Well, it is that time of year again, when the nation has its eyes on sports. Actually, I don't think there is a time of the year when this is not the case, but more so during the fall and winter events and games, and new movies. Who do you think moved Monday Night football, to "Sunday Night." ?    It wasn't God!   Most churches are void of the "men in the Church," because their hearts have been captured by something other than Jesus.

Some Churches, will put up big screen TV's, and encourage their congregation to attend the 'big game,' while the pulpit will be moved aside, and Bibles left at home, and hymnals and song books tucked away. In the days leading up to the "Bowl Day," there will be many who will not come to prayer meetings, or bible studies, but they will rush home from work to eat, and relax around the TV, and catch their favorite game, while pews and the mourners benches, are empty in the meeting house of God.

They will cheer and shout, while watching their games, and have emotions run high with everything from anger, and disappointment, to elation, and joy, depending on how their 'chosen ones' are doing. Forgetting, that as Christians, ' we ' are called the elect, or chosen ones of Christ. Forgetting, that Jesus did not die for them to choose entertainment, (of any kind), over prayer and worship and praise. ( Colossians 4: 2 ), tells us: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

 There is no mention of being 'devoted' here to something that would 'draw you away' from your devotion to Christ.

The Apostle Paul made this clear as well, in ( II Corinthians 11: 1-4 ), I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

Yet when they do make it to a meeting, some will sit as quite as a church mouse, and never will you hear the shouts of praise, and adoration, over the greatness of Christ. Will they come in wearing the garments of praise, or will their hearts be dulled from all the intake of what the earth has to offer them? Many will never raise their hands and sing and weep, and shout glory to God, praise His Holy name, and give shouts of thanksgiving for who he is, and all he's done. The shouts of "Amen" will not be heard, until the closing of the service, for now they can rush out the doors, and into the restaurants, and then home to the games, home to the entertainment, where once again, what their heart really craves will cause them to bring a 'different shout.'

Once at work Monday, the conversations will turn to sports, the game, the coming games, the names and numbers, and all the figures of the players, and who is doing what, and where will they be headed next year. To all the latest movies, and Hollywood stars, and who's doing what with who.

The talk of the Word of God will rarely be mentioned, the discussion of His coming, will not be of great interest, the many names that describe Christ, such as Savior, Lord, Holy One, Great Physician, Lion of Judah, King of Kings, Faithful One, they will all be 'out ranked' by the common earthly names, of their sports hero's and movie stars. What God is doing in the earth, or in their Church, or in their lives, is not a topic of conversation, for those who have their minds on the flesh, and earthly matters, do not even know what God is up to any way, they have no idea. Will they mention where they will be headed next year, or the next spiritual season of their journey with the Lord Jesus? Will they wear the garments of praise through the week, or the garments that bear the names of their favorite hero's ? Will they mention the greatness of Heaven, and the blessed assurance of spending eternity with Jesus Christ there? Certainly not. All of these conversations about such things, are 'only found' upon the hearts and lips of those who truly belong to Christ Jesus, and enjoy being in his presence now, and long for his return.

The "Bewitching Jezebel spirit," is truly at work in the earth, to draw attention to her hypnotic ways, and mesmerize who she can, with the food and drink from her table, and take captive those who have never truly surrendered 'everything' to Jesus Christ. Yes the god of this world, we are told in scripture, has blinded the eyes of unbelievers, and the unbelievers that sit in the Church every week, and carry a Bible, and give their tithe, and do works for their Church, and yet 'do not truly Believe', and are not fully devoted to Jesus Christ. 

Paul said in ( II Corinthians 4:3-6 )..."And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, "made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge, of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

^{Let me ask you a question today dear one. Is your devotion to Christ alone, or is your devotion "Divided."?}