Fatal Distractions

There is so much going on in the world around us that it is easy for us to become distracted from keeping our focus on Christ and spiritual things. And our vision slips away from us when we turn to glance at the things of the world.

If you have ever read the first of C. S. Lewis SCREWTAPE LETTERS, you will recall that it pictures an atheist man sitting in a library. He had never thought of God until now. Somehow, as he sat there reading and contemplating and reflecting, his thoughts begin to bend toward God. Satan who writes this little letter senses the warning lights flashing. After all, he has kept the man an atheist for 22 years already and he is not about to let him go now. How should he intervene? How should he derail the man's dangerous thoughts?

After careful consideration, Satan decides to distract the man from his thoughts. He whispers to him, "aren't you hungry? Don't you think you could sort it all out better after lunch? Satan encourages the man to go out into the street and look for a restaurant. Out in the street are many sounds that distract the man and the sense of God's presence is gone. The vision loses its power and the man muddles on in his atheistic mire.

The truth of this little story comes home to us, doesn't it? Every man has his weak points in the fortress of his nature and character and no man is more susceptible to the tricks of Satan than when he is at his weakest point. Scripture advises us; "Let him who thinks he stands beware, lest he fall." Satan knows our weakness infinitely better than we do. And it is through our weaknesses that he makes his assaults.

The Evil One distracts us from the path of righteousness; the narrow road leading to eternal life with our Father. It is fatal distractions. We get distracted by the lights and glimmer and attractions. We get twisted by the tedium and the day-to-day demands. We lose sight of the vision of Christ in our lives and risk losing our very souls which of course, is Satan's greatest desire.

But James tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee." Paul said, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme." Any place in our nature that is unguarded is a feasting ground for Satan and all who has turned their focus from Christ is unsafe.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit amen ministries: your soul's service station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

kitchen deep cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

Unlike robotaxi competitors, Tensor focuses on consumer-owned self-driving cars that adapt to highways and urban roads with full redundancy systems for safety.

Medicare scams cost $54 billion in 2024 as fraudsters target beneficiaries with fake calls demanding payments and personal information to steal benefits.

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Fatal Distractions

Spirituality