By Brad Harrub
Twenty years ago I would not have ever considered writing about social media—as it did not exist. Today it impacts almost everyone under the age of fifty. Even many people in their 60s and 70s are jumping on social media to keep up with their grandchildren. Facebook has 1.86 billion monthly active users. In the first quarter of this year Twitter averaged 328 million monthly active users. This is a massive influence in our culture—and yet, the church has been slow to respond to it.
How is it impacting your children or grandchildren? A study in March 2017 revealed that frequent use of multiple social media platforms caused feelings of social isolation. Think about that for a moment. We are the most connected generation of all time—yet we are more isolated that ever before. Many young people have lots of “Virtual” friends, but few real friends. Research published December 10, 2016 showed that using social media is associated with depression and anxiety. Add to this that suicide in young people is up 13% since 2010. Most scholars point to social media as the causative factor for this dramatic increase.
Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about social media.
Your mom and dad grew up in a simpler time. We weren’t bombarded with dings and vibrations from a phone alerting us of every new Instagram or Facebook post. We had friends-real friends, who we rode bikes with-friends who were not constantly putting only their very best highlight reels out there for everyone to see. Social media is amazing in that you can instantly be connected to hundreds or thousands of people. You have information at the tips of your fingers. However, these conveniences can be intensely distracting and can get in the way of our duty to glorify God. Allow me to share several lessons I hope you will learn regarding social media.
- Lesson One: Be careful—social media is addicting.
Make no doubt about it, social media has been engineered to be as habit forming as crack cocaine. If you are going to use it then you need to have discipline and war against spending endless hours surfing your friends posts. “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
- Lesson Two: Constantly ask yourself: Is this the best use of my time?
You have responsibilities. As a servant for Christ you have additional responsibilities. Set limits and have some time you turn it completely off. James wrote “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).
- Lesson Three: Walk in the Spirit not the flesh!
Be careful as social media feeds the flesh. It enlivens your emotions and carnal nature. It is easy to step into social media and get swept away by the flesh. Paul warned, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:16-17).
- Lesson Four: Do not miss out on the joy of face-to-face contact.
As humans, we read body language. It tells us a great deal about the tone and feelings behind a particular conversation. You can’t get that with social media. “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face-to-face, that our joy may be full” (2 John 1:12).
I hope these first four of sixteen lessons (more next week) will come in handy as you navigate the waters of social media, and I pray you will use it in such a way that it strengthens your relationship with Him.
Love,
Dad
The story is told that Satan once held a conference with his demons. He announced his concern about the number becoming Christians and asked if any had a suggestion on how they might slow the trend.
On demon said, “We could tell people there is no heaven, so there is no need for them to become Christians.” “No, that won’t work,” said Satan. “All who believe in God know there is something beyond this life-an existence with God Himself.”
Another demon spoke up: “We could tell people there is no hell, so they have nothing to worry about if they don’t become Christians.” Satan sighed. “That won’t work either. Anyone who looks at the injustice in the world knows that there has to be a time when everything is made right.”
Finally, one demon suggested, “We could tell people that should become Christians, that there is a heaven and a hell – but that there is no hurry.” Satan laughed and said, “Perfect! That will cause more to be lost than any other message we could preach!”
The story is fiction, but the message is not: The idea that “there is no hurry” has sent millions to face God unprepared.
He was going to be all that a mortal should be-tomorrow.
No one would be kinder or braver than he -tomorrow.
But the fact is he died and faded from view,
And all that he left when his living was through
Was a bundle of things he intended to do -tomorrow.
By Jon Mitchell
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
Believe it or not, this passage comforts me greatly. Here we have Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God himself, being tempted by Satan! And he overcame those temptations! He did not give in and sin! Man, I can’t tell you how much that encourages me!
Why? Because I now know that Jesus understands what I am going through. The Bible says:
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery…Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:14-15, 17-18).
And again, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15-16) Jesus was tempted just like you and me. He knows how it feels. He understands the struggle. He’s been there and done that. He overcame those temptations by knowing and obeying God’s Word (Matt. 4:1-11), and so can we. Not only that, but when we fail and penitently cry out to God for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10; Acts 8:22), Jesus – our High Priest, our Mediator – is at the right hand of the throne of God saying, “Father, I know what Jon is going through. I’ve been there. I was tempted in the same way. He is pleading for mercy and is trying to do better. Be merciful. Be gracious.”
What comfort! What love! What hope this gives us in the struggle we face!
By Neal Pollard
It’s no news flash to observe that our culture seems hopelessly divided along political lines. That seems to impact race, gender, and other lines, too. The most tragic consequence of this is that it has not left the church unaffected. Social media is often a barometer for how emotional and passionate brethren on both sides of this divide can become when discussing some specific aspect of this. We cannot hope that social media will provide the answer. Who your friends are and what their leanings are on political issues influence what shows up on your homepage as they share politically or socially charged blogs, videos, and the like. Pundits have, for a few years, theorized and analyzed the reality of a “political social media bubble.” Barton Swaim, in an August 1 article on The Weekly Standard online, said, “more than any other social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter are avenues for the kind of acrimony that has embittered our politics and poisoned reasonable dialog
”(https://www.weeklystandard.com/barton-swaim/a-political-social-media-bubble). It’s not just conservative publications making that observation. Google the term “political social media bubble” and conservative, moderate, and liberal outlets can at least agree about its existence (a trip to The Guardian, New York Times, National Review, et al finds plenty of material if written from different points of view drawing different conclusions).
Too often, God’s people get drawn into this hurtful, messy arena and turn on each other like gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. The God of heaven must certainly weep.
This weekend, I visited the Lord’s church in Chesapeake, Virginia, a state that is often a political cauldron boiling hotter than many other places.
I’m not sure how many congregations were represented, but we had to have had close to half white and half black people attending (with various Asian and Hispanic visitors there, too). Politics were mentioned a few times, but only in the sense that they have too often become a stumbling block and distraction in the Lord’s church and that they cannot solve our nation’s problems.
But I was beholding the answer without it having to be pointed out. Those in attendance had a thirst for a “thus saith the Lord.” People of different colors lovingly, naturally worshipped, fellowshipped, visited, laughed with, and enjoyed each other throughout the weekend. It was genuine. It was deep. It was powerful. And it was neither contrived nor manipulated. Its glue and bond was the blood and body of God’s Son. Christ is the great uniter. As we unite on His terms and His way, we destroy barriers. That’s by design.
What Paul says to Jew and Gentile in Ephesians 2:14-18 can have application between black and white, Republican and Democrat, rich and poor, male and female, or however our country wants to erect barriers. Christ is our peace and can break down the barrier of any dividing wall. He helps us view each other as “fellow citizens” and “family” (2:19) who are “together” (2:21,22). When we get ahold of that, nothing can keep us apart!
by Gene Taylor
Glorify means “to ascribe glory to; adore. To elevate in honor: reflect glory upon.” The purpose of all created beings, especially those who are His children, is to glorify God because He is worthy of all glory, honor and power (Rev. 4:11).
Ephesians 3:21 says that the church, in all generations, should glorify Him. The obvious question to ask is, “How?” “How can the church glorify God?” This article will attempt to suggest some ways in which the church can bring glory to God.
Since the church is people, the body of the saved (Acts 2:47), it is those people who must bring glory to God. So, in reality, the church can only glorify God by those individuals who comprise it. In what ways, then, can we as individuals who are members of the church glorify God?
By Our Purity Of Life
Christians are admonished to be pure in order to glorify God. “Flee sexual immorality … or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:18-20). To remain pure, Christians are commanded to think on pure things (Phil. 4:8); not share in the sins of others (1 Tim. 5:22); be examples in purity (1 Tim. 4:12); cleanse their hands and purify their hearts (Jas. 4:8); and keep unspotted from the world (Jas. 1:27). Such purity is necessary in order to be with Christ (1 John 3:3), see God (Matt. 5:8), and glorify God (1 Cor. 6:20).
With Our Possessions
Those who comprised the church in Macedonia were prompted to glorify God because of the liberality of the Christians in the city of Corinth (2 Cor. 9:13). When one uses the resources he possesses to further the cause of Christ, God is glorified. Matthew 5:16 states, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The Scriptures plainly teach what the Christian’s attitude toward material possessions should be. He is to seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:19-33). He must realize that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Those who are rich are to be neither haughty nor trust in riches but should rather be rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share (1 Tim. 6:17-19).
Wealth used in God’s service is wealth correctly used. One is to give as he is prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2), purposefully, neither grudgingly nor of necessity, but cheerfully, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6-7).
By Our Perseverance
To persevere is to persist in any purpose or enterprise; to continue striving in spite of discouragements. As Peter wrote his first epistle, he knew its recipients would have to endure future trials and suffering. He was writing to them to encourage them to persevere in spite of the great adversity that was about to come upon them. In 1 Peter 4:16 he wrote, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”
Christians glorify God in the church by persevering in: Unity. The unity heaven desires is based on the word of God (1 Cor. 1:10). To preserve unity among brethren requires “diligence” (Eph. 4:3) because one must know the word of God and make continued application of it in all circumstances. But such effort is worthwhile because unity glorifies God (Rom. 15:6).
Worship. The purpose of worship is to glorify God. Acceptable worship is done in spirit and truth (John 4:24) thus honoring God with the proper attitudes of reverence for Him and respect for His word.
Teaching His word. One who is taught God’s word learns of God, His might and majesty, and how He is to be honored (2 Tim. 4:1-5). His word reveals His power and tells how He is honored by obedience to His will in all things.
The work of the Lord. Doing the good works that God would have His children to do honors Him (Matt. 5:13-16). Therefore, Christians ought to always be “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58) so that God is always being honored by their lives. Such causes others to glorify Him too (1 Pet. 2:12).
Conclusion
If we expect to be with God in glory, then we must glorify Him while we live here on earth. Let us as individuals and as a collective body be doing everything we can to glorify God.
Hey! I’ve done my job!
By Ed Boggness
A lot of church members believe that when they’ve gone to church on Sunday, they have done their job as far as being a Christian is concerned. But the truth is that is a very small part of following Jesus.
Everywhere we go and all-of-the-time we are either lifting up the name of Jesus to those we meet or we are treading it underfoot.
At the work place as well as the church house, we are watched. At a restaurant, at a ball-game, waiting in line at a grocery store, wherever we are, we leave an impression for good or ill. The way we answer the phone, the way we speak to a waitress, the patience we show in heavy traffic, the kindness shown to a child, the sensitivity we give to a patient; all of this speaks louder than an hour we spend at worship.
I’m not saying Sunday is unimportant. I am saying that Monday through Saturday count, too.
You may be the only Bible many folks will ever read.
What will others learn when they read your life?
