2024 January SERIES Focusing Forward

FOCUSING FORWARD
His Life Ministries January 2024 Series

Main Verse
Proverbs 4:25-27 NCV
Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

January 07, 2024 | Kick Off | Birthday and Consecration Sunday

Title: Focusing Forward

Verse: Proverbs 4:25-27 Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. 

Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

January 14, 2024 |Week One | Communion Sunday
Title: Focus On the Good

January 21, 2024 |Week Two | Lifegroup and Divinity Sunday
Title: Take The Right Move

January 27, 2024 |Week Three | Facility Sunday
Title: Stay Off From Unsafe Paths

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FOCUSING FORWARD

His Life Ministries January 2024 Series

Main Verse

Proverbs 4:25-27 NCV

Keep your eyes focused on what is right and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

SERIES OVERVIEW

Every person has a deep-rooted aspiration to begin their journey on the right path and accomplish significant milestones in life. 

Success is a powerful motivation that propels us to persist and remain determined. It requires unwavering focus, the need to articulate your objectives clearly, and the use of practical measures to accomplish them. 

Yet, our previous experiences not only taught but also reminded us that there would always be distractions in our sincere desire to maintain focus to accomplish a goal. 

These different forms include an unhealthy lifestyle, destructive behaviors, uncertainty about one's desires, association with unpleasant others, and so on. It is well-recognized that moving forward gets complicated when we allow external influences to disrupt and divert our attention. 

And this summarizes the essence of our January series, FOCUSING FORWARD.

The objective is to enlighten individuals about the impact of our focus. 

Acquiring the ability to focus is necessary to discover the right path to follow in life and maintain one's destination on that path. 

It is not good enough to look down at the way we take; we must think about our path. 

As we start 2024, may we move forward with a focus, focusing on the good as we take the right move and stay off from unsafe paths. 

January 07, 2024 | Kick Off | Birthday and Consecration Sunday

Title: Focusing Forward

Verse: Proverbs 4:25-27 Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

Life is a journey, and the Christian life is a journey of a thousand daily steps of faithfulness on the path of righteousness. 

And to do that, we must not be distracted by all the things around us on the path. 

The Proverbs writer guides his son, urging him to choose the direct, safe route. In this Proverb, Solomon emphasizes the need to maintain an unwavering focus on our immediate surroundings to remain on the right path. The main thrust of his argument is that we need a clear direction, a specific destination towards which we are moving. 

From Solomon's advice to his son, we can draw three essential principles to guide us as we strive to move forward with the focus this year: we must maintain unwavering focus (verse 25), carefully evaluate each decision we make (verse 26), and avoid departing from our intended course (verse 27).

There are always things to distract you and keep you from finishing well. Stay focused. Keep your eyes straight, and don't let your feet run after evil. 

January 14, 2024 |Week One | Communion Sunday

Title: Focus On the Good

Verse: Proverbs 4:25 Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good

When thinking about our existence, we pose a fundamental question: where is my focus directed? Amidst overwhelming choices and several influences, maintaining focus becomes hard. Moreover, there are occasions in our pursuit of excellence when we neglect to do good and be good. 

The first portion of verse 25 (Keep your eyes focused on what is right) emphasizes the need to discern what is morally correct in a world of wrongdoing and many ethical choices. Upon recognizing what is ethically right, one should actively strive towards it and choose a course that aligns with moral principles. Conversely, the last portion (and looking straight ahead to what is good) emphasizes the significance of directing one's focus on discovering and adhering to the right path in life and adhering to it. 

The boundary between right and wrong is quite narrow. The line between love and hatred is rather tight. The difference between obedience and disobedience should be more comprehensive. Departure from the right path might occur with a single misstep, leading one into an incorrect path. And so, focus on the good! 

January 21, 2024 |Week Two | Lifegroup and Divinity Sunday

Title: Take The Right Move 

Verse: Proverbs 4:26 Be careful what you do, and always do what is right.

Given the tendencies of human nature in a morally corrupt environment, achieving progress along the right path is not an accidental occurrence, nor is it a simple task. Hence, it is essential that we consistently assess the course we want to pursue to ensure that we stay on the right path. 

And so, verse 26 reminds us to think about our choices and where they may lead us. We need to think about our decisions and where they will lead us. Remember that even the most ideal paths are sometimes hindered by obstructions, barriers, and pitfalls. Even the most exceptional individuals are prone to making mistakes, committing blunders, and engaging in sinful behavior. Even when we are on the right course, we may casually encounter something we should avoid.

Hence, it is essential to thoroughly evaluate each move, decision, and option to set off and stay on the right path. 

January 27, 2024 |Week Three | Facility Sunday

Title: Stay Off From Unsafe Paths 

Verse: Proverbs 4:27 Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths.

What are the specific actions or behaviors that one must entirely refrain from to adhere to God's straight path? It is a simple inquiry but one that has great depth and significance. The difficulty lies in the fact that in this world, plagued by sin and under the sway of Satanic forces, it becomes challenging to maintain our focus on the right path. 

That is why real and continual contemplation of our footpaths is the substance of verse 27. This implies that we must recognize evil when we stomp on it if we are not to let it grow. To stay on the straight and narrow, we must be able to see the darkness into which we fall. We should seriously consider the direction of our feet as we contemplate the future.

If attaining success in life consistently demands both thought and conviction, then our focus can only be solidified by devoting careful consideration to the path of our steps. 

SOURCES:

Enduring World Bible Commentary

www.pastorlife.com

www.bible.org

Dr. Constable Study Bible

Our Daily Bread Ministries

www.bibleref.com

NLT’s Study Bible

www.sermonwriter.com

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Carrier Song
God I look to You (Lyric Video)| Jenn Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZonIjN0Tp5o
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Suggested Songs:

Amanda Cook - You Make Me Brave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hi-VMxT6fc

BE MY VISION | Official Planetshakers Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKXJ-WXnLIk

Every Move I Make - Integrity Worship Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMbY4YvbiGY

Still
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_n6dfB2Z-Ko&si=b6r4L8gnZupSeBMC

Don Moen - Be Still & Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0oVJIEEuVs

BE THE CENTRE [Official Lyric Video] | Vineyard Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw6rIwmkV6E

In Christ Alone
https://youtube.com/watch?v=jvbiChLHP9E&si=Q3woqdtNbUnlfUNl

Way Maker
https://youtube.com/watch?v=iJCV_2H9xD0&si=K-RY9lae4Vw6bebf

Lord I Give You My Heart
https://youtube.com/watch?v=FHMjhz8aHTw&si=Vxmx-JrravmIEVXr

New Life Worship - Here In Your Presence (Lyric Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkkWOUZNI0U

All to Jesus I Surrender
https://youtube.com/watch?v=SW8EA7DEQ2M&si=qy3O8EyvFHO37m0D

Set a Fire
https://youtube.com/watch?v=-Jzqq4B8H2Q&si=G7V5nQi7rVFBYNou

 Give us clean hands
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rv55qS7v2-c&si=kQhQVGrO3BcO6Ovs

See A Victory | Live | Elevation Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNd-PbVhnvA

I Will Follow
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mFna4pEF7M8&si=4UshH_WWYmyeV0Vf