Untitled Sermon (102)

DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS

INTRODUCTION:

TODAY THERE ARE MANY DISTRACTIONS THAT WE DEAL WITH DAILY. AND THESE DISTRACTIONS GET IN THE WAY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.

IT COULD BE THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO OUR PERSONAL LIVES, OUR FINANCIAL CONCERNS, OR DESIRES THAT CORRUPT OUR CHARACTER.

WHAT ARE THOSE DISTRACTIONS?

CARES OF THIS WORLD.

DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES.

LUSTS OF OTHER THINGS.

SO WHAT IS THE MEANING OF DISTRACTION?

ANYTHING THAT PULLS OUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM GOD.

A. CARES OF THIS WORLD.

Mark 4:19 “and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

CARES ARE ANXIETY OR EARNEST CONCERN.

WHAT DISTRACT US FROM GOD, IS WHEN WE BECOME SO BUSY IN DOING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEND WITH GOD.

SOMETIMES WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN MEETING DEAD LINES, WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT DAY MIGHT BRING THAT WE FORGET THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THAT.

WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO TRUST GOD WITH EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES, SO THAT WHATEVER CARE WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES, WE CAN GIVE IT TO HIM.

WHEN CARES TURN INTO WORRIES, THAT IS WHEN THE DEVIL IS ABLE TO WORK ON OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM GOD OR KNOW HIS VOICE WHEN HE SPEAK TO US IF OUR HEARTS ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH CARES OF THIS WORLD.

PAUL SAID THESE ARE WAYSIDE CHRISTIANS INATTENTIVE HEARERS WHO’S HEARTS FOCUS ON THE WORLD’S PLEASURES AND SINS.

Matthew 6:31–32 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek): for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

B. DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES.

WHAT CAN BE A DISTRACTION IN OUR WALK WITH GOD IS WHEN WE GIVE OUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE PURSUIT OF MONEY OR THE THINGS THAT MONEY CAN BUY US.

THE BIBLE TELLS US FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL: WHICH WHILE SOME COVETED AFTER, THEY HAVE ERRED FROM THE FAITH, AND PIERCED THEMSELVES THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS.

GOD DID NOT SAY IT’S NOT GOOD TO HAVE MONEY, IT’S ONLY NOT GOOD WHEN IT BECOMES OUR GOD AND WE USE IT TO CONTROL OTHER’S OR WE RECEIVED IT IN THE WRONG WAY.

GOD WANTS US TO MAKE A HONEST LIVING, NOT STEP OVER OTHER’S TO GET IT.

Mark 8:36–37 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

C. LUST OF OTHER THINGS

LUST OF OTHER THINGS ARE THOSE DESIRES WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL.

IT’S THOSE DESIRES THAT SEEKS IT’S OWN SATISFACTIONS.

WHEN WE ALLOW OUR FLESH TO DOMINATE US, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO FEND OFF THE DEVIL, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD TO FIGHT HIM BACK.

THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE WORD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ROOT IN US, BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING ON THE SURFACE.

WE MUST LEARN HOW TO LIVE IN THE SPIRIT SO OUR HEARTS WILL BE PROTECTED BY GOD, AND OUR FLESH WON’T BECOME A DISTRACTION IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR FLESH TO ENSLAVE US TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.

WE KNOW WHAT’S IN THE WORLD .

1 John 2:15–16 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVIL WILL USE ANYTHING OR ANYONE TO TRY TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE THINGS OF GOD.