INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• A.D.D. Attention Deficit Disorder. It is defined as, “a condition, usually in children, marked by inattentiveness, dreaminess, and passivity.”
• The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as, “a condition in which someone (such as a child) has problems with learning and behavior because of being unable to think about or pay attention to things for very long.”
• I think we can all relate to struggling with maintaining focus.
• Sometimes our prayer time does not go quit like we envisioned it.
• Dear God, Thank you for this day. (This gets you thinking…) Oh man I have a lot going on today. I’ve got that appointment and I need to do a load of wash and … Oh man, I’m supposed to be praying.
• Focus. Focus. Focus. Okay, God, sorry about that. I’d just want to say how grateful I am for all the blessings you sent my way yesterday. (This gets you thinking…)
• Although I’m still pretty ticked John got the promotion over me since I am waaaay more qualified and everybody knows John takes two-hour lunches and…ahhh.
• Come on, man, get it together, you’re talking to God.
• Okay, I just want to pray for my missionary friends in Papua New Guinea (which gets you thinking…) ahhh man, I could really go for a Papa John’s pizza right now. Ummm, pizza.
• Oh man, look what time it is. Okay, God … good talk.
• Ahhh, I should have prayed longer.
• Don’t get me started when it comes to reading the Bible sometimes. Wait, what did I just read? What the heck does that even mean? What am I supposed to do with that?
• Last week, we said that God desires us to grow in spiritual maturity. He loves you, but He doesn’t want you to stay where you are. God wants you to grow, much like the way we desire our children and grandchildren to grow.
• When you start looking at the lives of some Godly people in the Bible, you will notice that two spiritual disciplines seem to be predominate in their lives. Prayer and, spending time in the Word.
• Abraham, Daniel, Jacob, Joseph, Peter, and of course Jesus. Spending time with God was a joy for these people, it was not an exhausting burden, but rather an exhilarating joy.
• There comes a time when we have to discipline our time so that we can spend time with God. When Jesus was facing His darkest hour, that is what He did in Luke 22:42-44 when He prayer in the garden.
• As we seek to overcome Spiritual A.D.D., let us begin by looking at Joshua 1:8
• SLIDE #2
• Joshua 1:8 (HCSB) — This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Overcoming spiritual A.D.D. will….
I. Allow God to speak to you through His Word.
• Joshua lays out the case for the importance of spending time in the Word.
• We are told that if we focus on the Word of God as well seeking to apply it in our lives, we will prosper and succeed in what we do.
• There are so many passages that affirm this thought.
• SLIDE #4
• Psalm 119:105 (HCSB) Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.
• Proverbs 3:5-6, and there are many more.
• In Joshua 1, God is communicating with Joshua, letting him know that the key to his success will be following God’s Word.
• The phrase FROM YOUR MOUTH refers to the custom of muttering while studying or reflecting.
• The Hebrew word translated “meditate” literally means “mutter.” When one continually mutters God’s Word to himself, he is constantly thinking about it
• The phrase implies eager, focused study that is free from distraction.
• It gives the picture of the reading being so into the text they are hunched over the word with their eyes riveted on each syllable in order not to miss any detail!
• This is so different that just reading the words, it is allowing the words to penetrate your heart!
• Notice that God does not stop with study, but He moves to the difficult area of application.
• He tells Joshua to CAREFULLY OBSERVE EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT. This means to live it, not just know it!
• Now, that is all well and good, I try to read the Bible, but I have a hard time keeping my focus. What can I do you may ask?
• This is where the SOAP comes into play. If you want to overcome spiritual A.D.D. when it comes to reading the Word, you will need three things. A writing instrument, and a notepad. Or if you are tech savvy, some sort of Apple Computer, an IPad, or and IPhone.
• When you write something down, you are more likely to remember it.
• You also need a Bible reading plan. There are so many out there. YouVersion offers many.
• Just randomly opening the word and letting it open to where it opens is really not a solid plan. Notice Joshua is told to observe EVERYTHING written in it, that denotes some sort of systematic method of study.
• Now it is time to bring the SOAP to your time in the Word.
• SLIDE #5
• The S stands for Scripture. Write down a passage you are going to read that day. Like Ephesians 2:1-10.
• SLIDE #6
• This leads to the O, which stands for Observation.
• As you read the passage, just write down anything you observe, anything that catches your eye. Ephesians 2:1 says we were all dead in our transgressions. You may write, WHAT IS A TRANSGRESSION?
• Next we come to the A.
• SLIDE #7
• Application
• This is where the rubber meets the road. What am I going to do about what I have read? When you read things with an eye toward application, you will read it with more depth.
• Imagine you were asked to read a book on how to skydive. Ok, you read it, you may have to pass a test on it. You read it and forget it.
• Now imagine you are on an airplane and you are in an hour you will have to jump for the plane or die. Here is your chute and here is a manual on how to use it, sorry no time for questions.
• Would you read the manual with a different level of interest?
• SLIDE #8
• That leads to the P
• Prayer
• We want to respond to what we just learned from God by talking about it to him.
• It’s interesting that the disciples never said to Jesus, “Teach us how to do a miracle” or “Teach us how to share our faith,” but they did ask, “Teach us how to pray.”
• This opens the door to the second discipline we should invest our energy into.
• SLIDE #9
Overcoming spiritual A.D.D. will….
II. Allow you to experience God’s power through prayer.
• When Jesus was asked about how to pray, He said the following:
• SLIDE #10
• Matthew 6:5–8 (HCSB) — 5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.
• He began with how NOT to pray. God desires us to exercise the gift of prayer in the correct attitude and in the right spirit. He desires us to be real and authentic, just as we would want from those who we love to communicate with us.
• I want to share with you the 6 P’s of prayer found within the model prayer Jesus gave to His disciples.
• SLIDE #11
• Our prayer time should start out with Praise.
• Matthew 6:9 (HCSB) — 9 “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy.
• God is the one who created all and sent His son to die for us, so our prayer should be addressed to Him. Think through the last day and thank Him for the blessings He has given to you.
• Start your prayer time by lifting Him up with joy!
• SLIDE #12
• The next P is Purposes!
• Matthew 6:10 (HCSB) Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
• Next commit to doing God’s will. Place your focus on God’s PURPOSE’S rather than your own. We should be focused on carrying out God’s will in the family, the church, in life in general.
• When I approach the day with the attitude of asking God what He wants me to accomplish in the thing I do, it changes my focus.
• A note of interest. The word YOUR (referring to God) is used 3 times in 2 verses, MY is not mentioned.
• SLIDE #13
• The next P is Provision.
• Matthew 6:11 (HCSB) Give us today our daily bread.
• We need to turn our day over to God. We need to ask God to take care of our daily needs
• It is easy to be anxious about EVERYTHING in life. Later in Matthew 6, Jesus challenges us not to be anxious about the necessities of life, but rather to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and those other things will be taken care of.
• SLIDE #14
• Our 4th P is Pardon
• Matthew 6:12 (HCSB) And forgive us our debts…
• This is where I need to think about the things I have said and the things I have done over the past day. I need to ask God to reveal anything I have missed so that I can repent when needed.
• SLIDE #15
• Psalm 139:23–24 (HCSB) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.
• Nothing combats pride in one’s life than a time of confession before the Lord.
• Confession before God helps me with patience because I know I have to ask God to forgive me of the same sins at times. God is patient with me.
• I need to be patient with others.
• We find our 5th P in verse 12 also
• SLIDE #16
• People
• Matthew 6:12 (HCSB) …as we also have forgiven our debtors.
• We want God to forgive us, and we should forgive others, and maybe we should pray for them. Than can be difficult, but try it sometime.
• Have you told someone you would pray for them, only to forget. Make a list it makes praying for people easier.
• The final P from Jesus’ model prayer is…
• SLIDE #17
• Protection
• Matthew 6:13 (HCSB) And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
• When God wants to build, Satan wants to battle. If you really start spending time in Bible reading and prayer each day, you are going to become more and more of a threat to the enemy. He will do whatever he can to distract you from living out God’s will for your life.
• He will try and discourage you and make you give up. If he can’t tempt you with something bad, he will trick you with busyness. You need to pray each day for God’s protection on your life and those close to you
• SLIDE #18
• Ephesians 6:12 (HCSB) For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
• The POINT to the P’s is FOCUS. When we see what should go into our prayer life, it will help keep us focused and will help keep our mind focused.
• I want to look at two things that will help us to get started.
• SLIDE #19
III. Two steps toward successfully overcoming spiritual A.D.D.
• I will keep this simple and quick.
• These are two easy steps that will help you to overcome spiritual A.D.D.
• SLIDE #20
• Set a Time
• The best time to spend with God is when you are at your best. Think about the other areas of your life.
• You always schedule what is most important. If you just spend time with God when you’re not busy, you will miss most days because let’s be honest … you’re busy.
• You need to decide on a time. Most examples in Scripture are of people getting up early in the morning, but really what’s most important is when you can give God your best.
• SLIDE #21
• Set a Place.
• Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer in the Mount of Olives.
• SLIDE #22
• Luke 22:39 (HCSB) He went out and made His way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him.
• Notice it says AS USUAL.
• Find a place that works for you and use it. Setting a routine can help you get on the path of overcoming Spiritual A.D.D.
CONCLUSION
• Spending time with God is valuable because:
• Time with God drains me of my own weakness and fills me with God’s strength.
• Time with God drains me of my own will and fills me with God’s will.
• Time with God drains me of me and fills me with God.
• I would like to challenge you to do something. For the next 30 days will you test the content of this message and see what God can do with you.
• You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Give it a shot. If you need help getting started, come see me, Jerry, or one of the FCC Elders.
• SLIDE #23
• Psalm 34:8 (HCSB) Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!
