Luke 10:40-41 - But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;…" 
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• Covid 19 

What a distraction Covid 19 has caused in our world. What a distraction it has caused in the Lord's church. After the lockdown had been lifted many church's attendance have plummeted. People are distracted by Covid 19. Their focus isn't on the Lord it is on themselves.
 
Here is what Jesus says about your life: Matt.10:39 - "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
 
Don't be afraid of Covid 19 or anything else. If it kills you it actually has set you free from this body and allows you to have a glorified body. 

• The Devil's Old Friends 

Alcohol and drugs two of the devil's tools of distraction are still around and being used like never before. They have distracted all types of people for centuries.
 
Sometimes the love of money or sex two more of the devil's old tools have distracted people from doing their jobs or launching their careers.
 
There are all types of distractions that can come into a person's life. 

• Martha's Distraction 

In Martha's case, she was distracted by her preparations to serve the Lord a meal. She could not believe her sister, Mary, was in there sitting at the feet of Jesus, while she was doing all the work.
 
Mary was listening to Jesus and Martha was preparing the meal. Let me say it another way, Mary was focused on what Jesus was saying and Martha was focused on the fact that her sister was not helping her prepare the meal.
 
There it is friends the keyword: "FOCUS."
 
Mary was focused on what Jesus was teaching. Mary wasn't the least bit interested in eating, leastways not physical food. She was focused on what Jesus was saying. 

• Recognizing When One Is Distracted 

Here are two noticeable signs someone has lost their focus: 

1. Martha was focused on what someone else was not doing.
2. Martha was irritable because her focus was in the wrong place.

If you are working with or coaching someone and you notice these two signs (loss of focus & irritability) in them. You need to speak with them as Jesus did with Martha. He told her she was worried and bothered about too many things.
 
In other words, she was not focused on the right thing. You want to help that person focus on what is important and what they are doing to improve themselves.

• Helping One To Overcome Distractions 

Ask them some questions.

• What are you trying to accomplish today, next week, month, or year?
• How are you planning on accomplishing these goals?
• How successful is your plan right now?

 You want the person to focus on what he/she is doing not on what others are not doing.

Jesus gives Martha the solution to her problem when He tells her she needed to prioritize her life. Jesus says, "but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."(v.42)

Life is about PRIORITIES. If you don't prioritize you will only make your life harder.
 
Martha hadn't chosen the one necessary thing. She chose to be distracted about something that would not really be that beneficial to her. Her priorities were incorrect. 
 
As Steven Covey said, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
 
That is all we have to do to overcome distractions "Keep the main thing the main thing."

Think About This:

What chance can a man have to control his destiny when he can't control himself?

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

​Genesis 32:24-30 -Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until day-break. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.  Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, " I will not let you go unless you bless me."  So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."  He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, " I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." NASU 

• A Theophany Happened Here 

A theophany is the visible appearance of God to a human and that is exactly what we have here. We have God appearing as a man and wrestling with Jacob. God has to cover Himself in this way or His very appearance would result in whoever sees Him dying.
 
Exodus 33:20 - But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" 

• A Wrestling Match Happened Here 

I like how The Message has translated verse 28 - The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler; you've wrestled with God and you've come through." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
 
Jacob was the God-wrestler. We likewise need to be God-wrestlers. There is only one catch it is going to hurt. You don't wrestle with God without learning something of great importance and suffering comes along with this match.
 
What I have found and generally not immediately but sometimes weeks, months or years later while remembering this wrestling match with God you will be able to recall some very valuable life lessons. 

• A Blessing Will Be Coming 

One thing I noticed about Jacob was he had to endure some suffering before he received the blessing. God touched him and his hip was immediately dislocated. However, he didn't let go. He didn't quit. In fact, he states, "I will not let go unless you bless me."
 
It might surprise you how much pain you can endure before you receive a blessing. 

• What Was The Blessing 

What exactly was the blessing?
 
His name was changed from Jacob, which means supplanter, to Israel, which means he will rule as God. Jacob reaped what he sowed as his Uncle Laban will teach him all about taking what doesn't belong to you.
If you recall the story 20 years earlier Jacob had deceived his father, Isaac, and stole Esau's birthright. Esau said he was going to kill Jacob. So Jacob fled to his uncle Laban's house and had been there for 20 years.
 
He is now on his way back home and he is going to meet his brother Esau. The night before they meet God meets with Jacob and they have their famous all-night wrestling match.
 
The mistake he made 20 years ago is now just that in the past. He will have a fresh start with a new name, a new relationship with his brother, Esau and with his God. 

• What About You? 

Are you looking for a blessing from God?
 
Well, you might have to wrestle Him all-night long. Please remember this, Jacob endured the pain before he received the blessing.
 
Stay in there!
 
Don't Give Up!
 
Wait On The Blessing!
 
Always remember we are under construction and God isn't finished with us yet.
 
He has a blessing for you. All you have to do is be like Jacob and don't let go until God gives you the blessing.
 
Think About This:
 
God Still Speaks To Those Who Will Take Time To Listen.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word

​Numbers 11:23 - The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD'S arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."  NIV
 
Num. 11:23 - And the LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD'S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not."  NASB
 
Num. 11:23 - God answered Moses, "So, do you think I can't take care of you? You'll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not."  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.) 

• I Love This Question 

If I were in a located ministry now this would be a memory verse I would teach all the members to memorize. This would be right up there with "this to shall come to pass" and "Be still, and know that I am God."
 
"Is the LORD'S arm too short?" or in other words, "Is the Lord's power limited?"
 
God asks Moses this question after He says, He will give the Israelites meat to eat and Moses informs God in Num. 11:21-22 - "There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you promise them meat for a whole month! 22 Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?"  NLT
 
Moses has thought about his dilemma "no meat for the Israelites" and the Israelites are complaining to Moses about their situation. Moses is at the end of his rope when he asks God, "Why have you been so hard on me? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this?"
 
Then God informs Moses He will feed the people with meat and Moses tells God how big of a task this really is. I can see God looking at the Logos, the Holy Spirit and laughing.
 
Then I picture God saying to them, "He really doesn't know our power." 

• What Is Your Situation? 

The next time you are faced with a problem that seems so enormous I would like for you to remember the question the LORD asks Moses: "Is the LORD'S arm too short?" or in other words, "Is the LORD'S power limited?"
 
Do you believe in God or not? Is God's power unlimited? Is God still able to work miracles?
 
Well, then all we have to do is believe in God and His power and watch Him work. Sometimes He will use us, sometimes He will use others and sometimes He will accomplish the miracle all by Himself.
 
What difficult situation are you facing today?
 
Remember it is very important how you view the LORD because this represents your faith in Him. So let me ask you is God's arm too short?
 
Think About These:
 
We may not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.
 
God promises us a safe landing but not a calm voyage. 

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word