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. And
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. 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 RECEIVED
THIS MESSAGE FROM GOD THROUGH OUR GRANDDAUGHTER, TAMAIYA. 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 AND 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 WALKED 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
THAT WAS GIVEN TO US? WE HAD OUR LITTLE PERCIOUS ONE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NIGHT AND DAY, AND KEPT HER,
BECAUSE HER MOM WAS WORKING IN VIRGINIA AND NOT ABLE TO PICK HER UP IN THE
EVENINGS(OUR GRANDDAUGHTER IS NOW 15YERS OLD), 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 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 OTHER PASTOR’S TALKED ABOUT THAT ON SEVERAL SUNDAY’S AGO 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, GET 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 WAS
NOT ALWAYS ATTENTIVE, HOWEVER, HE WAS ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL. PASTOR MIKE AND I HAD EXPERIENCED
QUITE A BUSY SCHEDULE DURING THOSE WEEKS WITH THE BABY ALONG WITH EVERYTHING
ELSE WE HAVE HAD TO DO. WE HAD TO TAKE
HER TAKE HER TO THE DOCTOR’S SO, I GOT
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 MY
HUSBAND WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR PLAYING WITH THE BABY AND PERPARING TO LEAVE
OUR HOUSE. I SAID TO HIM AS GOD HAD SAID
TO ME, YOU CANNOT ALLOW TAMAIYA TO BE A DISTRACTION. I BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN LESSON JESUS WAS
TRYING TO TEACH PETER WHEN HE BID 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, 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 THAT GOD HAS FOR US. IT WILL TAKE SACRIFICE ON OUR PART, 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. 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 US FROM HEARING AND SERVING OUR SAVIOR. IF WE LOOK FOR AN
EXCUSE, WE WILL FIND ONE.
