Like a modern-day postcard of James’ letter to the 12 tribes, who were scattered among the nations, this picture sends us the similar message.
Hear no evil. Speak no evil. See no evil.
Carelessly open one of these portals to your soul and it’s as if every evil desire receives a wake-up call to action.
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
The weight of this truth has greater gravity as you navigate the terrain of this VERY wired world. If you spend any time on the Internet actively engaging on social media platforms, how you take this warning from James to heart could be the difference between you becoming a glorious Light online for the God you profess or losing your soul in cyber sea darkness.
The Danger
The online reality is this – you’re only a click or two away from content that is addictive and deadly.
The fallout from Internet pornography is all around us. Delivering one of the enemy’s most brutal assaults, this type of online activity leaves behind a wreckage of abnormal desires, broken relationships, fallen leaders, and shattered lives. In this arena, the enemy is no respecter of gender. The risk is real for both men and women.
The research on pornography released several years ago is painfully disturbing. Sort through theses statistic and then realize these are not simply numbers, but the casualty count of violated hearts.
Interestingly, in June of 2011, it was reported that social media activity has displaced porn as the top online activity. Please don’t be deceived or fooled. Evil wears many disguises, lurks in obviously innocent places, and breeds a danger more life threatening than ever.
The Response
Pray. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2
Know what you are doing before you casually go online. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. I Peter 5:8,9
Fill up daily on God’s Word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11
Take inventory and stop doing anything that might lead you astray. Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is prevalent and humbly receive the word that was planted in you, which can save you. – James 1:21
Commit to representing Christ online in all you say and do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:14-16
Trust the Holy Spirit to be ever-present, ready to guide and protect you. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. – I Corinthians 10:12,13
Like everything else under the sun, social media can be used for good. It can be an amazing way to spread Gospel truth and amplify God’s holy purposes in a time such as this. Surrender you online time to God, guard your heart, and then watch the GREAT things He will do through you!
How are you guarding your heart in your daily online activities?
Tami