reading it.

Hebrews 4:2

1. You must decide before you hear that you will obey what you hear! James 1:23-24
2. You must approach the Word of God with faith Hebrews 10:22
3. You must have a clear mind. Make the Word of God the most important thing in your life Luke 10:39
4. Receive the Word of God as if it really does come from God I Thessalonians 2:13
5. Listen quietly Psalm 46:10
6. Listen carefully to see if what you are hearing is the Word of God or not! Acts 17:11
7. Listen with faith Romans 14:23, Hebrews 11:6
8. Listen waiting on God Jeremiah 33:3
9. Get ready early, get to church early. Get up early so that you will not be fighting and fussing as a family
10. Have a time of prayer before the service even on Saturday night
11. Bring and ink pen and a note book
12. Ask God to talk to you
13. Do not talk during the service
14. Pray for the pastor
15. Respond to what you are hearing
16. Sit up front
17. Don’t think about other things in your life–focus
18. Look up every verse
19. Confess the sin that the Scripture and message show you
20. Listen with gratitude to the Lord
21. Be submissive to the Spirit
22. Listen without excuses and pride
23. Sleep the night before the service
24. Be honest
25. Ask questions
26. Resist distractions

I just listened to a helpful message on The Importance of a Local Church.