We are by nature easily distracted. Keeping our minds and hearts focussed on Jesus is tough. In this series, we will explore how to navigate distracting circumstances and love Jesus as passionately as we did when we first fell in love with Him.THE FIRST LOVE SERIES

FIRST LOVE 1

Stopped Short

The Fickle Human Mind

Psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert found that the human mind has become wired for a state of continuous distraction.

In a study conducted with 2,250 adults, they concluded that we spend around 47 percent of every waking hour “mind wandering.” Also called “stimulus-independent thought,” mind-wandering is an experience that is so ordinary, so natural to us, we don’t even notice it.

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The study shows that distraction is primarily a mind game.

If we really want to get focused, if we really want to more skillfully manage the distractions of life, the path has to include developing a new habit of more effectively managing our most precious resource: our attention.

We should focus less on what we’re doing and more on how we are being.

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Much of what we believe is crafted solely from how we feel.

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Our mind is set on what the heart desires

Our spiritual thinking is governed by our minds when it should be governed by our Spirit.

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Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

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Our spiritual focus has become as short-sighted as our attention span.

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OUR FOCUS ON CHRIST IS EASILY ROBBED BY CIRCUMSTANTIAL DISTRACTION

“Always remember your focus determines your reality”

Yoda

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Revelation 2:14

NLT

“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!

PASSION

‘But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning.’

AMP

But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].

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How quickly we forget the wonder of Christ!

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The Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:13-24

That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.

He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”

He said, “What has happened?”

They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene….

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THEY WERE INFORMED BUT NOT TRANSFORMED

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The disciples tell Jesus His story…

When we don’t recognize Jesus at work we often tell Him what He ought to be doing. 

Our First Love prompts us to only see Jesus and not our circumstances.

“The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with Him, the more the Spirit will make you like Him. The more you are like Him, the better you will understand His utter sufficiency for all of life’s difficulties. And that is the only way to know real satisfaction.”  John MacArthur

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Jesus’ Response

ONCE FOR ALL TIME!

The Commission of Christ – God’s Imposed KingdomProposed vs ImposedOnce you accept Jesus’s proposition (salvation), His Kingdom is imposed upon you.Matthew 25:14-15 TPT14“Again, heaven’s kingdom is like a wealthy man who went on a long journey and summoned all his trusted servants and assigned his financial management over to them. 15Before he left on his journey, he entrusted a bag of five thousand gold coins to one of his servants, to another a bag of two thousand gold coins, and to the third a bag of one thousand gold coins, each according to his ability to manage. 

The 3 were given authority to do business in the name of Jesus on behalf of the Kingdom of GodWhat have you done with what Jesus has done for you? (His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Matthew 25:26-29TPT26“But his master said to him, ‘You’re an untrustworthy  and lazy servant! If you knew I was a shrewd and ruthless business man who always makes a profit, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? 27Then I would have received it all back with interest when I returned.  28But because you were unfaithful, I will take the one thousand gold coins and give them to the one who has ten thousand. 29For the one who has will be given more, until he overflows with abundance. And the one with hardly anything, even what little he has will be taken from him.’ Matthew 21:42-4342Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read the Scripture that says:The very stone the builder rejected as flawedhas now become the most importantcornerstone.  This was the Lord’s plan —isn’t it marvelous to behold?43“This is why I say to you that the kingdom realm of God will be taken from you and given to a people  who will bear its fruit. What is the Kingdom of God?Where is the Kingdom of God?How can I be apart of the Kingdom of God? Adam and Eve’s Mandate! (Commission) Genesis 1:28 – Be fruitful, multiply, fill, subdue, and rule! The Garden of Eden was a representation of God’s KingdomIt was where heaven invaded earthIt was to be expanded (Matthew 11:12 NLT)Kingdom principles could be easily taught. Seed, time, and harvest (the Kingdom of God is like a seed) Mark 4:26, Matthew 13:31Humanity forgot it’s purpose and mission Life became difficultLife began to impose upon you! Humanity lost it’s understanding of the Kingdom We built our own kingdoms that were wicked!We built our own churches and set up golden calves.  Humanity forgot who they were. (Identity)We acted out of character, worshiping false God’s and dishonored the Father.We squandered the seed of the Kingdom that had been entrusted to us.Jesus came to re-kindle Kingdom living.Mark 1:14-15 TPT14Later on, after John the Baptizer was arrested, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and preached the wonderful gospel of God’s kingdom.  15His message was this: “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness!  Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!” 1 John 3:8b TPTThe reason the Son of God was revealed was to undo and destroy the works of the devil.Colossians 1:13 TPTHe has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule  of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom realm of his beloved Son. Through the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, He re-establishes His Kingdom purpose in all of Humanity.Matthew 28:18 TPT8Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me.  19Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 20And teach them to faithfully follow  all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” Mark 16:15-20 Luke 24:45-49What is the Kingdom of God?Kingdom of God vs. Kingdom of HeavenRomans 14:17 TPTNot rules and regulation about food and drinkRighteousness Romans 5:1a Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he

FIX YOUR FACE

“Show me a man’s friends, and I will show you his future.”

“Look at a man’s face, and you will see the countenance of his faith.”

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THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART IS REFLECTED IN YOUR FACE.

Proverbs 15:13

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,

But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 25:23

The north wind brings forth rain,

And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.

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JESUS’ COMMISSION SAVES, RESTORES, AND GIVES LIFE

Jesus’ Commission will change our hearts, bring salvation at the cross, restore hope with an empty tomb and establish eternal life with His exit on the clouds.

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FIX YOUR HEART – FIX YOUR FACE

If our hearts align with His Commission, so will our countenance. 

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FIX YOUR FACE ON JESUS AND FIX YOUR HEART

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, leaving behind all the weight of the sin which surrounds us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who having been offered joy, endured the cross, despising the shame and was seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

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FAITH STARTS SMALL

Where you are is not where you have to start; it just happens to be where you find yourself.

Faith is not designed to get you out of your circumstance.

It is designed to help you acknowledge God, obey Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit. 

We want to Instagram integrity and Facebook prosperity. 

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GENESIS 1:27 

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image (or imagination) of God, he created them; male and female, he created them. 

What is the root word of imagination—Image 

God imagined you.

When we stopped imagining God, we needed God to correct our imagination, and Jesus’s Commission was spoken into the universe’s rhythms.

The seed of your faith is grabbing hold of God’s imagination for you, not ours of God.

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GOD’S IMAGINATION CREATED US. WE ARE CREATED IN HIS IMAGE. 

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FAITH IS AN ANOINTED IMAGINATION

ANOINTED IMAGINATION: the ability to create new ideas or pictures not evident to the senses but that God approves and empowers us to live out for His glory 

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GET YOUR KIDS FACES ON

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MATTHEW 18:1-4

‘At that time the disciples came to ask Jesus, “Who is considered to be the greatest in heaven’s kingdom realm?” Jesus called a little one to his side and said to them, “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable like a little child, you will never be able to enter in. Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this little child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm. ‘

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SEEING IS NOT ALWAYS BELIEVING, BUT BELIEVING IS ALWAYS SEEING

The full outworking of Jesus’ Commission is yet to be seen but can be expected, and its consequences must be imagined!

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CHILDREN OF GOD

You know we are called “CHILDREN OF GOD” WHY?

Kids Trust – Do you trust God?

Kids Believe – Do you believe in God?

Kids Obey – well, some kids… Do you obey God?

Kids Imagine – Do you Imagine what God could do through you?

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WHERE DID YOUR IMAGINATION DIE?

HEBREWS 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Faith is the ability to imagine the unseen results of God’s proposal to humanity through obedience to Christ’s imposed comm

Wednesday night Live with Pastor Craig Smee, Pastor Joey Bishop and two of the Charis Bible College students!

The Commission of Christ 2

The Dying and Resurrected Church

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His Effect Imposed

Whether we believe it or not, the universe was course-corrected by Jesus. He took care of the natural and supernatural deviances taken since Eden. 

There was no choice for the world: 

God Loved Us!

He Chose Us!

He wants us.

In the very presence of Jesus, we run out of choices – because we can only but admit His glory. 

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The Proposed Impact of Jesus

Once we accept what Jesus proposes, the consequences are imposed.

We accept a proposal from God, and LIFE is imposed.

Divine victory is imposed

Eternal life is predestined

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The Effect: John 17:1-26

Brought life

Brought glory

Brought the Revealed Word

Brought Identity

Brought Joy

Brought Commands of Holiness

Brought Correction and Corrected Belief

Brought Unity in the Spirit

Revealed The Full Unavoidable Consequence (Imposed) of a Relationship with God

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“Once For All Time”

Hebrews 10:10-12

For God’s will (Mission) was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time (Eternity).

Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.

But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

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We have to look at His approach, words, and actions through scripture to understand His commission. His commission will never change. And neither will His delivery.

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CO -MISSION

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shared a mission (Commission)

Their mission becomes our mission. (Co-workers 1 Corinthians 3:9)

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John17:16-19

They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

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When His Mission Becomes Ours

His cross is ours (Inevitable resurrection)

His death is ours (Inevitable victory)

His resurrection is ours (The unstoppable Word)

His ascension is ours (Eternal relationship)

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His End Times Mission

He presents Himself to the church in a way that would reveal its mission.

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Revelation 1:12-16

‘When I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, I saw seven golden lampstands. And walking among the lampstands, I saw someone like a son of man, wearing a full-length robe with a golden sash over his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool—white as glistening snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire! His feet were gleaming like bright metal, as though they were glowing in a fire, and his voice was like the roar of many rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. And his face was shining like the brightness of the blinding sun! 

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Revelation 2:1

To build a Holy People called the church (lampstands)

‘”Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands.’

Our response: Your responsibility in end times is to the Holy church Jesus is building

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Revelation 2:8

Light through a resurrected people

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who