Distracted

Goodmorning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

For many years Andrew and I have gone to different homes to pick up junk and scrap items, but many times when we arrive at their residence, the owner isn’t home. Instead we are met by a ferocious looking animal, barking and growling loudly at our vehicle. A dog can be very protective of their owners things, so I always try to keep something in the truck that will quickly satisfy their interest. I will roll down my window, and throw some food on the ground for them. The desire that they had to do us harm, has now been refocused on their desire to eat, taking their attention off of us, so we can load up our pickup truck.

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

We live in a world where people’s hearts can be distracted quite easily, and their attention can be captured by things that can hurt them in the long run. To obtain eternal life, our love must be completely focused on God, so that we can serve Him out of a pure heart, and dedicate our lives to perfect submission to His will.

1 John 2. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

I’ve always said that love is a very strong emotion, and you have to be very careful what you place it on. It can be like a strong magnet, and when it gets into close proximity to the thing that it wants the most, it can draw the item right in. This is great if it draws you nigh to God, but many people love the world instead. The first commandment is to love God, and if God is not first and the foremost love in your life, you can and will be led astray.

Mark 12 ²⁹ And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Genuine love for God will cause you to repent and do His will from the heart, but many things can come in the way of faithful obedience.  Some examples are given in the parable of the sower.

Mark 4 ¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,  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.

When you choke something, you deprive it of life giving oxygen. Holy scriptures are referred to as the Word of life, and are something that we need to submit to, and abide in, if we want to gain eternal life. But when you love the world more than God, His Holy Word becomes of no effect in your life, and the thorns of this world will begin to surround you and snuff out the seed that was planted into your heart. The things of this world become greater than obedience to the things of God, and in that single act, the heart becomes defiled. There is nothing in this world nor any thing you could possibly love, that could ever give you what God can provide. Eternal life and immortality. We must love God’s Word with a passion, not allowing our hearts to become distracted by all the things of this world that will eventually fade away. Perfect obedience to God is the proof that we truly love Him from our hearts, and therein lies conversion, redemption, and salvation.

John 14. ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Many times as we walk through this world, it’s like driving down a back road that is in desperate need of repair. There are potholes everywhere that you look, and you must cautiously navigate through them. This world is filled with temptations around every corner, but when they arise, our hearts must completely be focused on God. We must love Him so much that nothing can bend our hearts from service to His will. Our obedient love will be rewarded with salvation.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”   — James 1:12

The commandments of God are contained throughout the teachings of the New Testament. They were given to us by the original Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, and handed down to us through their Epistles. Our hearts are perfected in love for God, when we obey the teachings of His Word.

1 John 2 ³ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  ⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  ⁶ He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Many are going to seek to enter into heaven, but few are going to make it. This is because they never loved God in their hearts enough to repent of their sins, and bend their knee to His will. Because they refused to love God, God will send them strong delusion. They will actually believe that they will be in heaven, while the truth is they will be damned. After all, if they won’t love the truth, then their punishment is perfectly just. 

2 Thessalonians 2. ¹⁰ And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  ¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  ¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

You can never be free from your sins, when you believe a lie instead. You can never be free from your sins, when you willfully reject the truth. You will never be free from sins, unless you repent and become obedient to the will of God. 

John 8. ³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

This is a dark world filled with many potholes and temptations, each of which are trying to divert your love and your attention from serving God. Beloved brethren, be not deceived by the world and the things that you see, and never allow your hearts to ever become…..

….. Distracted

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc  where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

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