SET APART FROM CYBER WORLD

Hi, I read the article below in an e-newsletter I usually subscribe to and it humbled me. The writer aptly describes what so many Christians (myself including) are currently experiencing in this ever evolving, gadget-filled and computerized world we live in. I have received a rather rude awakening to the truth that though I am IN THIS WORLD, I am not OF THIS WORLD and I sincerely pray that as we all read this, we will “rewind the tape” and get back to living a vigilant and set-apart life on earth while we continue to await our father’s return.



As Christian believers, we're called to live set-apart lives. To be holy as God is holy; to be in the world, but not of the world. God is the source of all holiness, and in order to live a set-apart life, we must spend time with Him so we can be fueled by His Holy Spirit.

I don't know what your days look like, but mine are pretty full. They start early and end late. Once the sun rises, it seems that coffee isn't the only thing brewing in my house. An invisible competition brews daily that vies for my time and attention. The competitors are often "good things" that end up to be "time-robbing things" that keep me from God's best and God's presence.

Today I'd like to put our computer lives under a spiritual microscope. I'm an e-girl. I love my MacBook Pro computer, my iPhone, email, instant messaging, and the World Wide Web. Though I'm admittedly fully immersed in the e-life, I'm also cognizant of the fact that the e-world has become a dangerous addiction and spiritual deterrent to many. I struggle with this personally! These electronic forums host a new and efficient opportunity for us to connect with other people 24/7. While much of the social networking, online surfing, and emailing is innocent, encouraging, and fun, they clearly present us with opportunities to sin and be distracted from set-apart living.

Over the past several years, Facebook, MySpace, blogs, instant messaging, and chat rooms have replaced many face-to-face conversations and, for some, devotion time. They have become a new source of temptation for us, an opportunity to live a fantasy or a momentary escape from the daily grind.

A friend of mine recently said, "My computer whispers to me." Yikes! Mine does, too! Though it's embarrassing to admit, I sometimes don't manage my time efficiently because I've given in to the lure of e-life by responding to the audio alert that indicates "I've got mail" or the notification that someone has left me a message on a social networking page of mine. As a result, I've robbed myself of productive time. Time I have wasted and spent unwisely.

We are warned against this in Scripture. "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV).

Now, hear me clearly on this. I'm not saying that electronic forums or computers are bad or evil in and of themselves. (For goodness sakes, you're reading this devotion because of the amazing electronic world!) I'm simply suggesting that it would be wise for each of us to pray about the amount of time and energy we devote to these things.

How can we be set apart in our e-life? How can we establish healthy e-boundaries that will protect our purity and our time with God? Perhaps we could start by taking an honest look at the amount of time we commit to our social e-lives versus the amount of time we commit to spending in God's Word and in His presence each day. (Did that sting? Rest assured, it stings me too.)

The good news is that we can turn to God for direction and wisdom in all of this. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5, NIV). Our gracious Lord longs for each of us to choose His best and live each day in His strength.

"God, make a fresh start in me.
Shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don't throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!"
Psalm 51:10-12, MSG

By Gwen Smith

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Profile of the Lukewarm People

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ? Or do the words halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better? The Bible says to test ourselves, so in the next two emails, I am going to offer you a description of what halfhearted, distracted, partially committed, lukewarm people can look like. As you read these examples, I encourage you to take a searching, honest look at your life. Not who you want to be one of these days, but who you are now and how you are living today. LUKEWARM PEOPLE attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe "good Christians" do, so they go. "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men'" ( Isa. 29:13 ). LUKEWARM PEOPLE give money to charity and to the church... as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living.
Read more

On Values

Image
I found this article quite interesting and instructive. As I share it, I hope it provides guidance to some people as we all navigate through this life on our journey Home in eternity. ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S LETTER TO HIS SON'S TEACHER Respected Teacher, My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage. So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him - but gently, if you can. My son will have to learn I know that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for ever scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend. It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you
Read more

TIME & CHANCE

Yesterday morning, after writing my diary entries, I went through the old blogs and felt I wasn’t getting as much visitors, comments and encouragement as I would have loved to. I started getting worked up and then all sorts of thoughts started flying through my head….maybe my diary is boring, maybe I don’t really have something worth telling the world, maybe I wasn’t good enough as I imagined… Then again I thought it could be that I wasn’t spreading the word fast enough, I wasn’t telling enough people… Then I started thinking, ok, maybe I should start forwarding the link to everyone on my address book (I think I already did that!) and then maybe I should post the link DAILY on Facebook, maybe I should join other networking sites, maybe I should make announcements in my church, in my office, everywhere. Trust me, I thought of all sorts! Just before I clicked send on the post I forwarded to friends yesterday, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me “Do not send your posts to anyone anymore.
Read more