It’s a bit sad at times for me to observe my unregenerate, gifted friends who are hyper-involved in this social media revolution as they call it. So many uber-tallented, highly intelligent puter-friends of mine are having fun geekin'-out to the max inside of the latest features over in Google+ beta this week. I’m with em and listening more than talking. The competition between Facebook and Google is really heating up - the former integrating Skype video chatting more and more just to compete against the later's current "Hang-outs" (10 person vid-chat feature).
These friends are radically committed to the vision.. to developing all this fun stuff in multiple networks that we use and ..praise the Lord.. they keep making em better. Personally, I feel grateful for much of what they produce! But with some people it’s like these new networks are "the final hope for unity and love in our society," yup, to somehow bring in a harmonious utopia of sorts. But they haven't yet addressed their inner old nature or dead human spirit. Let's pray hard for em. It has become like a religion to many - this social thang. You know, I saw the same thing happen with many surfers towards surfing when I lived at the beach. Some would even say, Kurt, this is my fix. It's more than a sport to me, it’s my religion and the way I worship.
Sad!
Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for the cyber communication tools, just like I still am about using a telephone or old fax machine with friends overseas. But I feel like exclaiming, “Social” ain’t an end in itself! Going social if you will, should really serve a greater purpose ..huh. Honest, transparent, communication ..including all the new tools to make this happen.. these things aren’t ends in themselves either. Jesus Himself is the beginning and the end - the Alpha and Omega for all people.
I'm not looking down on anyone here, but to me “going social” for the unregenerate person is perhaps the closest thing that they can find to experiencing true fellowship that we believers enjoy in Christ each day, and I mean together with His real Church (born again believers). Fellowship with God must come first - it's more important. After that, fellowship with spiritual believers is also very important. I SO want this for each of my techonaught-buddies today.
Yes, there is something much deeper, much richer, more spiritually healthy, and much more satisfying in a true connection with God and His people. We call it fellowship. Do you have righteous fellowship with the Lord?
It’s so edifying!!!
It’s more than just a conversation.. a dialogue both upwards and outwards. Yes, it has to do with true harmony, true unity, and the building-up of others within the family of God. It's what God wants for all peoples in each nation. Deep down "outsiders" (lost people if you will..) long for this unconditional love and a right relationship with God, but you know how they are often looking for this in the wrong places. Hey, I’ve been there. We can point em to the Word, yes, showing em exactly where to find this great fellowship!
“Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.” ~ Andrew Murray
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” ~ 1 John 1:7
“Though I know intellectually how vulnerable I am to pride and power, I am the last one to know when I succumb to their seduction. That's why spiritual Lone Rangers are so dangerous - and why we must depend on trusted brothers and sisters who love us enough to tell us the truth.” ~ Charles (Chuck) Colson
“The first service one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love of God begins in listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God's love for us that He not only gives us His Word but lends us His ear. So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Human fellowship can go to great lengths, but not all the way. Fellowship with God can go to all lengths.” ~ Oswald Chambers
Why do I feel for them? It’s because they are missing out on so much! They crave the love of Jesus - full-on fellowship with Him most.
Perhaps many around you have been burned by callous religious folk in dry or dead churches, and now don’t know where this premium type of fellowship is to be found. The TV and Radio personalities keep telling em lies about where it is. Hey, I say that a relationship with a mortal, "a lover" ain’t the ultimate answer for you, even if the person is moral, nor is it with drugs, with alcohol, with business success, or with Mac puters and networks.
But this longing in them is why I want to effectively witness ..by life, attitude, words and deeds. P. Lord please do help me represent you well.
Yes, I still feel like sharing with my open-family-members too, and with those far outside of my family circle, in hopes that they will be open and then understand God’s Message in the Bible.
So many broken homes, broken dreams, broken hearts, and broken people today! So much misunderstanding and ignorance of the truth prevails down here. People today in our Western culture seem more isolated, isolated, lonely, empty, guilty, unfulfilled, afraid and now intense about finding connection with other like-minded people just for support, for comfort, and for loving community. But in the world mere online community etc only goes so far. The tools we use are also still limiting.
Man, I feel for em, don’t you? I want them to see what it’s like to enJOY true and righteous fellowship. Yes, we believers indeed have the best Answer for those around us, and it starts with the establishing of a vital relationship with Jesus Christ via biblical faith and a turning from sin. facebook.com/shareJesus
