Commitment

*my may church newsletter article, thought it was worth re-posting

Commitment

  Duty, promise, responsibility, and pledge. These are words that describe commitment.What does that word mean to you?  We try to teach our kids to be committed to their teams or educatoin, our employers encourage us to be committed to their company, and many strive to be committed in their relationships to spouses, children, and friends.  What about your relationship to God?  Are you truly a committed follower of Jesus Christ or are you a casual christian?  What about your commitment to God’s church?  

 Many people make “decisions” for Jesus Christ, but fewer make a true commitment and it shows in our lives and in the church.  God desires commitment from those who claim to be His.  He wants us to be committed to our relationship with Him. Growing and maturing in that relationship.  Committed to prayer, to reading and studying His Word, and committed to being a disciple and sharing the good news of His Message.   Many of us are more committed  to our jobs, hobbies, earthly relationships, and our kids activities than we are our relationship with our God.  God not only desires our commitment, but He also deserves our commitment to Him and His church.  

If we truly want to be committed to Christ,  then we have to strive to put Him first in every aspect of our lives and truly be and make a commitment, but it takes time and it is a process.  We have to commit to learning, growing, maturing, developing, and deepening our faith. We have to be faithful in attendance to our church body, faithful in service and giving of our time, abilities, and yes even finances.   I want to challenge you to be committed.  As the great philosopher Yoda said,  “Do or do not. There is no try.”  We have no problem committing to many things and then treat God and His church like it’s optional.  God gave us His best and He deserves our best.  

Commit your life to Christ.  Recommit your life to Christ.  Commit your family to Christ.  There is no greater commitment in this world to make than an eternal commitment.  I want to encourage you to evaluate your “christianity” and see if you are truly committed to God, His church, His service, and His will? The church here at Ronceverte could be so much more and do so much more if all it’s members were totally committed to being in church, serving God through the church, worship, giving,  reaching out,  helping others, loving God and loving others and going out and making disciples.   Let’s be Committed!

Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”

Can you see?

Can you See?

Proverbs 29:18(kjv)

¹⁸ Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Most of us who have 2 eyes and can see 20/20 or 20/20 with the help of glasses or contacts know the joy of being able to see. We take the gift of      

sight for granted many times.  It is a gift to be able to see.

Spiritually speaking many people have been gifted to have sight to see what God can and will do in their lives, but they choose blindness instead.  I think if you talk to most people who are physically blind, they would love to have their gift of sight, but cannot. However, can you imagine having the gift of sight and purposely blinding yourself so you cannot see? Yet so many do that spiritually speaking.

God gives us a vision or a revelation for what He has in store for our lives, not only salvation, but also His desire to use us to give, serve, and grow.  He wants us to have vision for His church, His body, so that we may participate in the church growing and being used by God to share the message of Jesus.

Yet, many churches refuse to have no vision and like the proverb, they eventually dwindle, die, and yes perish.  Many individuals have little or no faith or they allow their faith to perish as well because they aren't willing to have vision to see what God wants to give them or do through them.

My point today is that we need to have Vision.  God's Vision. We need to see things through His eyes.  What are His eyes? His Word and His Holy Spirit. When we began to see the world through His eyes we cannot help but be changed and have vision.

God has a great vision for the church and the church body(you and me). He desires to reach the world with his mission or reaching the lost and making disciples.  God wants to use us, His creation, His church body parts, to do His will and we cannot fully serve God if we do not have any vision, or if the church and it's leadership has no vision.

We have to be able to look past our noses and past today to see the bigger picture of what God has in store for us and His church. Oh how we waste so much time, energy , and talent by not having the vision that God has. We don't tap into all the blessings and growth God is willing to give us if we will only open our spiritual eyes.  Just think of how different so many local churches would look if they had God's vision? Instead the stay the same, stick to tradition, become old-fashioned, legalistic, and only inward focused and they are dying both numerically and spiritually because they have no vision, they do not have God's vision.

I want to encourage you today to open your spiritual eyes! See all the things God has in store for you. He's got big plans to use you, your talents, your time, your gifts, and your abilities to serve Him through serving others and serving in His church.  But, you got to be able to see.  I also want to encourage you to open your eyes if you are a minister or leader in your local church, do not let your church die or hold the church back because you lack vision.  As the saying goes, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way."  We need  preachers and leaders who have a vision for God.

Is it Worth it?

http://www.matthafer.com/2013/03/11/guest-blog-jason-thomas-on-frustrations-in-church-leadership/

here is a blog I wrote for a friend of mine for his blog page.

Preaching Revival at Athens Church of Christ, Athens, WV

Circle of Trust

Circle of Trust

If you've seen the movie "Meet The Parents" you know  the "circle of trust" that Robert DeNiro''s character Jack uses as he is suspicious of his potential future son-in-law Ben Stiller's character Greg Focker.

But, as I think about that it is true that we need to surround ourselves with the right people and protect ourselves from those who don't have our best interests in mind.  I am not saying we have to isolate ourselves, but I think we need to use "wisdom" and "discernment" in our lives as far as who be befriend, trust, and let into our lives in a close and personal way.

So many people get hurt or allow others to ruin their lives by being too-trusting, naive, being insecure, attention seeking, etc...and it's not healthy to have or want those type of relationships based on those factors.  Whether you are young or old, you shouldn't base your relationships dating, friend, and even family based on the wrong motives or feelings.

We need to have real, sincere, authentic, and healthy relationships in our lives and we should return the favor.  So many times we may let someone into our lives because we are lonely, they are popular, we think being friends with them or dating them will make us more important or noticeable, or even fill a void.  We make friends with certain people for selfish reasons.   It's a two-way street. Sometimes we use people and sometimes people use us.  This is wrong and we need to correct this type of behavior or we will continue having unhealthy relationships. How can we have healthy relationships?

First, understand you are worth healthy and good relationships. God's desire for each of us is to have loving, healthy, trustworthy relationships in our lives.  Secondly, base your relationships on right and righteous motives. Thirdly, be selective of who you trust and allow into your lives.  Fourthly, be the type of friend or partner or relative that you want in your life.

We need to surround ourselves with people that care about us and who are not in our lives for selfish, unhealthy, or wrong reasons and vice versa.  We need to realize we are never going to have healthy or trusting relationships if we ourselves are not in the right mindset and doing things the way God desires for us. God created us for relationship.  God wants a relationship with us and He wants us to have relationships with others, but they need to be healthy, pure, sincere, unconditional, and selfless.

Whether you are young or old, you need to allow and make good relationships. Find people that truly care about you and not who you are or what you can do for them and be that type of person yourself to others.  How many horrible friendships, dating relationships, marriages, or working relationships could have been avoided if we used a little discernment, wisdom, had some self-respect, and use God as your model and example of what healthy relationships should and can be.

You are WHAT AND WHO you surround yourself with.  Be selective and smart about  who you let in your circle of trust.

 Proverbs 12:22niv

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Common Sense

Common Sense?

I love the quote by Voltaire  "common sense is not so common".  That about sums up most of the things going on in our world today.  People have stopped using common sense that God has given each of us.

We are so blinded by our agendas, "rights", religions, ways,views,  greed, and opinions that we lose sight of what's really important and basically our voice, our respect, and self-respect is lost in translation.

We have people doing and saying things in "The Name of God", but honestly The God I know and read about in the Bible doesn't really act that way, treat people that way ,or doesn't give us His authority.  We have others doing things so they can live a certain way or get something they want and they have no consideration or respect for others.  Neither way or side is right.

We have lost common sense when it comes to all these social issues, spiritual issues, religious issues, and economical issues going on in our world today.

I am not an expert and what I share I can only share based on my personal convictions from God, my study and knowledge of His Bible, and through my experiences, and I do not have all the answers to every problem and issue going on in the world right now, but  there are some things I do know and I want to share with everyone.  We cannot know everything, but we can know what we know and use common sense in our daily lives and remove the personal agendas, feelings, and emotions from things.

Here is what I do know:

1. God loves everyone.  He created everyone and everyone of us in His Image. I also know He sent Jesus(his son) to die for OUR  sins and that is ultimate Love to sacrifice like that.  So make no mistakes, God loves everyone yes the gay and the straight; the sinner and the christian; baptist and catholic; democrat and republican; blacks and whites; etc...  Pick your scenario, God loves everyone period and so should we.

2. God loving everyone and accepting everyone DOES NOT mean that God loves everyone's choices, lifestyles, behaviors, attitudes, actions, and decisions.  Please know God's desire for us to accept others who are different than us or we disagree with does not mean we support or accept those things, but we still accept them and love them.  I have people in my life that I love who are gay, straight but living in sin not married, who smoke pot, and who drink way to much, who don't go to church, or who go to church but are legalistic,  but I still love them, not their choices and I'm pretty sure they love me and don't agree with me on everything.  God still accepts them and so should we.  Our acceptance of one another as human beings doesn't condone choices.

3.  We need to become less "issue" driven and more "common sense" driven. We get so passionate about an issue that we lose all common sense.  For some of you the issue this week is gay rights, to others politics, to others its religion, to others is sports, or abortion, or pick your poison. The point is people stop listening to you, respecting you, and hearing you if you are so arrogant, pushy, dogmatic, legalistic, liberal, or over the top in sharing your "issue".  The bottom line is there is no ONE issue in this world that is worth losing your soul, your family, your friendships, your jobs, and forsaking all the other issues going on in your life.   Get a grip.  Stop making life about "one" thing.

4.  I don't have to agree with you and you don't have to agree with me and that's ok.  For example, I am for people having equal rights, all people.  However, equal rights doesn't mean I agree with gay marriage. My view of marriage is based on my belief in the Bible and God is the one who "made" marriage not people or the government, but that is my view. I do think they should be able to share healthcare/retirement/benefits,etc...that is a basic human right. You can agree or disagree, I won't lose sleep and neither should you nor will I stop being your friend and hope I I won't lose  you. 

 I do not think anyone should be denied basic rights, but to me that issue is separate from marriage.  But that is also true of Faith.  How many divisions are there in churches among christians because we can't agree on doctrines, scripture, and practices???? We are so determined at times to be "right" or "get our way" that we fail to realize that if someones doesn't agree with me on something that the world is not going to end.  Even if you or I are right about politics, social issues, or the  Bible, we aren't going to change everyone or get everyone to agree with us, it's impossible and disagreeing shouldn't mean we can't fellowship, get along, or accept one another or be respectful of the differences we have.  Most times we have way more common ground that we do difference.

5. Finally, People misuse, misquote, and mistreat Scripture in the Bible so that we can live a certain way, justify behaviors, lifestyles, and actions, or to make a point or prove others wrong and that is just plain sin.  The bible says what it says, some things are commands and other things are suggestions.  Some things are doctrinal and other things there is liberty to use wisdom, discernment, and yes, COMMON SENSE.  We have to take the bible and look at what is written in context and with an open honest heart and be mature enough to accept what it says.  God's Word will convict you of sin, or guide you to truth, or encourage you to stand firm. You do not have to misuse, twist, manipulate, or change the words.  

The bottom line is me and you have free will and choice.  It doesn't matter what laws the government make or what the Bible tells us to do or not do, we all have ultimate individual responsibility in how we choose to live.  We can either break laws or obey them.  We can listen to wisdom or shun it, we can honor God's commands or disobey them and do what we want.    My encouragement for me and you is not to take advantage of the freedom God gives us to sin and do not use His word to justify your lifestyle, choices, decisions, or actions and stop using His word to condone, endorse, or condemn when it doesn't say that.

People God gave us all "Common Sense" and we need to get back to using it. I don't care what the issue of the day or week is. God never changes.  His Word never changes.  Society and Culture is constantly changing and there will always be times of darkness and times of light in this world and we must remain faithful to God and His word.  What does that mean?  It means no matter the the circumstance, issue, problem or situation choose to love and accept people like God does.   It means grow up and mature and learn everyone is not going to agree with you and you are not going to agree with everyone, so move on.  It means stop focusing on one "issue" because our obsession with it is doing the opposite or what we really want, we are not influencing anyone and mostly driving others away when we become so militant or combative over any one issues.  Finally, it means let God and His Word speak the truth and never use it or misuse it, use common sense with yourself, with others, and with God.

Proverbs 10:21(esv)

The lips of the righteous feed many,  but fools die for lack of sense.

Dummies

Dummies

"You can learn a lot from a dummy."  Remember those commercials about the importance of wearing your seatbelts?  Even a crash dummy can give good advice.

I think we also can learn from dummies, and those from different cultures, races, religions, sexes, ages, and even personalities.  We can learn just about anything anywhere, if we are teachable, open, and willing to learn.

We learn from our mistakes, why can't we learn from the mistakes of others.  We're not always right, but we still want people to respect our opinions, so why can't we respect others when we feel they are wrong?

We've got a lot to learn about learning.  So many times in Christian circles we bash, belittle, or look down on someone because they are not from our relgious group, circle, or denomination.  I'm baptist so I can possible agree with anything a Catholic says. I am church of Christ so only people from the churches of Christ have anything good to say.  I'm methodist and only the methodist have the market on intelligent quotes, books, and sermons.  Do you see how easily it is to limit ourselves when we keep our circle of learning so small?

I don't have have to agree with Joyce Meyers or her doctrine to learn something from one of her books.  I don't have to like Rick Warren's beliefs on baptism in order to learn something from one of his articles.  I don't  have to be Catholic to be inspired by a Mother Teresa quote.  I don't have to be penecostoal in order to fellowship with my charistmatic friend.

Do you see that we can indeed learn from others?  I do not believe in Mormonism or Jehovah Witnesses religion, but I certainly respect their commitment to their cause and they servant example.  I don't have to agree with them or support them in order to learn from them.

Heck, I can learn from just about anyone, dumb criminals, my dog, or even people who I think are dumb.  We can at the very least learn what not to do or say, lol.  My point being, there is so much in this world to learn, and there is a difference in learning and being influenced, and the key is a mixture of common sense, willingness, and intelligence.  I do not let every song, tv show, or news article influence me, but  I don't stop listening to the radio, watching tv, or reading the newspaper because I disagree or don't like something I see, hear, or read.

I think God can teach us from our enemies, those we disagree with, and even those we oppose. We cn learn from experiences, problems, struggles, and daily life situations if we are open to learning.

My challenge for you and me is to open our eyes, ears, and minds to be able to discern and use wisdom and to be guided by the Holy Spirit.  We miss so much God  may be trying to teach us because we are so arrogant, ignorant, prideful, or disassociating form anything we don't agree with. We need to understand that you don't have to accept someones beliefs, stance, or even views in order to possibly learn something from something they say.  If you learn something from something I've said today, then you have learned from a dummy, haha, seriously though don't be afraid to learn something from others, even those you disagree with.

Proverbs 9:9(NIV)

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Nice Body

Nice Body

Two words I don't ever  hear, lol, talking about me, but it should be words that are spoken about our local church.  When people see our church they should know that group is the BODY of Christ, it's not just a religous group or some social gathering, but they are there with a purpose.

Sometimes churches can be more of a secret society that stay inside the building walls and just do things for themselves, other times it seems there are a lot of great social groups out there like the Rotary, Ruritan, or Lion's clubs that are doing more for our communities than the local churches.

There is something wrong with the picture.  The church that God established in the Bible (Acts 2:42-47)  looked a lot different than many of our local church bodies today.   We have to realize the church is a Body and a living organism that represents Christ and is supposed to be living, active, worshipping, serving, giving, and being and not just meeting 3 times a week, having prayer  meetings, and bible studies, and going through the religious motions.  We are to be active and using all our body parts to reach the lost, make disciples, and serving God in our community.

So can "Nice Body" be said about your church? Is your church making a difference for Christ in your community? Are you being the church? Are you reaching the lost?  Are you making disciples? Do you have all your body parts working together in unison and serving and worshipping God in a varierty of ways or are you all just meeting your normal times doing your normal routines of tradition and religous practices?

The body of Christ is a spiritual being not some building with a steeple or some religious cirlce that meets to sing their favorite hymns and do what they've always done.  We are the Church!  We are the Body of Christ! We were created for so much more than what we do.  We gripe, we complain, we divide, we try to be in control, and we want to be comfortable, when God expects and calls the church to be the opposite of all those things.

It's great to gather together as a church body and sing, worship, pray, study, and hear God's Word preached, but we also much be about the business of Jesus, getting out and serving and giving to our community in love, meeting needs, and showing people where they can find meaning, value, purpose, and hope.

Let's all get busy being the church and being an active, positive, and productive part of the church body!

Daily Bread

Daily Bread

Luke 11:3(niv)

"Give us each day our daily bread."

 

This verse in the bible is Jesus telling others how they should pray, giving them an example, we call it the "Lord's prayer", but one of the things He mentions is daily bread.  He is implying in my opinion that first and foremost that DAILY we ask God to provide and secondly, we trust Him daily.

 

Jesus didn't say give us our "weekly" bread, or "monthly" bread, or "quarterly" bread, or "yearly" bread, but DAILY bread.  What does this mean?  I think it means we  need to learn to trust in God more each and every day or our lives one day at a time and don't get ahead of God.

 

There is nothing wrong with making plans or having plans in our lives, I am a planner and I like to use my calendar and have things wrote down, but when it comes to God providing for us and meeting our needs, we need nothing more than a day at a time provision from Him.  The only long-term thing we need from God is salvation(forgiving our sins, saving us, and have an eternal home prepared).

 

In the Old Testament when the Israelites were roaming around the dessert for 40 years because they couldn't be faithful long enough for God to lead them to the Promise Land, He provided for them daily Manna from Heaven.  He only gave them what they needed for that day.  We can learn from them, that when we don't trust in God daily, we are going to fail every single time.

 

I think we live in a consumer society with instant this and instant that and smart phones and microwaves and fast food and we are used to getting things now and we are also used to getting what we want and we miss the beauty and sincerity of a Holy God that provides to meet  our daily needs. We also worry about things of the future like finances, or war, or terrorism, or end of times or whatever, but I think once again we are not trusting God when we worry or allow our fears to not have peace in a daily God.

 

Remember what Jesus told others in Matthew?

Matthew 6:25-34(niv)
[ Do Not Worry ] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

 

God wants us to prepare for Eternity, and I think it's ok to plan for retirement and use common sense when making decisions and choices for the future, but I think we show a lack of faith and trust and even can be selfish when we want so much out of God and expect so much out of Him or doubt Him caring for our future.  I think that is why God wants us to trust Him DAILY because God knows when we have too much, we will stop relying on God or think we can do it on our own or even take the credit.

 

We need God daily.  We need to seek God daily.  Talk  to God daily and spend time with him in prayer and His Word and live one day at a time knowing and trusting God is going to provide our daily bread an d so much more.

 

I want to encourage you today to everyday ask God for your daily bread, to meet your daily needs, and trust Him.

 

Smoking

Smoking

You know who are committed? Smokers!  Today I drove by two nursing home type places who have obviously banned smoking on their property and employees were camped outside several yards past the properties to smoke in the freezing cold with temperatures in the teens this morning here in West Virginia.  Now that is commitment!  To walk several hundred feet, to stand outside in the cold,  and all to smoke a cigarette.

Bad habit? Yes! Some think even nasty habit? Yes! Bad for you and your health and the health of those around you? Yes!  But, you have to admire the commitment people make to their habits.  Smoking, chewing, dipping snuff, etc..or even addictions to drinking, gambling, pornography, drugs, etc...though there are many extremes to these habits, even addicts are committted. 

I wish I could say the same thing for christians.  A smoker will walk several feet and stand in the frigid weather just to smoke, and yet self-proclaimed christains won't commit to walk next door to invite a neighbor to church, will miss church for the lamest of excuses, and won't even take time to serve in the local church, but yet there they are in the concession stand at little league 3 nights a week, keeping notes as secretary at the local rotary club or social club, or  will get up at 4:30am in the  morning to go hunting, go shopping, or travel, and can't make it to a 11am sunday worship service?

Commitment! I think the chain smokers are on to something.  They at least commit to their bad habit.  Can christians not commit to their Lord? Their faith? Their church body?  Who is Lord or your life?  Sports? The golf course?  The shopping mall? The computer? The TV?  The almighty dollar?  The Lake?  The kids?  How about Jesus Christ?  We want to the luxury of being a part of His family, we want his forgiveness, grace, mercy, and help in our hour of need, but when we don't need anything or want anything from God or His church, then we are back to being fair-weather fans, ocassional christians, and we'll show up and help or serve if we don't have anything better to do if it don't rain or our dog doesn't have a cold.

Ok, so maybe I am being a little sarcastic, but the point is clear, we make strong commitments to many things including our bad habits, but does our Lord and Savior not deserve so much and more?  We all fall short, we all sin, and that is a given, but at the same time, we also must not take our grace, salvation, or faith for granted.  God needs  faithful members of His church to show up and worship, serve, give, and be salt and light in our communities.

He also just doesn't need people punching a time clock or getting gold stars on an attendance chart, coming to a church service is not doing God a favor or checking off of your weekly spiritual "to-do" list for your hour a week.  God desires a committed relationship with you.  However, we leave God holding the bag, we want him to do all the work in the relationship, or we want to use you, take advantage of Him or use him like an ATM or Vending Machine for our needs/wants. 

I hope you can learn a lesson today from the unlikliest of people. the smoker.  They may have a bad habit they need to kick, and they may be slowly killing their bodies, but at least they are committed to something. Shame on us is a a bad habit, a social organization, sports team, or restaurant has more committed members, fans, or patrons, than God.

God needs committed, faithful, and loyal followers, believers, and doers!  Let's show the world that we take our faith serious.  Let's be in church and be faithful in our part. Not just attending, but being the church and being in a committed relationship with Christ.

Revelation 3:16(NIV)
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Organized Christianity

Organized Christianity

"I'm against organized religion, but for organized christianity".  This is a quote I made last week because this issue seems to be on my heart a lot.  I'll be honest I get really discouraged with church groups and denominations sometimes.  They seem to be more concerned about their own agendas, traditions, or intrepretations of the Bible in order to push their views, instead of simply trying to Love God and because of that Love Others and be The Church.

I am now part of the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, they are a part of the Restoration Movement that was started back in the 1800's to try and restore the church back to the church in the New Testament and away from many of the denominational practices that were taking places in organized church groups of that day.   

While I respect and admire many of these efforts in my church group and others over the years, it seems that no matter the church group, everyone seems to think their way is better, they are right and everyone else is wrong, and they've cornered the market on holiness and being closer to God.  Ask the church of Christ, many of them think they are the only ones going to heaven. Ask the fundamental bapitst, they are they are God's chosen police to condemn and judge everyone heretic and wrong if they don't follow their practices.  Ask the Catholics, they are Saints.  Ask the churches I am a part of, we say we are not the only christians, but christians only, but what they really mean, is, we got it righter than anyone else and truth is most of these groups can't even get along with themselves.

I get frustrated by organized religion. I know that may sound weird coming from a preacher.  There was a time awhile back where I struggled in my faith and nearly left the church and christian faith altogether, yeah it was my fault I fell away from my faith and  made poor choices, but I also was hurt by the way some christians treated me because "I used to be a youth minsiter and now I wasn't acting like it" , and I was also amazed at how some people saw me at a bar and grill eating and drinking and came up to me and started sharing their problems with me wanting help because they finally felt comfortable talking to a "christian" or "minister" because I was on their turf.  I always said, I'm in a bar drinking, I'm not in ministry anymore nor am I in a place to give advice because my life is screwed up right now, but that didn't stop them, and it made me realize  I was wrong and needed to repent and get right with God and get back to His business instead of drinking and feeling sorry for myself and continuing down a road of regret and bad choices.

I am not adovacting minister's hit bars and start drinking or that we as christians lower our biblical standards of behavior, but looking back I realized my beef wasn't with the church, God, or christianity, it was with organized religion.  People playing church and churches playing God, and christians being religious instead of having a real relationship with God.

I regret my past mistakes and choices and that dark time in my life, but God taught me some valuable lessons through that dark time.  Yes, I am back in the "organized" church, and yes I am a "preacher" again, and I truly appreciate God's grace and forgiveness more, but I refuse to be "religous" or loyal to any one religous doctrine or group.  The more I read and study the Bible the more I realize the way we do things isn't always correct, that the way certain church groups do things is not biblical or the only way to do things, and that we get a lot of things wrong. 

However, in saying that the church is still the hope of the world.  God created THE church, HIS Church to be the body of Christ and the vessel to share Jesus Christ with the world.  It would do us all a great favor to by loyal to Christ first and stop being loyal to our denominations or church groups and their doctrinal stances or traditions and start being simply a christian.  We are so ready to not fellowship with someone or judge them "less than" us because they don't agree with us or don't practice or participate in certain things like we do.  Why do we have so many church groups and denominations? Because people can't get along and think their way is better!

If they use instruments or don't use instruments in worship. If they speak in tongues or don't speak in tongues.  If they don't use the same bible version as me. If they don't follow my catholic or protestant rituals.  If they don't believe in eternal security or follow the five points of calvanism, or let women preach.  The list is pretty endless of the issues we will condemn others to hell, refuse to accept them as our brothers/sisters.

I know  many of you will say, now the Bible says this and the Bible says that, but let's be honest, you are using scripture to prove your point and justify your behavior instead of letting scirpture lead and guide you.  That is wrong in any church group or denomination. We are so easy to grab our churches favorite scriptures that we've been mis-using or taking out of context for years to back up our churches stances. 

When I read the Bible I am trying to let God shape and mold me not looking for things to back up or support preconceived ideas, doctines, or stances I've already got.  So many times that is how we read or use the Bible.  People we need to repent and start letting God, His Holy Spirit, and His Word mold and shape us around it instead of the other way around.

It is time we are loyal to God and His church and not "our" church or denominations or agendas. It's time we are relational and not just religious.  You want to know why prayer is out of schools, and abortions are legal, and all the other garbabge we got going on in the world today?  It's called sin and it's going on because christians and churches are too busy arguing with each other to seek and save the lost and make disciples.

Imagine who different our bible studies and sermons and church serivces would look if we focused on important things, salvation issues, evangelism, prayer, and discipling christians into maturity instead of pushing or promoting our religious views of our favorite topic?? 

I am tired of organized religion.  I want to be an organized christian.  Yes I am the Minister at the Ronceverte Christian Church and yes I am a preacher in the Independent Christian Churches/churches of Christ, but those things do not define me or limit me.  I am a Christian and I am a child of God. I am a minister of the gospel and if you came to know God through Jesus Christ(the only way) and were saved through Him,  then you are my brother or sister. We may differ on may views, but that doesn't mean I am better than you or that you are more spiritual than me.

You can call me a liberal, or watering down the truth, or any names you want, go ahead,. While you waste your time judging me, condemning me, or contiuing down the path of ignorance, arrogance, or religous practice, I will continue to focus on my personal relationship with God to grow as a christian and will strive to fulfill my calling as a Minister of the Gospel and continue to read and study my bible so that I may grow in my faith, knowledge, wisdom, and teaching.  I will not always get it right, I may be wrong sometimes, but I am going to continue to support organized christianity and rebuke organized religion.

Acts 11:26b(niv)
 The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Essentials to Faith

 Essentials to Faith

It seems to me most fundamental or evangelical circles want to sit around and scream and holler about issues that don't seem to be essential to salvation or critical to a person's faith according to the Bible, yet they are topics that they seem to want to harp on or carry on about the most.

I am not here to tell anyone what is acceptable and what is sinful behavior for you,  nor am I here to accept, condone, or  justify any certain beliefs, that is between you and God,  but I can tell you, you need to read, study, and understand scripture in context of the way and how it was written and not base it on the way you were raised, the way your church group or denomination teaches, or the way a certain preacher or teacher you adore may have taught you.  I can also tell people what I read in scripture as warnings, examples, or commands based on my study.  It's simply a matter of whether God's Word says it or not, gives you freedom/liberty or restricts you, and most of all what you feel convicted about according to the Holy Spirit and God's Holy Word.

I for one, am tired of people and churches spewing their ignorance of scripture, hate toward others they disagree with, or carry on about "sins" and things because they think they are wrong, or most of all try to make certain things a matter of salvation or a matter of fellowship with others.  That  my friends is a tragedy and a greater sin in my humble view.

I hear many people constantly carry on about drinking alcohol and I always want to ask, do you have a bunch of drinkers in your church?  Unless it's an issue in your church, then be quiet.   The abuse of alcohol is the problem, not drinking it. As a matter of fact, alcohol isn't at all related to your salvation or the salvation process. Drinking alcohol is both mentioned in the bible as normal practice among people and also speaks of warnings against drunkeness or getting drunk. So, the best I can tell as a Pastor when people ask me about drinking, I say it's between you and God and a personal conviction.  I tell them the warnings of getting drunk or letting alcohol or anything for that matter affect or control you.  Many people choose to abstain from alcholic drinks, and many people may only drink a few alcholic drinks a year, that is their right and choice.  There is a HUGE difference between someone drinking an occasional drink or someone hanging out in a bar every night or clubbing it on the weekends gettind drunk.  So, yes, there are warnings in scripture for good reasons. Drinking alchol can be dangerous, especially to those who have no self-control or addictive personalities, and yes many people choose not to drink out of convictions and that is great, and there are some christians who may partake on occasion and still respect the rights of others to not partake and strive not to be a stumbling block or bad example to others

I've heard the same gripe about playing the lottery. Again, my question is do you have a bunch of gamblers in your church who gamble all the time? Again, buying a lottery ticket or gambling is not mentioned in scripture as having anything to do with your salvation or losing your salvation.  It is like anything else, there is a HUGE difference between someone buying a powerball ticket or a scratch off a few times a year  or someone spending every day in a gambling parlor or not paying their bills or feeding their families because they are addicted.  Again the key in alcohol, gambling, or any other issue is whether it's an addiction, whether it's a problem in your life, if you are out of control and don't have self -control or practice moderation,  or it's hurting your witness.

I know some might read this article and think I am liberal or encouraging gambling or drinking, I AM NOT!   I am simply using these two items as an example to show that we focus on things and make things "a sin" or a "saved" issue when we do not have the right or authority from God.  Can gambling and drinking in excess cause a lot of problems? Yes.   Can they both cause Sin! Yes!  So does obesity, gossip, anger, greed, judgemntal attitude,  and trouble-making, which ALL are bigger problems in the most churches than then a social drink or periodic scratch off  lottery ticket.  The church has a lot bigger issues going on in our churces than these two issues.  We must do a better job as a church focusing on more vital issues and allow others to practice personal liberties in their own life.

We got people who won't give, won't serve, aren't committed to faithful attendance, and who are struggling in their faith and it has nothing to do with powerball or budweiser.   We focus on the wrong things in our world and we make issues out of things that should be non-issues and ignore the greater needs and bigger issues.

Again, I am not condoning drinking or playing lottery, but I am saying we need to focus on essentials of the faith and deal with real issues going on in our church.  We want to carry on about things like this and smoking, and dancing, and bible versions, and church music, when we are not truly studying scripture but more going along with what our churches or denominations teach us.

Many of us are hypocrites plain and simple. We judge others harshly because they do something or we don't do or agree with, then we ignore our behaviors or attitudes that may be far worse.  I am saying we need to get our hearts back in tune with the Holy Spirit and get our  minds back into reading and studying God's word and let essentials be essential and let non-essentials be personal liberty or freedom no matter the issue or topic.  There are black and white issues in the bible, but yes there are also areas of personal freedom and conviction for the believer in there, and we must give people that right and if they abuse, or do anything that leads them to sin or a sinful lifstyle it is then we deal with it and God will certainly deal with them.

These are just my thoughts as a man who reads and studies scripture on a variety of topics and issues because I want to teach, preach, and practice truth and nothing less.

I Cor. 6:12-14(NIV) (talking about sexual sin, but can apply to anything that causes us to sin)

¹² “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Unplanned Rest

Unplanned Rest

How many of us have had accidents or illnesses and always say this couldn't have happened at a worse time, I got so much too do, or I got this going on, etc...I got news for us, accidents and illnesses don't check with out schedules first, they just happen for a lot of different reasons that we can't always explain or have the simple explanations we want.

The truth is, I think many times God has a way of slowing us down, or forcing us to take a break, or find rest because we are heading in, or going in a dangerous place.  Stress. Burnout. Anger. Over-extending ourselves.  Busyiness.  Can't say No.  Greedy. Avoider.  There are lots of reasons we can think of why we stretch ourselves thin, overcommit ourselves, work too many hours, or neglect the important things in our lives.  Many times we neglect our families, our physcial health, or mental or emotional health chasing promotions, an extra dollar, pat on the back, award, or God's favor and we only end up making things worse.

It really doesn't matter how much money you make, how many promotions you get, or how much you do for God, if you are sick, unhealthy, or neglecting rest, recreation, and relaxation.  Preachers are notrious for two extremes, being lazy or being a work-a-holic, and the one who stays too busy constanting doing "church stuff" or "church activities" is not doing God favors by neglecting your family, your health, or well-being.

We are on a journey not a sprint.  We also can gain the whole world and lose our soul(mark 8:36), and God is just as concerned about our mental, emotional, and physical health as he is our spiritual health, because they all are vital and important to our overall being.

This blog is not just for preachers today it's for all of us who over-extend ourselves and get so busy "doing life" that we never take time to slow down.  Jesus warned Martha (Luke 10) about worrying and being busy, that she was missing what was important, Jesus being there with her and her sister Mary.

I have been forced this past week to slow down. I am stuck in my house unable to go out because I got Shingles and am contagious to those who have never had chicken-pox so I've been forced to slow down, stay home, and rest.  Why is rest so important? It heals.  It gives you time to reflect.  It gives you time to de-stress.  It gives you time to relax.  God I believe forces us to slown down if we aren't willing to slow down ourselves.   I am not suggesting God makes you sick and all that, but I am suggesting that God uses those natural consequences of us neglecting sleep, exercise, eating healthy, not balancing  our work, play, and rest, or not taking time for ourselves or relationships to teach us the "hard way".

My encouragement for you today is if you get sick, or have an accident, or sugery that puts you out of commission for awhile, even if you don't feel well, take advantage of the time given you to simply rest your body, mind, and thoughts.  Take time to pray, read, study, reflect, and some down time to enjoy some old movies, or a puzzle, or whatever relaxes you.  Let God not only heal your physical ailments, but let God heal your mind, body, and soul.

Heed the warning signs of burnout, or being too busy, or doing too much with the wrong attitudes or motives, but if you also just sometimes have an accident or get sick and you aren't a workaholic or busybody, it doesn't matter, take advantage of the time you have to work on yourself to be the best you can be for God.  Sometimes you gotta just slow down and find some rest in God like I having to do right now.

Psalm 62:5NIV

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

Church Member

Church Member

We have to realize before we do anything that a church is a body, it's not a building and it's not just some religious organization.  It spiritually represents the body  of Jesus Christ.  Meaning Christ is the head of the church and we(members) are part of that body.  That being said, your part and my part and everyone's part in the church body is vital, important, and needs to be taken seriously.

There are too many people out there that claim to be a "church member" or member of a certain church, but either they never attend churches services, only come on occasion, or are not consistent in their church attendance. But, being a church member is more than just "attending" a church service on sunday mornings or other times.  It actually means you have  a part in the body of Christ and are to use your talents/gifts to serve the Lord through His body(the church) and attending though is very important is just one aspect of it.

I have found that people(christians) really fall into 3 categories when it comes to both their christian faith or church membership:  1) Committed  2)Conditional  3)Could careless.

1. Committed:  This is where we should all strive to be in our christian relationship with God. We should be 100% sold out, faithful, and desiring to grow and mature in that relationship every day.  We are striving to learn more about God, serve Him more, and be a better Christian; We are committed to that relationship and because we are committed we are taking steps and goals to be committed.  We pray/talk to God daily, we develop times in our daily/weekly lives of bible study, reading, devotional times, being in church, and using our resources(time, talents, treasures) to serve God through His local church and yes, we are even committe to being in church and not missing for trivial or silly reasons.    We made a commitment to Christ when we professed His name and surrendered our lives to Him or were bapitzed into Christ and from that day forward we have taken that committment seriously and realize it's a life-time, make an effort, keep my word, be faithful even when I don't feel like it or mess up type of commitment.

2. Conditional: This is those christians/church members who aren't as committed or don't see the need to be that committed to Christ or His church.  We want God's "unconditional" love, grace, forgiveness, etc....but we aren't willing to be as unconditional in our service, time, and faith. We go to church if it's convenient, if we feel like it, if  we don't have something else we want to do, and we carry that attitude into our service, we will commit to doing something for God at church if it doesn't interfere with my hobbies, my kids sports, or my schedule.  We like church unless we want to sleep in, have a headache, or want to go do something. Even when we go out of town or vacation we don't take advantage of finding a local church, we just skip.  We will give money when we feel guilty sometimes, and we'll serve if we want to do our "service" for the year, but most of our commitments to God personally and corporately(through the church) are hit and miss and never consistent, because we aren't totally committed to our personal relationship to God or our part in the body(the church).  You are also same way in your personal studies, prayer time, or any christian service.

3. Could Careless. This the worst type of christian, because you aren't committed and you aren't even hit and miss conditional, you just have given up on your faith. You hardly ever go to church, maybe a christmas or easter with family, you never give anything to God or His church.  You do not tithe or give financially to the kingdom.  You do not ever volunteer or do anything to serve God, and you always put yourself and your wants above others.  You simply do not care about God, His church, or others.  You look at church attendance as an obligation or duty that is optional and you have no real relationship with God, so you do not see the need to be involved, serve the God through His church, or be an active part of his body at all. 

So my question for you today is are you a committed christian? A conditional christian? Or a could careless christian?  What type of church member or member of Christ's body the church are you? Committed? Conditional? Could Careless?  If you are a christian, you should be a member of His body the church and be committed to both your christianity and His church!

Psalm 37:4-6(NIV1984)

⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

God Cares

God Cares

Luke 12:6-8(NIV)
⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies^[a]? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Sometimes we may feel insignificant, other times we may see how big the world is and how many people are in it and think we do not matter or God doesn't care, but yet He does.  He created this big ole' world and all the people and places and things in it, and when you created something it matters to you.

However, I want to talk about another way God cares about us, not only does He care about us to the point He knows how many hairs are on our heads(for some of you that's easy to count haha), but God also cares about what goes on in our lives from day to day and that is something we too often forget.

We may think I know God loves me or I know I am supposed to go to church or I should be a better Christian, but way too many "christians" make decisions and choices every day in their lives like those things don't matter to God, and they do!

God cares about who your friends are, He cares about who you date and marry.  He cares about what career or jobs you choose, and He cares how you spend and make your money.  God cares about every aspect of us, yet so many people even christians date, marry, work, buy, sell, and do things without ever uttering the first prayer to God or seeking His will, His wisdom, His guidance, or His voice.

How many wrong paths would we have avoided if we had consulted God about the friends we had chosen.  How many heartaches would be have missed if we had sought out God for our dating mate or married partner? How many people are stuck in jobs or with degrees from school in career fields that God didn't choose or gift them for?  How much  money have we wasted or temporary or material blessings or bad investments when God had other plans?

You and I need to realize God cares about us.  He cares about our character, behavior, attitude, and walk, but so much more.   He cares about our relationships, our talents, our decisions and choices.  He cares because He has a plan and purpose for you and He wants what is best for you.  That doesn't mean we can be perfect or life will never have problems if we always follow God's care for us, but it does mean we will be in His will and will be seeking Him in all things.  

It's never too late to change your direction. Start including God in all your decisions and choices.  Do some soul searching and see if you are in the right job, or have the right friends, or dating the right person, or spending your money wisely, or serving Him as you should?  God cares and you should care that God cares for you in every way because He created you and simply wants to have a relationship with us and to lead and guide us to grow in that relationship as He prepares us in this temporary world for an eternal home.

Working on YOU

Working on YOU

Probably the most difficult thing to do in life is change yourself.  It's easy to change others, give others advice, or have opinions/judgements on other peoples lives, but so difficult to better or improve ourselves, why? Because it hurts!  It takes work, discipline, effort, and energy!

Many times around this time of year, the end of a year and beginning of a new year we want to make resolutions or resolve to be a better person, but really I think we need to do that every day, not just one time a year? It's ok to make resolutions to stop smoking, lose weight, or clean out the attic/garage, but when it comes to being a complete, whole, positive, or healthy all around person mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc...we should strive to work on that on a daily basis.

I am not preaching some easy Joel Osteen "Be a better You", becuase it's not always pretty to become a better person. Sometimes you have to end friendships, change jobs, or even chang places you go or people you are around. It may mean admitting fault  asking for help, or seeking professional help. I am not sure what you are dealing with or going through anymore than you know what I am, but  regardless, we all need to take the steps to be a better person and constantly be working on ourselves.

You  don't just come out of the womb and grow into a good friend, husband, wife, father, mother, brother ,sister, grandparent, boss, employee, christian, etc....you have to learn, develop, mature, grow, and work at it.  You have to develop healthy social skills, living skills, and learn how to be a better person.

We are all different ages, in different places in our lives, different upbringings, habits, and lifestyles, but God is the same.  He is our model. His Word and His church are places we learn, grow, and develop, discover, or deepen what and who He wants us to be.

Overall He wants us to be like Him. Strive to be honest, sincere, giving, and holy.  He wants us to have a relationship with Him and then model that relationship that is healthy in other relationships.  Marriages, dating, parenting, work, etc...and sometimes its tough.  We might struggle in certain areas with certain people and we may have some difficult people in our lives to deal with.  Regardless, God can and will help us grow as to be a better YOU if we will be honest with Him, seek Him, make the effort, and remain faithful.

If it weren't for the faithfullness of God I would have given up the faith a long time ago, and I tried before and I tried other things to replace God, and it all ended in failure.  I know now that if I am going to be a better Christian, Husband, friend, Father, Minister, or whatever it's only going to be because of me seeking God and His help. I can't do it on my own.

It may not happen overnight or make take a long time on this journey in life, but I pray each of us everyday will work to change ourselves and be the best we can be for God and others.


 James 3:17NIV
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere

EVIL

EVIL

Since sin (separation from God) first entered our world in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit from the "Tree of the knowlede of good and evil" when the serpant(satan) enticed Eve to take of the fruit of the tree that God had told both Adam to not eat of (every tree was ok except this tree). 

The reason? Well look at the name of the tree? Before they ate of the tree they had no knowledge of what good and evil even was. God knew that once they ate of it, there was no turning back, sin entered the world through this first disobedient act and they were exposed to the knowledge of what good and evil was, which causes separation from God in a variety of ways.

Since that day in the garden the world has struggled with evil.  God had already destroyed the world once because of the evil that took place, only sparing Noah, his wife, their 3 sons and their wives.  God promised to never destroy the earth in that manner again(a flood), but next time would be different(not a pretty scene coming in the future), but the point being, evil didn't die, it continued and has continued for centuries up until today.

Evil is not going anywhere.  We can create laws, go to extremes to prevent it, but in the end, you cannot stop evil.  Evil will prevail.  People are still going to shoot people, stab, rape, molest, choke, beat, and blow up other people.  No matter how many attempts we make to change laws and create legislation and do things to stop people, there is no stopping evil.  Evil knows no law, respects no boundaries, and heeds to no rules.  Evil is mentioned almost 500 times in the bible.  It's evident in the Old and New Testaments.

Depressing you yet???  The Bible doesn't tell us there will be no evil, but the Bible does tell those of us who know Christ to overcome evil with good.  The Bible also says to repay evil with good.  Those are foreign concepts to us even as christians sometimes.  Also, we have forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ if we repent and accept Him as our Savior.

Imagine if people started doing good and being good(honest, sincere, caring, compassionate, giving, etc....) and also starting doing good to those who do evil instead of seeking revenge or vengence or payback(Keep in mind that is for the Lord to do, not us). Our job is to forgive, His job is to take care of the vengence part.  But imagine if one person starting doing that, then another, and another, and there was a ripple affect across our world, it wouldn't happen overnight, but eventually good would start combating evil and maybe there would be more good and less evil in the world.

We live in a broken world there will never be a 100% end to evil in this world filled with broken, confused, bitter, resentful, hateful, mental, and unstable people.  Not everyone will stop doing evil, but what if more of us started doing good? Seeking good? Being good? Practicing good behavior? Developiong good attitudes? 

If we truly want to see less evil in the world, than we need to starting being better people.  Raising better children. Being better classmates, better friends, better employees, and better christians.  It's up to you and me and it begins with you and me.

I wish I had an easy answer to end evil and do away with all the crazies who blow up buildlings, shoot up malls, schools, & public places full of innocent people, but I don't.  I know that evil has been around since the beginning of time and isn't going anywhere until the Lord returns.    We do not have all the answers or we may never understand the "why's" of why things happen like this, but we cannot lose hope or heart in God.  There are still good people out there and good for me and you to do and be.

Most of all we serve a God that is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Romans 12:21NIV
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
1 Peter 3:17NIV
It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

3 John 1:11NIV
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

Audience of One

Audience of One

Many times we fail to realize or understand that church services are not for attending, we are not the audience coming to be entertained or "get our hour" in for the week.  Do you realize when you come to church God is the audience? We are there to give Him worship and worship Him with our chuch body. 

Not only church services, but in our Christian walks we should be living day to day, we are living for an audience of one...GOD!  We get it so backwards or make it so complicated.  We think church is about singing "our" favorite songs, or the traditions "we" like, or  it's all about "us" when it comes to our church,  our worship services, or our programs, and "YOU" would be very wrong.  It's about God. He is audience, it is about Him, for Him, and because of Him!

If people could grasp this idea, change their attitudes, and grow in maturity in faith, then I think the way our worship services and other things might start looking a little different, maybe be a little more sincere, and might even  move us with compassion, sorrow, motivation, conviction, or desire to give God our best, give Him ALL the glory, and we do it all because and for Him. Try it!

I want to encourage you this Sunday if you got to church, to worship with that attitude.  That God is the audience not you.  So many times we treat going to church like going to the movies, like we are the audience and it better be a good show.  The preacher better not be boring or long-winded, the music better be to our taste or preference, and no one better be in my seat!  What a horrible attitude to come to worship God with. We make issues out of things that are not, focus on areas that don't matter, and all the while, we are missing what it's about about anyway, God, not you!

Even sadder it, it doesn't matter what side of that you are on. Half complain because the music isn't traditionanl enough and the other it's not contemporary enough. Half complain it's too hot in the auditorium and the other it's too cold.  Half complain about the activities of the church, the preacher, the leaders, the kids, etc....there is plenty to complain about if you look, but people are complaining as if church is to please them and for them, when it's for God and all music is pleasing to God if it's worshippng Him and worship is more than just singing songs! All activities new and old, traditional and contemporary, and everything in between  is pleasing to God when it's done with Him as the audience and not me or you.

It's time we take our churches back and take our Christian Faith back and get them pointed back in the right direction toward God. We need to get out of the audience and on the stage because we are the ones who are being observed.  How is your worship? Your atttitude? Your giving? Your spiritual growth?

If we are not growing in our own personal faith, it hurts the church, because we are part of the church body, and if we are not positiviely contributing to the church body, then we are hurting the body, and if we are taking the attention, glory, honor, or reverence away from God because we think it's about us, then we are hurting ourselves, others, and most of all God. 

Remember everything we say or do is for God, the audience of one. Whether we are at public worship at church or we are at work, home, or anywhere, we always have opportunity to worship God and make it about Him.  He is our Audience of One.

1 Timothy 1:17(NIV)
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

High-Tech Parenting

High-Tech Parenting

We live in an ever-changing world and it seems with technology it happens at even a more rapid pace, but the problem is what kind of affect is it having on our children and on our families?

This issue has been on my mind for awhile and my concern is, I see way too many kids both pre-teen and teens with way too much "freedom" and "access" to all these avenues of technology and the bigger problem is their is no boundaries, structure, rules, or guidance in these areas by many parents across our world.

We take for granted because so many of us adults/parents use smart phones, laptops, ipads, text, internet, ipods, etc...that we forget about the freedom our children have in their hands.  Easy access to the world wide web and unlimited resources for innapropriate youtube videos, pornography, predators, R-rated things, and that's just the internet. What about cell phones where they have their own cell phones and they have unlimited freedom and no supervision, to text, call, talk, internet access 24/7?   

Same goes with video games, television, movies, and music.  Many kids watch and listen to whatever they want whether it is age appropriate or not?  Many parents do not realize or do not care that all these things do have parental ratings and warnings on them to show you what is the content, if we'd only take the time to look.

My point?  Parents we need to wake up, educate ourselves, and set clear boundaries and educate our children.  First,  the internet, cell phones and other gadgets and devices are PRIVILEGE not required.  Parents you pay the bills and you need to set clear boundaries and guard your children with these devices.  You need to view your kids phone, email, facebook, texts, at anytime and check them regularly and monitor them. It's your right or they lose them. You are the parent and set the rules, but you got to enforce them and be consistent.  This is loving your kid, not being their friend or giving them all these things with no supervision.   We only get one shot at parenting our kids.  If your kids don't cooperate then they don't need a cell phones, facebook, computer access, or any other devices.

Secondly, you need to set clear boundaires and structure. I would advise heavily to not let your kids have private computers or internet in their bedrooms, you are setting your kids up for failure with unlimited freedom and access.  There are also settings where you can turn off interenet at certain times or limit them.  You also would be wise to have your kids keep their cell phones in a public place like a dining room or kitchen so that they do not have their phones in their rooms at night or 24/7.  Again, you are the parent, you pay for the phone, set rules when you give it/buy it and you can loosen up over time as they age, mature, or show responsibility.  Same goes for TV, Movies, etc...set locks on your tv's so they can't watch certain channels, tv shows, or movies that are not appropriate for them. Do not buy or allow others to buy movies, video games, or music that is innappropriate for them due to langauge, sex, violence etc.

Thirdly, do not feel like you are a horrible parent because you've not done these things up until this  point or do not feel you are a horrible parent for enforcing rules or boundaries for your kids, they need them.  Our most important thing to do as parents is to love and protect our kids.  We live in an age, where one of the best ways we can protect our kids is by limiting, monitoring, and setting clear boundaries on all this High-tech stuff and media that our kids are exposed to that we were not, and protect them from others and mostly themselves.  Most kids are growing, maturing, changing, and they haven't fully developed good reasoning skills and are still impulsive, or following peer pressure, or even self-centered, and it's our job to not create or give them opportunities to mess up by giving them so much freedom with cell phones, media, or computers that they really cause a lot of issues for themselves and you as parents.

Children have plenty of opportunity to make mistakes and bad choices without parents being a willing party to them.  When you give your kid unlimited useage and unsupervised access to cell phones, computers, media, etc...with no boundaries, clear rules, limits, or structure you are setting both yourself and your kid up for failure.  We all need to do a better job of educating ourselves and our children on how to use media, technology, and communication appropriately and responsibly and it starts at home.

We  have rules and boundaries in our family and if they don't honor them, they lose the privilege.  As this world continues to be High-tech remember that all these things we give our kids are wants not needs and you are the parent and are in control of what they have and how much freedom them have, so let's all be wise so our kids grow up being responsible with technology and know how to use it in the right way. Technology is so easily available now and is part of our culture and we take it for granted, but we still need to teach and monitor our children, or we will be dealing with lots of problems in the future.

Proverbs 4:23(NIV)
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life