HUGE REMINDER - The Social Dilemma

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Colossians 3:8-11 NKJV

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love that I can have instant communication with family and friends who live states and countries away and at a glance, be able to catch up on the latest news. (However, we cannot let that be our only method of maintaining relationships.) 

What I hate about social media is the tendency for it to be more divisive than inclusive, what with the spewing of hateful opinions, the hard line in the sand, the black and white of things, no love, no forgiveness, no mercy.  ...neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free...

I especially hate it when the "Christians" are doing the spewing. I put the word in quotation marks because as Christians, the Bible says we are new creations. We are to have put off the old man of hatred and separatism and are to have become one in Christ.

Here's what the Word says about all of that... Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Prayer:

Father,
          Please forgive us for leading the charge into the fray of self-serving opinions instead of into the sanctuary of Your salvation and peace. Help us to walk faithfully in Your love and mercy, in Your kindnesses and forgiveness. Help us to put on love and to let Your peace rule in our hearts and lives. Give us grateful hearts, O God, and Your strength to live holy before You and with one another. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Social Dilemma

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Colossians 3:8-11 NKJV

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love that I can have instant communication with family and friends who live states and countries away and at a glance, be able to catch up on the latest news. (However, we cannot let that be our only method of maintaining relationships.) What I hate about social media is the tendency for it to be more divisive than inclusive, what with the spewing of hateful opinions, the hard line in the sand, the black and white of things, no love, no forgiveness, no mercy... 

I especially hate it when the "Christians" are doing the spewing. I put the word in quotation marks because as Christians, the Bible says we are new creations. We have put off the old man of hatred and separatism and are to have become one in Christ. 

Here's what the Word says about all of that... Colossians 3:12-17, NKJV
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Prayer:

Father,

           Please forgive us for leading the charge into the fray of self-serving opinions instead of into the sanctuary of Your salvation and peace. Help us to walk faithfully in Your love and mercy, in Your kindnesses and forgiveness. Help us to put on love and to let Your peace rule in our hearts and lives. Give us grateful hearts, O God, and Your strength to live holy before You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What Others Think

Many people did believe in Him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
John 12:42-43 NLT

How often are we controlled by what others think or what we think they will think? Probably more often than we realize. Consider this. How about the post we don't put on social media because of what someone might think? Are we motivated by concern that it might offend that particular someone, so we don't do it, or is it about what a certain person might think of us, if we do? 

When you think about it, the whole social media venue is designed to get others' opinions. I'm not saying that's bad necessarily, but we DO need to think about our level of involvement - the value we put on it. We might want to check ourselves. How often do we look to see who liked, how many liked, or wonder why nobody liked  a post? 

I am not saying social media is evil. I'm thankful for it because it allows me interaction with family and dear friends across the nation and the world, occasionally in real-time. It lets me see (and share) the cutest pictures of the kids and grandkids. It allows me to share my walk with Christ with whoever will read it online and wherever they are in the world. Places I can only dream about. Social media may seem innoxious, probably even well-intentioned, but we cannot let it take the place of face-to-face relationships, nor should we place more value on human praise than the praise of God. 

We are here to change the world, not to be changed by what others think. What does God think? That's what we need to know.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the Holy Spirit that guides us into all Truth. Help us to evaluate ourselves and our actions by the standard of Your Word - adhering to Your values, seeking Your approval in all we attempt. We know You planned things for us to do and accomplish long before we drew our first breath. By Your Power and Your Grace, cause us to be world-changers. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Modern Day Faith

   For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

   For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

   Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator...

Romans 1:20-25b NIV

Recently, a friend sent me a funny picture quote he saw. It read, "In the future, I will tell my grandsons I am older than the Internet, and blow their minds forever." On that note of 'old school,' I'll just say I don't know anyone who likes to be told they're behind the times and/or out of touch with the real world. I thought I was doing well to be able to text and keep up with whatever the latest version of Microsoft Word throws my way. However, my 'tweener' granddaughter is still shocked that I didn't have a cell phone when I was her age.

I like technology because it allows me to stay in touch with family and friends who are hundreds and even thousands of miles away. These are people with whom I have interfaced on a personal level. We had 'face time' before it was an app. But now, I don't have to wait for a letter - I can get the updates quick, fast and in a hurry. However, what I've noticed (and may have said before) is that this social media has too quickly become the defining factor of modern day, so-called relationships. It certainly promotes an I-frenzy and has nothing to do with "Come, let US break bread together."

When speaking to someone who is or has been a real friend, I thoroughly detest hearing this reply, "Well, I posted it on Facebook. It's just easier that way." We post what we like, what and who we don't like, what we want, when we want it, and how we want it, and think that is cultivating relationships. There's no working through differences of any kind, no response required or the other extreme, a lot of vitriolic spewing. And as disconcerting as that is to me, what troubles me more is seeing this definition of so-called relationship translate into our walk with God. 

Pastor Alan Neel nailed it when he defined today's standard as "Modern Porn Faith" meaning we desire to have what God can give us - we want Him to please us, but we don't want to really know Him. We don't want to take the time to know Him for who He IS. There is no prayer closet. No one-on-one. No interfacing on a personal level. No on-our-face time. There is no relationship.

God the Father did not send Jesus Christ, His Son, to die a horrible death to pay for our sin to propagate religion. Christ's blood was shed as an atonement for our sin so that we could be restored into right relationship with God - to know Him in His fullness.

Prayer:

Father,
         You are the same, yesterday, today and forever. The same God who desires that we seek Your face. That we wait for You and obey Your voice. Forgive us, Father. Cleanse our hearts of worldly desires and renew a loyal spirit within us, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen