“If the enemy can distract you from your time alone with God, then he can isolate you from the help that comes from God alone.” (Quote from an Unknown Author)
God has blessed you to see another Saturday! Go ahead and thank Him! And after thanking Him, pray that He will help you wake up early tomorrow and head to the place where you will worship Him in spirit and in truth! Hopefully many of you will decided to attend in person, as opposed to attending service via a virtual church gathering. Let me share with you a virtual truth by means of a true story
A teenage boy is sent on an errand by His father. He has three strict instructions, “Go, get what you are supposed to get, and head directly back home.” The son is obedient to the first instruction. He went directly to the place where he was sent. He was obedient to the second instruction. He got what he was supposed to get. It was the third instruction where disobedience showed up. As he was coming back, he passed a school ground where a group of other boys were playing basketball. The rhythmic sound of the ball as it was dribbled up and down the court, caused the son to stop and look at a pick up game. He was ready to resume his journey, but before he could take three steps, he was distracted by some cheers uttered by boys on the sideline of the court, waiting their turn to play. One of their friends had just hit a long jump shot. Mind you this was before the three-point shot had been introduced, but the shot that evoked cheers came from what I would call the four-point area. The son loved basketball, so he went a little closer to the action. He went around the metal fence and stood with the other boys who were waiting for the next game. The clock is ticking, not a game clock, but the clock that one would reveal if the son headed directly back home. Tick tock…tick tock! He is asked to play in the next game. He sits what he went to pick up down, takes his shirt off, and plays not just one game, but two. When he finished playing, he put on his shirt that was saturated immediately by his sweaty body, and he 0bent over to pick up was he was sent to get by his father. Guess what? You are so right! It was gone. Someone had taken it. He goes home empty handed. His father is not pleased, not pleased at all, for what he was to pick up was to benefit the whole family. What was the virtual truth? The virtual truth is that distractions caused him to disappoint the father and deprive others of, let’s say, a blessing.
Let me get to the point for you to think about, an essential truth, or a virtual truth applicable for your life. If you choose to attend a virtual church service tomorrow, be aware that you will be surrounded by a plethora of distractions. The kitchen pantry will call out your name. The remote in your hand will suggest that you see what else is on. The comfort of your couch will entice you to get so comfortable that you fall asleep. All kinds of distractions will occur. Satan will be pleased because you will not get all that the Father wants you to get. In some cases, the distractions will allow the devil to steal your focus and you will be robbed, deprived of what you were to get that would indeed benefit others. I’m just sharing a virtual truth. Let me back it up. I recently looked at the “analytics” of our church’s virtual broadcast. Over 191 people visited our social media live site. But let me share with you something astonishing. The average view time was a little over five minutes. Our abbreviated service lasted from 9:50 a.m. until approximately 11:00 a.m. Why the low average view time? The answer to the question is that virtual distractions kept many from being obedient and obviously, without getting all the omniscient Father in Heaven had sent. Thus, they did not benefit completely from “attending” virtually, and consequently, without hearing the sent word, their chances of being a blessing in some specific way would be negatively impacted. I’m just telling you the virtual truth. But I was led to tell you this for a purpose. What is that purpose? Well, tomorrow, if you must attend virtually, in person being preferred because of the other benefits of worshipping with fellow saints, but if you must attend virtually, go directly to service on time, get what you are supposed to get, and come out of the service with what the father has specifically for you! Think about this virtual truth and be ready for service tomorrow. Have a great Saturday! Be blessed!
“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat on the floor, listening to Jesus as he talked. But Martha was the jittery type and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Sir, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her!” (Luke 10:38-42 The Living Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King