Intro:
When I was a kid I used to like to watch Mister Magoo. I remember about eight years ago when we were preaching a Chief Capua. This guy was preaching up a storm and seen this one guy across the street standing by the bar. After we looked harder we found out it was just a tree.
2 Thess 3:5
The word I want to look at is direct. It has the same meaning as refocus that which is not clear .
I. Refocus Their Love for God
a. We should love God above all else.
1. If you look at the context he is talking about this. Vs 6, stay away that walketh unruly.
2. There were men who rose up and made accusations against Paul.
3. Our text says to direct or refocus your love of God.
4. This is the first area that the devil will try to attack. Our love for God.
a. Story of the Older Couple She said you use to sit close. So he moved over and said how is this? She You use to hold my hand. So he does and says how is this. She - You use to nibble my ear. So he gets up to leave and she say's “Where are you going? Hold on I have to get my teeth.
b. The Bible about the love for God
1. Duet 6: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
2. Jesus Called it The first and the greatest commandment.
a. Mat 22:37-39 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Why is this? Because God understands man, if we don’t keep a relationship active we tend to let it die. The devil knows this as well.
c. Why do we fall out of love as Christians?
1. There becomes another love.
a. Marriages fail for this reason a lot , adultery, boredom, other things.
b. The Other Love:
1. Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
a. Money is one of the big destroyers of our walk. We all need it, we all want it; but some love it.
2. The world: Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.:
d. The Devil undermines our Love.
e. We fail to nourish that love
II. Refocus Their waiting
a. There are three kinds of patience in the Scripture we need to look at.
1. Laboring patience.
a. When I was a kid it took awhile before I learned to stick to one project.
1. Lots of unfinished things. Labor takes patience.
2. Rom 2:6&7 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.
a. It is in well doing that we sometimes loose focus of what we are doing for God. We can be wrapped up in labor and completely forget the reason for it.
b. The scripture says don’t be weary in well doing. Gal 6:9, 2Thes 3:13
2. Suffering Patience Job 2:10
a. We can get a attitude while serving God when things are going against us.
b. How is it I am doing this for you and you do this to me?
3. Waiting patience
a. Heb 6: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
b. There is a deference between waiting and patience.
1. K-mart lines I always try to pick the shorter line.
2. Does it bother you that some people can wait and still have the victory?
3. I will dare say those that have a hard time waiting get easily frustrated with God. We are ready to call it quits if God dose not move at our pace.
c. We must surrender to Gods timetable.
1. I want to do this or that ministry or whatever and get mad and become bitter at God and loose our focus and love,
2. The story of the Golden calf. They could not wait for God.
a. Caused major problems in their lives. We to are like that.
b. We get insubordinate with God and his people.
3. We must learn to wait on the Lord and keep focus while waiting.
4. Ps 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
III. We take maters in our own hands.
a. 1 Sam 13:8-13
1. Interesting that Saul lost the kingdom because he would not wait.
2. When we are unfocused we do the same.
a. The philistines are out there and God has not shown up. Can’t see what God is doing and so we thing we will help him.
b. “We say God helps them that help themselves.” That is not scripture.
1.Kind of funny we can quote that but no scripture.
c. Notice that as soon as Saul finished the sacrifice Gods man shows up.
1. We loose out on what God wants to do because we don’t wait.
Closing:
Refocus that is what John was saying. Love God above all. Watch out that mammon and the world does not drag us down and out of focus. Be focused while waiting, especially while laboring and suffering. Wait for Gods timing and don’t take maters into our own hands.
