{"id":5351,"date":"2017-11-30T13:37:57","date_gmt":"2017-11-30T19:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=5351"},"modified":"2017-11-30T13:37:57","modified_gmt":"2017-11-30T19:37:57","slug":"keeping-the-main-thing-means-avoiding-distraction-of-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2017\/11\/30\/keeping-the-main-thing-means-avoiding-distraction-of-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping the Main Thing Means Avoiding\u00a0Distraction of Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Shannon<\/strong>
\nVincent Lombardi and the\u00a0apostle Paul were focused leaders.\u00a0One moved football players to championships while the other led people to eternal life.\u00a0Where do you lead people?\u00a0It is easy to get\u00a0off course.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWhat was the main thing in Paul\u2019s Life?<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
\nCan you state your main purpose in life? Paul could.\u00a0He stated in Acts 20:21 the main purpose in his life:\u00a0To turn others toward God to live their lives faithful in our Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0Paul succeeded in focusing on the main thing.\u00a0His daily schedule was set with this in mind,\u00a0his itinerary of travel was directed by this, his endurance was fueled by this, his humility was an outpouring of this.\u00a0Paul felt an indebtedness to fulfill the main thing in his life.\u00a0As you read Acts 20:17-38, imagine the elders of Ephesus sitting in the conference with Paul.\u00a0Is there any doubt that he was urging them to stay on track? Despite tribulations, finish (Acts 20:22-24).\u00a0Despite false teachers, stay on track (Acts 20:29-32).\u00a0Despite difficult labor,\u00a0keep giving\u00a0(Acts 20:33-35).\u00a0These same\u00a0distractions\u00a0take leaders off course today. If you are going to keep the main thing the main thing,\u00a0avoid these.\u00a0Let\u2019s consider the first of these in this issue and the others in the months to come.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nTribulations<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u201cIt hurts to hurt, but it isn\u2019t bad to hurt\u201d are the challenging words of Bud Lambert,\u00a0a Christian counselor.\u00a0Too often we react to pain as if it is horrible and must be avoided.\u00a0Don\u2019t we accept that the\u00a0Biblical approach to pain describes a fertile environment for spiritual growth (James 1:2-4)?\u00a0One of the first things Paul elaborated on while speaking to the elders of Ephesus was the \u201cmany tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews\u201d (Acts 20:19) and \u201cthe Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me\u201d (Acts 20:23).\u00a0Paul was accustomed\u00a0to deep suffering while he faithfully served the Lord.\u00a0This pain could have easily become a distraction.\u00a0Instead Paul said, \u201cBut none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry\u00a0which I received from the Lord Jesus\u201d (Acts 20:24).\u00a0More of Satan\u2019s efforts to stop Paul are listed in\u00a02\u00a0Corinthians 11:23-33:\u00a0labor, stripes, prison, near deaths, shipwrecks, robberies, perils, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst,\u00a0fastings, cold, nakedness, and cares of all the churches.\u00a0Can you imagine how many Christians have turned their backs\u00a0on the main thing because of a sword, cross, stones, near death experiences or even much less? So,\u00a0instead of running from pain, strong leaders remember that God is with them and arm\u00a0themselves\u00a0with the mindset that suffering righteously makes them like Christ (1Peter 4:1).\u00a0If a leader isn\u2019t ready and willing to suffer,\u00a0he will find himself detoured and sadly others will follow him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nReal Life Example<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>
\nLater in Paul\u2019s life he was brought from confinement to stand in shackles before King Agrippa.\u00a0Paul had an opportunity to plead his case for freedom;\u00a0instead he remained focused on the main thing:\u00a0He testified urging repentance toward God.\u00a0Notice how he restates his\u00a0purpose\u00a0in Acts 26:19-22\u00a0as it is recorded,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nTherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,\u00a0but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.\u00a0For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.\u00a0Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come.\u00a0<\/span>
\nPaul speaks of attempted murder of his life for preaching, yet boldly says,\u00a0\u201cTo this day I stand.\u201d Paul continued to preach and lead the work of spreading the news of Jesus.\u00a0It may sound simple, but Paul succeeded because he kept the main thing the main thing\u2014no matter what.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nApplication for Leaders<\/b>: It is easy to allow pain, persecution,\u00a0or trials to direct us, instead of God.\u00a0Can we\u00a0say\u2013\u2013it doesn\u2019t matter what pain, we\u00a0will continue to lead toward God?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nQuestion<\/b>\u00a0for Leaders<\/b>:\u00a0Has pain or difficulty ever caused you to lose focus of the main thing?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nLosing focus during pain, grief,\u00a0or struggles is the easiest path.\u00a0Don\u2019t be\u00a0distracted.\u00a0Lead the followers faithfully through the pain.\u00a0It may\u00a0hurt to hurt,\u00a0but\u00a0pain\u00a0is never an excuse to stop leading\u00a0toward God! Let\u2019s keep the main thing the main thing no matter the cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By David Shannon Vincent Lombardi and the\u00a0apostle Paul were focused leaders.\u00a0One moved football players to championships while the other led people to eternal life.\u00a0Where do you lead people?\u00a0It is easy to get\u00a0off course.\u00a0\u00a0 What was the main thing in Paul\u2019s Life?\u00a0 Can you state your main purpose in life? Paul could.\u00a0He stated in Acts 20:21 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[1135,1138,1185,1186,416,171,1176,1187],"class_list":["post-5351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-think-excerpts","tag-1135","tag-david-shannon","tag-difficulty","tag-focus","tag-pain","tag-paul","tag-september","tag-tribulation","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nKeeping the Main Thing Means Avoiding\u00a0Distraction of Pain - Focus Press<\/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:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2017\/11\/30\/keeping-the-main-thing-means-avoiding-distraction-of-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Keeping the Main Thing Means Avoiding\u00a0Distraction of Pain - Focus Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By David Shannon Vincent Lombardi and the\u00a0apostle Paul were focused leaders.\u00a0One moved football players to championships while the other led people to eternal life.\u00a0Where do you lead people?\u00a0It is easy to get\u00a0off course.\u00a0\u00a0 What was the main thing in Paul\u2019s Life?\u00a0 Can you state your main purpose in life? 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