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Single-Minded

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Ezekiel 1:12-13 And they went every one straight forward; wherever the spirit would go, they went, and they turned not when they went.13 In the midst of the living creatures there was what looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright and out of the fire went forth lightning.

I found the following illustration regarding multitasking: So you think you can multitask? Texting while driving? No problem. Watching television and reading the Bible? No problem. Checking your email while listening to a spouse, a child, or a friend? No problem. In reality, however, according to a team of researchers at Stanford University, multi-tasking causes big problems. A Stanford University news service article announced the study this way: “Attention, multitaskers (if you can pay attention, that is): Your brain may be in trouble.” The researchers originally set out to discover what gave multitaskers their special focus; instead, they were surprised to discover that in many ways multitasking impairs performance. So while many people think they’re effective at juggling multiple tasks, they’re actually pretty lousy at it. For instance, heavy multitaskers are suckers for distraction and for irrelevancy. According to one of the researchers, “Everything distracts them.” Multitaskers were also more unorganized in their ability to keep and retrieve information. They were even worse at the main thing that defines multitasking: switching from one task to the next. Heavy multitaskers underperformed in almost every area of the study. The article based on the study concluded with this advice: “By doing less, you might accomplish more.”

James 1:8 echoes the truth of this finding stating: [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. It’s interesting that the phrase two minds or double-minded is literally translated “two-souled.” As many of you know I used to drive eighteen wheelers, or semi-trailer trucks. One of the things I learned quickly was where I focused my eyes was where my truck was going. This sounds obvious but it required constant vigilance and discipline. For some reason if I became distracted by something on either side I would begin pulling in that direction. (Which many of you have most likely experienced driving down the interstate). Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Psalm 16:8 echoes this: I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Why would the writer of Hebrews use Jesus as the example of faith? Jesus was singly focused on the Father’s Will. So much so that He wouldn’t do things that were not in the Father’s will. Why? That’s where Jesus’ faith and trust rested. And there’s a clue for all of us. Multitaskers “faith” is in their mistaken ability to think they can do several things at one time equally. Whenever our faith is focused or even shared with any thing or anyone other than Jesus we end up losing our way, running into things, in a ditch, or worse. Fixing your eyes on Jesus, and setting the Lord at your right hand requires faith and focus.

When I was a teen I used to compete in a track event known as the 440 yard relay. I was the “anchor man” for our team. Early on our coach taught us to avoid the temptation of focusing on anything other than the finish line. This was hard to do. Especially, when your competitor maybe a second slower, and you can hear his feet pounding the track right beside you. In that moment it is easy to look sideways or even backwards. But our coach taught that when we did this we shaved a second off our time – causing us to possibly lose the race. As followers and believers in Jesus we have one Anchor Man, and His Name is Jesus. He is the only one Who can empower you to win, and finish your race well. Take hold of His Anchor and allow it to guide you not only through life but in your everyday disciplines of prayer, reading the Word, thanksgiving and worship. Allow His Faith to rise up in you, focusing on Jesus at your right hand while you seek Him, His Presence, and stepping out in response to His leading. This should lead you to doing things that only Jesus would do. Henry Blackaby reminds us in the course Experiencing God, Our world is not seeing God because we are not attempting anything that only God can do.…What are you attempting to do that can only happen if God brings it to pass?

Tents, and Tables of Ascent

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We are told that when John Huss was arrested and informed that he would be burned to death for his faith, he purposely practiced holding his hand over fire to prepare for his final test. He burned himself in preparation. He wanted to be faithful to the end. 

The question I would like to explore today is, What preparations can we make to meet Jesus outside the camp? What visionary steps has the Lord given us to catch fire with His Glory and Presence? Faith, hope and trust are the obvious places to begin our search for the Lord. But what’s the next step to encounter His manifested Presence? Sunday many took the first step in drawing near to the Lord in facing their fear, removing their shoes, and humbling themselves at the church altar. Like Moses removed his shoes – you removed what you were resting, and trusting in, exchanging your filthy rags of self – righteousness for His righteousness. The next step involves fundamental disciplines, Jews, Christians, and other faiths have used for years to connect with God. The only difference being that our disciplines have been transformed by the manifestation of the Spirit of God Who causes them to come to life. For example, in Scripture, when it refers to someone seeking God there were two fundamental disciplines implied: Worship and prayer. Faith, humility, truth, and obedience were the fuel for their practice. But our main focus presently is, What can you prepare in order to meet Jesus outside the camp, and catch fire in His manifested Presence?

Moses provides us with a clue: Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take [his own] tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting [of God with His own people].…Exodus 34:1-3 The Lord said to Moses, Cut two tables of stone like the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were on the first tables, which you broke. Be ready and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. And no man shall come up with you, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let flocks or herds feed before that mountain.

The steps, and disciplines, Moses practiced were: (1) Establishing a place to meet with God; (2) Removing all distractions; (3) Utilizing faith to call it a place to meet with God; (4) Cutting, or carving out time to meet with God; (5) Offering your heart of stone for cutting and carving by the Spirit of Truth; (6) Readying yourself to meet with God; (7) Rising up in the morning; (8) Presenting yourself to the Lord; (9) and Coming alone.

Hebrews 13:10 states: We have an altar from which those who serve and worship in the tabernacle have no right to eat. Another way of saying this is by saying that, We have a table from which they have no right to eat. Now the question begging to be asked is, How can we pitch a tent for His Presence, and cut a table from our spiritual disciplines, that will cause us to come into His Presence, and catch fire with His Glory? How can we find this outside of the ordinary, common, distracting life we experience inside the camp? How can our seeking God, through the disciplines, extend beyond the average, ordinary, common pursuits inside the camp?