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I have been on a bit of a break. I didn’t deactivate any of my social networks or turn off my phone. However, I’ve been spending less time on my social networks. I have realized that, sometimes you have to just step back from what you are doing and seek God. I tweet about God so much, but what does that matter if I spend no time with God? I don’t mean a prayer in the morning, night and before a meal. Nor do I mean reading a few psalms and moving along with my “busy” schedule. I mean quality time. Maybe I won’t do a 40 day fast, but am I willing to do whatever it takes to reach Christ? God has called his people to be holy, set apart. Every now and then we must separate ourselves from people and the things that we are entangled with. God cannot speak to us if we aren’t listening. He may speak, but we will never hear since our ears are occupied by so many other sources. God told Jeremiah, “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.” (Jeremiah 18:2). There we clearly see, that God won’t speak to us in our present state. We have to get up and separate ourselves from our environments so that we can hear the voice of God! After Jeremiah went there, God clearly spoke to him.
One thing I have found out is that the devil won’t always tempt you to sin. He knows many will say no to certain temptations, but if he cannot get us to sin, he will get us to be distracted. Many of us will literally text all day and not be bored, but the moment we try to read our bibles for 15 minutes, it feels like we have been torturing ourselves for 2 hours. Many of us will talk and gossip, or just listen to it, but can’t pray for 30 minutes. There’s a bible app on most of our phones, but do we open it? By the time you hit verse 3, BAM, a text comes in and your attention is immediately drawn away. Claiming to love Christ, but some of us pay more attention to boyfriends and girlfriends. Driving a nice car and wearing nice outfits, but living a filthy, sinful lifestyle. Judging? No. Showing you how we so easily get distracted? Yes. Can spend hours in malls and watch movies for hours, but we won’t go out and evangelize to the people in the mall. Paralyzed by fear of rejection. When it isn’t you, but Christ they refuse. The devil makes you feel as though your feelings are more important than God’s work.
You don’t have sex outside of marriage, you don’t steal, and you’re early to church. All of that is good, but that isn’t a free pass to Heaven. God didn’t call you to fulfill a “to-do list”. He called you into a relationship. So many overlook the Old Testament, but the entire bible shows the same, one God. God states that he is jealous (See Exodus 34:14). Jealous for your time, affection, and love. It’s not about giving God a Sunday and then the rest of the week you’re leaving him out. The church isn’t a place for a weekly pit stop, we are called to be the church. Going into a building doesn’t make you a Christian, because going into a garage doesn’t make you a car. God wants to dwell in you and have fellowship with you. We cannot get the impression that Jesus died on the cross just for us to read the bible once a year and attend church when we have time.
We claim we want more of God, but do we sacrifice what it takes to actually get it? When Jesus told his disciples to follow him, they let go of certain things and followed (See Mark 1:18). When Elisha first had an encounter with Elijah, he immediately wanted to let go of everything and follow him. Elisha was working and Elijah through the mantle upon him. Immediately, he said let him say goodbye to his parents and follow him (See 1 Kings 19:19-21). So many pray and ask God for a double portion or for His anointing, but who said you even qualify for it? If you don’t spend time with God, you’ll never have a connection with God. There are signs that follow believers, but one aspect of believing is to “adhere to”. If you’re not connected to the source, you’ll have no power! We can’t do anything outside of God (John 15:1-6). We claim we want to be able to lay hands on the sick and recover like the apostles, but do we spend the time in prayer like they did?
Jesus didn’t do all of those miracles on earth because He was God. Jesus walked on water, but Peter walked on the same water. Jesus raised the dead, and Elisha raised the dead. Jesus healed the sick, Peter and John healed the sick. Jesus didn’t do great things just because of His deity, but because of His relationship. He prayed for hours! While everyone was asleep or “busy”, He was up in the mountain praying. We pray for minutes and expect the same results. How do you expect to tear down Satan’s strongholds and you can’t even turn off your television? Why do you think you can become the next great apostle or become an anointed man/woman of God when you can’t go a day without a phone? You can’t love God more than anything, but you do things to please a boyfriend/girlfriend that you know are sinful. To be anointed, you must go through many test and trials, many of us complain before the test begins. God is not going to give you something you can’t handle, and He will not put the mantle in dirty hands. Think about it.
The closer you are too God, is the further you are away from sin. So do you really want to be closer to God? Because those secret things that you are trying to hide, they need to be laid aside (See Hebrews 12:1-3). God will not draw near to you, unless you are drawing near to Him. God cannot speak to you if you are spending hours on these social networks. Spending hours on Instagram, looking at lustful pictures, when God said flee fornication and youthful lusts (See 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 2 Timothy 2:22).
It is so easy to get carried away. We can spend hours preaching to others and still go to Hell. Did you know that was possible? Paul said he has to keep his body under subjection, because he doesn’t want to preach people into Heaven and he still goes to Hell (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Many church goers will go to Hell, because they didn’t take the relationship outside of church. They taught holiness, but didn’t practice it. Loved God on Sunday, but decided to never get to know Him during the week.
Stop and think. When you woke up today, what was the first thing you did? Reach for the phone or lift your hands and tell God thanks for another day? Things as little as that will show us what we value most. We can tell our values by where we spend our time, talent, and treasures. Today you should make the conscious effort to put God back on the top of your agendas, and keep Him there! Don’t let the things of this world distract you. Don’t get consumed trying to gain these worldly possessions and you lose your soul in the process. Evaluate your life today, and cut off everything that hinders you from God.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30) – The bible clearly tells us, it’s better to go to Heaven without some things, than to go to Hell with “everything”. – It is time to cut off certain things and relationships, because they distract us from God. – Would you prefer going to Heaven without a phone, than going to Hell because of your iPhone? – Would you rather go to Heaven because of your sexual purity, or would you prefer going to Hell because you wanted to please your flesh or your boyfriend/girlfriend? – Would you rather seek God and make it into Heaven, than seeking popularity on social networks and burning in Hell?
Nothing in this life is worth jeopardizing your relationship with Christ. I rather be an outcast for Christ, than being casted out into Hell.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (Philippians 3:7)
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)
God bless, Tovares Grey
