Enemies of God

     When we read through the Old Testament we come upon story after story about the enemies of God.  They have some pretty wild names and pronouncing them isn't for the weak of heart.  When a Hebrew scholar pronounces these names I am amazed and humbled at how over the years I have murdered pronouncing them.  The key to all of this is to understand who is and who is not an enemy of God not to understand how to pronounce their names.  Same goes for the historian who connects the events to people through lineage back to Adam and Eve.  I do better here but still get things out of order or mixed up from time to time.  Why?  Because I'm not a historian.  Both of these examples I've chosen to use exemplify the difference of focus for not only me but for you as well.  Have you ever been focused on telling someone about your recent discovery in the Bible only to be interrupted with a correction on a word or thought?  It's discombobulating and distressing that someone is so focused on autocorrect that they miss the point.  But, that's what happened in the garden.
     Satan was slithering along in the garden, came upon Eve minding her own business, and began to take her out of God's context and into his context.  The questioning and correcting of Satan caused Eve to take her eyes off God long enough to eat that piece of fruit that was forbidden.  Keep in mind that God had stocked that garden.  Don't you think he had all sorts of things for Adam and Eve to eat?  Yet, that was where the enemy went to deceive.  Surely you won't die...yet they did.  We've been dead ever since unless we are made alive by surrender to God through Jesus.  The purpose of mankind is to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind.  The purpose of Satan is to take all of that away in whatever way he can do so.  The purpose of God is to remain changeless for all of time.  The enemies of God are those who want to be god of their lives and have others be like them...sin and all.
     The penchant for division among people as well as being superior over others has morphed into a real challenge for those who take their Christianity seriously.  Paul stated he became all things to all people in order that some might be saved.  This, I'm sure, included presenting the Gospel in spite of all those who listened with closed hearts, souls, and minds.  Paul was not persuaded to go off on tangents with mindless distractions like how to pronounce Thessalonica.  Why?  Because his focus was on having others hear the Gospel.  This doesn't preclude us from teaching our children what's the correct way to pronounce a word or  know correct history.  If we spent as  much time sharing the Gospel instead of distracting others from this soul saving message, the Great Commission would be heard loud and clear.  Lives would be saved.  Souls would be reached and the majors, not the minors, would be the rule of the Christian heart.
     If Eve wouldn't have allowed the distraction our story would be drastically different.  The sin that devastated the world and still devastates the world wouldn't exist.  The love of God that was the rule of the day would be the rule of the day today.  Ask yourself today if your thoughts, words and actions are a distraction or a blessing to those perishing around you.  By the way, it's always your choice.