💭 Here are definitions of the following words in the passage of my online tract:
📗SURFEITING, ppr. Oppressing the system by excessive eating and drinking; cloying; loading or filling to disgust. A headache (as a seizure of pain) from drunkenness, an intoxicant.
1828 N.W Dictionary
📗DRUNKENNESS, n. 1. Intoxication; inebriation; a state in which a person is overwhelmed or overpowered with spirituous liquors, so that his reason is disordered, and he reels or staggers in walking. Drunkenness renders some persons stupid, others gay, others sullen, others furious. 2. Habitually ebriety or intoxication. 3. Disorder of the faculties resembling intoxication by liquors; inflammation; frenzy; rage.
💭 What about the ‘cares of this life’❓
📜Matthew 13:22 (KJB) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
📜Luke 8:14 (KJB) And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
📜Mark 4:18 (KJB) And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
📜1 Timothy 6:6 (KJB) But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
💭Good afternoon Christian friend. I hope and pray all is well with you. I’m not sure about you, but it sure does seems to me that Jesus Christ warned His disciples long ago (which certainly would apply to our lives today) that He did not want them getting distracting with the affairs of this life, since they would hinder them from fulfilling His will for their lives. What might some of those hinderances be? Read what Jesus said in Luke 17:
📜Luke 17:26 (KJB) And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
💭The people of Noah’s and Lot’s day become too busy and distracted with their earthly affairs, such as eating food, drinking (partying and consuming fermented beverages, alcohol or wine), marrying; buying and selling, planting at home, upgrading their home or properties or physical assets, perhaps for their personal business. What’s the warning from Christ to His disciples, “TAKE HEED”, that their hearts (and ours) don’t become distracted, overwhelmed, consumed, with fulfilling the desires of the flesh & mind (Eph 2:3), fulfilling those lusts (1 John 2:15-16), that would blind them from serving Him; only to be found of Him faithless at His return for them. Let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with eating, getting married, buying a house (or renting), planting…; BUT, when we prioritize those things before or ahead of our obligations to our service to God, that’s when those things will become hinderances, distractions, stumbling blocks, for the ‘cares of this world’ will choke the effect of the word of God from producing fruit within our lives. So, how could we prevent this from happening in our own lives? By placing our will, for His will to be first in order. We should revolve our time around the things He desires for us to be occupied with while we’re still on this earth (Luke 19); like going to church regularly (consistently and faithfully), serving others at church, getting discipled or discipling others at church, giving of our finances to support our local church, evangelizing the lost with our church, praying; reading our bible, studying our bible; then afterwards balance our time for work, with our family (if married, with wife and children), hobbies, etc. These are just my suggestions of course. I too have lost track at times in my life from putting God first before these other things in life, that cost me time at church and service, that could’ve helped me grow closer in my walk with God and in the knowledge of His word a lot sooner. I encourage you to pray to God and ask Him to give you wisdom on how to manage your time in this life, since any sacrifice done for His will, will be rewarded us at the judgement seat of Christ, as He promised (Matt 6:20; 1 Corinthians 3).
In love, Brother Carlos.😊🙏
