In yesterday’s sermon message, my husband (who is also my pastor), was talking about our need for hope and related it to the fact that hope comes from God when we keep our eyes focused on him, and not on other things – like social media or the news. While I agree with that statement/train of thought, I honestly don’t know that he went far enough. I am not sure that many of us are going far enough in our desire to obtain truth and holiness – righteousness and obedience – like God is calling (and has been calling) his people to for years.
Why is our world so messed up? Why are so many dealing with mental health issues? Depression? Gender dysphoria? Anxiety? Why are so many people angry and escalated to the point of doing physical harm to others without any sort of remorse? Why do our feelings dictate right and wrong when they are subjective and fleeting?
Could it be that we are in such a cruddy state as creation because we have blown off the Creator?
I am not just speaking about unbelievers here. In fact, I would expect unbelievers to get it wrong. I would expect them to struggle with sin-nature. I would expect them to believe that we are somehow capable as mankind of reaching a sort of utopia on earth. Why would they think differently? Without God, that all makes sense.
This should not be so for believers, however. Should it? Our worldview should be foundational in setting us apart. We know that we are all sinners. We know that we are destined for hell without the saving grace of Jesus. We know that the only reason we are saved is because of Jesus’ atonement – not because we were somehow able to achieve right stature apart from him. We know. We claim to believe God. We acknowledge that the Bible is sacred – and is the Word of God – not some man-made collection of books. We say that. We say it’s important to read the Bible. But do we? Do we know what it says? Do we prioritize it?
Christian friends, if we believe the Word of God – if we believe that God really does hate what he says he hates and love what he says he loves, why are we disregarding his directives? Yes, I agree with the sermon – social media and news are not healthy for us. They aren’t. They do much more damage than they do good these days. I believe that. I also agree that we should be reading our Bible daily – in fact consuming more of it than social media and the news. However, I don’t think that is enough.
What are we pouring into our hearts and minds? What things are we embracing as “entertainment” that would be found on God’s list of abhorrents? Is God glorified by homosexuality? Is God glorified by promiscuity? Is God glorified by murder? Is God glorified by swearing? Is God glorified by lust? Is God glorified through the mistreatment of others? Is God glorified when we put ourselves in front of a screen and mindlessly consume hours of sitcoms, dramas, sports, or even home improvement shows? Are we giving God the best of our time? Are we making him the priority? Most of the Christians I know don’t actually spend much time in God’s Word. They don’t read it for themselves – or if they do – they only read some parts of it with very little time invested daily.
I write this not to bash anyone. Please hear that. I don’t. However, my heart is greatly grieved with the knowledge of how we regularly grieve God and don’t seem to care about it. My heart is heavy with the truth that we so often mindlessly consume evil and completely miss it because our filters are too small or because we have ignored our filters so much that they are now virtually non-existent. (Again, I am speaking to Christians here.)
I recently heard a sermon podcast from Martyn Iles. He was sharing a conversation he had either had or had heard from a pastor friend who was saying that his favorite movie was “The Wolf Of Wallstreet.” Iles was taken aback by the pastor’s favorite, not because he himself had seen the movie, but because he had heard something about the storyline and that it was, in fact, quite filled with sin. His reason for sharing was that many of the people we are looking to as spiritual leaders right now aren’t even aware of how much evil they are consuming and becoming complicit too.
I get this. This has been HUGELY on my heart. Have you ever watched a movie, even really enjoyed it, recommended it – then get an opportunity to watch the movie with your small child or with your grandmother? Then what happens? Suddenly you are hearing language that you didn’t notice being there before… There is a casualness to sexual intimacy that you didn’t remember… maybe even nudity… There are sexual innuendos and humor that isn’t quite as funny as you remembered – but now seems rather crude and unnecessary…
What are we putting into our brains? What are we calling entertainment and welcoming onto our screens without hesitation that we would not be ok with literally happening in our living rooms? Christian friend, it’s not even just the shows, it’s the commercials!
Are we filtering? Who’s filter are we using? Who’s standard? If it isn’t God’s – we are being deceived.
Do we know what God’s filter looks like? We do know, and we can know. It’s in his Word if we will read it and study it.
How can we expect God’s blessing on our lives when we are operating apart from His directive? How can we expect to make right and holy decisions in our lives when we don’t fill ourselves with righteousness and holiness? How can we expect to draw near to God – to really feel Him near – when we are embracing that which separates us from Him? How can we hope to impact this world for Christ when we haven’t allowed him to create in us something that looks entirely different than what the world is offering? How can we expect better relationships with our spouses, children, friends, and families, when we fill our time with screen garbage over investing in each other?
What we watch, matters. How we filter, matters. It impacts us. Hurts us. Weakens our testimony. Shortens our kingdom potential.
God wants his people to put no other gods before him (Exodus 20:2), yet we are. Daily. Would that the scales be lifted from our eyes! Yet we cry for unity? We petition for peace? We search for love? We wallow in our hopelessness? Do we not see? God’s fruit comes from God. From God alone.
I realize that this message may likely hit a nerve. I get it. Sin is more obvious when it stands next to holiness. My prayer, my hope, is that we will begin to intentionally purge ourselves from that which dishonors the King of Kings and LORD of Lords. My prayer is that we would see more clearly the truth and power of the Word of God and that we would cherish it as the gift that it really is. My hope is that we would invest in what God says is good, and truly hate what he hates, and stop embracing it.
LORD, thank you for not giving up on your people. We are sinners. We have blown it. We have filled our time and minds with things that neither bring you glory or build up those around us. We have allowed ourselves to embrace things that you hate. Forgive us. LORD, open our eyes to your truth. Help us to desire your word and time spent with you. Lead us through this lifetime toward eternity with you. We pray for protection against deception. We pray for protection for our families, as well as for our faith. LORD, help us to be willing to live as salt and light in this world. Help us not to look like those who don’t claim you as their LORD and Savior. Help us to reflect a different way. We need your help. We cannot make these changes alone. LORD, we want to put you first. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Blessings.