Social Media Desocializing

I recently have been trying to intentionally call more relatives and friends out of a personal conviction.  Interestingly enough, I read this article today and it sums up a lot of my feelings.  When you remove the ironic brown nosing of relatives for hopes of an inheritance setting to the article, the point is very sharp and clear.  Social media is eating away at our ability to be publicly social.  We can be overly interactive on sites like Facebook and Twitter but completely isolated, very alone, and lacking the ability to interact in social environments.  I don't believe (much to the opposition of my New Englander blood) that we were designed to be a society/world full of individuals/loners.  If we were, why did God create the family? Though the article is a little humorous in it's delivery, it's still worth thinking about the influence of the social networking screen in our lives.

Teen and Teacher Together: What to think?

I can't believe the article I just read this morning.  It has greatly disturbed me.  I saw very a similar thing happen in my own high school.  How are we going to think about these things?  How are we going to react?  I am not talking about "Christian activist" extremism but we have to have some kind of reaction, don't we?  In youth group, we've been talking about sowing works of the flesh and works of the Spirit.  What kind of fruit will this have in the lives of these two people?  I think the answer is already obvious...The man (who is 41) left his wife and children to move in with this 18 year old girl because they were "just following their hearts".  His family is not just broken but destroyed.  Yet, this mentality of letting your emotions and feelings drive your decisions is the culture we live in.  The idea is to tie your level of commitment to your feelings of love and you will find what it truly means to love.  In other words, when you feel love for someone else, forsake everything and everyone in the name of love because that will bring you true happiness.  This kind of thinking is so twisted from the truth.  Is this the kind of love Paul was talking about when he listed of the fruit of the Spirit?  What are your reactions?
Remember, we must guard the deposit of truth!

Facebook is Modern Worship

In our world of technology and advancements, social interaction is at the tip of our fingers.  With just the click of a button, we can have hundreds and thousands of friends and followers from all over the world.  50 years ago this kind of online socializing couldn't even be imagined.  Places like Facebook and Twitter have made the impossible, possible.

There's only one problem.  Online, we can "appear" to be whoever we want.  We can claim to have hundreds of friends who "like" us.  In reality, do they really even know us.  We choose just the right picture to make us look like just the right person.  We update everyone with pictures, statuses, and quotes as if we were a famous celebrity.  Our lives could be falling apart at home but online we are cool, calm, and collect.  We put an image out there of something we are not.

Paul found the Christians in Galatia in the same state.  They were trying to appear holy and righteous according to their good works.  He was disappointed because this was not the freedom they were called to.  This was not  the gospel he preached.  They were wasting their time trying to prove themselves to be something they could never be: perfect.

He exclaims to them again that the Christian life is all about loving, savoring, and worshiping Jesus.  He wants them to accept who they are and what Christ has done on their behalf regardless of their sinful nature.  In that, there is true freedom to do the things God truly desires (v. 14-15: love one another).

Today we are in the same predicament.  We are constantly trying to upgrade ourselves in order to make us appear better than we really are.  This attempt at showing off ourselves is idolatry at best.  We are worshiping ourselves.  It's like a rotting log in the woods.  On the topside, it can be very beautiful in a natural wilderness kind-of-way.  But, if you roll the log over, it is rotten, there are bugs and slime, and you may even find a predator you're not expecting.  Jesus Christ has the ability to make your weaknesses your greatest features but he bids you to come and die in order that you may find true life.  Only He can take the emptiness that is inside of you and make it good.  Only when you trust Him, can you truly reflect outwardly what is happening inwardly.

Is your life beautiful on the outside but empty inside?  Is your worship and love for Jesus only as true as your friends and status on Facebook?  Is your love for Christ only skin deep? This is not how it was meant to be.  Claim the freedom, life, and love He offers by trusting that only He can give you something worth more than Facebook, Twitter, your image, and even the world.

Read Your Bible, be made NEW by God

I just read the weekly blog digest from John Piper.  It addresses the issue of reading Scripture daily out of desire not obligation.  I hope you are as encouraged by it as I was/am!  It hits the issue I was trying to talk about this week.  Do not make something like reading your Bible a law to yourself.  Out of a love for God, enjoy the opportunity you have to read His Word!  It is in that state of love that the Holy Spirit will work and move to mold and shape you into the image of Jesus Christ.  Even when the reading seems dry and you feel like a desert, think of it as a spiritual investment!  Remember, the Word and Truth of God never comes back void.  Click HERE to read it.