A Cure For Distraction

by George | Mar 22, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter

A Cure For Distraction

“Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:25‬ ‭

When my kids were young,   they liked to play video games on the TV in the living room. Things are not always quiet in the living room, especially with 4 kids and a dog. 

When the one playing the game got to a crucial moment, invariably someone would say something or make a noise. “Uhhhh! You made me lose!” They had become… distracted.

God had given instructions to the children of Israel as they were going into the promised land.

“It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6:5‬ ‭

They were also commanded to not to take the”accursed things.”

“And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6:18‬ ‭

The children of Israel did well going into Jericho. They obeyed. God gave them the victory.

Then came Ai. Small city. 

Piece of cake, right?

Nope. They were defeated. Why? A Man named Achan got distracted. Lots were cast and they figured out it was him. He confessed:

“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭

Instead of looking straight ahead, keeping his eyes on the goal, he looked down, or to the side, and saw “a beautiful Babylonian garment.” It may have been shinier and nicer than anything he had. Then he saw gold!

The wheels were turning in his mind. “No one will ever know!” So, he takes the items and hides them.

I won’t go into details here, but it doesn’t end well for him.

So, how do we keep from getting distracted? Solomon gives advice:

“Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:25‬ 

Also, Jesus showed us how to keep focused and not be distracted.

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭

Let’s try to be like Jesus!

Stay focused on the goal!

More Than Enough

by George | Mar 11, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter

More Than Enough

Last time we were together, we talked about the freewill offerings the Israelites brought to be used in the construction of the Tabernacle. 

In this chapter, we find out that the need was met, and then some! They actually brought too much!

Can you imagine this happening at your church? The deacons or ushers count the offering and bring a joyous report to the pastor. “The offering plates are overflowing!!!” 

While that is possible, it doesn’t happen all  that often.

In today’s reading, the Israelites brought more than enough for the construction of the Tabernacle. The report was brought to Moses, and the people were told not to bring anything else for the work.

God had enabled the Israelites to give an abundance of materials.

God gives us an abundance of love, mercy and grace.  

Here’s just  a few examples of the “abundance” of God. 

“And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34:6‬ ‭

“You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭65:11‬ ‭

“They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭36:8‬ ‭

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:17‬ 

“But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:4-7‬ ‭

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭

Father,

You are truly more than enough! Thank You for showering us with an abundance of love, mercy, and grace. Thanks for giving us abundant life and answering our prayers exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. In Jesus Name amen.