Your words will take them there. (Haiti - May 2012)
By Tami Heim
God’s Word not only transforms your life, it transports you back in time. The consequences of sin, brokenness, and repentance unfold by book, chapter, and verse. These themes repeat and God’s faithfulness in every circumstance trumps them all.
You live in a time where digital power allows you to bring others to wherever you are to experience whatever you’re doing. If you frequent any number of social media platforms, you may be living out your life and not even aware of how it is impacting someone else. When the Spirit of the living God’s is alive in you, your influence serves a higher calling and what you share penetrates the stream with life-changing possibilities. Other’s have a chance to see God’s faithfulness at work in you.
Right now one faithful voice, filled with Holy Spirit inspiration, has the potential to reach millions around the world. The cyber mission field has emerged and God’s calling digital disciples to make a dent in the darkness found there. He’s asking you to power on!
We live in a time when people often talk about being ‘on mission’ in their work and life. This reference implies focus, determination, and purpose. You immediately picture people deliberately moving through life, striving to achieve a long list of specific goals they believe will deliver satisfaction and happiness.
Sadly, for many whatever is accomplished never quite obtains the satisfaction and happiness expected. The ‘more to life’ remains missing.
God longs for you to fall in love with the things that hold His heart and for your purposes to align perfectly with His. He schedules no time-outs when it comes to completing His master plan.
He is the God that rescues, redeems, and restores.
Oh how He desires for you to be part of it. God makes His presence known and He wants it to be known through you.
Jesus tells us in John 15:16-17, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed to you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last Then the Father will give whatever you ask in my name. This is my commad: Love each other.”
Yes, these “8 reasons” are really “8 excuses” and we all hide one (or several) of them . . . somewhere. We’ve listed the “8 reasons” below and added some biblical truths to uproot the enemy’s lies. Thanks to the folks at RepentandTrust.org for making such a fun, relevant video … and inspiring the perfect April Fools Day headline! Here we go . . .
Okay, now that we’ve got your attention: Here are some eye-popping stats that affirm exactly WHY Christians NEED to be speaking into the online conversation . . . and a little humor (in red) to help you stay mission-focused.
Here we go!
1. More than 500 million people are on Facebook.* More than 175 million are on Twitter and YouTube attracts more than 2 billion people a day. This patch of virtual land is prime real estate where our collective psyche now lives. It’s where the enemy finds unlimited joy multiplying lies, division, and confusion—at warp speed. So, just say no: We can’t stop this train and no one is listening anyway. Why not just let the enemy have that whole digital, cyberspace thingy? (Oh, and pass the remote, while you’re at it—The Bachelor is coming on!)
Being a Christ follower in the 21st Century online world is mind blowing.
Have you checked out the scoreboard lately?
The numbers don’t lie. More people will log on to blogs, Facebook, and Twitter this Sunday than will go to church. More people will meet the person they are going to marry online than will meet at the church barbecue. And more people will share their joys, heartbreak, and revelations via status updates than those who will seek the help of a counselor or a pastor this year.
The Apostle Paul revolutionized the world in which he lived. He didn’t use warfare or weapons; he used words. He influenced popular culture one word, one letter, one sermon, one prayer, and one community at a time. He did something with the message he carried. He mobilized others.
