FAITH CAPSULE: Faith-failure result is rooted in distraction. 

Matthew 16

Distraction can deny or derail anyone from arrival at the center of divine assignment. 
In your life journey, are you entertaining any agent of distraction consciously or unconsciously?
The failure of the Israelites to follow the command of God was faith-failure. 
In challenging times, the Israelites confessed negatives, not having faith in God. 
God responded to the faith failure of the Israelites through Moses: “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.” (Numbers 14:28-30)   
Failure to serve God with the whole heart is evidence of not following Him fully. 
As a result of not following God fully, every Israelite that left Egypt above the age of twenty failed to complete their journey to the Promised Land. Are you serving God fully to avoid failure, not to arrive at the promise of God? Many are committed believers as the prayer intercessors, choir leaders, ushers, Sunday school teachers, deacons, and elders do not follower Christ fully. 
Jesus responded to uncommitted believers: “Then Jesus said to His disciples, if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24) 
Are you a committed believer, following Jesus fully with no deception to manipulate others? 
Is there any way to hear better, to understand and know that in serving Him, one must follow Him fully? 
Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me: and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, My Father will honor.” (John 12:26) 
Give your ear to hear the word of God.
A believer with distraction shall become impossible to follow God fully.
Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, followed Jesus but was distracted in her following Jesus. 
The Bible records the issue of the distraction of Martha: Luke 10:39-40 records, “And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord do you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” 
The case of Martha is evidence of serving God with distraction and not following God fully.

Prayer for today: Ask God to enable you against any agent of distraction.