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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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Distractions... Highway
deaths were up in 2005 for the first time in 19 years.
One reason for that, according to a study by the
government's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, is probably no surprise: distracted
drivers. Distractions have always been an
issue, but the new technologies that have burst on the
scene have multiplied the problem. "Drivers
talk on their cell phones, check their e-mail, or send
text messages. They get directions from their GPS
system, pop a CD into their stereo, change stations on
satellite radio, or help their kids with the backseat
DVD player." The
study – which tracked hundreds of drivers in the
Washington, D.C., area for over a year, and used
sensor monitors to gather video and data about their
behavior in the vehicles – “found that 8 of 10
collisions or near-crashes involved a lack of
attention from drivers" just before impact. The
study found that "a driver's reaching for a
moving object increased the risk" of a wreck nine
times. Dialing a cellphone increased the risk of a
wreck almost 3 times. Drowsy driving increased the
likelihood of a wreck or near-wreck 4 to 6
times. Distractions also
cause an even GREATER destruction…
Jesus
taught with many parables, one of which was the
Parable of the Sower (see Mark 4:1-9).
In the parable, He described how a farmer sowed
seed (representing the Word of God) and it came in
contact with four different types of soils
(representing the hearts of people). Observe
Jesus’ explanation of the “thorny soil” (heart): "Now
these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the
ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other
things entering in choke the word, and it becomes
unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19). What
causes the Word of God to become unfruitful in this
type of heart? In
a word, distractions
! The
result: DESTRUCTION
! See
John 15:1-8. However,
Jesus taught that the heart – the good soil – that receives the Word of God with faith and
obedience becomes fruitful
unto ETERNAL
LIFE! A
“good heart” ACCEPTS the Good
News (the Gospel) that Jesus died on the cross for our
sins so that we might have eternal life. DON’T
be distracted...
Focus on the Word of God through your trusting
obedience. Won’t
YOU? David
A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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