FOCUS - Pastor Sandra Roach

Have you ever felt like you’ve lost your focus?

In this powerful and deeply convicting episode, Pastor Sandra Roach confronts one of the enemy’s most effective strategies...distraction. What begins as small, seemingly harmless interruptions can slowly pull us away from our calling, weaken our endurance, and ultimately keep us from finishing well.

This message cuts through complacency and challenges the modern mindset that celebrates “almost” instead of faithful completion. Through bold teaching and real-life analogies, you’ll be stirred to examine whether you’ve settled for comfort, comparison, or compromise instead of pursuing the life Christ has called you to live.

You’ll discover:

•  Why distractions are more dangerous than you think
•  The difference between getting close and finishing strong
•  How a culture of “everyone wins” can weaken spiritual discipline 
•  What it truly means to reflect Christ, not just talk like it
•  The danger of false or simulated transformation
•  How to break free from spiritual passivity and regain clarity 

With a strong biblical foundation and uncompromising truth, this message will challenge you to stop settling, stop drifting, and start running your race with intention and conviction.

You were not called to almost finish. You were called to endure. It’s time to get your focus back.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to the Summit Church Podcast. Thank you for joining us as we share weekly sermons and teachings from Summit Church in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Our prayer is that today's message encourages your faith and helps you grow in your relationship with Jesus. Check out our website at summitchurchtn.com. Thanks for listening, and we pray this message encourages you today.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

I want to talk today about this life in Christ. But I want to ask you a question first. Have you ever felt like you lost your focus?

SPEAKER_03 0:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

Of course you have. Everyone in here has had a time in their life where you felt like you lost your focus. And it's the enemy's plan to get you completely distracted. Do you know that? Little distractions. We have these little distractions. Oh, they're just little distractions. And then we have these enormous distractions that are with us all the time, and we feel like we lit we go from one distraction to another. But have you noticed lately that there is more distraction than going from one to another? That little place of going from this one to this one. It's become longer and bigger. Why? Why is that? Because we yield to distractions. And today we're going to talk about that. Every time you yield to distraction, you lose your focus. So it's not a big deal, right? It's not a big deal. I mean, you know, God loves me. It's not a big deal. It's just, you know, God is, girl, you're okay. It's not a big deal. To go from one distraction to another, to lose our focus, and to lose what we're called to do. And we get so caught up in all the things and the emotion of it. Anybody ever been in an emotional situation? Okay, if you haven't, then God told brought me to the wrong crowd. You see, God doesn't care if I accomplish everything He's called me to. We got real close to winning. No one's impressed. No one cares how close you got. They're not going, wow. Listen, I was talking to the other team last night. They said they got close. But they didn't win, I know. But they got close. You see, we're in a race. We get close to the finish line and decide it's too hard and drop out. It's too hard. And stop running. I'm out of breath. Yeah, that's what happens to a runner. They get out of breath and they keep going. Why shouldn't we get a crown like those who finished well? I was praying about this, about keeping my focus and finishing well, and the Lord reminded me of something. And when I was reading over my notes this morning, I thought this was a funny thing he reminded me of. We have two sons, you all know that. And so they refused to let their daughters play upward basketball. Do y'all know what that is? That's just a little sweet basketball group, okay? They refuse to let them play because every child is a winner. Yay! For the kids. Every child is a winner. Come on, let's have a group hug and a warm fuzzy. Yeah. Sounds great, right? That sounds great, doesn't it?

unknown 5:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 5:32

And I want to say this so you don't get offended at me. If your kids played upward basketball, sorry. I love you. You see the problem, it teaches children. It teaches all children, hey, you're a great athlete. You're gonna do great. You have a kid out on the court dominating because they have this young passion. You ever known those? We had two. They have this young passion for the game. Through the week they practice dribbling the ball. They get out there and shoot the hoops. They're pumped, they're ready. And you have another child who gets out on the court once a week and never touches the ball until the next week. That's sweet. Everyone on the team gets equal court time. Y'all hearing this? Everyone gets equal court time, so each child fails like a champion. Some of you are thinking, Pastor, there's not a thing wrong with that. That's a great idea. We need to give these kids more confidence. At the end of the season, they all get the same trophy. That's good. And all the parents do photo ops. With their little kid who still is holding his little beanie baby instead of the basketball. It's shaped like a ball. Okay. And everybody gets a warm, fuzzy feeling. That precious. But it doesn't teach your children to work hard to keep their focus to reach the goal. Here's the funny part. You have a daddy like one of my boys, and they come to the game thinking, we're gonna win this game. They talk to them just like their daddy did all the way to the game. Now, boys, what are you gonna do if this happens? Okay, well, how and uh you practice. How do you feel? How do you feel going into this game, six years old? How do you feel going into this game? They're going, whoa, yeah, we're gonna win. We're gonna win this game, okay? You you have a daddy like that, and their kid gets out and they've practiced, they're ready to go, they they're dribbling the ball, they're shooting. A couple of them goes in and they're whoo, and everybody's excited, and then their time runs out, and they send in the little boy that they have to take the beanie baby out of his hand and tell him, go out there, go on, go out there and play. And they go out there. And that daddy is saying, Does anyone else want to win this game? Come on, how many people have athletes in their family? Okay, well, that's why you're not shouting. I expect a little more out of this, and y'all just sort of, and the ones who do, you're going because you're feeling intimidated by the masses who don't. Okay. So they're wanting to win this game, but everybody else is having warm fuzzies. Dad's getting them in the car. You're not playing on this team anymore. This is ridiculous. This is not teaching you anything. True. True. It's not teaching you anything, but see, we had such a fun time together. See, society is getting that way. We're afraid to say, you're wrong. Go to the back of the line. We're afraid to say, are you ready for this one? You're fired. Yeah. Why? Because you're not doing any work, and I got four people waiting on a job. I'm gonna hire one of them who want the money, who want to get paid, okay? All right, okay. All right, so how about this? Your children go to school for the social life. See, we had one like that. Our our youngest really loved school for the social life. And uh we had some concern for a while about that. And uh and he now reaps the harvest of having one exactly like him. So there you go. You reap what you sow. He's just letting her have have it one day, and I'm going, mm-hmm. Whatever. See, my mama raised me right. She would say, every morning when we would go out of school, do your best, you remember you reap what you sow. If you didn't study for that test, you know what you're gonna get. And see, I always prayed that I would be like my friend who would just show up for class and make an A. Whether she read the material or not. I mean, how fair is that? Anyway, evidently God wanted to teach me something. You gotta do the work, girl. You have a teacher's meeting. I'm just getting this all. I mean, I'm laying the groundwork, okay? So just bear with me, okay? You have a teacher's meeting, and they tell you that your child is a distraction to others in the class. Yeah. And that they never finish their work or do their homework. And the parent responds, listen, you don't understand. I want you to build my child's self-esteem. I don't care about her grades. I don't care about his grades. I just want them to feel good about themselves. Why is it okay for us to go, no, oh that, oh, that's horrible. Oh, God forbid. Yet, Christians many times act like this. You're still carrying your beanie baby while someone has spent time in the presence of the Lord. Someone has prayed, someone has believed, someone has plowed where others refused. Walking along saying, doing a good job, well, that row, that row is just a little crooked. You could do a little better. And they and they want the same reward, beloved. I'm telling you, you may not like to hear this, but if it we expect, if we expect to work hard and get the reward for it in life, beloved, I want you to know that I've got to stick to it. I've got to keep my focus on Jesus, and I have got to do what he has called me to do. Okay, I'm glad that some of you are shouting. You know what the teacher would think? Man, I can't wait to get with the other teachers to tell them about this crazy family. So, why do we allow our enemy to distract us in our new life in Christ? In the good works he has called us to do and to finish well. See, I'm preaching to myself just like I'm preaching to you, okay? Listen, before I ever get here, I get here. Always. I don't come and preach something that hasn't been spoken to me by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through his word, and saying to me exactly what I'm giving you. And here's what we say. Here's our response. God loves me. You are so right. God loves you more than anyone ever could love you. He loves you, he loves you with an everlasting love. Oh my. He doesn't care if I give up. He just wants me to enjoy life, have a great time, live it up. After all, I am a son or a daughter of God. I have rights. Is that what the word says? We all know. We all know this isn't what the word says. If you have this attitude, hear me say this, go ahead and grip the back of the seat. If you have this attitude, you don't know the Lord. You don't know the word. You don't. Are we really called to live a life that reflects Christ? Are we? Are we really called is that really what he says? That we're called to reflect his glory, to for people to see us and say, wow, Christ in you. Let me tell you what Colossians 1 and 21 says. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you, Gentiles, too. And this is the secret. Christ lives in you and gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Wow. So what are you gonna do with this glory he's given you? What in the world are you gonna do with it? Well, I'm just gonna hold on to it and I'm just gonna say, I'm going to heaven. And we all come together and we look at each other and say, We're going to heaven. That's all that God wanted out of the church, right? John 14 and 12 answers that question. I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done. And even greater works because I am going to be with the Father. I love this. I love this. We have to first believe. I've stepped in to believe. And he said, for those who believe, are there any believers in the house today? Come on. For those who believe, Jesus said, The work I do, ye will do also, and greater works than these shall you do, because I go to the Father. And he doesn't stop there. That's good enough. And whatever you ask the Father in my name. What? And Pastor Sandra, whatever you ask in my name, brother Jeff, whatever you ask in my name. Come on. I will do it for you. Wow. This is awesome. So how in the world are we going to keep our focus? How do we keep our focus? It's so hard. We just, it's constantly, you know, the enemy is on our back, it's constant. And how in the world can we keep our focus on what God has called us to do? Well, the first thing you've got to do is wake up. Hallelujah. Isaiah 60, verse 1 and 2. Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples. But the Lord will rise upon you, and his glory will appear upon you. Church, rise and shine. My mom used to get me up that way. Everybody said, Sandra, rise and shine. Come on, a new day. And I'm like, hallelujah. The Lord is saying that. Listen, we are called to so much more than we're walking in. And if not now, when that scripture was written to Israel. Is he? Is he? No, he's not through with Israel. He has plans for Israel, the bride of God. Hallelujah. So, but it's also for us, sons and daughters of God. It's time for the church. That's you and me. To stop making excuses. Anybody ever made an excuse? Well, I go do this, but you know, I just, you know. I come to prayer, but yeah. Stop living by the standards of the world and live like sons and daughters of God. Romans 13, 11 and 12, listen to this. And do this, knowing the time that now it's high time to awake out of sleep. For now your salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light. Come on. The day is far spent. The time is clicking. Away. The time is far far spent. Are you asleep? It's time to wake up, throw off the works of darkness, and start stop, and stop living like the world. I want you to think about this, and I'm not saying this to bring condemnation. Would you like? For everyone to know how you live. Come on. You see, when you truly understand that God loves you and has a plan for your life, his love will compel you to draw close to his presence. Oh my. He loves you so much. If you seek him, you'll find him. Draw near to God, and what will he do? Draw near to you. That's right. Get your focus off you and put your focus on Jesus. And you will reflect the glory of the Lord. The second thing you need to do is look up. Hebrews 12, 1 and 2. Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses, in chapter 11, please read chapter 11 of Hebrews this week. You've read about these great men and women of faith. And then it says, therefore, since we also were included with them, we also, since we have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let's rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Oh, I love this. It is, let's run with endurance. The race that was set before us. Look up, keep your eyes on Jesus. This week I read Hebrews 11 over and over again. And I wanted to get in my spirit what this great cloud of witnesses about their life. And I want to talk for just a minute about the nameless ones. When I got there, I always get stirred. I usually am in tears by the time I finished the last part of Hebrews 11. Look at this. I'm going to start reading in verse 33. By faith, these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouth of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prison. Some died by stoning. Others were sawed in half, and others were killed by the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All of these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. Oh my goodness. When you read that, when you read that, and then I think while I'm reading this right now, again, you know what I think of? All of the people who have fallen in ministry, all of those who have gotten their eyes on immorality, gotten their eyes on money, and decided I'll go after that, and I can still serve the Lord. And here are these people, they were sought in too. They were killed by the mouth of the lions, torn apart because they would not deny Jesus. Beloved, we stand, the church stands on the shoulders of these people I'm reading about. And we just want this warm, fuzzy. We want this wonderful, gooey love thing where we all are loved and we skip out to our cars and we can say, I'm okay, and you're okay, and isn't it fun? We give each other a group hug and we're all going to heaven. Beloved, if you live that way, you don't know him. This is how the great cloud of witnesses lived. How in the world did they live this way? How could they do that? They kept their eyes on Jesus. Their focus was above. Their eyes was on one. Hallelujah. Their lives were transformed by the life of Christ. Much of the church has settled for a fake or an illusion of transformation. You know what that is? It's creating a false impression that transformation has happened, but it hasn't. Everybody thinks, whoa, you know, you go around, woo-woo! You know what we do? We use the vernacular. Yes, hallelujah. Glory to God. Yes, yes. We quote scriptures, oh yes. Yes, we we we learn some scriptures and we quote those scriptures, but are we living it? It is a false, a fake.

unknown 29:13

Come on.

SPEAKER_02 29:15

Some have a simulation of transformation, creating a false before and after. Oh Facebook. Facebook Christianity. Anybody in for it? Facebook Christianity. Man, I want to tell you something. You can put a picture of yourself before you were saved. Just mean and rare. And you, you know, you can mess yourself up and you know, put a picture of you when you were addicted to drugs. You know, that kind of thing. And then they think because you take a picture of yourself all cleaned up, hair combed, around other people who are doing the same. That that means they get around, they say, glory to God. I'm above and not beneath, I'm the head and not the tail. Oh yes, oh yes. The Lord speaks to me, line up, I'm gonna prophesy to everybody in the room. Yeah. We have examples of that, beloved. Jesus did not go to the cross for a fake aid or a simulation of something that was false. Let me tell you something, pressure will bring out the real you every time. I've had pressure, and you know what pressure sometimes will do to me? This is hard. This is so hard. Oh, here anybody anybody but me?

SPEAKER_01 31:02

Oh, it's so hard.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

I just don't know if I can do this anymore. I want to have fun. I want to be with the fun crowd. I want to do something easy. I want to go to a church where they expect nothing out of me. I want to go to a church where they don't care if I give or not, says no church. Just thought I needed to slide that one in because we don't have a list of those churches in this house, okay? I don't actually have to do anything. I can go and sit on the backseat and do nothing. And I can still go to heaven and be saved. I'll be good. It'll be okay. But you see, I'm cutting short what he called me to do. And it took getting my focus back. Come on. Anyone in here need to get your focus back? Hallelujah. I'm so glad I run with the with the Christian crowd who know how to talk. Let me tell you something. If I get up here and ask you to pray with me for Brother Steve, I don't really believe God really wants to. He don't want heal. He doesn't really. You know, he just said that, but I don't I don't really know. I've never seen it happen to anybody before. Well, let me tell you something. I'm getting myself positioned to see it. But even when I don't, I still believe it. Come on. I just want to hang around with some people who believe what he says and who lives it every day of your life. Not when you're feeling like it, not when things are going good, not when you're when you got all the money you need in the bank account. Not when every seat is full, not when when we, oh, we're just doing great. We're sending money all over the world. Not during those times. I'm talking about the times when it's low. I'm talking about times when it looks like our what is God doing. I want to still stand with him.

SPEAKER_03 33:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

I love this part. I want to read this. It said, let's rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance. The race that is set before us, looking only to Jesus. Beloved, this is your real focus I'm talking about here. This is really focusing, okay? I'm getting rid of every obstacle. I'm tired of it. I went to the door of my house, opened the door, and said, obstacle, get out of my house. Come on. I'm back in the race. I refuse to give up. Come on. Do you refuse to give up? Do you refuse to give up? The only way I can do this is by keeping my eyes on Jesus. Listen to the warning Jesus gave us in Matthew 24. This is this is so powerful. Matthew 24, starting in verse 10. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Hallelujah. Oh, Pastor, does it really mean that? Okay. The word endure in the Greek means to remain, to abide continually under trial. To hold fast to one's faith. We are called to live like Jesus every day. Every day. Not on Sundays, not on days when we feel good. We're called. Listen, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. I just saw a flash of this as I'm preaching. Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. And he says to the Father, This is too hard. I can't do it. I can't. I can't do it. Son, you have to do it. I can't. I just can't. I don't want to. Look what they've done to me. I don't want to. Look what they've said. They spit in my face. They're going to beat me. They're going to abuse me. They're going to hate me. I don't want to, instead.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

He said, not my will, but your will.

SPEAKER_02 36:17

You know what he showed us? He was God, yet man. Humanity said, I don't want to, but I will. That's a pattern of the way we should live our life. I don't want to do this, but I will. Why? Because I love you more than I love myself. Hallelujah. And then the third thing we're going to do is go up. Isn't that good? Wake up. Look up. Now we're going to go up. Y'all are thinking, oh, we're getting ready to go to heaven. No. Isaiah 40 and 31 says this, but those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on eagles, wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. When you trust in the Lord, when you're keeping your eyes on Him, you go up, you can soar in places that you never thought you could even walk in. He's going to have you soar. You're going to look around and see the world falling apart. But you're also going to look at those people that I told them about Jesus. I loved them. I prayed for them. When they didn't love me back. Come on. When they made fun of me, when they said women aren't supposed to preach, you're off. I still. I kept going. I kept going. And I will keep going. You will live as a reflection of Jesus Christ if you soar with him. You will never again have a fake testimony. Sadly, many Christians are faking it until they make it. Just fake it till you make it. How do you do that? If you talk enough Christian ease, you might actually start living like it. But it's a choice to live like Christ. This life, this lifestyle exhausts me. I think it's exhausting. Can you imagine? You spent your whole life trying to live like Christ. And you find out you're a fake. You're a fake age. You're a simulation. But did you really mean it? See, the only way you really mean it is to live it. And people will say, wow, something's different about you. Amen? Colossians 3. I'm going to start reading in verse 1. Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your life, your real life, is hidden with Christ in God.

unknown 39:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 40:02

Pastor, that sounds like a lot of work. That's a lot of work, Pastor. My question to you, did you play up with basketball? You know, if I don't look up, did you lie on your yes? Um I'd like to, I would like to teach in your school. Where did you get your degree? Well, I didn't actually get a degree, but people have told me I'm really good with children. Well, open up a daycare in your home. See, it's like we want the full, we want the fullness of what Christ has paid for us to have without living like him. Well, that's not work. Have you ever lived for him? It's a choice every day. It's a choice every day. I want to tell you, I love bragging on my grandkids. Anybody else in here besides me love to brag on? Come on. Okay, well, I'm gonna brag on mine. My youngest, she spent the night with us, night before last. And she we she and I had a conversation about sin. I said, Millie, do you ever struggle with sin? She said, Yes, I do. And I said, Well, so do I. She said, but Nani, you're a pastor. I said, exactly. She said, Well, you know it's not right. I said, You better believe it's not right. It is not right. She said, the Bible says it's sin. I said, Yeah, it's sin. What are we gonna do? We're gonna get right back on the path. And we're gonna keep going after Jesus, is what we're gonna do. We're not giving up. We're not giving up, we're not going back, we're gonna live for him, we're gonna live for him. Well, what if you hang around people who are sinful? Find some new friends. Come on. Praise the Lord. Beloved, when you see your life in Christ as works, you've missed the message. You've missed the message. Ephesians 1, 3 and 4 says this blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Just as He chose us in Him. He chose you in Him, listen, before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love. Oh my beloved, dear, dear, dear friends, understand this. He chose us before the foundation of the world to be in Him. He told us that we would be holy and we would walk like He walked on the earth. We would be a reflection of Jesus. He came to show us not only how to die, but how to live. But it's so hard. It isn't hard when you know who you are. I've said this for years. If someone who struggles in addiction would ever get grab hold of the truth about how much God loves them, they would never ever be in addiction again. Because they would be addicted to the one Jesus Christ. Beloved, it's time for us to get our focus back. Putting our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.