Let’s Fix Our Eyes on Jesus

Conference Notes
Wendy Clark

So many things in life can distract us from fixing our eyes on Jesus.  When we redirect our attention and energy back to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we will live lives of greater balance and purpose.
Introduction
Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV)
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
  1. Our lives are shaped by our worship and devotion.
Romans 1:25 (NASB)
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
 We lost our right relationship with God (Genesis 3:7-11)
We lost our healthy relationships with each other.(Genesis 3;12-20; 4:8)
We lost the ability to effectively manage our environment and our work became corrupted. (Genesis 3:17-19)
We lost the promise of life. (Genesis 2;17; 3:19)
Worship His Majesty, Hayford, Jack W., Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 2000.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
  1. We can fill our lives with lots of good things and crowd out better things God has for us.
Luke 10:38-42 (NASB)
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
 Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
  1. We can learn to look to Jesus and point to Jesus in every situation in our lives.
 Matthew 6:24-34
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
  1. Jesus is both the author and the finisher (completer, perfecter) of our faith.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Philippians 1:6, 9-11 (ESV)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ . . . . And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
  1. Jesus invites us to a life focused on Him. This life is different than what we experience without Him.
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV) Jesus speaking
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
John 3:14-17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 10:10 (ESV) (Jesus speaking)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 13:35 (ESV) (Jesus Speaking)
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 14:27 (ESV)
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 15:10-11 (ESV)
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Closing
Here are some questions to consider and pray over and then to journal about in your alone time with God:
God, what is one area of my life where I have let the focus of my worship shift to something other than You? 
What is something that I can do today to begin to redirect my worship and fix my eyes back on Jesus?
God, how can I better worship you in my finances?
God, how can I better worship you in my relationships?
God, how can I better worship you in my work?
God, how can I better worship you in my use of time?
God, how can I better worship you in my health (diet, fitness, sleep, etc.)?
How much time am I willing to spend with Jesus—to devote to allowing the Holy Spirit to transform my life? 
God, what would you have me to do, to change, to give up, or to grab hold of in order to cooperate with the work you desire to do in my life?
God, teach me what it means to really worship You in all areas of my life.  How would You redirect my worship today?