Sometimes in our life we tend to be somewhat preoccupied with frivolous things that seem to captivate our time and our emotional well-being. We may be caught up reading a lot, watching our favorite TV program or working too much, or even being around our friends too often. Whatever you’re around, you begin to simulate their ways. That is why when couples get married, people say to them individually that they act like the other spouse. It doesn’t have to be a husband or wife, it could be a friend because of the cute way they do things. Maybe, possibly its going out ministering too much, or even your electronic devices. Its sad, but it’s not limited to just any ethnicity. Its is all people are just about. They are out there and the first thing you see is them on the phone. Getting off a bus, driving in a car, they have a phone in their hands. It’s not the latest news they are looking at. What were you doing before they came out with smart phones? Sometimes we get preoccupied with smart phones, with apps and such. How about talking to other people as a preoccupation? Spending more time trying to communicate with people and less time in your walk? A lot of things going on in our lives seem to grab our attention, and we’re so easily stimulated by visual stimulation. Those seconds turn into minutes, that turn into hours and you’re gone. Did you know that the time you spend doing nothing is not recoverable? Its lost; you can’t reclaim it.
The Lord is very concerned about how we spend our time. I’m here to tell you that we’re not here to witness 365 days of our lives. When the disciples went out they went out at a set time. Just as Ecclesiastes 3:1 says there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. S-O-N and S-U-N. How long ago did you say “Let me take a breath and take in what God has given me?” How many just sit there and stop and think about the fact that you are alive today? Or give Christ 5 solid minutes and say that our minds will only be filled with Him? Most Christians don’t do that, because were so caught up in what we can do next. You ever seen someone going on vacation? They are preoccupied with the preparations of the trip, frantically. We are so preoccupied with the things around us, and so many little things. Because we never take the time out just to enjoy what God gave us and let Him know that we appreciate it even though man is trying to destroy everything on the planet for their own benefit. God made all that. We don’t care how they got there, but guess what? They are there. Have you taken the time to enjoy it? Just take time; take 5 and just breath. When you see the awesomeness of God, just take time and breath. Why can’t we just take a deep breath and breath? Have we taken the time to say, Lord I’m not starving, Lord I’m doing very good? That is a statement. I’m not doing bad at all.
We need to watch what grabs our time and our emotions. People will try to steal your time and emotions away so you aren’t with Christ. Have you ever gone through the day and at the end of it wondered how you even got there? What captivated me that much that I couldn’t remember how I got there. Maybe you were angry and that blinded you to the present?
Matthew 12:34-35
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
So we allow people and situations and circumstances around us to dictate what will happen through out the day. If we are constantly thinking about evil, no good thing can come in or reside. People have a way of twerking your nerve, and you allow it. No one should be able to get to you and you allow it. Ever heard the term “get underneath my skin?” They would literally have to make an incision. What could be that incision? Anger, jealously? We can’t deal with it so we wrestle with it; we think about it. Someone gives you bad news, that your bank account is empty? How would you feel? Would you think about giving God praise? No! You’d wonder who did it? We don’t want to hear “give glory to God, someone needed that money more than you.”
Matthew 12:35-37
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Words are powerful. Every time Christ tires to give us a word or knowledge or understanding, something keeps us from hearing that word. Someone might email, text or call you. They know you don’t like so-and-so and they know so-and-so doesn’t like you. And they say, “You know what so-and-so said about you?” It’s amazing to me how people can just go through their whole life, have an understanding in their hands with their smart device and never try to find out about it. You can ask your phone about anything and it will tell you. Everyone in this world has no excuse who has a smart phone. If they don’t even have clothes on their back, they have a smart phone. Now I’m asking you. Is there any excuse for everyone to know who Jesus is? But we’re so preoccupied with what was the latest score on a sports game, or what is the latest this or that.
We never take 5 minutes to give God 5 minutes. Why? Because were so preoccupied with things that go on. But you say “I pray every night.” When you pray are you focused on Him or on just the words, saying them quickly so you can go to sleep? Have you really given Him the time He needs, having nothing else on your mind? We think that just reading the scriptures is enough. But you just read. Take the time to say that, Lord, I love You, Lord. Think about this. Take the next few minutes to stop thinking about things going on in your life when you leave here. The Bible says that tomorrow takes care of it self. Just clear everything from your mind…
Did you hear the noise when you tried to enter in? Did you enter in instantly? All of a sudden this happened, that happened, and things came into you mind. We don’t give Him the time that we need, because we’re trying our best to fight through all of the frivolous things within us just to talk to Him and say “Hey, thank You.” So when someone tells you that they took time with Jesus, did they really. We usually whine up telling Him what we want from Him instead of saying “Lord how are you doing today?” How many of you ever said it inside your heart without a word coming out of your heart? How are you today? Are you doing better? It serious; this is serious.
We tend not to stop and give Jesus a chance to be in our lives. We really don’t take much time for the Lord.
John 15:7 If you abide in me…if you spend time with Me. Not just any sort of time, not just praying. Praying is your requesting. If you would spend time with Me.. My wife and I are in the same room together. Are we really together? Am I spending time? What is spending time? How can I say I’m with someone? Because you communicate directly, and your spend that communication hearing and talking to one another. So if you take the time, a slot of your life, and time and give Jesus that so He can talk to you, then we build a relationship. A strong relationship. Because if you abide in Me…it didn’t say your cousin or friend, it said if you abide in Me, and My word abide in you…there is a define separation. If you have that communication with Me and love Me like you say you do, then My word will tell you were you are in Me. And when you find out where My word is in you, then you will know what to ask for and know what I desire of you, and it shall be done. Because I have a relationship with my wife, I practically know what she wants before she says it. Why? Because she is in my mind. I know what she doesn’t like. So when people say they have a relationship with Christ, you have to ask do you really? When is the last time you shut your mouth and let Him speak?
Philippians 4:7-8
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
What is this saying? Stop that junk taking in. It tells you exactly how to be in Him. It tells you exactly. Because if your conversation is jacked up…this is not a joke. Just, pure, lovely, good report; are you thinking on things that are just or unjust, pure or impure, lovely or jacked up, good report, or listing to someone giving you bad news about someone else? If there is any virtue…if there be any high moral standards…are we thinking on these things? What has become an idol to you and your house whether physically or naturally? What has become an idol? Your time, thought patterns, the little niches in your mind? Whatever a man thinks so is he. So if you’re constantly thinking about evil and vengeance, that is what you are.
Stop sometimes and give God 5 minutes of your time. Are you going to miss it? No. You’ll listen to someone telling junk for hours and you’re putting all that in spirit. Take some time to give God time.