How do you handle the many distractions of this world? What distractions are we talking about here? These are anything that prevents your relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Hopefully, this will be an eye opener to many and help get us all back on track, but most important to lead unbelievers to Christ! A study released by TechJury, reveals that there are approximately 273 million Americans with smart phone devices, where we all check our smart phones approximately 63 times or more per day and spend over 5 hours per day internet searching, checking email, texting, voice calling, mapping directions, etc. We all spend an average of 6 hours or more per day surfing the internet, whether on a PC and/or mobile device. A large percentage of Americans spend 2 to 4 hours per day on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). Another study released by Statista, shows that we spend nearly 4 hours per day watching TV – news, movies, shows, sports, shopping, streaming (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.). We spend close to 12 hours per day in front of a screen, whether TV, PC, tablets, and mobile devices. Americans spend only about 1 hour per day on average of family quality time in the home – by StudyFinds. This is very sad! What other distractions do we have each day? There may be another 30 minutes or more per day of distractions, like, working late, sporting events, social club meetings, leisure activities, hobbies, exercise, gaming, shopping, etc.
With only 24 hours in each day and at least 7 hours or more needed for ample sleep, subtracting the approximately 13.5 hours of daily distractions in our worldly and busy lives, leaves only a few hours each day for God! This statistic is very depressing to know and realize! Our almighty creator of everything, creator of the entire universe and world with every living thing in it only gets a little more than a few hours each day. Our God of unconditional love who sent His only Son Jesus to die for us all ONLY gets on average a few hours per day is incredibly sad. Some people may have more distractions each day than what is mentioned here, where God only gets an hour each day or worse, NONE. So how much time per day do you devote to God and His ministry? This is definitely a hard pill to swallow, since we are all guilty of the world’s distractions. There are many that believe in God but have so many distractions that leave no time for God each day. We need to break out of the daily routine to eliminate many of these distractions by putting God and His kingdom first. Jesus tells us in His word as we read in Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Are you working so hard at satisfying the world and yourselves that God goes unrecognized? Are these daily distractions becoming like idols in your lives to where God is very jealous as we read in one of His ten commandments in Exodus 20:3-5, “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” We need to put Him and His kingdom first by removing all these idols of distractions in our lives.
Our lives on earth are temporarily and we are within a twinkling of eye compared to eternity as we read in James 4:14, “…For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” We are instructed NOT to store up treasures on earth for these will wither away. We are called to store up treasures in heaven where they will NOT wither away and will last for eternity. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” As Christians, the bible tells us we are a new creation and should not focus on the things of this world as we read in Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Therefore, our hearts should be focused on God and Jesus always, throughout the entire day for our daily walk in the Holy Spirit. We have a choice everyday of whom we will serve, and we cannot serve two masters as it is written in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” We are also called to be doers of God’s word and not simply hearers of the word as Jesus instructs in Luke 6:46-49, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” Jesus also tells us there will be many that will be mistaken and will not enter the kingdom of heaven on that day of judgement due to NOT having a true relationship with Him as we read in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
We must choose every minute of the day as we are in front of a PC, mobile device, TV screen, at work, or driving in a car to devote our daily walk with God by praying, reading His word, listening to God inspired sermons, movies, shows, and music, witnessing to others about Jesus, letting our light shine before others, etc. Just as our physical bodies need food and nourishment, too our spirit needs devotion and growth from God through prayer and studying His word. God’s will for us in prayer is stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19, “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” We are also instructed that whatever we do, we need to do it all for the glory of God in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” If our daily walk with God through Jesus is lacking, then we are allowing the evil one an opportunity to devour us. The bible warns us in Ephesians 4:27,“…give no opportunity to the devil.” The devil seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us from our faithful walk with God. The bible commands us in 1 Peter 5:8,“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” We must continue in our faithful walk with God through Jesus, putting on the whole armor of God, and remember who our true enemy is as we read in Ephesians 6:11-18,“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places….Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
So lets take the pledge to live for God everyday through His Son Jesus since He saved us through His death and resurrection at Calvary!
Watch this inspiring music video by DeGarmo & Key – The Pledge!
See another inspiring music video by Jesus Culture – Happy Day!
See another inspiring music video by Michael W. Smith – Awesome God!
Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely scary place – Watch this Video!
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