DERAILED BY DISTRACTIONS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 (MSG) Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them—living and breathing God!
We hear so much today about DISTRACTIONS WHILE DRIVING.
I had a friend that was driving and smoking. He dropped his cigarette and was reaching to find it and wrecked. I had another friend was driving and looking for a certain CD, ran off the road and hit a mail box. For many years ALCOHOL –DRUGS was the #1 Killer in car accidents. Even eating while driving can distract our attention.
Today TEXTING while driving can become A DEADLY DISTRATCTION and we lose all focus of the road. I left the house the other morning to drive 150 miles to do a funeral. I drove a mile and a lady pulled out right in front of me and drove about 5 miles an hour for several miles. She was in the right lane, then the left lane, and back and forth. She ran the stop sign at a busy intersection. Wow, she was swerving all over the road. She finally got up to 10 mph. I started to call the police? The lane was open and I started to pass her. She ran me off the road. I laid heavy on the horn. When I was alongside of her and looked at her… SHE WAS TEXTING ON HER PHONE. Three times she almost hit me. She never realized how DANGEROUS her text was…
DISTRACTIONS & INTERRUPTIONS can really hinder good progress and impede safety. Thousands of accidents occur each year, and so many are unreported… it is estimated over a million injury accidents a year come from being distracted. The chances of a distracted drive are much greater for drivers under 25. While I desire to warn you about this, my heart is to focus on SPIRITUAL DISTRACTIONS THAT WE DERAIL OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES.
HOW EASY IS IT TO ALLOW INTERRUPTIONS TO BECOME DISTRACTIONS THAT LIMIT OUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION? THESE INTERRUPTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS HINDER THE GROWTH OF OUR FAITH THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD US FAR AWAY FROM THE GOD PLAN FOR OUR LIFE.
Do you ever start to read your Bible and the next thing you know we are so mentally distracted God’s work becomes a chore and there is little to no joy. The word becomes LOGOS… the written word instead of RHEMA the living personal word. If we are anemic in the word, our spiritual and personal life will be anemic. WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING?
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Galatians 5:7 (MSG) You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience?
DO YOU EVER COME TO THE POINT THAT IT SEEMS YOUR PRAYERS ARE HINDERED… DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE FOCUSING YOUR ATTTENTION TO PRAY?
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
HOW EASY IS IT TO DERAIL AND WEAKEN YOUR DAILY SPIRITUAL LIFE TO BECOME FRUSTRATED AND MORE FRUSTRATION SEEMS TO DOOM US?
Matthew 24:10 (MSG) And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other's throat, everyone hating each other. 11 "In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. 12 For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes. 13 "Staying with it—that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved.
DERAILED: to run or cause to run off the tracks, to bring to a sudden halt, weaken, block, frustrate, hamper, impede
TO CAUSE TO BE DEFLECTED FROM A PURPOSE OR DIRECTION, PERMANTENTLY OR TEMPORARILY, TO GO ASTRAY,
PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS WILL ALWAYS DERAIL SPIRITUAL PROGRESS… PRIDE WILL MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THE EARTH IS IRON, AND THE HEAVENS ARE BRASS.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Leviticus 26:19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
MATERIALISM… WILL DERAIL YOUR TRAIN.
Materialism is the world’s way of thinking that gives too much importance to material possessions rather than spiritual or intellectual things.
I deserve this now… Popeye’s friend, Wempy, I will gladly repay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
How many shoes are enough? Is success how many square feet in your house? What kind of car do you drive? How many toys do you have?
GET REAL MY FRIEND, WORRY, PANIC ATTACKS, ANIETY CAN DISRUPT THE SPIRIT OF GOD… WHILE YOU WORRY YOUR FAITH IS DISTRACTED AND YOUR MIND WILL BE DERAILED…
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
NOISE DISTRATIONS CAUSE US TO BE IN A DEEP BATTLE TO PAY ATTENTION.
Have you ever tried to read the Bible while watching TV? Have you ever tried to prayed… listening to other distractions and you cannot seem to pay full attention? To concentrate we need to focus our minds. Day after day we plan to pray more and the noise barrier hinders.
SIN, GREED AND LUST WILL SEPARATE YOU FROM THE LOVE OF GOD!
Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
MANY THINGS CAN DERAIN YOUR TRAIN, LOVE OF PLEASURES AND ENTERTAINMENT…
Can your cell phone, computer, games hinder your personal growth?
2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
UNFAITHFULNESS… WILL ALWAYS DERAIL GROWTH AND PROGRESS.
Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
CONCLUSION: ARE WE DERAILING OUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS BECAUSE WE FAIL TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND EVALUATION WHAT WE ARE DOING? Who or what things are we allowing to derail and our hinder spiritual health?
Luke 16:2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
