On Spiritual (ESPN) Distractions

Yesterday, Ashley and I went to Indianapolis for a doctor’s visit and to attend the Glory to Glory Conference at Cathedral of Praise COGIC. We were not sure if we would go due to the weather forecast – there was a flood warning in Bloomington and thunderstorms were expected throughout the area. We talked about it, prayed, and decided to go in faith that God would watch over our trip.

What we experienced was a reminder of the significance of focusing on the spirit. At the conference, the preacher spoke about many things, but what resonated was his celebration of the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) as an essential part of victorious living. Christians have been given the Holy Ghost, promised through Jesus Christ (John 16:7, below), to empower their witness and allow them to live in love. Last night was a powerful experience of God’s desire for all believers, a life of fruitfulness through His Spirit.

Personally, this reached me because lately there has been one thing that has tried to distract me from focusing on things of the spirit. That is sports. Wow, I said it… My name is Jeremy and I am addicted to sports. I watch ESPN at least once daily and monitor my fantasy baseball team during work hours, during home hours, and other hours in between. Recently, I have begun to pull back from this hobby because I noticed it was consuming too much of my time and thoughts. (I should say that there is nothing wrong with having a hobby – in fact, we NEED hobbies, they give us balance, perspective, and variety in life – but when a hobby makes demands that limit your spirituality, it has become a distraction.) Last night, the preacher articulated why I need to control things that threaten to steal my effectiveness as God’s child. He said “de-emphasize the flesh, and you maximize the spirit”.

That is the thought that I carry with me today and moving forward. My flesh, or human nature, focuses on being entertained, my spirit should focus on being like God. Simply put, if I am seeking to be more like the heavenly Father, I have to make the spirit of God a priority in my life. As we arrived home after our trip, I realized that in the 9 hours we were gone yesterday, it only rained for 5 minutes. Indeed, God held back the flood and storms (our own Red Sea experience - Exodus 14:21-22, below)! He must have been seeing if we were going to travel in faith or be distracted by doubt. I’m glad we trusted the spirit…




Lord, thank You for last night. Thank You for the Holy Ghost. Thank You for obedience. Please let us hear Your voice and live in the Spirit daily. Give us the strength and wisdom to remove distractions. We have to seek His leading, be open to His instruction, and utilize the gifts he’s given us for Your glory. It is an awesome task to be used as Your child. Let us remember this when we are tempted to become distracted, even by innocent activities. I love You and thank You for all things.





Grateful for the blog-iversary,
j.a.g.








John 16:7 (NASB)
"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”


Exodus 14:20-21 (NASB)
21...and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

On The Shack

Recently, a good friend (our coming child’s Godmother) told me about a book she read, The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young. She said the book was a must read. She was so convincing in her description of it, that I ordered it and read it myself. The book was priced at $11.24 through Amazon.com, but what I have gained is invaluable.

As I opened the book and traveled the story, I was enraptured. The journey was so amazing, so powerful, so unbelievable, that there were parts of the book where I had to literally stop and reflect on the goodness of God (and at times change what I thought about God, confirming Isaiah 55:8, below). Since completing it, the messages have been seared into my conscience.

This month, I only want to recommend you go and get this book. Again, GET THIS BOOK. It will change the way you live your life, the way you value others, the way you deal with pain, the way you see religion, and display to you a God you never knew. Read it, internalize it, and share this freedom with others.

On the back of many books are quotes that others write to share a little about the book and encourage you to purchase it. Reading this, I came up with my own that I thought may be helpful. God bless you on this journey.

“It felt like I was introduced to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all over again for the first time.”

“It has changed how I view…everything.”

“A transformative text for anyone who has lost someone, questioned God, or felt oddly out of place in the current nature of religion.”

“Outside of the Bible, no other book has introduced me more to the character of God.”

“A must read.”

Lord, please open our eyes and hearts to see beyond what we see. Thank You for keeping prophets in the earth to share their revelations of You. Give us the imagination and innocence of children, to view the world as You do. Free us from the chains of rituals, religions, and rigidity. Give us an appreciation of Your love and forgiveness. I love You and thank You for being so good to each of us.



Speechless,

j.a.g.




Isaiah 55:8 - "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.