OFFLINE & LOVING IT!

Yep! Been OFFLINE and loving it...although, it makes it difficult to share my blog without being logged into FB.

I have NOT been on FB recently.

I’ve been ‘offline’, ‘logged out’, and so free.

In just the first few days, the fruit of patience appeared on my branches.

My anxiousness has diminished.
I’ve had a good dinner ready in time for my husband’s arrival home from work.
I got more chores and errands done in a timely manner & with less stress.
I’ve had more conversation with my kids.
Opportunity knocked on the door and I was available to answer.
I’ve had time to hear from the Lord on direction for ministry and my future.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that the BAD of FB definitely outweighs the good.

Disagree? That's fine. But I challenge anyone who doesn’t believe me to LOG OFF…or even better, deactivate their account for 1 week.

I doubt many will take this challenge. Or least the ones who need to take the time off, won’t. The ones who don’t have a problem, they’re never on there to start with and will stand up to this challenge. But trust me, it’s worth it to log off…and when you do, it's convicting to see how much your life is out of order with FB in it.

Which brings me to one revelation I’ve had this week…

By letting our kids watch cartoons on TV while we are on FB,

we are raising internet/screen addicts.

But it’s not just FB. Well for me it is. The 5 minutes here and there is already a time-drainer. But I know men and women…they’re on them all. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, what else is there? I’ve heard of a ‘StumbleUpon’ or something. QUESTION: WHO HAS TIME FOR ALL THESE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS?

Now if social media is your job…your real job, you are justified. If you do online marketing, multi-level marketing, you’ve got a reason…but for many of us, we have ‘real jobs’, ‘real duties’, and ‘real lives’ that we are robbing time away from on these avenues of entertainment. And I haven't even brought up the apps...the games...the other things uploaded to that device of distraction you carry!

What is it really? Entertainment. Entertainment sucks you in. Remember the times before the internet was a ‘necessity’, people were called “couch potatoes” because they sat in front of a different screen. Now with YouTube...you don't even need to turn on the TV, you've got entertainment in your pocket. So are you still a couch potato? Or a new name for a new device, in a new era? 

What can we be called?

• SCREEN JUNKIES?
• INTERNET ADDICTS?
• PHONE FANATICS?
• OBSESSED?
• HOOKED?

Don’t think so? Just this week, I read a few articles on parents who neglected their 2 year old twins and let them starve to death. I saw a story on a nine-month old that nearly died from not eating for about 2 months. The parents? Where were they? Not on crack…well, a new crack: internet games. They were hooked. And many of us are too!

I have 2 boys…I’ve been on FB before, ‘checking in’, ‘checking messages’ with my kids asking me to play with them, fix ‘em a snack…What do we say, “Just a minute…” right? Luckily for our kids, it really is (or hopefully is) only a minute or two…

But imagine these people out there…crying babies for food from behind the doors and their game is more important. But yet, how many of you have kids or spouses crying out for your UNDIVIDED, UNDISTRACTED attention and love. And while they may have their bellies full, they may in fact be starving to death emotionally.

What is it? It’s addiction. It’s idolatry. People who many never have had a drug or alcohol addiction misses it when it's right under their nose. I overcame a variety of addictions and broke free from them. I recognize in myself when I'm just starting to get hooked...and that's when I reel myself in. I know the claws of addiction. I know the lies, 'just this once'...'just a little'. I know them all to well. That's why I unplugged, I recognize when something/someone is fighting to become Lord over my life.

So maybe we “aren’t that bad”…right? We say it all the time. “I’m not as bad as them.” “I’m not like them.” But that’s where we get off course. We compare ourselves to others; others who are clearly not living out their purpose in life.

We have to look into the mirror – the Word of God. The Bible. The Holy Scriptures. The Truth. This is where we will see our idolatrous selves clearly. We will discover that we are slaves to things we have ‘justified’ were ‘necessary’ for too long.

Homework: Go to your concordance in your Bible or www.biblegateway.com and look up the words: idols, idolatry, idolatrous, and idolaters. Tell me what you find looking back at you in “the Mirror”.

IDOLATRY

This word is ever present in my vocab these days. It pops up in many of my conversations...because I feel and see it ever present in our culture, society, and homes.

My working definition of IDOLATRY:

• ANYTHING that robs our affection and time from God.
• ANYTHING that is currently ushering in a stronghold over us.
• ANYTHING that is robbing our day and lives of real relationships and productivity.
• ANYTHING that we jokingly say we are 'obsessed with', 'fixated on', or 'have a fetish' of.
• ANYTHING that we are addicted to.
• ANYTHING we admit to 'wasting our time' doing.

 

Got idolatry?

It's everywhere. I could list numerous things...many that we all own or do. So I will refrain from identifying many of them to avoid the condemnation the enemy would love to suck you under.

I bring this topic up however, to bring attention to you that there is some, somewhere in your life, home, day and I am calling out to you to BREAK FREE from it!!!!

Note: I TAKE MYSELF THROUGH THIS TOO...DON'T THINK FOR A SECOND THAT I DON'T BATTLE THE TEMPTATION OF IDOLATRY.  It's in our fallen nature...there for we are to submit to God...not our nature/flesh.

Ask God this week: What are the idols in my life Lord?

And be ready for Him to answer. Jesus resonated the 10 commandments in the New Testament.

We often hear, "...but we're no longer under the law". True. But we are called to follow Christ's example and teachings, right? And He taught the same principles of the 10 Commandments. And the Holy Spirit convicts accordingly to the Scripture that God has laid before us.

Study Exodus 20:3-17...and then turn over to New Testament. (Matthew 4:10, 5:34,10:37, 5:22, 5:28, 5:40, 12:36, Luke 16:13, 12:15, and Mark 2:27-28.)

Salvation is a gift from God granted by His mercy and grace to those who repent and confess that Jesus is Lord. YES! But we have to relentless pursue God to remain free from bondage.

Once we are saved, bought by the blood of Christ on the Cross...The Lord knows that if we follow His teachings, then we will REMAIN free. We are truly free when we are abiding in His Word and walking it out, walking by the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. How much freedom do you have when you are entangled with obsessiveness with fame, power, money, material things? How much freedom do you have when you are ensnared by lust? NONE. Idolatry comes in the door of sin. Sin comes by temptation not being dealt with AT THE FEET OF JESUS!

When we remain in the Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit, submissive to God's will...then we are worshipping the ONE TRUE GOD and free of idolatry.

Meditate, think, dwell on this word: idolatry.

What false idols/gods are trying to control and master you?

Find some?

If so:

• Repent of the idolatry.
• Ask God for forgiveness.
• Break the unhealthy attachment/addiction to these.
• Ask God to deliver you from idolatry.
• Then pursue God - daily - above all things!!!!

It is NOT God's will that you serve anyone, anything besides God....and...

^"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." - 1 John 5:14-15

So what then shall you do???? He is available and waiting to set you free TODAY!

Who do you serve?

The Word is the truth. The truth, the inspired Word of God. The Bible is the Word. The Bible gives the best advice on the planet. It's full of life-bringing encouragement, as well as honest, love-motivated warnings. Such as:

Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

--  1 John 5:21, NASB  --

 



 

Another translation (Living Bible) simply states it as:

^"Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. "

 

IDOL in the Greek: heathen god, false god.

IDOL from dictionary.com:

any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or

devotion...or an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.

 

Look around at this world. Name some "idols". Money? Homes? Sports, sports figures? Bands? Look at the walls in your home. What is your kids' room postered with? What is your money going to? Your time? Who is your allegiance going to?

 

Got addictions? To your phone, your computer, FB, Pinterest, porn, alcohol, drugs, steroids, shopping, eating?????

 

What or who do you serve? Do you please your spouse above God? Does your child rule over you? What about your job? Do you sacrifice your well-being and time with your family to be #1 at your job?

 

How is your health? Stress levels? Is there any indications that your life is imbalanced? Going to work with hangovers? Lying to your spouse on where you are, where the money is going?

 

How's your kids' life? Do they have time to play and be a kid, or are they practicing 'til dusk that sport you think will pay for college? Is your kid stressed out?

 

Folks, stress, dying relationships, confusion, chaos, health problems, sleep deprivation...the list goes on and on that indicate their are idols in our lives.

 

Don't think money is an idol? Look at your car? Overpriced? Look at your home, could it house 2 or 3 families? I've heard people justify chasing the dollar to 'give'. The woman in the synagogue gave her last coins and Jesus remarked that she gave more...she gave out of her necessity. Is your car more than a small home on the bad side of town? Yea, it's overpriced. Give more! Spend less, give more. Give out of necessity, give until it hurts....IF you honestly believe that you are chasing money to give more. Here's a challenge: Never drive something that costs over $500/mo. and the difference between your current monthly payment and the $500 - GIVE IT AWAY!!!! Do the same with that house payment! Or whatever high priced idol your money and time is serving!

 

Don't think food is an idol? I live in Kern County. #1 for highest rate of obesity in California. 65% of Americans are obese. Hello, FOOD IS AN IDOL. People turn to it for comfort...instead of the Lord! They spend gobs of money on a ridiculous SMALL amount of food at a fancy restaurant. I've had the food...it's salty and I'm still hungry when I leave. I'd rather have a ham sandwich or salad from my kitchen!

 

What else? Sports. Either watching or participation to the point that you have no relationship with people or your spouse, your family. Drugs and alcohol - the overconsumption that is wrecking your marriage, your kids' lives, your health, your work performance. One word: IDOLATRY.

 

My perspective has always been that these kinds of idols are what people are turning to and trying to fill the God-sized void in their lives and hearts with. What if you spent 1/10 of the time you spend doing your favorite, idolatrous activity with God? What if you spent 1/4 of that time??? Think life could be different?

 

James 1:27 says: Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

 

The world is filled with idolatry! There's even a show 'American Idol' on television. Kids who know more about a sports figure than Jesus Christ! Commercials blasting idolatry from the idol-box itself, the television.

 

Am I being harsh? I just want to see this world turned upside down for Jesus. And it starts when we stop worshipping ourselves, our possessions, our achievements and start WORSHIPPING THE TRUE GOD!!!

 

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him

must worship in spirit and truth.”

--  John 4:24  --

 

 

"....worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh..."

--  Philippians 3:3  --

 

Heck, the first commandment from Exodus is: DO NOT WORSHIP ANY OTHER gods!

 

It's in the Old and New Testament. So what should we do?

 

Guard ourselves and lay down our false gods and idols. It's time to worship the only one true God!! 

Lance Armstrong & Disappointment

I typically don't blog on this topic, however, I will tie it into the topics I typically do write about.

And disclaimer: I have not googled for articles to educate myself on the topic 100%, I am responding to a few posts and conversations I've seen and had this week.

So turns out that Lance Armstrong did not win all those races NATURALLY, right? And it turns out that people are totally shocked, disappointed, and devastated over it.

I read a post that read something like, "Lance was the pinup boy for the St. Jude's Cancer Kids and they worshipped him". Hmmmm. You see where I am going?

Another friend said, "He was an ICON". Is that similar to IDOL?

I am not for one second saying what he did was right, at all. But let's put this in perspective.

We live in a society that idolizes winner, the rich, the great. Think about Tiger Woods? His affairs that devastated and betrayed his fans.

Personally, I am usually NEVER shocked by people's sin. When people come out of the closet re: drugs, affairs, or just plain 'ol 'coming out of the closet'...I say 'wow....what now?' I don't get stuck on what they did, I do however, want to know what they are going to do from this point. Will they turn away from this tragic behavior, or repeat? Do they need help getting out of that bondage? Do they need prayer? Counseling? Help? There's more to these 'devastating deeds'. There is brokenness, addiction, lust, habitual behavior that has them 'locked up'. These people need someone to come along the side of them and help them see the light and walk in it.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that glamourizes the famous, the best bodies, heros, great preachers, amazing actors, actresses, singers, doctors, inventors, etc. The list goes on and on. Look through our kids' bedrooms, what is it plastered with? Posters, bed covers, sheets of some character or something they love and possibly obsessed with. This idolatry starts young...look at your dvd collection.

My commentary on this Lance thing is this:

• I'm not shocked he used steroids for better performance.
• I am shocked at the way people are so devastated, angry and bitter.
• It's apparent that people idolized and worshipped him.
• It's sad that he would succumb to the pressure to be the best and do what it took.
• It's sad that he would have loose morals.
• It's sad he would use drugs, break the law.
• It's sad that he would jeopardize his integrity and health to win.

But that's what people, society wants. The best, the richest, the smartest, the most amazing are worshipped...and so those who are nearly there on their own buy into the lie to 'DO WHATEVER IT TAKES'.

So Lance, he met people's expectations, he amazed them. He was the most amazing and the best. But he did whatever it took to get there. The guy has come to the end of his road. His efforts for self-sufficiency has come to a close. Someone get me his number, let me call him and tell him about a 'better way'.

This kind of idolatry is similar to people of churches or organizations who lose hope with their 'leader', when he/she gets caught in sin. When the leader 'betrays' them, or someone.

The Bible clearly warns us in the first 2 of the Top Ten in Exodus 20:

• You shall have no other gods before Me.
• You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.  You shall not worship them or serve them.

These are the TOP 2 - this is why there are so many devastated over Lance...this is why so many Christians are devastated over leaders hurting them. Some how, some where the icon, leader, winner, star, etc. became a 'god' (lower case g) in their lives. People placed these people as an idol in their life and worshipped them.

Do you think perhaps this is why the Lord warned us from the start of the commandments, from the start in the Bible to NOT do this.

Clearly, the pain is warranted by the betrayal. But how often do people let that disappointment gravely and negatively affect their lives? How many fall out of fellowship with the Lord, other believers in the case of hurt from the church, church people.

Remember, we live in a 'fallen' world. A place where everyone is vulnerable to sin.

We've heard it said, 'a sin is a sin, is a sin'. Lying is as bad as adultery. Consequences and hurt may not be the same, but both are sin...and both call for repentance. Same as stealing, murder, etc. Move from the Top Ten and go into the New Testament into the book of Matthew and find what Jesus taught regarding these offenses...even with these desires in your heart is sinfulness.

Question now: Are you still shocked?

LESSON and AGREEMENT: Let's not put one person: celebrity, sports figure, friend, pastor, boss, relative, etc. above the Lord. Be mindful that they are human and have the capacity to blow it big time.

It is about expectations. If we expect people to be perfect 100% of the time, we will be disappointed. If we expect them never to say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, or fail, we will be disappointed.

Personally, when I hear of betrayal, dishonesty...I grimace and say, 'Darn it....what a bummer'...I'm not happy about it at all. But my next words usually are: 'See, everyone still neeeds Jesus...some for the first time...some again...or more.'

 

I once heard it said, "We need our Savior everyday".

If we keep this in perspective and look at everyone around us, stars or everyday people, friends and family....when they blow it, sin, hurt, betray...hopefully we will have a heart of compassion for them and say, "They are in need of some of the Lord's forgiveness and saving grace. They need some divine help."

That's what it boils down to....WE ALL NEED MORE JESUS!