we are going to be able to teach our teens and preteens to stay focus then the church need to be the starting point.

I am looking for any and all distraction that can be eliminated so that the teaching of Christ will be center and forefront.

If the children cannot grow then they cannot develop.

How many of you tonight know what happens when you google a word or phrase and something else like an advertisement/ commercial attach itself to your search?

I just call it pop ups when I search for a word. Pop up commercials can be distractions but the persons who created the pop up what to sell you something you are not look for. Life is filled with pop ups. Pop ups will lead you to unhealthy sites.

When a young person is confused and they search for truth they often get pop ups in their life in life that lead them to unhealthy places.

Pop up for commercials can be distractions to what you really what to know?

Why Go to Church?

 

Has the church lost its Purpose?

 

What does the church exist to do in the World?

 

Is the church a social Club?

 

The New Testament church came together for 4 reasons

1. Fellowship
2. Communion 
3. Prayer
4. The teaching of the ways of God as taught by the Apostles

 

The church was together for they had a clear focus on their purpose for existing.

 

They went to the temple to seek God and in their homes for fellowship.

At their center was praising God…

 

Drama belongs at the theatre. Distractions belongs at the club. Worshipping God belongs at the church.

 

When we come to church we must lay aside those things that beset us from making worshipping God the Center focus.

 

 

• Church/Religion

 

 

 Church, or religion. Believe it or not, these can be HUGE interferences in our walk with God. Church does not do this intentionally, but we can easily let it hinder our relationship with God. Why? The main reason I see is that it can be so easy to pursue church, and beliefs about God, but forget to pursue God Himself. It is so easy to go to church to…well…go to church, when the real reason we should be going church is to refuel for our week by coming together with fellow believers to worship and meditate on God.

Also, somewhere along the way, at so many churches, people have gotten the idea that we need to pretend to be perfect at church. That if we show our weaknesses and struggles, we’ll become outcasts…and since so many people parade around in this stained glass masquerade, if one person does reveal their weaknesses, they’re so easily looked down upon. This is opposite of what church is supposed to be. Church is really the body of believers. We are supposed to help each other, hold each other accountable, pray for each other, and love one another!

To keep church from becoming a distraction from God, make sure you are pursuing God before pursuing “beliefs” about Him, or church/religion. We need to get past religion and into a relationship. It starts with you! Love your brothers and sisters, be open to people, and DO NOT CONDEMN others when they fail!!

 

 

• Relationships

 

 

 Relationships. I’m sure you knew this one would be here. Every kind of relationship falls into this category; friends, parents, siblings, spouses, girl/boy friends, children, co-workers, bosses, etc. We can allow any of these relationships to distract us from God. It is our relationships that are our connection with the world, and it is our human nature to have them, but when we allow any one of these relationships threaten to become more important to us than God…well, they become a distraction. Remember, God calls us to love one another (1 John 3:11), so when we do, it is an act of obedience to God. But don’t forget about God in the process. We need to make sure we are giving God ample time everyday.

I would have to say the relationship with the most danger of becoming a distraction from our walk with God would be that of a boy-friend, girl-friend, or spouse. These relationships in their nature, demand the most time, and that is why it is extremely important that they are centered around God. If they aren’t, you will see your walk with God spiraling downward. In a dating relationship, don’t compromise your morals.

In a nut shell, relationships are extremely important, but our relationship with God is of the utmost importance. Remember that!

 

Born in sin and wrapped in iniquity means I am wired wrong from birth. Sin is in my DNA. If that is true then the role of the church is to rewire the believers with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

We fail when we use behavior modification to develop children. What is needed is a complete change in mindset to succeed. It (success) begins with accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and understanding what that truly means.

 

Change in:

Thoughts

Words

Decisions

Actions

Habits

Character

Destiny

 

Stop trying to show children things they don’t have the capacity to see because of their perceptions of reality.

 

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.

They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. 

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.