Wenhai Pan - Fighting Distractions and Staying Alert

 Fighting Distractions and Living Alert for God

Introduction

• Defining the Problem:

  • The current generation is described as "distracted" due to an influx of entertainment and news through devices like phones and laptops.

  • These elements constantly vie for attention, pulling focus away from God.

  • Clarification: Entertainment and clean fun are acceptable for relaxation, but excessive engagement can turn them into distractions that dominate life.

• Why Distractions Matter:

  • Distractions hinder living a life of maximum effectiveness for God.

  • Analogy: A sports team aiming for a championship. Fans would be disappointed if players were distracted and didn’t practice or try hard. Similarly, God expects His children to be focused to fulfill His purpose.

  • Goal: To live a life of maximum effectiveness for the Lord by taking distractions seriously.

Point 1: Distractions Can Cause Us to Miss God’s Purpose

• Core Idea: Distractions can prevent individuals from fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives.

• Reference to Ian Robson’s Sermon:

  • Brother Ian Robson, an elder at CFC Bangalore, preached a sermon titled "Overcoming the Distraction Addiction."

  • Described distraction as an addiction, a powerful term typically associated with substances like alcohol or drugs.

  • Quote: “Distraction is worse than drugs, worse than alcohol, worse than pornography. And the Bible is literally full of incidents where God could not accomplish his purpose because his people or his servants allowed the devil to distract them.”

• Biblical Example: Amos 2:11-12:

  • Context: Amos pronounces judgment on various groups, including Israel.

  • Verses: “Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets and some of your young men to be Nazirites. Is this not so, O sons of Israel?” declares the Lord. “But you made the Nazirites drink wine, and you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’”

  • Explanation:

    • Nazirites: Individuals dedicated to God, meaning “separated.” They vowed not to drink wine, cut their hair, or touch deceased bodies (e.g., Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist).

    • God raised Nazirites to serve Him, but distractions (e.g., temptation to drink wine) led them to break their vows, diminishing their effectiveness.

  • Application:

    • In the New Testament, all believers are called to be “separated” for God, akin to Nazirites.

    • Concern: Distractions like mindless scrolling on phones or excessive entertainment could cause one to miss God’s plan.

    • Personal reflection: Fear of realizing in heaven that distractions prevented fulfilling God’s purpose.

• Challenge to Young People:

  • Directed at single individuals, college students, and teens.

  • God’s heart: To raise the next generation of believers as prophets and Nazirites.

  • Opportunity: Young people have more free time than ever, ideal for dedicating to God.

  • Encouragement: Study the Bible, get involved in church, and dedicate life to God while young to avoid future regrets.

  • Emphasis: While clean entertainment is fine, God should be the main focus.

Point 2: Distractions Can Cut Connection to God

• Core Idea: Distractions can disrupt one’s spiritual connection with God, pulling focus from prayer and devotion.

• Illustration: Vanity Fair from Pilgrim’s Progress:

  • Context: Pilgrim’s Progress is a book about a Christian’s journey to the Celestial City (heaven), facing challenges like Vanity Fair.

  • Description: Vanity Fair offers constant entertainment (juggling, games, plays, clowns), causing pilgrims to get stuck and never reach their destination.

  • Quote from John Bunyan: “At this fair, there is constant round-the-clock entertainment like juggling, cheats, games, plays, clowns, and every amusement of every kind.”

  • Connection to Jesus’ Temptation: The devil showed Jesus the glory of the world, akin to taking Him through every street of Vanity Fair. Jesus resisted and passed through.

• Biblical Example: 1 Kings 12:28-29:

  • Context: After King Solomon’s idolatry, Israel split into the Northern Kingdom (10 tribes) and Southern Kingdom (Judah, 2 tribes). Jeroboam, king of the Northern Kingdom, feared losing power if people went to Jerusalem to worship.

  • Verses: “So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, ‘It is too much for you to go to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you from the land of Egypt.’ He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.”

  • Explanation:

    • Jeroboam set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan to prevent people from traveling to Jerusalem for worship.

    • Bethel, 10 miles north of Jerusalem, acted as a “Vanity Fair” with idols, food, and music, distracting sincere believers from reaching Jerusalem.

  • Application:

    • Modern distractions (e.g., checking basketball highlights before praying) can similarly derail spiritual intentions.

    • Personal example: Intending to pray but getting distracted by highlights, leading to missed prayer time.

    • Quote by Frederick Faber: “The world that looks so dull all day glows bright on me at prayer and the plans that ask no thought but then wake me up and meet me there.”

    • Lesson: Distractions can interrupt prayer and connection with God, requiring vigilance.

Point 3: Choosing Profitable Activities Over Distractions

• Biblical Principle: 1 Corinthians 6:12:

  • Verse: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”

  • Living Bible Translation: “Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to.”

  • Explanation:

    • Three categories of activities:

      1. Unlawful: Sinful actions (e.g., stealing, cheating) that Christians should avoid.

      2. Lawful but Unprofitable: Activities like watching or playing basketball are permissible but become unprofitable if they consume excessive time and energy.

      3. Profitable: Activities that align with God’s purpose and don’t enslave.

    • Paul’s approach: Avoid lawful activities that could dominate life, advocating radical discipleship.

• Profitable Ways to Spend Time:

  • Traditional Spiritual Activities: Reading the Bible, praying, and church ministry are inherently profitable.

  • Family Investment (for Married People with Kids):

    • Spending Time with Children:

      • Biblical basis: The church’s purpose includes uniting parents and children (turning the hearts of fathers to children and vice versa).

      • Observation: Baptisms at the church show young people crediting parents’ influence, with one calling their dad their “best friend.”

      • Goal: Build strong relationships with children to guide them toward God.

    • Spending Time with Spouses:

      • Biblical basis: Husbands are to love wives as Christ loved the church, a unique closeness reserved for marriage.

      • Reminder: Prioritize the spouse relationship over children or church activities to maintain a strong marital bond.

      • Personal challenge: Ensure time is invested in the wife amidst other responsibilities.

Point 4: Staying Alert as the Opposite of Distraction

• Biblical Example: Mark 13:33-37:

  • Context: Jesus’ return is imminent, and believers must stay alert despite not understanding all world events (e.g., wars, news).

  • Verses: Parable of a man leaving his house, assigning tasks to slaves, and commanding the doorkeeper to stay alert, as the master’s return time is unknown.

  • Key Point: The doorkeeper is singled out for vigilance, emphasizing the need to stay alert.

• Application: The Doorkeeper of the Heart:

  • Analogy: Imagine being asked to guard a door and open it only for the master. This requires patience (not getting bored) and discernment (recognizing the master’s voice).

  • Spiritual Application:

    • Every believer is a doorkeeper of their heart, deciding what enters (e.g., good thoughts vs. bitterness, anger, unforgiveness).

    • Challenge: Staying diligent over time, as laxity can allow harmful influences in.

    • Jesus’ call: Be alert, guarding the heart to prepare for His return.

• Final Example: Nehemiah 6:3:

  • Context: Nehemiah is building Jerusalem’s wall, and enemies try to distract him by inviting him to talk.

  • Verse: “So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’”

  • Application:

    • Nehemiah’s focus: Refusing distractions to complete God’s work.

    • Personal “great works”:

      1. Keeping the heart pure and following God inwardly.

      2. Building a strong family to follow God.

      3. Contributing to the church’s growth and encouragement.

    • Resolution: “I cannot come down” from these priorities due to distractions.

Conclusion

• Personal Reflection:

  • The speaker acknowledges not having fully overcome distractions but feels God is revealing areas for growth.

  • Commitment: Trusting God for strength to overcome distractions and stay alert for His coming.

• Encouragement:

  • Shared as a challenge to the congregation to prioritize God over distractions.

  • Emphasis on living a focused, effective life for God’s purpose, especially for the next generation.