“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 17

 

 

“Social MEdia”  Daily Devotional – Day 17

“Social ME Unity”

Social Media is such an awesome way to bring unity to anything we want to do as the church.  I can make one post and within minutes we can have countless believers all doing the same thing at the same time.  The Bible tells us in Psalms 133 that there is a special blessing, a “Commanded Blessing” when believers come together in unity of heart and spirit. We have definitely seen this through our Social MEdia daily devo, where we have had over 870 views of our daily posts in just the last 2 weeks!  Thats a ton of people doing the same thing together!

SO,  I thought I would give you guys an assignment to produce more unity, and n turn open the doors to more of Gods Blessings!  Here is a list of a few ways we can pray for our church today.  Lets all do this together, and see how awesome God will move!

How You Should Pray for Your Church Today…

So how should we pray for our church? Let’s explore several sections of Scripture to see how prayers for the church are modeled in the Bible.

1. PRAY FOR UNITY IN JESUS FOR THE CHURCH
In John 17, Jesus sets the example of what it looks like to pray for the church. And what does he pray for? Unity. Jesus prays that his people “may all be one,” united together in God. From John 17:20–23 and what is known as the High Priestly Prayer:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

2. PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL WITHIN THE CHURCH
In Colossians 1, the Apostle Paul displays his heart for the church by praying that the people within the church be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, so that they can live for Jesus. From Colossians 1:9–13:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.

3. PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MOVE IN THE CHURCH
In Ephesians 1 and 3, the Apostle Paul prays that God the Father would give the Spirit of God to the people within the church. He prays that God would strengthen them in the Spirit, so that Jesus dwells in their hearts and they are rooted in the love of Christ. Here’s Ephesians 1:16–20:

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

And Ephesians 3:14–19:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

4. PRAY FOR FRUITFULNESS FOR THE CHURCH
In 2 Thessalonians 1, the Apostle Paul prays for a church that is growing in faith and love while enduring persecutions. He wants them to know that Jesus will one day return to earth and that, until that day comes, it is very important for the church to be faithful and fruitful, working diligently to provide for their families and help expand God’s kingdom. Here’s 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s be encouraged that our God invites us to call upon him in prayer at all times for our church, and through our unity in prayer together lets see God move on our behalf to see His Kingdom come in our lives and our church!

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 16

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 16

“Social ME Wise-ology”

One of the most beneficial strengths of social media is the amazing variety of wisdom and Godly inspiration that can be found with the click of a button or the swipe of your touchscreen. None of us have the ability to be close friends with all the greatest theologians, leaders and Godly men in the world, but through Social Media, we have the opportunity to be “cyber-mentored” by as many of them as we choose!

So today, I’m going to give you some great quotes that I received just today on my daily social media feeds.

 

 

“If [something] is of God, your dependence upon God will increase.” AW Tozer (Reclaiming Christianity) – A.W. Tozer. @TozerAW

 

 

“Proverbs 20 & 21 really spoke to me today. 21:21 stood out… Do what’s right… Love people and watch the blessing it brings to your life.”
@MikePopenhagen

 

 

“God wants to bless you BEYOND YOUR ABILITY TO CONTAIN IT, but He won’t bless you BEYOND YOUR ABILITY TO STEWARD IT.”
@MarkBatterson

 

 

“Blaming everything on the devil or “spiritual warfare” can blind us to the practical factors that create our problems.”
@stevenfurtick

 

 

“A pioneer refuses to be confined to the limitations of their intelligence & education. They look beyond the capacity of their humanity.”
@davidmccracken

 

 

“You can wish. You can want. You can dream. You can desire. But until you DO, nothing in your life will change!”
@ricklgodwin

 

 

“Good things happen when U distance yourself from negative people. Surround yourself with people who inspire U 2 do great things!
@ricklgodwin

 

 

“Good leadership starts with self-leadership: “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” (Prv.25:28)
@daveferguson

 

 

“So, you’ve got a Bible where all the words of Jesus are in red? Great! I’ve got one where all the words of God are in black.”
@AJWTheology

 

 

“Success represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called failure. -Soichiro Honda”
@JohnCMaxwell

 

 

“Charismatic experience is not about waiting for God to BE present, but about recognising that, by the Spirit, he IS present.”
@AJWTheology

 

 

“When we work hard to believe we usually move away from faith. Faith is not obtained in striving, it’s found in rest. ” – Bill Johnson
@BillJohnson2013

 

 

“Every interaction with someone new is an opportunity to leave a lasting impression; good or bad. Choose to be a blessing!”
@BrianCHouston

 

 

“Gratitude is being overwhelmed with what is undeservedly given. Entitlement is being underwhelmed with what is undeservedly expected.”
@lee_cummings

 

 

“The big problem is not whether the Bible is true. The big problem is whether it is true in you.” AW Tozer
@TozerAW

 

 

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery” -Harold Wilson
@ituhamightyoaks

 

 

“In culture of honour you celebrate who a person is instead of stumbling over who they are not” – Bill Johnson
@BillJohnson2013

 

 

……and these were just a few! Hope you were blessed!

– Matt

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 15

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 15

 

 

“The Social ME in ETERNITY”

 

Today’s Scripture: 

2 Cor. 4:16

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

 

I’ve been in construction for years.  I’ve worked for roofing, drywall and concrete companies, and I ran my own commercial construction business for years. I’ve done everything from demolition to designing custom wood ceilings, and everything in between.  All that to say, I have quite an expansive understanding of how they go together. With that experience comes the ability to walk into an old, dilapidated, run-down building, and see right past the piles of broken concrete, broken glass, collapsed ceilings and random trash piles, and see the finished product.  You could say it was just from construction experience, but that alone is not enough. It takes a willful decision to look beyond the mess and see what could  be. It takes vision. Vision to see the unseen. It takes the acceptance of the reality that the end product is far more valuable than what is in front of you, and that is the only thing worthy of your focus. If you stare at the piles of mess, thats all you will ever have, a mess.  But if you keep your mental eyes on the end-goal, the end-product, the only outcome that has any value, then you can accomplish something.  It’s in that moment that purpose is given to picking up the piles of trash, of broken glass and concrete.  It’s in that moment that motivation arises in your heart to get your hands dirty, and to do whatever it takes to move beyond the present circumstances so you can begin to see that which is of the greatest value begin to become a reality.

 

 

“To see a world in a grain of sand, heaven in a wildflower, to hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour”  This poem by William Blake describes the mindset it takes to have vision.  But as believers, what is our vision focused on?  One word – ETERNITY.  I understand that each one of us has a specific purpose, calling and destiny, and a specific vision that will lead us into that. But what I’m talking about is the BIG picture, the end-all of end-all, the one reason why we all have our specific callings and purpose. It’s so that we can be ministers of reconciliation through those callings and fill up heaven for eternity. That’s the big picture.  It’s the entire reason why we are here – to love God and love people so that He can be a Father to His children, and so that He can be re-united with all of them.

 

 

You may be asking – “So WHAT does this have to do with Social MEdia and my social life!”  And I would answer, EVERYTHING.  Our social lives, our jobs, our relationships, our day to day routines, they are the building that most people walk into that needs to be re-modeled.  As soon as they walk in, there is so much to do. So many piles to pick up, so many messes to clean up, so many things to set your eyes upon that it is almost impossible to see the value in the finished product.  But the reality is, the finished product of a brand-new remodeled office space is the ONLY thing that has any value. Try to put it on the market before it’s re-modeled and you’ll find out very soon that the value is only in the finished product.

 

 2 Cor. 4:16

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

 

This is a picture of how we MUST live our lives every day. This world is fading away, it is like a vapor the Bible says, it is temporal. Everything we do, every task we complete, every relationship we have and every word we say has ZERO value without our vision being fixed and focused on the end-product, ETERNITY. 

 

The power to live a life of purpose and impact lies within our daily choice to have our eyes set on eternity.  Are we thinking about our friends, our family, our facebook friends, the people we run into at the grocery store’s eternal state?  Do they know Jesus? And better yet, is how we are treating them and communicating to them giving them any reason to WANT to know Jesus?  Heaven and Hell are real.  The Bible says that God wishes that none would perish but that all would come to know Him.  How can and how will that happen?  Through you and me. But only if we have an eternal mindset, and set our eyes daily on the eternal.

 

C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you get neither”.  We cannot look at the things of this world, the piles of stuff in the broken down building of life and not see beyond them into the only thing that has value, the end product, eternity.  This should be our motivation, our fuel for the fire, the inner passion that drives everything we do.  It needs to influence the way we lead our families, the decisions we make for our futures, the way we work at our jobs, the way we handle every relationship, the words we choose to speak in public, in private and on facebook. 

 

Are we focused on the only thing that has value today?  If Heavens realtor came into our buildings today, would they have any value?  So today, let’s set our eyes beyond the mess, beyond the piles of immediate tasks and see the finished product, the end-game, the only thing that gives all of this any value – eternity.  Let’s focus our eyes on HIM today, because He is eternity, eternity is for Him, it’s all about how many people we can influence for Him so that Heaven can be full and Hell will be empty. And it all starts with you. It all starts with me. It all starts with seeing eternal significance in everything we do and all that we encounter today.

 

Let’s Pray – Dear Jesus, give me vision beyond what I see! Help me to see the eternal significance in everything I do today. Help me to see beyond the things I can see into the world of the unseen, so I can influence people for You in everything that I do. Allow the value of eternity to grow in my heart more and more every day. Help me to considered the eternal state of each person I encounter so that I can represent You well. In Jesus name, Amen!

 

“Social Media” Daily Devotional – Day 14

 

“Social MEdia”  Daily Devotional – Day 14

 

 

 “Social Breathing”

 

 

Todays Scripture :

2 Tim 1:16 (TLB)

“May the Lord bless Onesiphorus and all his family, because he visited me and encouraged me often. His visits revived me like a breath of fresh air”

 

 

Have you ever been driving down the road, minding your own business, and all of a sudden, that smell – you know that smell, invades your air filtration system?  Whether its a freshly semi-tire squeezed skunk, or some finely-aged road-kill, it pollutes every breath of air in your entire vehicle for at least the next mile.  In the same way, we all emit a type of “atmosphere” by the words we speak and the attitudes we project, adding to or taking away from the quality of “air” that people breath in when they are around us.

 

If you think about it for a moment, you’ll be able to recall times where you have walked into a room, and felt like the Apostle Paul in the scripture above, like you just breathed in a breath of ‘fresh air”.  But, I’m sure you will also recall social environments where the atmosphere was stale, stuffy, and downright stinky! 

 

As Christ Followers, our goal should be to create an atmosphere just like Onesiphorus, an atmosphere of “Fresh Air”.  The actual word for “Holy Spirit” in the old and new testaments both is translated “breath”, “wind”, or a “blast of air”, or one could say, a breath of fresh air.  So every time the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit of God moving in and through our lives, it paints this picture of God taking a deep breath and blowing a wind of fresh air into our lives.

 

In the book of Ephesians, (4:32) the Bible says –

“Let the Spirit (breath of God) renew your thoughts and attitudes.

“…..imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ”    (5:1-2)

 

 

So, we are to allow the breath of God, the “Fresh Air” of the Holy Spirit into our lives each day so our thoughts and attitudes can be renewed.  Then, we are asked to imitate God in everything, which means we are also suppose to be a breath of fresh air in the peoples lives that God puts in our path each and every day.  This includes social media posts, replies and comments, but also our conversations at work, home, school and church.

 

When we decide to allow the fresh breath of God into our lives on a daily basis, we begin to create an atmosphere around us of fresh air, just like Onesiphorus, that can revive and refresh those who breath it in. That atmoshere of “Fresh Air” tends to create certain attitudes and traits in people.

 

Some of these traits are:

 

• Savoring each day as a gift

• Drawing others to themselves

• Relishing each new day as a day of promise, hope, opportunity, and optimism

• Rarely complaining or dwelling on losses

• Remembering the past but  not being tied to it

• Enjoying the present

• Anticipating the future

• Having influence and using it to encourage and shape others

 

 

These are the traits we should exhibit as people who allow the breath of God into our lives, and then back out to refresh others.  So, let’s ask ourselves this question today –  “Am I communicating these qualities through my conversations about others, through my relationships, in my social environments, and through my social media posts?”

 

If not, then maybe it’s time to take a step back, connect with God, and allow Him to breathe a breath of “Fresh Air” into your life today. He’ll do it if you ask. He loves to do it. He’s waiting to do it.

 

 

Let’s Pray – Dear God, breathe a breath of Fresh Air into me today!  Let it refresh me, encourage me, and change the atmosphere around me so others can be encouraged as well.  Let me be like the man in the scripture above, that whenever anyone was around him, they felt refreshed and revived, like they were breathing a breath of fresh air.  Help me to communicate the traits listed above in all of my social interactions today. In Jesus name, Amen!

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 13

 

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 13

 

 

“Social MEdia Mirage”

  

Todays Scripture:

 

2 Cor.10:12

¹² For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise

 

 

You’ve all seen the movies or tv shows where someone gets stranded or left to die in the desert. The guy in the raggedy, ripped up clothes, falling to his knees, scorching his skin in the blazing heat and dying for a drink of water.  Then, suddenly, right before all hope is lost, appears an oasis of palm trees and pools of water in the distance. A second wind comes, the hopeless vagabond finds a new strength, rises to his feet and begins to sprint towards salvation. But the closer he gets, the further away the oasis becomes, until the harsh reality sinks in that its all an illusion, a hallucination, a mirage.

 

The interesting thing about a mirage is that the biggest enemy of that doomed traveler was the heat, and the heat is the one thing that caused this false reality to appear. And, unfortunately, if there were any real and logical way to get out of the heat or to find shelter or water, this mirage, this illusion, this “false reality” most likely lead him in the opposite direction, towards the center of the flattest, hottest part of the desert, potentially sealing his doom.

 

A recent study done by the University of Michigan found that people who use social media excessively become less happy the more they used it.  Also, these people were found to share another trait: low self-esteem.  Another study from Utah University found that those who spent most of their time on social media instead of with real people agreed with the statement that everyone else had a better life than they did.

 

Logically, the study makes a lot of sense. When you’re constantly viewing pictures from friends’ vacations, of new and exciting adventures, recent purchases, moments of joy and happiness and relationship highlights, it’s easy to feel that others are leading more enjoyable lives than you are. Especially when negative aspects of peoples’ lives such as loneliness, sadness, and failure are often minimized or unshared.

 

This “Highlight Reel” scenario causes us to begin to unwillingly question the happiness, fulfillment, and success of our own lives.  The truth is, it’s a false reality. It’s an illusion. It’s a mirage.  What we see is just that, a highlight reel. All the good, fun, successful, enjoyable, positive and fulfilling things get put online for all to see. But the pain, the sorrow, the sicknesses, the loss, the unanswered questions, thoughts of failure, and all the dips in the road and valleys that have been endured rarely get much airtime. See, when we fall for the illusion, when we believe the mirage is real, there’s never a healthy outcome. The same thing that is causing us to desire the mirage is the same thing that is making it appear.  We all want to have happy, joyful and fulfilled lives, yet we all go through hardship and trials. By highlighted our happy moments, our joyful occasions and moments of success and triumph – it helps us to stay focused on those things and not the things that will drag us down. And there is nothing wrong with that!  Call it counting your blessings, focusing on the positive, whatever you want, it is a healthy attitude. But, what is unhealthy is when we see other peoples highlight reels and believe that is their entire life experience. We need to realize that when we do this, we are comparing our 100% of experiences to their 30% of experiences.

 

I have personally seen the devastation that this type of comparison can cause. Comparison kills. It destroys our healthy perception of reality and perverts it into a vacuum that sucks the life, joy and motivation from our souls. Sound extreme? It is.

 

I have a friend who had come out of amazing trials in his life. Anyone could have looked at this persons life and would have been amazed at the change, turn-around and success that had occurred through some of the toughest scenarios and situations anyone could have ever went through. Model citizen, business owner, family man, serving at his local church. But, during a dry season in his life, which we all go through, he started to look too closely at other peoples success. He began to ask himself -“Why them and not me?”. “Why do they deserve that, I deserve at least that”.  “God, you did that for them, when are you going to do that for me”

 

You can only chase a mirage for so long before you fall. The unfortunate thing is that real water and shelter was within arms reach on either side of his life. But, because he was so focused, so consumed with believing this mirage was real, he couldn’t take his eyes off of it, and by doing so was blinded to the truth. Even God could’t get through, because once he fell, he fell hard, and brought to reality more failure and destruction than ever could have been imagined.

 

The Bible says in 2 Cor.10:12-

¹² For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

  

Social Media can be such an amazing tool as we’ve discussed all throughout this devotional. It can be one of the most successful ways to mass distribute truth and communicate the joy and fulfillment that’s found in a life with Christ. 

 

But here’s the thing– my friend, he fell into this trap in the real world, just looking at the people around him, without social media. This is an issue we all need to be healthy on, not just those of us who are on Facebook or Twitter.  The reality is, social media does make this trap easier to fall into, so be careful when you are scanning other peoples timelines and posts. This is not their entire lives. Honestly, it’s probably not even a quarter of their entire lives. You’re getting the best 10% highlight reel.  And for all the success you see in others lives, you have NO idea the pain, struggle and obstacles they’ve had to overcome (and still go through) to get there.  SO be wise, don’t compare. Comparison kills. It’s a mirage. Don’t fall for the trap.

 

 

Let’s Pray — Dear Lord, help me to not compare myself with others!  Help me to be wise, and instead of comparing myself to others, help me to discover the ME you’ve created ME to be.  Give me wisdom and revelation on the plans and purposes you have for MY life. Help me to realize that everyone’s journey is different, and keep me from believing in the mirage of everyone else’s highlight reels. Help me to fix my eyes on YOU instead, the true source of joy and fulfillment, so that I wont fall into the trap of comparison. Give me the grace to understand that my life is a journey, and that You are faithful to complete and perfect that which concerns me, and help me ENJOY the JOURNEY! In Jesus name, Amen!

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 12

 

 

How to Think about Social Networking in Churches

What do we do with virtual fellowship?

By: Matthew Lee Anderson, Brandon Vogt, and Doug Groothuis (Christianity Today)

The benefits of social networking are many but require judicious and responsible use to be enjoyed. When done well, social networking can enhance the fellowship of the church by providing congregants a window into each other’s lives. It can mobilize congregants to serve their neighbors and enhance the church’s mission by embedding the community of church relationships in the broader community.

But social media can merely offer a short-term, technological solution to deeper, more fundamental problems. Social networking can give the appearance of intimacy and community without enabling the substance of embodied friendship.

The more we wed ourselves to social networking as a strategy for building community, the more we risk forgetting that the problems in our communities do not hinge upon lack of access to shared information about each other’s lives.

They result from our own reluctance to share space and meals together, and to enter into environments and social situations that require our embodied presence. The comforting arm around a shoulder that comes when we “weep with those who weep” will never have an equal virtual substitute.

Social networking reminds us of our intrinsic sociality, but constantly moves us closer to the point where sociality no longer requires our bodies to be fully human.As Christians, we serve a God who became flesh and dwelt among us.

That does not mean Christians shouldn’t use social networks. I continue to use them, both personally and professionally. But in doing so, we need to recognize that social networks hold within them the false promise of intimacy in relationships, and cannot be used as a replacement for them.

 

At its core, the church is one giant social network. It exists as an intricate, interconnected community. Even more, God is a network himself—the Trinity—pulsating with communion.

As social beings created by a communal God, we should take courage and not be afraid of modern social media.

There are five primary reasons congregations should embrace these tools to aid church fellowship:

First, fellowship is not an end in itself, but a means to many other goals: community, mission, evangelization, and spiritual growth. Social media amplify each of these elements exponentially and therefore are a potent aid to fellowship.

Second, social networking transcends geography. These tools extend fellowship beyond the church walls and stretch it around the world. They help us fulfill Jesus’ command to Peter, which still echoes for us: “Put out into deep water” (Luke 5:4).Church fellowship must never be exclusive and closed in on itself. It should always be outward-focused and mission-oriented. Members are ultimately connected in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12), not isolated in local church bodies like disparate tribes.

 Third, social media transcend time. Fellowship in the past was typically constrained to the times when people gathered at churches or in homes. But now conversations about Sunday sermons can linger throughout the week.

Fourth, online relationships spark offline community. Social media do not replace personal relationships. They supplement them and cultivate new ones. Ideally, online social networking leads to offline social networking, meeting face to face so that our joy may be complete (2 John 1:12). I have recently met with several friends from other states whom I first encountered through Facebook. Even 20 years ago, these relationships would not have materialized.

Fifth, and most importantly, social media open the doors of Christian fellowship and invite millions of outsiders to join the community. Young secularists who would never darken the doors of a church find themselves dialoguing with Christian bloggers. An atheist YouTube viewer stumbles across a religious debate and becomes intrigued by the idea of God.A Facebook exchange dissolves the distorted images a young mom long held about Christianity.

Of course social media come with potential dangers. For example, they can inflate gossip, encourage narcissism, and reduce people to text. But these dangers are avoidable. Once aware of them, we can prevent or overcome their damage.

When used prudently, social media strengthens more than destroys. They not only tighten the bonds among Christians but also connect them with millions outside the faith. Rather than undermining church fellowship, social networking stands as a powerful tool to both grow and fortify it.

What place do social media have in the fellowship and evangelism of the local church? Is Facebook a good home for your church? Should your pastor tweet or not?

To answer these questions, we need to attend to two issues: First, what are social media? Second, what is a biblical model of fellowship (or koinonia)?

Social media are computer-mediated methods for communication. They enhance human accessibility and the speed of communication between people and groups. I can check Facebook or Twitter to learn how a friend in India (or across the street) is doing.

They extend the reach of text and images far beyond what the un-electrified, unmediated individual may do. However, social media can also restrict the human presence by subtracting the reality of “being there” and “being with.” One should not receive Communion while glancing at a text message. One cannot be baptized online.

Social media also clutters our field of concentration, rendering our attention to any one thing at one time with any depth nearly impossible. Thus, multitasking becomes the norm (even though our God-given brains are not designed for it). We become scattered, flighty, not fully engaged in anything.

The Bible prizes the personal and face-to-face dimension of human fellowship that is absent but simulated through social media. John writes at the end of his short epistle, “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 1:12). Although God had sent prophets and inspired Scripture for centuries, all was not complete until “[t]he Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

God’s mission is to make himself known and worshiped as the one true God in all the nations. To that end, Christians have ardently preached and defended the gospel. They have copied and translated the Bible into as many languages as possible. Christ followers have also labored to spread the message through radio, television, and now the Internet, because “how can they hear [the gospel] without someone preaching to them?” (Rom. 10:14). We can evangelize through social media and develop forums of association within the church.

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 10

 

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional  –  Day 10

  

“Social MEdia Truths from Proverbs” – pt. 2

 

Todays Scriptures: 

Proverbs Chapter 18.

 

Today I want to finish going through Proverbs Ch.18. There is a TON of powerful social interaction truths in this chapter! Let’s look through them together……

 

Prov. 18:13-17       “MY Social Mouth”

  

We’ve all read “those” posts, or been a part of “those” conversations. “Let’s all jump on the bandwagon!”  I must say, I’ve been suckered just like the rest of us at times. We like to call it “Righteous Indignation” because the word ‘Righteous” makes us feel like it’s right. The Bible has a slightly different view on it.

 

¹³         He who answers a matter before he hears it,

         It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁵         The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,

         And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁷         The first one to plead his cause seems right,

         Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

 

When we have a knee-jerk reaction before investigating and hearing all sides of the story -99% of the time we are in the wrong. So then why do we do it?  Verse 17 tells us – “The first one to plead a case seems right…..UNTIL …”.  The Bible says if we make a statement, get in a discussion, disagree with someone or give them an answer before we hear all the facts and all sides of the story, it is foolish and even shameful.  Not to mention, if we do all this on social media, the whole world gets to sit and watch us make a fool of ourselves, staining the reputation of Jesus, the church, and christianity with each word we type. This is not a problem isolated to Facebook. I see believers get sucked into this trap in every social environment from the grocery store to Sunday morning. Don’t do it. Wait. Give it time. The Bible says in verse 15 we are wise and prudent if we seek out all the facts first. And honestly, when we pause before we post, we usually calm down enough to hear the Holy Spirit tell us it’s not a good idea! Same goes for our conversations at work, on the phone and at church. BANDWAGONS are BAD. DON’T JUMP ON THEM!

 

Another reason why we need to pause before we post and chill before we chat, is because the words we say and the words we type don’t just evaporate, never to have impact or influence again.  Science has discovered that sound waves never dissipate. What that means, is that once a word is spoken, it echoes for eternity. That is a little scary to think about. Every sound wave of every word you have ever spoken is currently circulating through the earths atmosphere and vibrating at the same frequency it did the moment it left your lips. Find that hard to believe? It’s real science. But before science God spoke these truths through the authors of scripture. “All things are help together by His Word”, the “Worlds were Framed by His spoken Word”   Every single thing in creation is held together by the vibrating sound waves (Google the “String Theory”) of God’s voice saying “Let there BE”. And we are no different. We frame our world by the words we speak, and when we speak them we can’t take them back. They produce things.

 

Prov. 18:20-21  

²⁰         A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;

         From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

²¹         Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

         And those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

Not only do the words we speak have a real, tangible and lasting effect on the people we speak them to, they have an effect on us. Even though we are speaking (or typing) them to other people. The Bible says here that our “stomach” will be “filled” with the “fruit”, or the results of the words we speak. So much so, the Bible says the power of death and life themselves are buried within the syllables of every word we speak (or type)! That’s heavy. Selah. (Stop and think about that for a minute)

So lets take some time before we tweet. Lets pause before we post. Lets get all the facts before we facebook. Lets chill before we chat!

 

The AWESOME thing about this truth is that when we speak words of LIFE, Encouragement, Hope, Love, Joy, Faith & Kindness, OUR lives will be filled with THOSE things as well! What better of an incentive to always speak LIFE! I don’t know about you, but I would much rather eat the fruit of THOSE things!  Also, the people we speak those words to will see the fruit of those words, and THAT will bring glory to God and draw people to Him.

 

I want to encourage you before you move on with your day, that much of this seems like just good advice of ways we can change our behavior. Although it is that, that’s not the main goal I want you to focus on today. The last verse of Proverbs 18 says:

 

²⁴         A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

         But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

 

To have friends, yes, we must be friendly and listen, be slow to speak, get all the facts before we respond, speak words of Life, but we cannot do any of these things without the help of the Holy Spirit. That is why the Bible calls Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Kindness & Self Control the Fruits of the SPIRIT, not the fruits of YOU. When we make our #1 goal to connect with God each day, to let the Holy Spirit fill us fresh and anew each day, these things are the fruit, these behaviors we’ve been talking about are the result. To do it any other way is laborsome, burdensome, and religous. Don’t get me wrong, it’s better to do these things either way, but you will find the greatest level of joy and success letting these behaviors be a natural overflow of the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit in your life. We can all have friends, but before our friends on facebook and our companions and coworkers, we need the Friend that sticks closer than a brother…..

 

Let’s Pray – Father, thank You for another day! Lord, fill me afresh and anew with Your Holy Spirit today, so I can walk in the fruits of the Spirit. Let me be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to react. Give me Your Wisdom in all of my conversations and social interactions today. Help me to understand the power of my words, and in doing so, give me words of Life and encouragement to speak to everyone I encounter today. Let me be an extension of Your Voice into peoples lives! In Jesus name, Amen!

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Days 7 & 8

 

 “Social MEdia” Daily Devotional  –  Days 7 & 8

 

“Social MEdia Truths from Proverbs” – pt. 1

 

Todays Scriptures:

 Proverbs,  Chapter 18.

 

The amazing thing about the Word of God is that although it was written thousands of years ago, it is still just as relevant today as it was then. Think for a moment about the forethought and complete omniscience of Almighty God, knowing begining from end, and everything in between. Knowing the heart of man, and every single bend, fracture, tendancy and inclination that could possibly find it’s way into our lives, decisions and actions – He formulates a blueprint to help navigate us through it all.

 

There are many voices in this day and age that feel the ol’ leather bound treatise is out-dated, out of style, and in no way can relate to any part of their post-modern lives. Oh, but that’s where they are so wrong. If your Bible is close by, grab it in your hands. Now realize, what you are holding is the only written document in the WORLD that is living and active, sharper than any miracle Ginsu knife, able to immediately divide between deception and truth, between soul and spirit, between our own thoughts and the whispers of the Holy Spirit.  The only written document in the world that buried inside every single word resides the supernatural life and power of the Spirit of God, to actively accomplish the exact purpose for which that word was placed in that specific sentence for! 

 

Did I really have to do that in-depth of a build-up to convince you that God’s Word is still relevant today, especially when it comes to social media? Probably not, but it was fun!

 

Today, we’re going to look into the book of Wisdom, Proverbs, and see what it has to say about Social MEdia. Let’s start in Chapter 18:

 

//–> “Social Solitude”

Prov 18:1 –  

 “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. “

 

 

• We were never meant to live in solitude. God created us with an inescapable need for relationships – with Him, and each other.  We will never be emotionally or spiritually healthy unless we have both. That is why it is SO important to be involved in a church and in small groups that meet outside of church where you can build relationships with other believers and minister to one another.

 

         When we isolate ourselves, we seek our own desires  and get un-healthy. Unfortunately, many of us do this on social media. We spend so much time scanning the  lives of our “friends” online, that we isolate ourselves from the real world, replacing face-to-face friendships  for Facebook friends. If you continue in this pattern, social media morphs into social solitude, and you begin  to distance yourself from all wise counsel and accountability in your life. Don’t buy into the counterfeit. Facebook friends are great, but you also need friends that can look you in the eye when you say your doing   fine, and they can tell that you’re not. I can type whatever I want and no one will know the difference.  But when I meet one-on-one with the guys I have in my  life, my mentors, pastors and friends, that’s where true ministry, growth, discipleship and wise counsel truelly happen. I need it. You need it. We will never succeed without it. Do Facebook, but do face-to-face more.

 

 //–> “Social ME ME ME ME ME ME….

 

“Prov. 18:2 –             

“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. Doing wrong leads to disgrace and scandalous behavior brings contempt. “

 

• Here the Bible tells us it’s foolish to only care about our own opinions,  having no desire to understand the facts or other peoples point of view.  We see this on social media constantly. It is so easy to just see what we dis-agree with, jump on the bandwagon, and have no desire to understand or have interest in the back-story, or the reasoning behind why someone said or posted something.

 

Solomon continues to say, “this is flat out wrong, and it leads to disgrace” What is disgrace? To lose grace with people, to ruin your reputation and to lose the respect of others. As Christ followers, we cannot afford to allow this to happen to our voice in other peoples lives – because usually, once that’s happened, it takes a long time to repair.

 

         The Bible continues to say that this progression of behavior becomes scandalous and offensive to those around us, and in the end brings contempt, where  people will completely dis-regard and consider  worthless anything we have to say. My opinions are not worth all of that! And Jesus sure went through a lot  so that I could have influence in others lives and be a light shining in to the darkness so that people can find their way to Him. So again, the Social “ME” must become the Social “me”.

 

I’ll end with this verse:

Phil. 2:1

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

 

God’s Word has a TON of truth that applies to our iPhones, iPads, Androids and Twitter accounts!  And it’s the same truth that applied to the fellowship of believers in the early church. So today, let’s take the truth, the advice and the instruction out of GOD’s BOOK and apply it to FACE BOOK!

 

Let’s not allow ourselves to live in “social solitude”, but lets walk in wisdom and spend more time with face-to-face friends and a little less time stalking our facebook friends. Make a phone call today. Set up a lunch apt. or a dinner date, and let’s open up our lives to other believers like Jesus told us we needed to do so we can be healthy. Let’s make a commitment to walk in wisdom by seeking understanding in all social interactions and conversations before we respond or offer our opinion – and let’s encourage others to do the same by our actions.  Let us not focus on ourselves but instead on others, and let us walk in the encouragement and compassion of Jesus through our humility. Let us represent Him well in every social environment we find ourselves in.

 

Let’s Pray –  Jesus, forgive me for caring too much about my own opinions! Lord, help me to think of others first, help me to seek understanding in every conversation and situation so I can allow Your wisdom to guide me. Lord, help me to strengthen the relationships I have with other believers, because I know You don’t want me to isolate myself. Bring new, healthy relationships in my life. I ask all these things so I can be more of who You’ve called me to be. God, empower me with Your Holy Spirit so I can represent You well. In Jesus Name, Amen!

 

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 6

“Social MEdia” Daily Devotional – Day 6

 

” Social ME Checklist” pt. 2

  

Yesterday we talked about 4 important things to help you practically implement the life-giving, redemptive qualities of Jesus into all of your social interactions, whether it’s posting away on facebook or having a personal,  one-on-one conversation. Today, I want to give you the rest of the list:

 

 

5. RESPOND PRIVATELY TO SENSITIVE ISSUES

Unfortunetely, social media has created this huge blind spot in peoples lives of false privacy. You may be completely alone in your room or office when you post a reply or comment to someones page, but with over 1 BILLION active users registered to Facebook, the whole world, literally, is standing right behind your chair watching every word you type.

 As Christ followers, I cannot stress the importance of of understanding this reality. You are not alone. Hundreds and possibly thousands of people are taking every word and comment you post as a representation of Jesus Christ and His church. This is a huge responsibility, and definetely not something to be taken lightly. That’s why it is so important for you to read and abide by standards like this checklist. And please, if you are not on social media, use this advice as well.  Too many people have turned away from the body of Christ because of this one issue.

If you feel the need to respond to someone or comment about someone who is dealing with a sensitive issue, whether it be a relationship problem, a death in the family, or especially a sin issue, please – start the conversation with a Personal Message, or a PM.  If you wouldn’t stand up on the stage at church, ask everyone for a moment of silence, and then say what you’re about to type – DON’T POST IT. Private Message someone instead. 

I have noticed this has become a huge deal in the department of calling each other out on issues we disagree with or issues of willfull sin.  Jesus was very clear in Matthew 18, we don’t call someone out if they’re in sin in a public setting, we go to them in private. It’s just the right thing to do.

Let’s apply scripture here:

 Matt 18:15 – “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.”

Matt 7:12 –^–  “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. “

 

 

6. BE HUMAN 

People are not connecting with you on social media so they can hear about God and church all the time.  This goes for your relationships at work and out in the world as well. People want to relate to you as a human being. People want to know that you deal with the same things they deal with. People want to be able to relate to you. Guys, that’s what really makes what we have desirable. People need to see that you’re no different than them. Share photos of you and your family having fun.  Post photos of you and your wife at a restaurant on date night. Talk about your interests and hobbies. That’s what Jesus did. He didn’t try to put himself on a pedestal, He came in the rawest form of humanity, as a servant, as a carpenter –  so everyone could relate to Him and therefore receive what He had to say and teach.

Phil 2:3 – “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges*; he took the humble position of a servant* and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,* ⁸ he humbled himself…”

 

 

7. BE AUTHENTIC

People are also not connecting with you on social media or relationships to see how perfect you are. Don’t just post the higlight reels. Don’t just talk to people at work or school like your life is always perfect and you sleep on a bed of roses every night.  Yes, we need to show the joy that defines our lives at all times, but it is invaluably important to show that joy through the realness of life. The troubles, the trials.  It’s OK to express sadness or frustration if it’s done in a healthy way. It’s not just OK, it’s necessary, so that people can see that even through the junk we deal with, we still have a hope, a peace, a joy, a calm that sees us through it all. People are tired of religion. People are tired of the fakeness.  Oh if the church in America could just start being REAL we would see REVIVAL, I am convinced of that!

 

 

8. INITIATE FRIENDSHIPS

If you are on Facebook or other social media sites, send out friend requests!  If you aren’t, be friendly to people! Initiate conversations. The Bible tells us in

Prov. 18:24 – “A man who has friends must himself be friendly,”

 

If we are going to represent Jesus well in all of our social environments, we need to initiate friendships and friendliness!  This is the word Jesus uses to describe His relationship with us, He calls us “friends”. So, we should strive to do the same with others. 

 Also, let’s remember who Jesus was friends with. Tax collectors, criminals, prostitutes, fishermen, normal every-day average joes. Do you know who Jesus wasn’t friendly with? Religious folk!  Now I’m not telling you to not be friendly with religious people, I’m just trying to make a point.  We need to seek out friendships, connections, and conversations with un-believers. This is the entire reason Jesus came, and this is the entire reason we are having a discussion about how to redeem social media so we can see people reconciled to Jesus. You need to have friends that don’t know the Lord. You need to be friendly with people who don’t look like you, think like you, act like you or believe like you. Period. That’s why we’re here. Don’t hide you’re light. Put it on your lamp stand and add oil! Let’s redeem social media and every other social environment by following these principles!

 

Let’s Pray – Dear Jesus, give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation today, so I can know and understand who You’ve called me to connect with and how You’ve called me to do it. Let me never forget who I use to be before You changed my life, and help me to use my human-ness to connect with people where they are. Fill me with the Joy of Your salvation, so that through every situation and season of my life, people can see in me the raw dependence on You that brings true freedom and life. Oh, and help me to be friendly today and make new friends!  In Jesus name, Amen!