Beware, Distractions Dressed As Legitimate

       The upheavals happening around the world, especially in our communities and societies, have gotten many distracted and even blinded many to the real issues plaguing these communities and societies. The governments of the day are bedevilled with corruption, such that the corruption happening in many societies is unbelievably unreal as it defies explanations. Policies and laws are churned out that defy logic, common sense or empathy for the downtrodden or foster growth. The essence of these upheavals at this time is to distract as many as the enemy can from the truth of God's Word. The ancient wicked dragon, the enemy of humanity's soul knows that his time is short, hence an uptick in evil and wickedness around the globe. 

         As sons of God, we are warned not to get distracted but to focus on the LORD Jesus Christ so as not to be deceived and swept away by the winds of false doctrines. As a foreshadowing of these times, the Bible tells us: "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38, NKJV). This invitation is ever more urgent in our time than ever before, especially with many drinking from sources other than the Main Source, Jesus Christ. 

         Understand this, for as many that desire to drink from the LORD Jesus, the enemy has prepared many 'legitimate distractions' for such, to take their focus away from Jesus Christ. For instance, welcoming the LORD Jesus Christ into your home (heart) is a start, but not enough. We must sit at His feet to learn of Him. If we don't, we will be pulled away by many distractions, meanwhile, He is in our home. The Bible tells us in Luke 10: 38-42, that Martha, one of three siblings, welcomed Jesus into their home. She promptly got busy to make Him comfortable in her home. The Bible tells us her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet listening to Him: "And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word" (Luke 10:39, NKJV). The underlined phrase tells us that Martha sat at the Lord's feet to learn, but stood up because of the many tasks she has to take care of. 

       There are so many tasks, legitimate and otherwise, designed to take us off our continual listening to the LORD. Remember, only by continual listening to Him can we know Him and walk in maturity, obedience, and understanding of Him. The enemy understands this, and he would do everything to draw us away from the seat. It is true you welcomed the LORD into your home, but are you still seated at His feet to learn of him, or you have become busy with activities and tasks that look legitimately right? And you know what, because you are distracted, you will be able to tell those who are not distracted like you, just as Martha did, by complaining about Mary to the LORD. 

         Do you know your service in the house of the LORD can be a distraction when done outside of Him? When it is time to learn God's Word or spend time with Him, you are busy doing something else, or you are out of the place, beloved, you are distracted! And once you are distracted, you have left your position in the Presence of God! The end goal of the enemy is, once you are distracted, you will not see him sneak up on you and all that concerns you: "And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease” (Nehemiah 4:11). 

         God gave Nehemiah and us the wisdom to counter the distraction: "Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built..." (Nehemiah 4:17-18a) We were reminded again in the New Testament to be dressed ready for battle daily because the days are evil by putting on the full armour of God: "Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:11, 13).

         Beloved, the days are evil and they will get worse as the Return of the LORD draws closer. These are not the days to be distracted by our tasks, wants and desires. These are the days we must sit at the Feet of the LORD to hear, learn what He is teaching us, and take instructions on how to live victoriously as the ages draw to a close! May the LORD help refine your heart and bring you back to His feet peradventure you had strayed away, in Jesus Christ name, Amen. God bless you.