STAYING FOCUSED

The Australian Shepherd, often known simply as the "Aussie", is a medium-sized breed of dog that was, despite its name, developed on ranches in the United States of America during the 19th century as a general-purpose ranch and farm dog in the American West, where a tough, enduring, versatile stockdog with an honest work ethic was required.
We have two Aussies that are part of the family. Giggles and Tonka are siblings. Tonka is the one that will really helps me with moving the goats around. Giggles stands guard at the gate. She lets Tonka do all the leg work.
Then we have a Miniature Dachshund that’s the last of all our doxies. Worm is now 12 years old. He helps the two Aussies work the goats. He thinks he is as Giggles and Tonka. One thing is for sure he can sure get the goats moving.
The other day I needed to move some of the goats to a different pasture. I separated about 6 from the herd.  Worm was the only one outside with me. Giggles and Tonka didn’t want to come out of the house because it was too hot. I think that day was close to 105 out.
I didn’t plan on moving goats when I went outside. It just so happen that the goats I wanted to move was up getting water. So Worm and I went to work.
We have it set up where you can run goats from one area to the next. We penned the six up and were starting to move them out to the big pasture when Stace came out with Giggles and Tonka. Of course Tonka started moving them faster than Worm. So, Worm just set down and let Tonka do all the work. The only problem was Worm didn’t stop the goats from going back to where we started. Worm just let all the goats go right by him. He didn’t keep his eye on the problem at hand.

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The more I thought about Worm’s actions made me think about us as Christians taking our eyes off the Lord. When we stop looking to the Lord to guide us, we have just opened up our life for all kind of problems.
When you wake up, is your focus on God or does your daily life start out like mine?  Distraction, after distraction, after distraction? In a constant rush and a narrow focus on everything that you need to accomplish today with a self-centered goal in mind?
God wants our focus solely on him.
But, our days are full of distractions. Money, clothes, decisions that need to be made immediately, our future, everything materialistic. Your life is a mess of decisions and things that need to get done. Think about what I just said and read Matthew 6:25-34 ​

Common Sense tells us differently.
​Common Sense means “good sense and sound judgment in practical matters”.
God tells you not to worry, yet common sense is in the middle blocking your focus. It keeps telling us that you need to think about this, you need to think about that, you need to make a decision now. Our nature is blocking our focus on God. Our common sense, left to our own Human Nature and without direction from God, is one of Satan’s biggest assets he has over your life.
Your common sense doesn’t allow us to put our focus solely on God because our nature is to fix everything yourself.

A perfect example of Humanism.
​Humanism - an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.
The feeling that you are smarter than God and know your life better than God.
You have become your own god.
I speak of this from experience. I am a do-it-yourself, pull up your big girl panties and “get whatever needs to get done, done” kind of person.
Yet, by having this mentality, instead of searching for direction and focus on God, I lose focus doing what “I” think is right, removing God.
Something that I am working very hard at changing.

​Focus solely on God.
Everything in your life is fighting for your focus. The distractions are not of this world and you are fighting a spiritual battle to keep our focus on God.
The opposing force does not want your focus to be on God, so evil sets distractions in your life to lose focus.
By giving God your focus He will fulfill all your needs. Notice this says “needs” not wants. We will get to that later.
God knows what you need more than what you think you need, but you have to focus and listen to God speaking to you.

God understands Your circumstances.
​God is the creator of everything, so don’t you think he would know each and every one of your needs?
To think anything different is crazy.
He is the one that created you.
He has the ultimate blueprint of your total makeup. If anybody in the world knows everything about you, don’t you think it would be your creator?
So why do you not focus on God for each and every one of our needs?

God feeds every living thing in the entire world and beyond.
​Have you ever looked at the birds in the sky and thought, “I wonder if they’re stressed out about finding food today?”
I haven’t seen any bird psychiatrists, have you?
I don’t know there might be some birds psychiatrist. There are some pretty crazy jobs in this world. But on average, most birds in the WILD eat each and every day without worry.
Who do you think feeds them? Who you think supplies all their needs?
What about all the animals in the animal kingdom? How did they get fed?
I know what you’re going to say “Well they hunt for their food”. Or “they travel great distances to make sure that they can find food”.
You are correct with that statement. But, that food had to come from somewhere. It had to be created. There had to be the opportunity of direction to the animal to know where to find or hunt for that food.
Who do you think provided that direction?
Well if God created everything, I’m pretty sure He’s the one that supplied there need. Right?

Let’s talk about How the Plants are Fed.
​Wild plants, in general, can’t get up and move to get the water they need. The nutrients needed has to be supplied by something. That something is called rain and it doesn’t happen by accident.
I know what you’re going to say. “It’s hot and cold air temperatures mixing together to cause condensation, which then builds up in the clouds until it can’t hold it anymore and precipitates water on to the plants.”
Yes, that’s the scientific version that God has given us to be able to understand.
But the hot and cold air had to come from somewhere. They had to mix in the right place, at the time, with the right cloud and fill to the exact amount needed to feed those plants.
Don’t think that happened by accident.
So if God is able to supply the needs for everything in this world, why don’t you think He can supply your needs?
Is it because you just aren’t listening? Maybe He hasn’t supplied your need yet, or maybe He has already and you didn’t notice.
Maybe the reason you didn’t notice is because you were not focused and listening to God.

God works through Your circumstances
God’s voice is subtle and hard to hear. The reason is because He wants you to focus on Him. If it was just a great big Audible Voice, that came down out of the heavens and spoke to you, why would you have to focus?
You would just hear. But, His voice is subtle and He speaks through your circumstances to teach as you focus searching for His direction (Isaiah 8:11-12).
By focusing on Him, You are asking God to speak to us. You have turned an ear to listen (Matthew 7:7-8).
Sometimes God makes difficult situations in your lives or doesn’t give you the answer that you seek, so you will turn your focus back to listening. He will talk to you through your emotions and feelings in our heart if you listen.
The more you listen to God the more you become in tune with God.
As you narrow your focus closer to Him, it becomes easier for us to listen to what He has to say. Our conscience begins to change as you grow your relationship with God and keeping your focus.
Become more directed to God, than with your human nature.
The key is to listen, then obey what is being told to you.
If you do not obey God’s direction, then you are undermining God. You challenge His decision with your own understanding, again placing yourself above God.(Deuteronomy 5:6-10).
Humanism, becoming your own god by stating God is not smart enough to decide what is best for me.
This is not; you decide the best direction by taking your own, a.k.a the Devil’s, advice, but the direction that God is giving you through the circumstances that He is allowing (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The key to being able to handle every situation that God gives us is to listen to His direction. Allow God to direct you through the circumstance in order to have the desired outcome that God wants. Sometimes that outcome is good and sometimes those outcomes are bad, but remember all outcomes are to the glory of God.

Is God calling to you?
​The importance of this is making sure that you are hearing what God is trying to tell you.
 “God may be calling you to do something great in His name.”
Like Paul who was called to be a missionary and to spread the gospel for Christ’s namesake. If Paul’s focus was on anything else but God he would not have heard the call, nor would he have been able to accomplish all of the great things he did.
As a Christian, you are commanded by the Great Commission. The Great Commission is spreading the gospel to everyone who has not received Christ as their savior. What that means is you are not to spread preaching and religion, you are to spread Redemption.

When you lose focus, Satan wins.
​When you take your mind off of your goal focused on Christ Jesus, Satan wins.
Just like Worm’s focus was on watching Tonka working the goats and not listening to the voice giving him full direction.
“Stop trying to improve your “holiness appearance” to others, while waving the burdens of others who need for your glory.”
Focus on God and His mission for you and listen to His subtle calls for you. Let God break through your prideful confidence and apply direction in your life. Spiritual direction removes your self-centered ignorance that undermines His will.
Model yourself after Paul and surrender to God’s full direction, but to do this you must be a Child of God. Not sure what I mean? Read How To Become A Christian that will answer all your questions.

​Bible Study Tools I Use:

1. NIV Bible
2. KJV Reference Bible
3. Bible Gateway 
4. Bible Hub 
5. Blue Letter Bible

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