Are you focused on Christ crucified?

Nothing can separate us from God's love.

 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 38, 39

 But what about separating God from our love? Maybe that is a little strong but we do get distracted by many things that take away  our focus on Him and what is actually important.

Many things can take our focus on a daily basis. Some examples are work, worry, relationships, health, TV, Football, shopping, and children. This list could go on and on.  As Christians hopefully we have learned or are learning how to balance these and to keep our focus on Christ crucified for our sins so that we can spend eternity with Him.


However, there are other, even more distracting things that mask themselves as religious in nature and may seem that they are helping us to focus on God when they are really not.

Last week I was in a retail store and saw several nicely dressed young men throughout the store approaching people and starting up conversations.  One of these men approached my husband and asked if he knew about God the Mother?  Whaaaat?  He proceeded to quote scriptures out of context to support this belief.  To shorten this story, my husband tried unsuccessfully to point out that these types of "discussions" only serve to take our focus off of Christ crucified for our sins.

O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 1 Timothy 6:20

When I was in college, many of us were what were called at that time, Jesus freaks.  We were so excited about everything and began studying and discussing issues like the Illuminati, casting out demons, the rapture, and the antichrist among others that I can't remember now.  Finally one night when my mind was spinning because of some of these discussions, it dawned on me (God hit me over the head) that I needed to be focused on Christ crucified for my sins.

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.Titus 3:9
    
Over the years when I have been drawn into various religious discussions, I remember what God told me and I go back to that basic truth.
 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 1 Timothy 4:7

I'm not saying that it is wrong to study or be aware of some of these other things.  They are interesting and we might need to know about them in order to live in today's world.  We must be careful, however, to have a firm foundation in Christ and to know where our focus should be.

Don't get lost in vain discussions.  Don't get caught up in worldly views of Christianity.  Stay focused on Christ - who was sent by God to die for our sins and rose again so that we could have eternal life with Him.

 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
 This is what is important!!!!








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