Christian Community in the Digital Age

Jesus is the head of the body, His church, and He is working to bring His church together for the purpose of lifting up His name. Colossians 1 says:
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

We have been called into the body of Christ - His church, brought together in unity to wear and to bear His name.  Because we are Christians, God not only has an individual purpose for each of us, but He desires to work collectively for His glory.  We can gain a sense that we are not alone in the body of Christ, and He calls us into fellowship with one another, so that we can encourage and strengthen each other in the Lord.   He desires to bring glory to His name as He expresses His nature through His people.

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In Hebrews chapter 10, we read about the connectivity of the body of Christ, coming together as we seek to grow in Christ:
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

There has been plenty of analysis and speculation as to how the growth of technology will impact the worship experience.    And, while there are many who go to the internet to receive spiritual information, there are indications that there is a growing acceptance of the online worship experience becoming a primary way to relate with the Lord.

According to Christianity Today report on a new survey by the Barna Group, nearly half of Protestant senior pastors - 47% - agree that at least some people will experience their faith exclusively through the internet within the coming decade. And, the prospect of such a digital experience is becoming more accepted: nearly 9 out of 10 pastors (87%) told the Barna Group it is "theologically acceptable" to seek "faith assistance" or "religious experiences" online. Nearly 4 out of 10 pastors (39%) say they now do so themselves, according to Barna's recent survey examining the online actions and attitudes of more than 600 pastors.

By comparison, in 2000 only 78 percent of pastors felt online religious experiences were theologically acceptable, and only 15 percent used the internet for their own religious experiences.

Also, the survey indicated that around 1 in 7 pastors (13%) say the risks of the internet being used to "spread spiritual heresy and distort Christianity" outweigh its potential to "spread authentic Christianity." By comparison, 17 percent felt the same in 2000.

Also, over half of pastors (55%) believe that churches will have to have a significant website or presence on the internet in order to remain effective. In 2000, only 1 in 4 (26%) felt the same.

And, 54% of pastors believe that developing a significant presence on the internet is a good investment of their church’s money. In 2000, only 1 in 3 (31%) felt the same.

It is a challenge to determine how best to use the tools of the digital age to facilitate and promote spiritual growth, while making sure that people are not become disconnected with each other personally while they become more connected virtually.   The Bible teaches that we are called into community and that we are to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.   Does such assembly online constitute community?

I think we have to take a close look at how the Bible defines community and make sure that our virtual activities do not become an inferior substitute for the authentic fellowship that God prescribes for the body of Christ.    I do believe that social media is a wonderful tool for promoting and engaging in spiritual growth, but we have to guard against becoming isolated from true fellowship by its digital counterpart.

I also echo the concerns of that small number of pastors who indicate that you could connect to spiritual heresy and distortions of Christianity through the internet.  That is why it is so important that the basis for our spiritual growth should always be centered on our own personal study of God's Word.   Internet Bible study and spiritual information accessed online can be rich and instructive to us, but we have to make sure that we are grounded in truth by the personal study of the Bible and the faithful, accurate teaching of God's Word.

We can be reminded that Faith Radio represents a technological tool through which spiritual growth can occur.   The sound, reliable teaching of God's Word that can be found there on a daily basis, and that teaching, along with music that can enhance the worship experience, can bring a greater awareness of how God wants to operate in our lives. 

Answered Prayer and Ascending Confidence

God has given to us the privilege of coming before His throne because of the access given to us through Jesus Christ. Jesus calls on us to place ourselves in agreement with one another, according to Matthew 18:
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

We can approach the throne of grace with confidence and recognize that there is great power available to believers as we are willing to unite our hearts and see God expressed in our midst.  We can be built up in our faith as we take God at His Word and come into agreement with each other, to see Him do mighty things for His glory.  As we experience answered prayer, it can produce an ascending degree of confidence in our great God.

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Are we confident in God's ability to answer our prayers?  Or are we surprised when we actually see an answer?  There was an incident in the early church in Acts 12, after Peter was supernaturally freed from prison.  The church had been praying for him, and Peter showed up where some believers were meeting. We pick up the story:
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
15 But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel."
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.

I believe that God wants us to come before Him with confidence in His ability to hear our prayers and to act in accordance to His will.   There was a recent story on the Christian Today website about a former atheist who experienced a surprise when God actually answered one of his prayers.

The story quotes Clay Lein, who had told KHOU Channel 11 News, "I had a very rational mind. It had to be logical. I needed proof. There had to be evidence. And if there wasn't proof then it was just something people made up."

And apparently things were going pretty well with Lein - he had a successful career and a loving wife so he figured that there was no need to believe in God even though many others did.

His wife invited him to come to church. He even ended up volunteering for a youth camp. At the camp, Lein was asked to pray publicly. As the story goes, Clay did pretty well in spite of his inexperience. He even prayed for each child there and he did not stop praying for a whole 15 minutes.

One of those children, a young girl, began crying because she was so moved by Lein's personal prayer for her. Lein recalled, "In between the sobs she begins to share that her uncle was abusing her...And that she hadn't been able to tell anybody else until that moment. That's when I think something clicked for me."

He said that he realized that God was relevant and He really wanted to do amazing things in his life. Lein said, "I became a Christian that day. And I heard a voice, and it wasn't Charleton Heston, it was more a thought that comes up and often times it sounds like Clay's voice but it was definitely God. And it said, 'Try me.'"

He has now been ordained as an Episcopalian minister and leads a parish of some 4000 members. Clay Lein states that, "If God can change me, He can change anybody."

This story can help us to reflect on the faithfulness of God and how He will work in a human heart. In this case, you had a man who had rejected Christ, but God used Clay's wife and the experience of working with young people to draw him to Himself.  Then, through the activity of prayer, God made Himself very real not only to Clay, but to this young lady for whom he prayed.   We can be reminded that through our prayers, we can trust that God is at work in tangible ways, working in the hearts and lives of those for whom we are praying and maybe even doing a work to bring people, including the person praying, into a closer walk with Himself.   So, we never underestimate the potential that comes as we present our requests to God.

We can also examine the degree of confidence with which we come before God.  He desires for us to boldly approach His throne, to call upon Him with an attitude of great reliance on His faithfulness. He wants us to do more than hope that maybe something will happen if we just throw a prayer in His direction - He desires for us to stand in faith and to fervently call upon Him, knowing that He hears our prayers.  He wants us to come before Him with a confidence that produces passionate prayers, born out of a dependence on Almighty God, who desires to express His love and faithfulness toward us.  I would hope that we are not surprised when God answers our prayers, but that we are thankful nonetheless.

Encouragement in 4 Words

After the apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 to put off the old man and to put on the new person, who is created in Christ in righteousness and holiness, he outlines some very practical principles through which we demonstrate that Christ is in us. Verse 29 deals specifically with the words of our mouths:
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

We can be encouraged to check our own words.  A real challenge is to think before we speak and consider the impact of our words.  Our goal with our speech should be to glorify Christ and to reflect the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  So, we weigh our words carefully and allow the Spirit to direct us.   Words are powerful and can be used to bring life and hope, to build people up and to encourage them in their faith.  But, the wrong words can bring less than God's best into a situation.  So, we can be challenged to allow God's love to flow through us and bring life to our words.

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God is calling us to be people of comfort and encouragement, as we reflect the nature of Christ in the words that we speak. Romans 15 says:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are on Twitter very often, you may have noticed recently there was a trending topic called, "#EncourageEveryonein4Words."    A website I discovered called, Liftbump reported on the trend and said:

The power of social media never ceases to amaze. The now-trending #EncourageEveryonein4Words hashtag is showing how easy it is to lift someone up.

However, it appears that people take the idea of encouraging words in many different directions.

Areas identified included:  providing words of love and wisdom, such as a tweet from a Veterans group saying, "You are not alone," and one from the Yellow Day movie, "Let go; let God."

Another area included celebrating today's little victories.  A picture of a snuggly cat accompanied the tweet, "Monday is almost over."   And, there were some words from old TV shows, including a tribute to Spock, played by the late Leonard Nimoy, with the memorable words, "Live long and prosper."

There were also tributes to food, such as "There is always pizza," and "Bacon makes it better."  And, there was a tweet that said, "Don't worry be happy!"

The short article, full of examples, said that, "This trending topic shows us that — while the angles of doing so may vary drastically — it only takes four words to encourage someone."

It is true, sometimes short words of encouragement can make a strong impression.  And, it can take more effort to make our words count that to get caught up in the multiplicity of words.   One thing we can be challenged to do is to carefully consider our words and realize that in all we say, think, or do we represent Christ.   We can become ensnared by the words of our mouth and if we're not careful, end up saying things that are counterproductive.

The report of this recent social media trend can also help us to think about the power of encouragement.  God calls us to speak words that bring life and that can build others us, and we can seek to lift others up when our words are aligned with the truth of His Word.

So, today, what 4 words would or could you use to bring encouragement?   I think about these words, based on what the apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 12: "His strength is perfect."   We can reflect on God's presence in our lives with a simple, "God is with us."  And, the essence of the gospel message can be communicated through the words, "God loved the world," a reference to John 3:16.

It can be a fun and instructive exercise to boil down gospel truth into 4-word phrases.   Not being overly simplistic, mind you.  But, in this world of fast-paced social media communication, we can look for creative and impactful ways to bring truth into the consciousness of the people with whom we interact.   

Reflecting on our Divine, Defining Moments

Psalm 40 contains verses that can help us reflect on God's love and faithfulness - and His ability to help us when we encounter trouble:
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!

Verses 16 and 17 say:

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!"
17 But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

We recognize God is our source of help - not providing assistance to do as we please, but as the Lord of our lives, He instructs and empowers us to do as He pleases.   He gives us the wisdom and the courage to navigate through the challenges of this life and reminds us that He lives in our hearts, providing us the resources that we need in order to live a life that honors Him.  As God has been our help in the past, we can trust Him with our future - and I think we do well to remember His instances of help.

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In Psalm 121, we can read some encouraging verses about relying on God's help. Here are verses 1, 2, and 8:
1 ...I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

The concluding verse, verse 8, says:
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

It has truly been a remarkable weekend across Central Alabama, with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," the events of that tragic Sunday afternoon where marchers who were advocating for the rights of African-Americans to vote were brutally turned back by law enforcement officials.  The events of that day galvanized support for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

This year's anniversary festivities brought an estimated 40,000 people out Saturday afternoon to hear President Obama and other speakers address the significance of the events in Selma that day 50 years ago.   Yesterday, the scheduled bridge crossing re-enactment yielded perhaps double that number of people who converged on the bridge, overshadowing the official bridge crossing ceremony.

And, there were a number of reasons that brought people to Selma this weekend.  I think for many, it was a time to pause and reflect on the work that has been done in the area of race relations over the past 50 years and to take a sincere look at what the future may hold.  Not unexpectedly, the issue of voting rights came up.  The President related in his speech his concern about the U.S. Supreme Court removing a pre-clearance from the Justice Department for states who have a history of voter suppression.

According to AL.com, the President said, "...Meanwhile, the Voting Rights Act, the culmination of so much blood and sweat and tears, the product of so much sacrifice in the face of wanton violence, stands weakened, its future subject to partisan rancor."  Noting that about 100 members of Congress were expected in Selma that day, Obama said they should "pledge to make it their mission to restore the law this year."  The Supreme Court decision had noted that Congress could write a new formula for the law.   My concern would be that states would continue to be penalized for discriminatory practices that may have been addressed many years ago.

There were also echoes from Ferguson, Missouri...the AL.com piece also mentions that the president said, "What happened in Ferguson may not be unique, but it's no longer endemic," adding, "It's no longer sanctioned by law or by custom. And before the Civil rights movement, it most surely was."

But he said it's a more common mistake to think that incidents of racial bias are isolated.

"We know the march is not yet over. We know the race is not yet won," he said.

The march brought together a variety of agendas, many of which share some elements in common. The Guardian website stated that:

While dedicating sections of the speech to the problems that afflict African Americans in particular, Obama’s address was a call to broaden the civil rights movement for the modern era, touching on the barriers to equality that still constrain the freedoms of women, Latino immigrants and gay people.

There was certainly spiritual language, even though some of the themes didn't necessarily reflect a Biblical perspective.  For example, there is a certain element that sees today's gay rights movement as an extension of the civil rights struggle, which I certainly disagree with - those that risked their lives cried out for the dignity of people of color.  I really don't think those actions should not be interpreted as a template to force the acceptance of what the Bible regards as sinful behavior on society. 

Yes, there certainly were a myriad of reasons why people showed up by the tens of thousands in Selma over the weekend.   And, as we view the reports of this collective commemoration, we can also think about those defining moments of our own lives...maybe there is a place, or numerous places that have been formative and significant in your own life, and especially in your spiritual journey.  There may be a place you remember where God met you in a special way, perhaps the place you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.   I think it can be important to go back there in your mind and think about what God did in your live.   Perhaps there was even a moment or two of failure, where you were down and out, but where God lifted you up and made Himself very real to you.  We can gain a greater appreciation of our spiritual growth as we reflect on those defining moments where He has shown up in our lives.

I think of Samuel, after a strong instance of God's deliverance, as documented in 1st Samuel chapter
7.  We read:
10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us."
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Samuel called the stone, Ebenezer, designating a place where God helped the people of Israel.  We can be encouraged as we document spiritual milestones and then occasionally think back on how we have seen God be faithful to us.

A Spy in the Church

The apostle Paul demonstrated a passion for winning souls into the Kingdom of God. And, he was devoted to building bridges with other people, to learn to appreciate their world, to find commonality, so that it would increase the platform for the gospel. He is what he wrote in 1st Corinthians 9:
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

If we are devoted to winning people to Christ, in order to fulfill His Great Commission, then we can recognize God's Spirit with us.  He will partner with us to empower us to know what to say and when to say it.  Paul used the phrase in verse 22 "by all means."  That means that we keep the goal in mind and the message clear and pure, but within the context of relationship, we can find opportunities to demonstrate the love of Jesus.

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We get a vivid snapshot on the compassionate, miraculous ministry of Jesus in a passage from Matthew 9:
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
In a storefront a few Sundays ago, a local official went undercover into a church service.  He was a code enforcement officer, and he reported the following occurrences:

I walked back to the Coffee Bar and was able to visualize, in my opinion what appeared to be a ministry in progress
There was the following going on inside the Coffee Bar
Someone speaking from a podium.
A overhead TV or projection with scripture verse on it.
Rows of people sitting in chairs on both sides like a gathering setting.
People holding what appeared to be bibles or religious books as one had a cross on it.

The officer wrote that he was able to capture on his city phone a video which will be attached to a case file for future court presentation.   You know what that means?  They may be dragged into court before the civil authorities!

The report continued;

I was approached by an unknown man with a cross around his neck, as I moved away from the front door and started to walk away. The man in my opinion appeared to be a minister, who asked me to, join his services, and that I was, welcome to enter. I asked him if it was a church gathering or a coffee shop and he replied, both but on Sundays there are two services and to, come back at 11:00 

The following Sunday, a city official came and gave the church one week to stop meeting at the premises.

The language in the initial report is mildly amusing and certainly troubling.  It's as if this official really had not been to a church service - ever.  He was able to recognize "ministry in progress."  Well, this is certainly the type of incident that you might think you would hear about in a socialist regime, or a nation with very little Christian presence.

So, what did this church do wrong?  Back to the original report from the undercover invesigator:

I inspected the property and found the following violations:
Business rental property found without a current City of Lake Worth Business license, specifically to operate as a church, or a house of Worship. Pictures and a video were taken,

Operating a church without a license!  Where is Lake Worth, by the way?  That would be in Florida - in the United States of America!  It's on the state's east coast, south of West Palm Beach.  Seems like the city is forcing all churches to acquire business licenses - available for a fee.

Todd Starnes of Fox News reported on the story, and he linked to the report, as it was posted by Liberty University.   The story quotes Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, who is representing the church, called Common Ground Church.  He stated: "Government employees are public servants and prohibited by the Constitution from inhibiting religious freedom," adding, "That is a far cry from sneaking around and into a church and acting like KGB agents."

Staver is calling on city leaders to immediately rescind the business license mandate on churches.

Staver said the city’s actions violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Florida Constitution, the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal Religious Land Uses and Institutionalized Persons Act.  In a letter to the city, he wrote: "Churches are not businesses and need not obtain such licenses."

Of course, this is a story that illustrates some of hostile attitudes toward Christians and lack of understanding of the ministry and purpose of the church.  While we are all called to obey the law, when our freedom to worship God in the manner He prescribes is being limited, then it is appropriate to petition those civil authorities.   The Alabama Policy Institute and Alabama Citizens Action Program did that in the case of so-called same-sex marriage recently, and the state Supreme Court granted their request to refuse to allow marriage licenses for gay couples until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the gay marriage issue.   Common Ground Church in Florida is working with Liberty Counsel to appeal this intrusion into what the church sees as its basic freedom to assemble.   As Todd points out, the city sees the church merely as a "business" - I certainly think that shows a real lack of understanding.

But, there is something else that I want you to think about.  You may have people coming into your church that may be strangers to the church experience or you may come in contact with those who do not attend church regularly and have never accepted Jesus as their Savior.  Their statements observing the actions of Christians might sound very much like this city official.  To them, they see what looks like "ministry in progress,"  and people are holding what appear to be Bibles. We can grapple, individually and collectively, with how the church can express the love of Jesus, projecting a welcoming attitude, and drawing people into our worship.  And, I'm not talking about compromising the message to attract people; rather, it's a matter of showing the people with whom we connect who Jesus is.  So, this Sunday, be on the outlook for a spy in your congregation - show them ministry in progress and show them the evidence that Jesus lives in you. And, be sure you show up at the right time - set your clocks forward 1 hour - Daylight Savings Time begins at 2am Sunday.

The Pursuit of Mental Purity

The Bible prescribes the characteristics of thoughts that are consistent with our identity in Christ.  In Philippians 4, we are challenged:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

We have to ask ourselves - what are we meditating on?  Are we thinking about God's Word and its implications for our lives, or do the things of God only occasionally cross our minds?  We also have to make sure that we are guarding our hearts so that errant or impure thought patterns are not taking root.  What we place into our minds can be a huge determinant on how effective or ineffective we are in living our lives for Christ.

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In 2nd Corinthians chapter 10, we can read a passage which reminds us that we have the tools necessary to eradicate the pollution of impure thoughts from our consciousness:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...
Anti-pornography advocates are giving high marks to actor Russell Brand as the result of some content that he released in a YouTube video recently.  Now, Brand is a gritty, over-the-top comic actor, so I don't necessarily recommend watching the video, but he does use some research findings that are quite enlightening and not what you hear from the acting community very often.

According to The Christian Post, the video was made for Fight The New Drug, a campaign "dedicated to educating and raising awareness on the harmful effects of pornography using only science, facts, and personal accounts," Brand discusses the pitfalls of pornography and why he would never watch it if he had full control over his body. He also dismisses the popular "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie as "cultural smog."

Listen to this: the Post quotes Brand as saying "I was obsessed with porn when I was a teenager and it was nostalgic mad stuff that makes me sound old. We had to find magazine places and steal things from under beds. Living in the culture now where there's just icebergs of filth floating through every house on Wi-Fi, it's inconceivable what it must be like to be a young adolescent boy now with this kind of access to porn. It must be dizzying and exciting but corrupting in a way that we can't even think about."

Researchers Dr. Jill C. Manning and Dr. Gary R. Brooks wrote an open letter to Brand in response. After all, he quoted from some of their study of the harmful effects of pornography.  Thanking Brand, they wrote:

You brilliantly articulated research findings that have shown pornography to be associated with an exaggerated perception of sexual activity in society, diminished trust between intimate partners, the abandonment of sexual monogamy as a goal, and the belief that promiscuity is the natural state. Even soft-core pornography, as you well pointed out, contributes to voyeurism, objectification, trophyism, sex as masculinity validation, and fear of true intimacy. 

Too many people, and especially high profile individuals, are ashamed to openly acknowledge how pornography has negatively impacted them. Ironically, your spontaneous and authentic style may be the very antidote needed to help others honestly examine pornography’s destructive influence in their lives and ultimately share that wisdom with others. 

One of the organizations standing with Manning and Brooks that was mentioned in the letter was Enough is Enough, which is led by Donna Rice Hughes.   Fight The New Drug and two other organizations were mentioned, as well.

There is a cultural tidal wave of pornography, which ensnares the minds of people and distorts their view of sexuality.  With the availability of soft-core and hard-core porn today, it has become an epidemic in our society.   And, there is a responsibility for Christians to speak out against it - and...
to not participate in it.

The Bible teaches that when we are tempted, God will provide a way of escape.  If we expose ourselves to images that do not represent moral purity and Biblical ideals, then we run a real risk of becoming addicted and running down a path that does not honor God.

An organization called Proven Men commissioned a survey of men by the Barna Group last year.  A Charisma News article reported on some startling findings.  Of those men who identify themselves as born-again Christians:

• 95 percent admit that they have viewed pornography.
• 54 percent look at pornography at least once a month.
• 44 percent viewed pornography at work in the last 90 days.
• 31 percent had a sexual affair while married.
• 25 percent erase Internet browsing history to conceal pornography use.
• 18 percent admit being addicted to pornography (and another 9 percent think they may be).

Proven Men offers resources to help men break free from the bondage of pornography.

Our spiritual DNA, who we are in Christ, is based on a commitment to purity.  When we pollute our consciousness with impure thoughts and allow ourselves to view perverse behavior, we are not walking in a manner consistent with Christ.  It is important that we check our thoughts and take them captive to the obedience of Christ.  

Where impure thinking has become a stronghold, we can rely on the powerful tools of the Spirit to pull that stronghold down.  Deliverance is possible, but it takes a concerted effort to turn away from temptation and rely on the resources that we have been given in Christ.

For Such a Time As This

We can rejoice in the faithfulness of God - here are two verses from Psalm 119 that reinforce the concept of God's reliability:
137 Righteous are You, O Lord, And upright are Your judgments.
138 Your testimonies, which You have commanded, Are righteous and very faithful.

As we think about ways that we have seen God's hand in our lives, we can be strengthened in our walk and our worship.  As we call attention to His faithfulness, we can recognize that as He has worked in the past, we can trust Him to do His work in the future.  His Word is full of great and precious promises, given to us, so that we might grow in our faith and learn to trust Him more wholeheartedly each day.  We can be challenged to take a few moments and give God the praise for Who He is - our faithful God - and what we have seen Him do.

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In the book of Esther chapter 4, Queen Esther is being challenged by her relative Mordecai to go into
the king on behalf of the Jewish people, who were facing a legitimate threat at the hands of Haman:
13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews.
14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

In the streets of Jerusalem, people are readying for celebration.   According to a piece on the CBN News website, "The festival of Purim is at hand and a parade of costumed children from toddlers to teens walking the city streets is more fun than any reality show could ever hope to be. These children are living testimonies of God's faithfulness and the resilience of the Jewish people throughout centuries of persecution."

The author, Tzippe Barrow, points out that this week, young and old, religious and secular, will read the Book of Esther as it was recorded word for word some 2,500 years ago.   Barrow writes
that:

Today's generation -- in Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide -- faces new challenges. What was touted a few years ago as the Arab Spring morphed into bloody internecine fighting.

Jews in France, Britain, Belgium, Denmark and Ukraine are facing anti-Semitic incidences reminiscent of the rise of Adolph Hitler.

Is it any wonder that Jews take heart in recounting the story of Purim every year? Like other Jewish holidays -- Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot -- God commands the Jewish people not to forget.

The significance of Purim was a component of the speech that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered before a joint meeting of Congress yesterday.  The International Business Times
relates that Netanyahu said, “A courageous Jewish woman, Queen Esther, exposed the plot and gave for the Jewish people the right to defend themselves against their enemies,” adding, "The plot was foiled, our people were saved. Today the Jewish people face another attempt by yet another Persian potentate to destroy us.”

As we think about the celebration of Purim, perhaps there are some applications for our own lives. For one thing, one of the events leading to the Jews being able to defend themselves began with Mordecai's encouragement to Esther to go before the king on behalf of her people.  She was able to recognize the call of God and exercised courage to go before the king, who had not requested her presence.   We can rely on God to give us the courage to carry out the instructions that He has given to us and can trust in Him to empower us.

We also see the incredible preservation of God's people throughout the pages of the Scripture.  Because His everlasting covenant with Israel is still intact, He will continue to be faithful to work in the lives of His chosen people.  This can encourage us to trust in God's faithfulness in our own lives, realizing that He will work His plans for each of us in accordance with His will.  This can contribute to an increased sense of dependence upon the Lord.

Finally, Jewish people are celebrating the deliverance of their ancestors during Purim.  As we reflect on what God has done in each of our lives, we can make a decisive effort to approach Him with worship, thanking God for how we have seen Him show up, and we can rejoice in a mighty and faithful God.