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Oct 30, 2016

Spending Time

Photo Credit Deb Blankenship

Most of us don't think of time as being limited. If we did, chances are it would be spent in a much different way. Think about it. Consider your week or your month or your year. Where are you spending your time? There are studies that provide insights into the average amount of time you spend sleeping, using an electronic device and even waiting. It's quite surprising to learn that Americans spend about 5 hours a day in leisure time, half of which is spent in front of the T.V. However, only 9% of Americans spend any time each day in religious or spiritual activities. 

What about you? Are you spending time being drawn into the daily drama of our culture or the peace and grace of Christ? Do you have time set aside for watching your favorite reality show but spend no time in a daily appointment with the Living God? If you find yourself being worried, anxious, stressed and overwhelmed with the world, consider altering your day and spending more time with Jesus. You will find the difference to be incredibly positive.

Jesus provided us an important example of the nature and risk of being distracted away from Him. We are blessed to have had this account shared with us by Luke.

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary,who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Oct 9, 2016

Hype


No matter the time or age, the enemy will try to distract from and hide the truth with hype. Hype is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, twisted words, deflections and spin to confuse. Hype is not new. It has been around since the Garden of Eden. That tricky serpent used hype to deceive Eve way back then. He knew just what to say and how to say it. The truth was twisted and so eloquently covered up and packaged into a lie that was believable. Just think about it. Eve was in the Garden of Eden with all its beauty and love but still the devil found a way to create a lie so believable he tricked even her.

Fast forward to the time of Jesus. The hype then was how Jesus, the very Son of God, would disrupt the status quo and harm the order of the world as the Jews knew it. The truth was right in front of them! God himself spoke to them and taught them and loved them but they did not see through the hype. You know the rest of the story.

Today, in the day and age of social media, the devil with his hype is having a field day. It is as though the serpent from the garden is right in front of the eyes of every human constantly. Still disguised, and with smoke and mirrors beyond measure, the enemy clouds the minds, hearts and souls of the people. 

Don't be fooled by hype and lies. Be thoughtful and still. Ask the Lord to give you eyes that see the truth and can help you to discern deception and made up spin so you will know the way to act in opposition of the enemy.


“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:27-28