Driving Notes

Today we shared some of Pastor Craig Groeschel’s ’10 Commandments of Using Social Media’ from the book #Struggles. Read more about the book here.

• Put God first in all you say and post – this doesn’t mean you have to start EVERY post with “this is the day the Lord has made,” but it means you approach each post and each conversation with Colossians 3:17‘s advice to represent Christ in ‘word and deed.’
• Use social media to facilitate, not replace real relationships – social media can help us reconnect, but make sure you are using it to find face-to-face times where you can have real connection and conversation
• Turn your virtual other cheek to posts that offend you – this is a tough one…it’s easy to lash out and respond when someone has wounded you. Proverbs 19:11 says our wisdom yields patience and it is to our glory to overlook an offense. Remember, that angry person probably needs our prayer rather than a nasty response.
• Do not post out of emotion – another tough one. When in doubt, wait it out! We are constantly tempted to post when agitated or hurt, but we should post out of love.
• Form your own opinions; do not just follow the crowd – God gave us a brain to think for ourselves. He gave us his Word to seek his will. He gave us his Spirit to guide us into truth (John 16:13). Resist the urge to blend in.

Today’s Word of the Day is panoptic, an adjective meaning to show or see the whole view at one time; like a panoramic view.

Congratulations to David of Utica who won our 4-pack of tickets to the Living Word Outdoor Drama.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe

Today we finished our series on reclaiming core values, inspired by the book #Struggles by Craig Groeschel.  Read more about the book here.

Today REST is our focus.  How do we replenish rest in our lives?  Craig shares an excellent quote attributed to St. Augustine: “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.”  Why do we struggle finding rest?  Maybe because we haven’t learned to rest in Him. Putting God first and trusting in Him are two big steps to help us rest.

Technology can rob us of our rest, especially our phones. Checking them constantly, especially first thing in the morning, having to be the first to know things and share things…it might mean we need to take a phone fast.  Yep, like a food fast.

Learning to be still and embrace Matthew 11:28-29 (below) is critical; even if it’s just 5 minutes a day.  I think 5 minutes to be silent and 5 more minutes to be silent and focused on God is really valuable. It helps us clear our minds and hear the ‘still, small voice’ of God.

Honestly, if we can’t take 5 minutes a day to unplug and listen to God, what kind of message are we sending to Him?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Our Word of the Day is edify, which is a verb meaning to instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge. Synonyms are to uplift and enlighten.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe

Today we continue our values series, inspired by the book #Struggles by Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv. Read more about the book here.

Today we’re focused on worship, which is the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration, usually towards a deity.  Our struggle is that worship can sometimes turn away from God and to other things.  The temptations?  Vehicles, relationships, positions, television shows, social media, homes, bank accounts…they can all distract us.

Craig reminds us in the book that nothing is worth more that having a growing passion for our loving God. There’s plenty of scripture that talks about this – I mean, it’s in the Ten Commandments! (Exodus 20:3-5).

Mark 8:34-37 also reminds us that letting our souls be consumed with anything but God isn’t worth it: ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.³⁶ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

We will never be satisfied when we let our souls be consumed with anything but God. So it may be time to tear down some of the idols that are trying to build kingdoms in our heart. Maybe it’s time to take an inventory of our social media use, when research says that 80% of our posting is about us and our lives.

God has something better for us.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe

Today we’re back on the topic of reclaiming our core values, inspired by the book #Struggles by Craig Groeschel.  Read more about the book here.

Today, our value is integrity, which is the quality of being honest or having high moral principles. It can also be paraphrased as ‘who you are when no one is looking,’ or ‘walking your talk.’  Integrity’s root word is integer, which in Latin means ‘intact, whole or complete.’

Technology can make integrity a ‘struggle’ because it brings temptation to our fingertips every day. Those temptations can manifest themselves in explicit images, inappropriate videos with jokes, sarcasm and even materialism.

Integrity calls us to remember that our convictions should be guided by time-tested godly principles, rather than what Craig calls ever-eroding popular opinion. If we truly believe that with God, ALL things are possible, then we can believe that the Holy Spirit fuels us with the ability to resist the tide of our sometimes rude, hyper-sexualized and materialistic culture.

How can we revive integrity?  Practically, online, we can use tracking software and ask a trusted accountability partner to receive our reports on our activity.  We can delete accounts and apps that are causing us to stumble. We can also follow the advice of Proverbs 5:8 and just stay away. When we misuse technology, Craig writes, we’re sacrificing peace for a momentary escape.

Ephesians 5:3 says, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

Those are convicting words, but also an encouragement and motivator for us to pursue integrity in our lives.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe

Today we continue our series on reclaiming core values essential to our faith, inspired by Craig Grosechel’s book, #Struggles.  Find out more by clicking here.

The value this week is compassion, which means sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Why is compassion threatened in 2016?  Because we live in a selfie-centered world. Because a study by the University of Michigan shows that young adults, 18-24, over the last 30 years (from 1979 to 2009) have 40% less empathy.

We can be tempted to become more obsessed with ourselves in a culture that focuses on ‘our’ social media sites and selfies.  Selfish behavior is the enemy of compassion. Now, does this mean we toss out all of our social media or YouTube channels?  No, but we MUST get control of the technology in our lives without allowing it to control us and desensitize us to the legitimate needs of others.

John 3:30 reminds us that HE must become greater and I must become less. Matthew 16:24 reminds us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.

How do we resurrect compassion in our lives? Or at least keep it as a core value? We have to get outside of ourselves…and follow Christ’s example.  It’s okay to pray, “Lord, help me to focus more on you and less on me.”  I earnestly believe that he’ll answer that prayer. Compassion isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s messy because we’re helping someone who is in a tough situation. But it still remains a critical value of our faith.

———–

We’re giving away family four-packs of tickets to the Living Word Outdoor Drama in Cambridge, Ohio this summer.  Congratulations to Laura of Mount Vernon who won today. Find out more by clicking here.

Thanks for listening!

-Joe