Living the Focused Life!

Phil. 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the

upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

“A hungry tiger started off his day tracking the scent of a deer. As he continued to follow the deer. He came across the scent of a rabbit. He then turned aside and started after the rabbit. Then as he was tracking the rabbit, he was distracted by the scent of a mouse and turned aside after the mouse. He finally came to a hole into which the mouse had vanished. He ended the day hungrier than when he had started, because he could not stay focused!”

Far too often we spend our lives being distracted with this or that, and at the end of the day we have

accomplished little if anything!▪It is important that we learn to stay

focused on the right things!

▸1Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

I. Focused on the Right Person!Phil. 3:10-11

▪This chapter begins with a warning to “beware/look out!” (Phil. 3:2 “3 times!”)

▪Paul begins the chapter by stating “do not focus on the flesh!” (Phil. 3:1-8) but rather “focus on living by faith!” (Phil. 3:9)

▪We need to understand that our “only” hope in life is Jesus Christ and Him crucified! (Phil. 3:10-11 cf. Act. 4:10-12)

▸1Cor. 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Our number one focus should always be on Christ!

▪Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

▪Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

If anything in live ever causes us to take our eyes of of Christ, then

we have the wrong focus!▪Do you remember the story of Jesus walking

on water? (Mt. 14:22-33) Jesus wasn’t the only one that walked on water!

▸When we keep our eyes on the Savior we can rise above the storms of life, but if we start looking at the storm we will begin to sink!

▸Don't lose sight of Jesus!

II. Focused on the Right Prize!Phil. 3:12-14

▪How many of you have ever received a prize before? Did you like it? How did it make you feel?

▪What are we seeking after, what are we work for? What are we focused on as the “prize” of our lives? What is our goal in mind?

Eye on the prize!▪1Cor. 9:24-27 Do you not know that those

who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

What are our goals in life? What do we treasure?

▪“Crown of Life!” (Rev. 2:10)

▪“Heavenly Treasures!” (Mt. 6:19-21)

▪Are we willing to leave behind all worldly treasure to pursue the prize of the “higher calling of God in Christ Jesus!” (Phil. 3:14)

▪Imagine what we might do if we found ourselves in the place of the rich young ruler? Would we go away sad? Would we hold to our money more than our Master?

III. Focused on the Right People!Phil. 3:15-16

▪Php 3:15-16 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

▪“Who” we spend our time with, has a great deal to do with “how” we spend our time!

The Bible often warns us about being careful who our friends are!

▪Pr 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

▪The child of God can have friend “in” the world, but we can never become a friend “of” the world, a friend of worldliness!

▪We are “in” the world, but we are not to be “of” the world! (Js. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17)

We need to focus on having the mind of Christ, by spending time with those that are like minded!▪Do we fit in better with those of the world, or

with those that are walking with God?

▪This has a great deal to do with our “focus!”

▪We need to be united on the mind of Christ! (1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5)

▪This can only take place when we are united and not divided!

▸1 Cor. 1:10-13

Conclusion:▪Where is our life headed tonight? What has

been our focus lately?

▪Have we come to focus on these 3 things?

▸Right Person!

▸Right Prize!

▸Right People!

▪If you are here and not yet a child of God, then become one tonight!

▪If you are a child of God then we ask you, “Have you been living the focused life?”