Archive for the ‘distractions’ Category

Distractions from the Word of God The Love of Money is the Route of all evil.

Posted: August 31, 2020 in atonement, Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, distractions, enticement, Money, Money Issue, Motivated, Uncategorized
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Distractions from the Word of God
The Love of Money is the Route of all evil.

When we have or get a lot of money, we think we do not need God or not has hungry for Him any longer and we tend to forget God. Nor is our hunger and thirst for his word is as important anymore. Be careful not to drift away. Satan will give unbelievers money to keep them right where they are at. He knows exactly how to keep people away from following Jesus, and money is a big distraction. If He cannot get you with addiction to Alcohol and drugs, money is the next best distraction to keep you from God. Riches lead to self-confidence and security, which cause a man to forget the LORD.
When the Lottery or Mega Million is ridiculously high, people run to those stores, some do not even have much money, but they will put this last on a chance in the Millions they are trying to win. Some people are so eager for money, that they broken off from following the Lord, and have turn to sinful acts to get rich. For believers, I am asking where is your trust? For the Bible says, For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. We need to be content in all situations. Sometimes it might be God, who knows your heart, and knows that if you ran into a lot of money, that will be the end of you.

People get into their heads that Rich people should have no problem getting into heaven, they show up to Church with their fine clothes and fancy cars. Some look at them as if they were really blessed by God, so know doubt they are going straight into Heaven. Remember, they can only enter Heaven if God lets them in, not their wealth. There is not going to be an offering plate at the Gates of Heaven. God already gave the offering for that one.
Faith in Christ, not in self or riches, is what counts. On what are you counting for salvation?

Matthew 19:23
Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you; it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pieced themselves with many griefs.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the LOVE of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,

Proverbs 30:07-09 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Having too much money can be dangerous, but so can having to little. Being poor can, in fact, be hazardous to spiritual as well as physical health. On the other hand, being rich is not the answer. Both rich and poor people can be preoccupied with money. As Jesus pointed out, rich people have trouble getting into God’s Kingdom.

Proverbs 17:16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it.

We see here a person who is trying to buy himself an education. This is really a good example of our society today. Many people cost their parents an awful lot of money trying to get them a degree from college.

These same people will not put out any effort to learn and have no business going to college. It is a waste of time and money because they have no desire to learn, only to get the degree. Even wealth cannot buy wisdom for those who do not love it.
Luke 12:15-21
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘ 20 “But God said to him,

‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Jesus says that in his kingdom the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, so we should be on guard against every kind of greed (the desire for what we do not have). Society usually says the exact opposite. Advertisers spend millions of dollars to entice us to think that if we buy more and more of their products, we will be happier, more fulfilled, or more comfortable.

How do you respond to the constant pressure to have more? Learn to tune out the constant enticement to have more and concentrate instead on the only way to lasting satisfaction discovering great abundance in a relationship with God, who supplies blessings and fulfillment beyond our wildest expectations.

The rich man in Jesus’ story died before he could enjoy what was stored in his big barns. Planning for retirement—preparing for life before death—is wise but neglecting life after death is disastrous. If you accumulate wealth only to enrich yourself, with no concern for helping others, you will enter eternity empty-handed.

Bible Study by
Rob Henry

Proverbs 23:27 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 23, 2015 in adulteresses, Battle Focus, distractions, immoral woman, prostitute, Proverbs 23, whore
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

The greatest threat to men, especially young men, is whores and adulteresses. An attractive, bold, and immoral woman is their most dangerous enemy. Solomon asked his son for his heart and his eyes, so he might warn him to avoid the fatal snare of these sexual destroyers (Pr 23:26). With the cold and calculating heart of a beast of prey, they use any means of enticement to capture and destroy noble men (Pr 5:6; 6:26; 23:28).

Hunters once trapped wild animals by covering pits with thin branches and grass; the animals would fall through the deceptive cover and be captured (I Chr 11:22). The hole or pit was deep to keep them from leaping out, and/or it was narrow to prohibit running or movement. The depth was too great to escape upward, and/or the width too narrow for moving or speed. They were designed to prevent escape. Capture or death was certain.

The metaphors are powerful! Sexual sins can destroy you. Escape from the temptation, the obsession, and her manipulation is rare. Once a man gives in to a woman, he is trapped by his lusts, her selfish demands, and/or the revenge of an angry father, husband, wife, populace, or magistrate (Pr 22:14; 5:20-23; 7:25-27). Men are seldom recovered.

A whore is a woman willing to have sex outside marriage, usually an unmarried woman who is promiscuous. A strange woman is any woman you have not married, especially a married woman willing to commit adultery against her husband. The great God of heaven, Who invented and designed sex, limited its pleasures to marriage (Heb 13:4).

Solomon had read about Joseph’s trouble with Potiphar’s wife and Samson’s ruin by Delilah, and he had clearly seen the great pain of his father for adultery with Bathsheba. Only Joseph survived, and he spent years in prison due to the revenge of his spurned seductress. Samson was finally ruined, and David suffered greatly for the rest of his life.

Young man, avoid company or communication with loose women. Reject their advances. They are liars. The very short pleasure they offer is nothing in comparison to the long suffering here and hereafter. They are a deep ditch and narrow pit. You should marry a woman that fears the Lord and enjoy her and children by her (Pr 5:15-19; I Cor 7:1-5).

God named a popular church the great whore and mother of harlots (Rev 17:1-6). The Roman Catholic Church is the mother, and Protestant churches are her daughters – born in the Reformation. If you join them, you will be trapped in a deep ditch and narrow pit. Find a faithful and loyal church of Jesus Christ that follows the simplicity of the gospel, and save yourself from spiritual adultery (II Cor 11:1-4; I Tim 4:1-6; Jas 4:4).

Spiritual Training (Messing with Believers is messing with God)

Posted: October 20, 2014 in After you get saved., Battle Focus, Beliefs, better than life, Bible Study, Disrespectful Children, distractions, Encourgement, evil men, Fear, Fear of rejection, fools, Human Suffering, Lord fighting for you, Personal Growth, Suffering, The Poor, valid criticism, Your calling, your gift, Zechariah
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Under Gods Command (Messing with Believers is messing with God)

Zechariah 2:08 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you-for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. 

Believers are precious to God (Psalm 116:15); they are his very own children (Psalm 103:13). Treating any believer unkindly is the same as treating God that way. As Jesus told his disciples, when we help others we are helping him; when we neglect or abuse them, we are neglecting or abusing him (Mathew 25:34-46).

Lets Bring it Home: Be careful, therefore, how you treat fellow believers-that is the way you are treating God.

Spiritual Training 14 August 2014

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, After you get saved., Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, clean break, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Fear of rejection, Fellowship, fools, laziness, Personal Growth, Sex
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

 Whatever happened to self-discipline? Many books and speakers guide wandering souls to self-fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and self-awareness. Not many tackle self-discipline. Self-discipline requires an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses, with emphasis on the latter. It means building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside you screams yes. For example, when you have self-discipline, you can

(1) say no to friends or situations that will lead you away from Christ

(2) say no to casual sex, saving intimacy for marriage, and

(3) say no to laziness in favor of “can do” and “will do.”

 Self-discipline is a long, steady course in learning attitudes that do not come naturally, and channeling natural appetites toward God’s purposes.

Lets Bring it Home: Where are your weak points? Pray with a friend for God’s help to redirect weakness into strength.

Proverbs 14:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: August 14, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Battle Focus, Battle of the Mind, Beliefs, distractions, Encourgement, Faith, Inspiration, laziness, Money, Money Issue, Motivated, Proverbs 14
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his ways.

Skepticism is a virtue. Caution is a sign of nobility. Demanding proof is wisdom. Only the foolish and stupid believe all they hear or read. A wise and successful man will examine things carefully, before he makes his decision. He understands the risks and rewards before he chooses a course of action. He does nothing by chance or mere hope.

The proverb is for safety and success. It is one of the best. Memorize it. It will save you often (Pr 22:3). You live in bad times. Men trust sound bites instead of sound reasoning. The information explosion bombards you with new data every day. Telemarketers, mail order catalogs, advertisements, infomercials, pop-up ads, and the Internet throw opinions, suggestions, and products at you. God inspired Solomon to save you by this pithy saying.

The simple are gullible. They are not bright. They do not have conviction or ability to question and criticize new information. If it sounds good, and something they want to be true, they believe it. If others are enthusiastic about it, they get excited. If it is in print, they believe it true. If a perceived authority says it, they trust it completely, even without evidence. If strangers say it worked for them, that is good enough evidence to buy it.

The prudent are wise. They have discretion. They are not gullible. They are skeptical of anything sounding too good, too easy, too neat. Too good to be true is their motto. They are not impressed by things in print, words by authority, or testimonials from strangers. They want evidence, and it must be valid. If the simple are excited, they conclude it must be wrong. The majority opinion, in this ignorant and perverse society, scares them away.

Learn to reject anything without proof, and learn the rudiments of evaluating proof. A testimonial is not proof of anything; a drawing of the evolution of the horse is fantasy. The public education system neglects logic and rhetoric: they want you gullible to trust their authorities, which are educators, the media, and entertainers. None of whom, in this Bible-rejecting day, have a clue about truth and error. See the comments on Pr 13:16.

Men are vulnerable to fraud in different areas. The old crave a cure for aging and disease, so they buy magazines filled with health speculations, fraudulent advertising, and testimonials of miracles. Young men want to look like Hercules, so they ingest gargantuan amounts of the latest weight-gain powder from the same store that granny visited! Of course, in twenty years they will try a new powder to take that weight off!

Some men fall for financial fraud, because they want to make millions, easily! Others obsess about conspiracies and avoid the electronic cashier at the grocery store, for fear of receiving the mark of the beast! Safety freaks stop flying, because their flight, out of 100,000 each day, might have a passenger with a shoe bomb! And doting mothers play subliminal ocean sounds to their sleeping children to help them learn to swim!

Many hold evolution to be science, though it violates key parts of the scientific method. Many buy lottery tickets thinking they have a chance because they saw a winner on television. Many worship Joel Osteen for his constant repetition they all can be grinning millionaires like him. Many cremate dead relatives because the funeral home said it is better than burial. Many are vegetarians because an emaciated guru said it leads to god.

How could the Tulip mania of Holland occur in 1637? Or the dot.com bubble of 1997-2000? How did America turn its opinion of sodomy upside down in one generation? Why blame banks for the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-2009, when they loaned the money? How could anyone buy a ticket for the Heaven Is for Real movie? How can network marketing still exist when 98% lose money buying overpriced stuff for the 2%?

Many Christians practice infant baptism, though not even hinted at in the Bible. Charismatics in many places claim to be apostles, though Paul was the last one. Seventh-Day Adventists’ claim to fame is their false prophecy of the Lord’s coming in 1844, yet they have millions of followers still. Catholics at Mass eat a wafer they claim is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ without any Bible or scientific evidence at all.

Parent, teach your children to be skeptics. It can be enjoyable. Show them the false advertisement you get about the free family cruise to Tahiti. Show them the fine print requiring you to get to Mexico City for departure and the contract to rent expensive condos on four continents over the next four years. Teach them to look for the fine print, and teach them to look around in a full circle, which is circumspection (Eph 5:15).

Teach your children one of life’s greatest lessons – there is no free lunch. Teach them another – no stranger loves them. The salesman and infomercial have one goal, to take their money from their pockets for themselves. Teach them the Bible is the only book to believe absolutely. Teach them that God is the only Being they can totally trust. Remind them that only God and the godly are truly looking out for them and their future success.

Watch the Evening News together, and point out the blather of the anchor, no matter who it is. Watch a Benny Hinn crusade. Tell them he has never healed anyone and screens every sick person several times before they ever reach the platform. Read The Emperor’s New Clothes to them, and explain how often they will need to say, “But the emperor doesn’t have any clothes on!” in this twisted world of peer-pressured perversity.

You live in the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1). Information is the rage. Schools and degrees, books and other media, multiply ridiculously. Men are gorged on information, but there is no truth! Paul warned, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim 3:7). And it will not get better, for he said, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II Tim 3:13).

Husband, protect your wife. Satan stole Eve’s mind in about ten seconds in Eden, and Paul warned religious creeps would seek to capture silly – weak and vulnerable – women (II Tim 3:6). Protect your weaker vessel (I Cor 14:34-35; I Pet 3:7). What is the cure? Confidence and knowledge in the Bible and a pastor that will preach mainly to you and provide encouragement and doctrine to lead your family (Ps 119:128; II Tim 3:14 – 4:4)!

Here is valuable wisdom. In life, there is truth and error. A wise man will prove all things, reject the error, and tightly hold the truth. Paul taught this rule when he wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess 5:21). The Bereans were noble for searching the Scriptures to prove even Paul (Acts 17:11). They were not simple. They did not believe impulsively; they proved him out. Believe not every spirit (I John 4:1-6)!

God is absolute truth, and His word is absolute truth (Deut 32:4; John 17:17). Satan is a liar and the father of lies; he has no truth in him (John 8:44). And all men follow one or the other. There is no neutral ground (Gal 1:8-9; Eph 2:1-3; I Tim 6:3-5). By your first birth, you love lies (John 8:45). But as the children of God, you can follow the truth, if you will prove it and pursue it (Jn 8:47; I Cor 2:15; Jude 1:3). Let God be true (Rom 3:4)!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). You can trust Him completely, for your future today and for eternity. 

Spiritual Training 29 July 2014

Posted: July 30, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Church staff receiving pay, distractions, Encourgement, Money and the Church, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
1 Corinthians 9;13-15 Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

As part of their pay, priests in the temple would receive a portion of the offerings as their food (see Numbers 18:8-24). These verses concerning Paul’s rights and the church’s responsibility have a two –part challenge for the church today.

First, the church must support its workers in a fair and equitable way. That is the church’s responsibility. It can research pay scales, examine the standard of living in its community, and do what is right and fair,

Second, Christian workers must not let their attitude about pay and benefits hinder the gospel. It is too easy for desire for more pay to enter into a person’s mind and distract from serving, Ministers need Paul’s attitude: a willingness not to demand their rights if to do so would hinder the gospel.