23 Feb ‘Fix Your Focus’ | North Attleboro
Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events)
TALENT SHOW THIS SATURDAY, COME OUT TO SUPPORT WATERS YOUNG ADULTS PERU MISSIONS TRIP!
REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND – TICKETS ARE $5 AND THERE WILL BE PIZZA AND SNACKS FOR PURCHASE!
SAVE THE DATE NEW ENGLAND: April 12 from 11-2 (rain date April 19). Waters Church in NA is hosting a Waters Easter Event (this is not the Egg Drop). It will be more like a fair with crafts, games, an egg hunt, and, simultaneously, telling the Resurrection story.
You won’t want to miss this, but we will need lots of help! Registration will be coming out around mid-March for you to sign up to serve!
NEW ENGLAND: UPCOMING CONCERT – TAYA (of Hillsong UNITED, singer of Oceans (Where Feet May Fall))
EVENT INFO:
Join TAYA on May 4th at North Attleboro for the Come Into The Light Tour, a transformative worship experience featuring her latest single by the same name, as well as other new songs from her upcoming record. “This tour is something I felt God drop in my heart over 2 years ago to do here in the United States, but for different reasons, it never eventuated…until now. I believe God’s timing and His alignment is perfect — and without either, I wouldn’t be walking into these nights with the stories and songs I now am.” Each night will be an invitation to pause and lay your life before God — every good, messy, broken, and sweet piece — and allow Him to have it all. You won’t want to miss these powerful nights of surrender in the Presence of Jesus, where we can Come Into The Light together and rediscover that He truly is everything He promised to be.
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Reminders:
✳ Please regularly check your Planning Center profiles for requests to join your life groups, remove members from the list that no longer attend, or add members not listed. Please ensure that you have added no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and encourage your members to do so as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site. Thank you!
Waters Class Schedule:
- 1st Sunday: Discover Waters – after 1st service
- 2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
- 3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
- 4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
Waters Help: Need marriage and family care or have a group member in need of marriage and family care? Click here: help resources page or visit waterschurch.org/help
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
SAVE THE DATE NEW ENGLAND: April 12 from 11-2 (rain date April 19). Waters Church in NA is hosting a Waters Easter Event (this is not the Egg Drop). It will be more like a fair with crafts, games, an egg hunt, and, simultaneously, telling the Resurrection story.
You won’t want to miss this, but we will need lots of help! Registration will be coming out around mid-March for you to sign up to serve!
Key Verse: Colossians 3
Ice Breaker: “What’s one item of clothing that you have had for years and can’t seem to give away? Why is it special to you?”
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You today, seeking to fix our focus on You. In a world of distractions, help us center our hearts and minds on Christ. Remove anything that pulls us away from Your truth, and guide us to live according to Your will. May this time together strengthen our faith and deepen our commitment to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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We live in a world of distractions where your attention is pulled from or toward something. We need to ‘fix our focus’ on God, not on things of this world.
We need to ‘fix our focus’ on God, not on things of this world.
Paul’s warnings to the Colossians are relevant today because we face similar cultural dangers. He reminds them, as we are reminded today: We don’t need extra rules, secret knowledge, or worldly philosophies—Jesus was and is enough. He will always be enough!
Distractions That Derailed Their Focus
1. FALSE Philosophies and HUMAN Traditions. (Colossians 2:8)
Some believe their truth is just as valid as God’s Truth. That is a lie. There is only one Truth (John 16:4)
2. LEGALISM and RELIGIOUS Rules. (Colossians 2:16-17)
People put too much emphasis on outward behavior instead heart transformation through Jesus.
Jesus cares more about the heart than works!
3. MYSTICISM and ANGEL Worship. (Colossians 2:18-19)
There are many movements that priortize feelings over truth. However, feelings come and go but the truth remains. Fix your foucs on God not emotions.
4. Worldly DESIRES and SINFUL Living. (Colossians 3:5-10) (Colossians 2:16-17)
Q. In what ways do modern distractions—such as social media, cultural trends, or societal pressures—pull our focus away from Christ, and how can we intentionally refocus on Him in our daily lives? How might you have struggled with any of the above-mentioned distractions?
My Fight, God’s Way
- My Fight: I struggle with WORLDLY DESIRES.
Each of us struggle with different worldly desires. We all fall short of God’s glory. If we get distracted, these struggles will take over! But when we fix our focus on God, He then puts on us His identity, and we can win over these struggles!
God’s Way: I win by putting on a NEW IDENTITY in Christ.
2 Corninthians 5:17
Q. How does knowing your identity in Christ help you resist worldly desires?
Practical Application: This week, read and meditate on Colossians 3:10 daily to remind yourself of your identity in Christ. Declare aloud that you are made new in Him.
2. My Fight: I struggle with ANGER and DIVISION. (Colossians 3:8-9)
God’s Way: I win by LIVING with KINGDOM VALUES. (Colossians 3:12-14)
When you put on Kingdom values, you cannot just pick and choose the ones you like.
Doing it God’s way means knowing that you are holy (set apart) and knowing that you are to be kind and humble.
We not only need to learn to forgive but also forget. Stop holding grudges.
Q. How do kingdom values like compassion, kindness, and patience help overcome anger and division?
Practical Application: Identify one relationship where anger or division has crept in. This week, take a step toward reconciliation by showing kindness, forgiveness, or patience.
3. My Fight: I struggle with SELF-CENTERED LIVING. (Colossians 3:5)
If you are not careful, you will fight and struggle with self-centered living.
We need to focus on the principle of serving others. Jesus taught that greatness comes from being a servant (Mark 10:43-45)
We need to actively seek opportunities to help those in need, whether through acts of kindness, serving, or simply being a listening ear, and not gossip.
God’s Way: I win by letting Christ RULE in my HEART. (Colossians 3:15-17)
Q. What does it look like for Christ to truly rule in your heart and in your decisions?
Practical Application: Begin each day with a prayer of surrender, asking Jesus to take control of your heart, priorities, and actions.
Sermon in a Sentence:
I need to stop being DISTRACTED by worldly DESIRES and fix my FOCUS on CHRIST.
Key Takeaways:
Q. What are the most important insights or takeaways you gained from this message, and how can you apply them to your life?
Closing Prayer:
Lord, we thank You for the truth of Your Word and the call to fix our focus on Christ. Help us to remove distractions, resist worldly desires, and embrace our new identity in You. May we live by kingdom values and allow Christ to rule in our hearts. Strengthen us to walk in obedience and grow in faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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