DISTRACTIONS
How Do You Avoid Them? You Can’t…
“The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
Hi Men:
I pray that even in your busyness this week, Jesus was directing your steps.
What I thought might be a fairly simple repair turned into most of the day. Digging, figuring out how to fix it, finding the right part, locating a plumbing supplier, and finally getting the water back on. So where was my margin? I’m sure many of you can relate.
Of course there are excellent books on creating margin and slowing down, including Kevin DeYoung’s Crazy Busy and John Mark Comer’s New York Times best seller, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Both make important points. But yesterday reminded me of something Winston Parker said at the Dallas conference:
“There’s books written on margin. I suggest that that’s an illusion, because… God doesn’t design life for us to live a balanced life. The reality is, it’s unbalanced.” [Note: You can listen to Winston’s talk on the Unbalanced Life]
James 4:13-15 was a great to reflect on:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Yesterday didn’t go according to my plan. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t go according to God’s. Romans 8:28…. right?
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
On Wednesday I had a delightful lunch with Rick Vetanovetz, one of the key elders at my church. Rick is one of those quietly remarkable guys who simply sees what needs to be done and does it. On various Saturdays he has organized what he calls RAP Sessions for the men of our church.
As Rick likes to explain, a RAP Session is not striking someone, a style of music, a criminal charge, or someone’s reputation. 😊 It is something much better: men gathering for fellowship, solid biblical teaching, lunch, and then breaking into smaller groups to discuss how we are actually going to apply what we have heard from God’s Word.
Rick is truly is a “doer of the Word, and not merely a hearer” (James 1:22). And perhaps what makes it even more meaningful is that he is incredibly humble and would probably prefer that I not give him any credit for it at all.
We visited for nearly two hours, and our server, Ruby, was terrific. After we paid the bill, I said, “Ruby, I have something for you if you’d like it.” I showed her a Million Dollar Gospel of John, shared a little of my testimony, and then pulled out Steps to Peace with God. I told her, “This is the Gospel that radically changed my life.”
Ruby seemed genuinely excited to receive everything I had — the Million Dollar Gospel of John, Steps to Peace with God, several million-dollar bills, and Are You a Good Person? Then I said, “We need to get a picture together,” and Ruby immediately started looking around and said, “Over there would be a great place.” She was truly excited…..
And hopefully if Rick can get a few dates rearranged, I’m hoping we’ll see him at Zion Boot Camp this year!
What a great afternoon….
Thank you Lord for everything the way it is “Right Now”
Dan
(Galatians 2:20)
TIME TO REGISTER
E2Vegas.org/Zion-Boot-Camp-2026
Men, God put His treasure in fragile jars of clay so no one mistakes the power for ours, the glory belongs to Him alone. We are weak vessels by design, so the world sees His power — not ours.
Earthen Vessels – Day 269 Blue Book
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
DALLAS LAYMAN’S CONFERENCE – Q&A SESSION
Dale Bradford – Jerry Bangert – Winston Parker – Jim Gustafson – Craig McAndrews
🔷 MEN — DON’T SKIP THIS Q&A 🔷
Some of the most practical and challenging material from the Dallas Layman’s Conference came during the final Q&A. Below are just a “few” highlights:
- Accountability: Winston Parker said you need two or three spiritually mature men whom you respect and trust. Men you can run important decisions by because they can see things in your life that you cannot see yourself. Jim Gustafson reinforced it: finding like-minded brothers you can truly trust is difficult, but developing those relationships is incredibly important.
- Slowing Down: Winston said we first have to “slow down on the inside” through daily fellowship with Jesus. Then we must determine what God has actually called us to do—and be willing to say no to good things. Ultimately, he brings our priorities back to people and the Word of God.
- A Wife’s Perspective on Submission: Jerry Bangert shared a remarkable list from his wife, Gail, describing what her husband did that made it easier for her to live under his biblical leadership—respect, conviction, emotional engagement, refusing to micromanage, and a genuine fear of God.
- Rewards in Heaven: The panel tackled an area many Christians are confused about: Is it wrong to be motivated by eternal reward? Their answer goes directly to what Scripture says about reward, self-interest, obedience, fear, love, and living now with eternity in view.
Men….. There is a lot packed into these 46 minutes. This isn’t theological trivia. It deals with how we make decisions, lead our families, order our lives, relate to other men, and prepare for eternity. This is the “Real Deal”
Grab your notebook and Listen To This. You’ll want to share this wisdom
WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING?
Spurgeon’s point is simple: the Holy Spirit turns our eyes to Jesus; Satan is always trying to turn our eyes somewhere else. Remember the quotes in Screwtape Letters?
For men, that “somewhere else” can be:
- Money and possessions for security
- Career and success for significance
- Power and control for confidence
- Sex and pleasure for satisfaction
- Family and relationships for identity
- Politics and government for hope
- Health, appearance and youth for worth
- Sports, hobbies and entertainment for escape
- Phones, social media and technology for constant distraction
- Even ministry, theology or religious activity for a sense of righteousness
- And perhaps most subtly of all — himself
Anything that becomes the source of our identity, security, satisfaction, or hope can become an idol.
MEN — WHERE HAVE YOUR EYES BEEN THIS WEEK?
RETRAIN VS. REWIRE
Dr. Lee Warren is a neurosurgeon who performed brain surgery in an Iraq War combat hospital under extraordinary conditions. In this powerful message, he explains why you don’t have to believe every thought you think, and how Scripture’s commands to renew your mind and take your thoughts captive line up with what we now know about the brain’s ability to change.
Men, this one is worth your time: what you repeatedly think about and practice is shaping you, whether you realize it or not.
Watch Dr Lee Warren (YouTube 36 Mins.)
