FOCUS: Got Focus?...Week 5

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."
–Matthew 6:33 NLT

This Lenten season is about making a decision to "Prepare to Walk With The Father".  There are some benefits to walking with God instead of walking alone.  There are some benefits to walking with God instead of walking with people.  It is my sincere prayer that this 2020 FOCUS for the Lenten season will heighten your relationship with God as you prepare to "Walk With The Father"!

During this fifth week of Lent, I challenge us to answer the question: Got Focus?  

There is so much going on during this Lenten season that it is easy to lose focus.  We began this journey four weeks ago, and life was completely different.  Four weeks and three days ago, we celebrated Ash Wednesday (February 26, 2020) all over the world.  We did so, at least in America, with our only concern being abstaining and confessing.  We starting our journey of abstaining from something (FASTING) with ash on our foreheads as a sign of confession and truly choosing to walk with Christ to the cross.  What a difference four weeks and three days make?!  Now, many of us have not seen the people we physically started this journey off with in at least two weeks.  What a difference four weeks and three days make?!

So, if you are honest, perhaps you are entering week five of the Lenten season with a little skepticism.  I mean, what has Lent 2020 really brought us with these stay-at-home orders and social distancing recommendations?  Oh wait, this must have been how Jesus felt when he was led by the Spirit to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights. (Matthew 4:1-11)

While in the wilderness, after He completed His fasting journey and was his weakest, the devil came to tempt/test him three times.  It was after that third tempting/testing that Jesus told Satan "Away from me, Satan!"..."For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10).  Jesus did not lose FOCUS while going through difficulty in his abstaining season.  Matthew 4 is one of the Biblical premises for our 40 days of Lenten fasting...what better example for our focus than this?!  Our Savior and Big Brother teaches us to send Satan packing and to boldly profess that it is God who we worship (even when under attack).  Not today Satan!

Our theme scripture has come from Matthew 6:25-34.  This passage of scripture is a portion of one of Jesus' first sermons, The Sermon on the Mount.  As you continue the rest of week five of this Lenten journey, don't forget verse 33:  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  Jesus was not preaching about a FOCUS that He had not practiced.  I mean, after all, this is exactly what Jesus did in the wilderness.  Instead of chasing after the concerns of Satan and this world, Jesus still chose to worship God only.  I invite you this fifth week of Lent to say: Not today Satan!  I invite you to boldly declare:  I will worship God only!  I invite you to use this fifth week of Lent (in the midst of unknown circumstances) as a centering week.  God, I will focus on you, your kingdom, and living as you desire for me to live (righteously).  As Jesus said, God will then give you everything you need. 

Remember, God has never lost.  God has never dropped the ball.  God has never failed.  God always wins!  Focus on this when there are so many press conferences, new releases, and conversations that could evoke fear and worry.  Good always wins!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVIO_MoktfU

CONSECRATION PRAYER:

Most Holy God, thank you for the completion of our fourth week and the start of week five in this Lenten season.  We confess that this one is the first one of its kind in our experience.  We have faced some challenging times that could have caused us to walk away from our Lenten fasts; however, we remember that we were led into this season by and with the Holy Spirit.  We still choose to prepare to walk with the Father.  Therefore, we ask that You reignite our FOCUS.  Help us to seek and FOCUS on what You desire for us.  We know victory is coming...Easter is Coming!  We always win because You always win!  In Jesus' name, Amen.