WHAT’S DISTRACTING YOU?
And he commanded the multitudes
to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and
looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the
disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they all ate, and were
filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve
baskets full. And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women
and children. And straightway he
constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the
other side, till he should send the multitudes away. nd after he had sent the
multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when even was
come, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea,
distressed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of
the night he came unto them, walking upon the sea. And when the disciples saw
him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost; and they cried
out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying Be of good cheer;
it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou,
bid me come unto the upon the waters. And he said, Come. And Peter went down
from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus. 0 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and
beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his
hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith,
wherefore didst thou doubt? And when
they were gone up into the boat, the wind ceased. And they that were in the boat worshipped
him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. (Matt 14:19-33-ASV)
Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if
it's really you, call me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come
ahead." Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But
when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve
and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!" (Matt.
14:28-30-MSG)
I SHARED WITH YOU ON LAST SUNDAY THAT GOD HAD GIVEN ME THIS MESSAGE
THROUGH TAMAYIA.( SHE IS OUR GRANDDAUGHTER), QUITE OFTEN, OUR LIVES AND I DO MEAN ALL OF US, CAN BE QUITE
CHALLENGING. WITH WORKING EVERYDAY, A
HOME TO KEEP, FAMILY MEMBERS, CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND THE LIST GOES ON. WE CAN, AND DO BECOME OVERWHELMED AND
DISTRACTED FROM TIME TO TIME. I WAS
WRITING THIS SERMON ON WEDNESDAY MORNING ABOUT 2:43AM; TAMAYIA HAD A DIFFICULT
TIME SLEEPING WHICH IS UNUSUAL AND BECAUSE SHE GOT BACK UP AND STAYED AWAKE FOR
A LEAST A HOUR FROM ABOUT MIDNIGHT TO ONE IN THE MORNING, BY THEN I WAS AWAKE,
AND DECIDED TO GO INTO THE OFFICE TO GET SOME THINGS DONE. I REREAD THE SCRIPTURE AND I THOUGHT ABOUT
PETER. IT SAID THAT PETER ASKED THE LORD
TO BID HIM TO COME, IN OTHER WORDS, HE GOT PERMISSION AND AFTER THAT HE CAME
ONTO THE WATER. IF PETER ASKED JESUS TO
ALLOW HIM TO WALK ON THE WATER, HIS SPIRIT ALREADY KNEW THAT HE COULD DO IT;
PETER WAS CAPABLE OF THE MIRACLE WITH THE HELP OF JESUS. HIS PROBLEM CAME WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE WAVES;
HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF OF GOD.
LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ASK THEM, WHAT IS DISTRACTING YOU? WHY DO WE ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING, HE GIVES IT
TO US, WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF HIM AND ARE DISTRACTED BY SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE
AND FAIL TO COMPLETE THE MISSION? WE HAVE HAD THE BABY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NIGHT
AND DAY, AND WE WILL HAVE HER BECAUSE HER MOM IS WORKING IN VIRGINIA AND NOT
ABLE TO PICK HER UP IN THE EVENINGS, SO I GOT THIS MESSAGE THROUGH HER BECAUSE I
WAS BECOMING DISTRACTED IN OUR HOME AND IN MY TIME WITH THE LORD. I WAS TOTALLY DISORGANIZED THE FIRST WEEK
THAT SHE CAME BACK, I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET UP AT THE SAME TIME EVERY MORNING
AS I DID WHEN SHE WAS NOT THERE AND TRYING TO DO MY DEVOTIONS AND PRAYING ONLY
TO FIND MYSELF WELL INTO THE DAY AND NOT FINISHED ANYTHING. LIKE PETER, I TOOK MY EYES OFF GOD, I BECAME
DISTRACTED AND GOD DEALT WITH ME ON THIS MATTER.
HE ASKED ME, WHAT’S DISTRACTING YOU? LIKE MANY OF US WOULD ANSWER, NOTHING I SAID. THE LORD TOLD ME, OH YES IT IS, YOU WERE
MEETING ME FAITHFULLY EVERY MORNING, READING AND PRAYING, DOING YOUR
CONFESSIONS, COOKING MEALS AND ALL OF
YOUR DAILY TASKS WHERE COMPLETED BUT NOW BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE
ASSIGNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT BELONGS TO ME YOU HAVE BECOME DISTRACTED. SO I ASKED, LORD WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO
DO?
THE FIRST THING HE SAID TO ME WAS PUT YOUR EYES BACK ON ME. STOP ALLOWING ANYTHING OR ANYBODY TO SO
EASILY DISTRACT YOU. YOU ARE TOO EASILY
DISTRACTED. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD GET UP
EARLIER IN THE MORNINGS, OR STAY UP LATER AT NIGHT TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE. OUR FLESH DOES NOT WANT TO DIE,
ONE OF OUR PASTOR'S TALKED ABOUT THAT ON LAST SUNDAY WHEN PASTOR MIKE PREACHED
ABOUT AWAKING WHAT IS IN OUR SPIRIT. AFTER BEING ADMONISHED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO
REORGANIZE OUR HOME, I GOT MYSELF TOGETHER, AND PUT MY EYES BACK ON JESUS SO THAT I COULD
FUNCTION WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED.
JESUS NEVER SAID THAT LIFE WOULD BE A BED OF ROSES. I CANNOT EVEN IMAGE THE DISTRACTIONS THAT
JESUS HAD. HE MINISTERED TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MEN, WOMEN
AND CHILDREN AND I AM SURE THAT ALL OF THEM WERE NOT ALWAYS ATTENTIVE, HOWEVER,
HE WAS ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL. PASTOR MIKE AND I HAVE HAD QUITE A BUSY SCHEDULE
THESE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH THE BABY AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE HAD TO
DO. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE HER TO THE
DOCTOR’S I HAD GOTTEN UP EARLY, FIXED BOTTLES, EXTRA CLOTHES FOR HER, GIVEN HER
A BATH AND BREAKFAST, PRECEDED TO GET MYSELF READY, AND WHEN I CAME BACK UPSTAIRS
INTO OUR BEDROOM HE WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR PLAYING WITH THE BABY. I FELT HE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARING TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. SO, I SAID TO HIM AS GOD HAD SAID TO ME, YOU
CANNOT ALLOW HER TO BE A DISTRACTION. I
BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN LESSON JESUS WAS TRYING TO TEACH PETER WHEN HE TOLD HIM
TO WALK ON THE WATER WAS; DON’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF ME, IT DOES NOT MATTER
HOW CONTRARY THE WINDS MIGHT BE, LOOK TO ME AND I WILL SAVE YOU, DELIVER YOU, AND, SET YOU FREE.
AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST LEARN TO WORK THROUGH AND AROUND OUR
DISTRACTIONS. IF WE ALLOW PEOPLE,
CIRCUMSTANCES, SITUATIONS, STORMS OF LIFE, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS TO DISTRACT
US, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE OUR PURPOSE. IT WILL TAKE SACRIFICE ON OUR PARTS, HOWEVER IT CAN BE DONE. LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ASK THEM WHAT IS
DISTRACTING YOU? NOW TELL THEM, WHATEVER
IT IS TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF IT AND PUT
YOUR EYES BACK ON JESUS. LET'S STOP USING YOUR DISTRACTIONS AS AN
EXCUSE NOT TO DO WHAT YOU KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE. GOD HAS GIVEN US TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN A DAY,
LEARN TO USE THEM WISELY. STOP ALLOWING
DISTRACTIONS TO KEEP YOU FROM HEARING AND SERVING CHRIST.
