My son, give attention to My Words; incline your ear to my sayings. Proverbs 4:20.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Faith could be defined as a heart towards Me. And you can see it in a person’s eyes, expression, and demeanor. How? They are paying attention. Faith is a matter of where you put your attention.
And the same is true of the banquet I set before you. How much good it does you has to do with how attentive you are to the meal.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, but will not even bring it back to his mouth. Proverbs 19:24.
As Paul preached and taught at Lystra he noticed a man sitting in the crowd who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. Why did Paul single this man out? This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, as were the others there, but Paul saw there was a difference in this man. He had fixed his gaze intently on Paul as Paul spoke of healing and forgiveness in Jesus, and this got Paul’s attention. So Paul fixed his gaze on him and saw by the man’s intently focused eyes that were sparkling with hope and excitement, that he had faith to be saved. So Paul stopped what he was preaching said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And the man leaped up and began to walk. Acts 14:8-10. His heart received My Word of forgiveness and healing. When you get your attention on My Word with your heart, miracles flow easily.
And do you see? His attention on My Word got My attention on him. My eyes roam to and fro throughout the earth looking for those whose hearts are towards Me to show Myself strong on their behalf. 2 Chronicles 16:9. And the Hebrew word translated for “towards” Me or “completely” Mine in that passage about the kind of hearts I am looking for is shalem (שָׁלֵם), which means complete, safe, at peace. When you fix your attention on My Word, which is Me and which is My Word made flesh, Jesus, your heart will be complete, safe, and at peace no matter what the storm. Just keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. And you will have peace.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27.
I make you complete in Him. In My Word. Keep your attention on My Word and you will stay full, no room for anything that is not on My table of plenty. And with eyes on Him you will have eternal life. Where is your attention?
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40.
Remember when I sent Peter to the home of Cornelius, the Centurion? Cornelius had his attention on Me and so I sent the Word to him and his household by Peter. And when Peter delivered the words of healing, “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him,” Acts 10:38, and forgiveness, “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” Acts 10:43, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were LISTENING to the message and they began to speak in tongues, exalting and praising Me. Acts 10:44. They got the baptism of the Holy Spirit and filled with the Spirit before they had been baptized in water. But the living water from My throne poured on them and hearts were towards Me and open. It came to all who were listening to the message. Not just hearing, but hearing with attention.
Where your heart is, there your treasure is. Where your treasure is, there your heart is. If you worry it is a matter of where you are putting your attention. If you have little faith, it is a matter of where you are putting your attention. You are “eating” what your attention is on. Guard the ears of your heart.
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23.
The disciples in the boat with Jesus on the stormy sea had their attention on the storm. Jesus was simply resting in Me. I had told Him to go to the other side and He trusted that if I told Him to go and He obeyed, I would get Him there. His attention was on My Word, so when awakened by the worried disciples He just stood up and rebuked the wind and told the sea to get calm. Knowing Me, His heart was always at peace. And both the wind and the waves obeyed. Why? My Word made all things and all things obey it. All creation is groaning in eager longing for My children to show up and speak shalom blessing on all creation.
Attention. Be mindful of Me in all your ways and I will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6.
Those who honor Me, that is, give Me their full attention as worthy of such, I honor. You get My attention when you give Me your attention. You honor any teacher by listening to them with focused attention, taking notes, and then applying what the teacher has taught you.
Today you hear a lot about “Attention Deficit Disorder,” and many people, even believers, are diagnosed with it. But the cure is simple, put your attention in the right place and there will be no more disorder. I am not a God of confusion but of perfect order and peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33. And I have told you where to put your attention.
My son, give attention to My Words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them
And health to all their body. Proverbs 4:20-22
When My people in the desert got their eyes off Me and went about grumbling and complaining, even about the manna I rained down about them freely in the early morning on the dewfall before dawn, snakes came in and bit them. That made them get their attention on Me and Moses asked Me for the solution. I told him to make a bronze serpent and hang it on a cross and then whoever would fix their attention upon the bronze serpent when they were bit would be healed. The poison would be pulled out of them onto the bronze serpent mounted on a cross. Do you see? Bronze is the metal of judgement; the serpent represents sin. When Jesus took all your sins upon His own sinless and eternal flesh, He took all the poison of sin out of you and bore it for you Himself. And as you behold Him, as you fix your eyes on Him, all that poison and eternal death leaves you and is judged on Him so that you have passed from death to life.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My Word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24.
Hear and believe. That is comes from paying attention. Many accidents and unwanted consequences happen when people do not pay attention. It causes disorder.
So how do you keep your attention in the right place? How do you keep from going under when attacked by Satan with the unclean spirits of fear, depression, discouragement, unforgiveness, sickness, pain and a host of other demons and fiery darts?
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 1:1-2.
You set your mind on things above. My thoughts and Words are higher than yours, so you take Mine as yours, you eat them. But what is the best way to eat them so they get into your heart so they become part of you? With thanksgiving and praise. Sing about My Names and My benefits.
And He brought forth His people with songs of joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout. Psalm 105:43. That is how I brought My people out of the cruel slavery of Egypt and I brought them out laden with silver and gold and not a feeble or sickly one among them. And that is still the way I lift you up into My high refuge where I have seated you with Christ—I surround you with songs of deliverance.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. Psalm 32:7.
And how do you stay alert to the devil’s tactics?
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2.
I am looking for those who worship in Spirit and in truth. Why? They have their attention in the right place for miracles, signs, and wonders, they have their attention on Me, and that is attention on My Word.
I love you. I am the LORD your pilot, your steersman. If you fail to pay attention to the directions of your pilot, or to paddle the canoe as directed by your steersman, you will have an undesirable result. Pay attention and you will eat just what you need, just when you need it.
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19.