{"id":6735,"date":"2010-09-29T14:20:03","date_gmt":"2010-09-29T19:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buddymartin.net\/blog\/?p=6735"},"modified":"2020-01-10T17:18:36","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T17:18:36","slug":"learn-to-live-a-focused-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buddymartin.org\/blog\/2010\/09\/29\/learn-to-live-a-focused-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn to live a focused life&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><em>\u201c\u2026in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. \u2026 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.\u201d<\/em> (Col 2:2,6 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-large;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6774\" style=\"margin: 10px;\" title=\"Jesus\" src=\"http:\/\/buddymartin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/Jesus2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"239\" \/>J<\/span>ournal<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Our salvation begins the moment we truly believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. It is in this moment that the Holy Spirit enters our heart with God&#8217;s eternal seal of redemption. Every true believer is sealed for eternity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">From this moment on the Spirit of the Lord is in our lives to help process life according to the will and purpose of God. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Listen carefully to the apostle:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><em>\u201cSo then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.\u201d<\/em> (Php 2:12-13 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Far too often the afore statement is cut off in mid stream with the words,\u00a0<em>\u2018work our your salvation with fear and trembling.\u2019<\/em> This is a grave mistake. The focus is not on &#8216;fear and trembling.&#8217; Rather the emphasis is on <em>\u2018God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.\u2019 <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Keep in mind that the Greek word for salvation carries into English in the sense of preservation and deliverance. Thus the Holy Spirit is always at work in our life with deliverances and preservations. <\/span><em><span style=\"color: #993300;\">(Sometimes we need to be preserved from ourselves.)<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It can be said that the Lord saved us, is saving us, and will save us. (Positionally our salvation has already been secured eternally in Christ.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">So then, what is our need? Our need is to learn to trust the Lord in all the affairs of life. Walking according to the spirit is a trust issue. We must learn to trust the Lord in all circumstances of life and not simply lean on our own understanding. <em><span style=\"color: #993300;\">(This is one of those &#8216;relax and let go&#8217; things.)<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The apostle said, <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;In everything give thanks; for this is God&#8217;s will for you in Christ Jesus.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> (1Th5:18)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Trusting \u00a0in the Lord requires that we humble our own hearts and recognize our special need for spiritual guidance. This is where the idea of &#8216;fear and trembling&#8217; come in. These two words have to do with deep respect and awe for the Lord and for His Word. Jesus told the apostles, <em>&#8220;Without Me, you can do nothing.&#8221;<\/em> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Listen to what God said through the prophet Isaiah: <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6776\" title=\"faith\" src=\"http:\/\/buddymartin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/faith.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"343\" height=\"191\" \/><br \/>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div id=\"_mcePaste\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;Thus says the LORD, &#8216;Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,&#8217; declares the LORD.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;&#8216;<\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> (Isa 66:1-2 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you wish to know how to pray a prayer that deals with this aspect of walking with the Lord, pray what David prayed:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cSearch me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.\u201d <\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">(Psalm 139:23,23<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> <\/span>\u2013 <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><em>It would do you well to meditate on the whole of Psalm 139.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800000;\">A walk in reality<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Another issue of living from the Spirit is to understand that &#8216;walking in the Spirit&#8217; means to walk in the very reality of the living God. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus explains it this way:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cBut when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and disclose it to you.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">(John 16:13,14)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">True believers know the reality of God in their lives. The word \u2018truth\u2019 (aletheia) addresses what is true in itself, in opposition to either an error or a falsehood, or even a misguided perception about a thing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus shared with the disciples how a walk of truth and of salvation would play itself out in the lives of believers. Follow this incident:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin: 10px;\" src=\"http:\/\/buddymartin.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/gazte.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cNow when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, \u2018Who do people say that the Son of Man is?\u2019 And they said, \u2018Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.\u2019<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Let me touch briefly on a belief held by the Jews. The Jews believed in what is called \u2018the transmigration of the soul.\u2019 They believed that the soul of a person could transmigrate forward in time and become the soul in a person in the future. Similar in many respects to reincarnation. This is why the people identified Jesus with one of the prophets. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cHe said to them, \u2018But who do you say that I am?\u2019 <\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Here it begins to get very interesting. Something was going to happen that would show how the Holy Spirit would work in the new covenant.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Notice what Peter says:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;Simon Peter answered, \u2018You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.\u2019<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Why did Peter say this and not speak to the transmigration idea? The answer is given. Listen carefully and you will see it:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;And Jesus said to him, \u2018Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.\u2019<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Did you catch it? The reality of who Jesus really is came as a revelation from the heavenly Father. Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own. Thus you have how the Spirit of revelation works in the life of every true believer. It all has to do with the opening of the eyes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Jesus continues,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cI also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.\u2019<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">So many get confused over this statement. Jesus was not calling Peter \u2018the rock\u2019 upon which He would build His church. The rock was Jesus and the church would be built upon the revelation of who Jesus really is.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;\u2019I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.\u2019&#8221;<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> (Mat 16:13-19 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">The short side of this is that the keys would be the revealing of Jesus through the preaching of the gospel. The door to heaven is Jesus Himself. (There is more to be said about apostolic authority but you get the idea.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Learn to live by the instructions\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is also where the Bible itself plays an important role in our learning to walk in the Spirit. There is no book on this planet like our Bible. It carries in it the very presence of the Lord. It carries between its covers the very voice of God.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Look at your Bible as a garden of delights. Don&#8217;t read it like a newspaper. Read it like you are looking into the eyes of God. Read it for the pure joy of discovering the things of the Lord. Read it for the joy of hearing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">David gave some insight into this when he said,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><em>\u201cOpen my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.\u201d <\/em>(Psa 119:18 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When David spoke of God\u2019s law, he is not limiting this to the letter of the law of Moses. The term translated Law in Hebrew, Torah, simply means &#8216;instruction.&#8217; When David said &#8216;Wonderful things&#8217;, you can be sure He included God&#8217;s Messiah. But he was also asking for spiritual instructions from God.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">David was a man after God&#8217;s heart, and the heart of God is His Son. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The faith we live by originates in and is written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. A true new covenant spiritual faith walk wraps itself around the Lord speaking into our hearts.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Thus we hear the Lord say,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">\u201cMy sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">(John 10:27)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Here is where we need to see the very heart of the new covenant. The prophet Jeremiah had this to say about God&#8217;s new covenant in Christ: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8220;&#8216;This is the covenant I will make with them after those days,&#8217; says, the Lord; &#8216;I will put My laws [<\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>instructions<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">] upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them.&#8217; He then says, &#8216;And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.'&#8221;<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">(Heb 10:16-17 NASB)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Isn&#8217;t the new covenant wonderful! God writes both His love and his life instructions in our own hearts and minds. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">While you think on these things, here is a song. Perhaps the Lord would like to speak something into your heart.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Revelation Song by <span style=\"font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">&#8216;Phillips, Craig, and Dean.&#8217;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n<object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"480\" height=\"385\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/YTGqmMG3Eyo?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US\" \/><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" \/><\/object>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">x<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Always in love with Jesus,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-large;\">B<\/span>uddy<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Views: 92<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201c\u2026in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. \u2026 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.\u201d (Col 2:2,6 NASB) x Journal Our salvation begins the moment we truly believe in Jesus Christ andContinue reading &rarr;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_crdt_document":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[76,207,468,493,615,739,769],"class_list":["post-6735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-biblical-disciple","tag-finished-work","tag-new-covenant","tag-path-of-life","tag-spirit-of-revelation","tag-voice-of-god","tag-word-of-god","no-thumb"],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Buddy","author_link":"https:\/\/buddymartin.org\/blog\/author\/buddy\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Learn to live a focused life... - Brother Buddy&#039;s NEW Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/buddymartin.org\/blog\/2010\/09\/29\/learn-to-live-a-focused-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Learn to live a focused life... - Brother Buddy&#039;s NEW Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201c\u2026in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 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