Satan's Weapons of Mass 

DISTRACTION!

I recently heard that, when we take our eyes off the road for just 5 seconds while driving, it's the equivalent of driving the length of a football field WITH OUR EYES CLOSED! No wonder so many are reminding us to stop texting when we drive.

We must NOT allow ourselves to become distracted! As I was watching the news this morning, I started thinking about how many stories are being beaten like a dead horse, every day, over and over. Recently, it's been Big Bird and the attack on our consulate in Libya. There's the meningitis outbreak, California fuel costs and Sandusky's life sentencing. Folks, there are some REALLY critical things taking place right now in your world and these stories are NOT them. Certainly, E.T. and EXTRA are NOT going to cover these critical things either. In my opinion, we are being told ONLY what the powers-that-be feel we the people REALLY need to know and nothing more. 

So, we persist in allowing ourselves to ingest this drug of distraction, and tend to know more about The Voice, The View and X-Factor than we do anything that REALLY has an impact on our lives. I'm not talking about issues such as crime, poverty, wars and the economy. Yes, these are important, but in an effort to maintain our Kingdom focus, shouldn't we be a bit more discerning about life's distractions when they present themselves? 

Here are a few distractions to consider...

1. Pleasure: All flesh seeks after its own comfort. As long as we travel this journey wrapped in our earth suits, we are at a grave disadvantage. Pleasures? I'm not talking about vacations and dining out, though anything in excess isn't good. In every case, it's our lust for pleasure - the appeasement of our carnal nature - that is tearing families apart and crushing The Church as we lose focus on that which matters. Galatians 5:16 says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

2.  Pride: Not only are we inclined to try and keep up with the Joneses, but we get mighty puffed-up once we surpass them and gleefully proclaim, “Look what I have done!” I can think of two leaders in Scripture who had similar thoughts (see Daniel 4:28-33 and Acts 12:19-23). "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall," (Proverbs 16:18). 

3.  Procrastination: Too often, we put things off when the time to act is upon us. For example, I KNEW I needed a new filter for our ice-maker, but I dragged my feet. When the ice-maker recently stopped working, it cost nearly $200 for a repairman to tell me it was the filter and sell me a new one. DUH! It's called the Book of ACTS, not REACTS or MIGHT ACT SOMEDAY. Just do it!

4. People: Not everyone is going to like you all the time. WARNING: Do NOT embrace a Man-Pleasing Spirit. Galatians 1:10 reads: "...do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." Acts 5:29 declares: "We must obey God rather than men."

5: Performance: One of the greatest problems with success is we often begin to believe our own press, as if we are the ones responsible for that success (EX: Obama's killing of Osama). We can be so focused on HOW we're doing, we can forget for WHOM we are doing it and WHY, hopefully, all for the glory of God! (1 Cor. 10:31)

6: Problems: A problem should not be seen as God’s punishment. God is more concerned with our character than our comfort and will use "all things" to His glory. Start seeing things as David did, not seeing the lion and the bear as a problem, but as his preparation for fighting a Goliath one day. Problems are actually part of our training, too. (I Samuel 17:33-37). Personally, I see "Problems" as Satan's ministry to The Church.

7: Power: Power can be a distraction when we use it to run over people rather than lead them! Meekness has been defined as "power under control." "God did NOT give us the Spirit of timidity…but of power, LOVE and self discipline," (II Timothy 1:7). Power without love always leads to legalism and domination. God gives no man the right to dominate any other man. Jesus has given us power and authority, not for domination but to advance His Kingdom.

If it's worldly and takes your mind off that which is of God, resist it and it will flee! May the grace of God aid you in resisting those distractions presented before you. You were born for such a time as this. It's so like the devil to do everything he can to obscure your Kingdom vision!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work