Key verses: Luke 9:51; 57-62; Hebrews 12:1-2
Recurrent Thought

Great Visions are achieved by focused people. 

Achievers in life are stubbornly Focused. Show me a visionary person and I will show you a person sold to their dreams. Focus is an attitude where one applies directed attention on an aspect, process or object that commands meaning, importance, value or benefit to them. It is an attitude that demands that one concentrates efforts of all types to the end that they disregard everything that is not in line with their dreams (Harvest). Stubborn Focus is single attention on the pursuit of goals and unyielding to any demand to change it. Stubborn Focus is not arrogance but an attitude that does not want to be distracted to what is important
Paul in trying to emphasis this nature of attitude he stated this to the Philippians:
Php 3:13  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 
Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

Focus is expressed in two major ways
1.    Applying Consistent Action in the Areas of Your Dreams (Mission, Harvest). 

• You have to become aware of your mission, your harvest.
• Jesus worked fervently for his mission. He preached the gospel, performed miracles and laid his life on the cross.
• A single and directed attention to areas that impact your mission is the key to great achievements.

2.    Having regular retreats to Pray and Reflect 

• Retreat time is not wasted but time to rejuvenate
• When we retreat, we leverage on wisdom to become sharper and stronger. 
• Retreat gives us the time to Sharpen our Axe. 

Jesus regularly retreated for solitude and prayer. He always came out focused to the end that Disciples said teach us how to pray
In Luke 9, a chapter with lots of activities but most of which allows Jesus to peel off the curtain to his understanding of his Purpose for coming, also shows us how he used the attitude of Focus to his advantage. 

• Jesus sends and monitors the twelve on the mission’s trip (1-6)
• Jesus' popularity increases and scares Herod (7-9)
• Jesus heals people and feeds five thousand people (10-17) 
• Jesus is revealed as the Son of God through Peter  (18-20)
• Jesus talks about his death, and the Cross of believers (21-27)
• Jesus is transfigured among his disciples (28-36)
• Jesus manifests power over demonic activities (37-42)
• Jesus speaks of his death as delivery in the hands of men (43-45)
• Jesus rebukes the disciples for tussling for first position (46-50)
• Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem (51-56)
• Jesus shows how stubborn focus looks like (57-62) 

Luke chapter nine is the revelation of Jesus: who he is and what he came to accomplish.  He is the glorious Son of God, healer, miracle worker and the Savior of the World. With this confirmed revelation, Jesus set his Face to go to Jerusalem. Isa.50:7 uses the similar imagery: Set his face like flint. It means to be focused, resolute and unwavering in one's purpose, even in the face of adversity, symbolizing a strong determination to persevere. To Jesus Focus was delivering on his mission through his death of the Cross

Jesus furthermore showed what stubborn focus is as he responded to three people who expressed interest to follow him as he was going towards Jerusalem (57-62)

Three Directions on how to apply Stubborn Focus from Jesus (Luke 9:57-62)
1.Stubborn Focus Disregards comfort before delivering on the mission (Harvest): 
Foxes have holes and birds have nests (57-58)

•  Pursuing your goal disregards the glory that comes with the achievement
•  Focusing on your goal may mean foregoing some comfort 

2.Stubborn Focus keeps Relationships in the Right Perspective   
“Leave the dead to bury their own dead (59-60).  This meant he was the only one responsible for his parents until death

• Fulfilling the mission of your heart may mean doing it despite your relatives
• Pursuing your goals may mean you pay dearly as you deny your relationships
• Paul told his friends not to dissuade him (Acts 21:11-14)

3.Stubborn Focus Puts Single-minded Efforts on the Dreams 
Hands on the Plough (61-62)

• Stubborn Focus knows the end and pursues it relentlessly 
• Paul says his goal is to finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24)

Altar Time
        Lord give me Grace to let my hands remain consistently on the Plough