Be Still And Know

Psalm 46:10 reads, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
We live in a busy, busy world. That includes our young people. Much has been said already of the importance of getting your child's heart; and if it helps, I will say it again, "Every parent MUST get their child's heart."
One of the Devil's greatest tools in keeping the heart of the child away from their parent is that of television and internet. Now, I do not believe that either is a sin in of itself. They can be used to sin, very easily; but they are objects. They are stealing the hearts of our young people from their parents as much as guns are to blame for killing people.
The responsibility is with us, the parent. I know some homes where the television is never off. I mean-never! Even when the family is gone, the television is left on for pets or for the fact that it will be on when they get home. Constant noise and distraction. Families will even sit together in the same room for 4 hours a night, but no one is aloud to have a conversation... "Shhh, I can't hear the T.V."
Fathers will sit for hours a night watching their favorite shows, while the children are banished to their rooms, so not to interrupt Law and Order. Mothers do not like the shows their husbands are watching, so they have their own television set in their room to watch their shows; and those kids better not knock on the door until John and Kate is over!
So the children set, yearning for fellowhship and communication and their sits the answer....FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, or Twitter. There they can share their feelings, talk about their day, share the joys of life, cry on a shoulder, laugh, listen, and talk to somebody named "RedDragon22" while their father and mother stare at their shows.
Of course the children, join in the habit of television watching also. Dad, to show his love (and make up for his lack of parenting) purchases them their own television for their room so they can watch Sponge Bob!
Thus.......

I spend on average either watchign TV or on the internet each day:
A: One Hour or less.....29%
B: 1-4 Hours.....59%
C: 5 or more hours...12%

A recent study showed that children watching excessive television is linked to: obesity, nagging, violence, illiteracy, ADHD symptoms, and more. Constant noise, constant distraction, constant social communication-but the home remains divided.
I have, in an earlier post stated why I deleted my facebook account, and I would encourage those with one to read it again. Youth are spending too much time on these sites on the web...last time I checked, getting stuck in a web meant certain doom for the innocent that was flying by.
Why should my Teen ager NOT have an online social gathering account?
1. Too wasteful-think if that time was spent with their parents talking, chatting, sharring, crying, laughing, opening their heart one to another-it would change our homes.
2. Too Friendly-You can be "Friends" with anyone. I guarantee most, if not all, of our IFB teens that are on these sights, have "friends" who we as parents would never let them be "friends" with in the real world.
3. Too Open-Proven fact, you are more honest and open your heart more in writing than words. That is why Johnny always asks Suzy "Do you like me" in note first, "Circle Yes or NO." Fact is, behind a screen and keyboard, one is much more open and puts themselves in danger of giving their heart away.
4. Too Wicked-They may be not writing any thing wicked, but look at the adds, look at their friends, look at lifestyles that are promoted.
There are more, but you get the gist. We need to stop!!

Parents, turn off the t.v., unplug the computers, and spend time with your children. We posted the same question on our blog for the adults who read the blog to answer....

A.Hour or less...28%
B. 1-4 Hours...56%
C. 5 or more hours...14%

At least we know where our young people are learning these poor habits. Turn it off, talk, listen, love and share your hearts. One of the greatest things the Lord has led our family to do is a daily schedule. Now, of course, flexibility is the key, especially in the ministry; but a typical day has been outlined and is hanging on our refrigerator. It has on it times for sleeping, reading, school, devotions, eating, play time, exercise, and showers. Why? Because any of us can get the 'couch potato' syndrome.
May we all recognize our addiction, turn it all off, and be still a while...He is God!

A Brainwashed Society

I admit it, I grew up enjoying the "sci-fi" world. My dad was a huge fan of "Twilight Zone," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and "Star Treck," "Buck Rogers," and the like. So believe me, I saw my share of brain washing...and oddly enough received some of it through it.
The world has brainwashed us as Christians so much in the area of young people. I have even heard in our churches "Teen agers are social creatures and we must provide for that." Well....not really. Their flesh may desire to be social creatures, but that is just a product of the world's philosophy and practice. As a youth pastor and now pastor, I could not tell you the myriads of parents who have come to me upset because, "My child has no friends!" Good people have left Biblically sound churches because 'Timmy had not friends.' I am not sure who the biggest baby is in those cases!
Please show me in Scripture where the Lord commands that young people need friends of thier peers. Please show me where it is suggested they have friends of thier peers. Hinted at? O.k., then show me where young people are warned about having wrong type of friends:

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
I Cor. 15:33

We have been brainwashed...children must go to school and sit with 25 other children their age; there they will be educated....true, but not the education they need.
We have been brainwashed...We must have a teen class and teen activities so that our children can be social and kept out of trouble...youth pastors please stand whose teens are in no trouble.
We have been brainwashed...More activities in church will keep them from the world....well if that was working the last two months of our studies would have been rather pointless.
Fact is, Scripture teaches that our young people need to listen to Dad and Mom. Our young people need to get counsel from Dad and Mom, to find refuge in Dad and Mom, to laugh with Dad and Mom, to fellowship with Dad and Mom. Scripture teaches this:

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Proverbs 1:8-16

Fact is we have followed the world's advice in segregating people into groups of their own peers, and as a result are losing them to the world. Our seventh question on our questionnaire reads:

If I could create a perfect day, I would spend it with my:
A: Friends...50%
B: Boyfriend/Girlfriend...12%
C: Parents...26%
D: Youth Pastor...12%

Friends, friends, friends. Typical Tommy spends his day 8 hours at school with their friends, 1 hour on phone with friends, 2 hours on line with friends, 1 hour texting friends, 2 hours hanging out with friends, 3 hours watching t.v. or playing his XBOX, (so he will have something to talk to his friends about, 10 minutes eating with parents, and the rest of it in his room avoiding awkward conversation with his parents and maybe sleeping a few hours before we do it again.
He has Myspace, facebook, cell phone, unlimited texting, and now on-line gaming (friends don't even need to come over to play the game now); and may God forbid if mom were to try to interrupt any of it by knocking on the door!
Friends! Nearly 3/4-75% of our children, if they could have a perfect day, would spend it with friends. Parents did get 1/4 of the votes. And the youth pastor checked in with 12%.
What does the Bible instruct? Parents get the hearts of your young people by doing the same three things Absalom did in getting the hearts of Israel-Talk to them, listen to them, and touch them and embrace them. Sad part it, those three things strikes fear into the hearts of most parents and their children.
Many think that their young people NEED a support group to do right. I agree. It's called the family and their church. We do not need a youth activity ever week. We do not need a "teen section" in church where all the teens sit. We do not need "Teen church" because the young people are bored in the auditorium. We need parents who love and embrace their children, pastors who preach the truth, and homes that serve our Lord together.

Why I Deleted My Facebook Account

About a year ago I was introduced to myspace through listening to others talk. I went to go check it out and was greatly disturbed by the pictures and advertisements and language and filth found on myspace. Thus, I never bothered with it and even preached against it.
A few months later I was told about facebook. I was told that it didn't have the trash on it, and that it was where most "our stripe" was tech socializing. I checked it out and found that the trashy advertisements were not there, the music was not there, and I didn't see any pictures that were morally challenging either. Thus, with the help of my brother in law, I joined.
My first clue should have been the fact that the day I joined, many of our young people and college age and adults "changed their information". It was humorous, and gave me more reason to stay on...every city block needs a policeman!
I have greatly enjoyed catching up with family and friends and school/college peers. It has been refreshing to hear how many are doing and what the Lord is doing with them. I have enjoyed being able to let my parents and sisters and church friends be able to see and share pictures of what all is going on in our lives and how our families are growing up so quickly. I have enjoyed having another avenue to remind people that I am praying for them, to give counsel, and tell them I love them and thank the Lord for them. I have enjoyed getting to know other sound in the faith Christians. I could go on...and my point is (don't miss this) I do not think it is a sin to be a member of facebook. That said....
For me, I deleted my account. Here are my reasons and perhaps the Lord will use them to speak to you as He did me. My counsel for every reader is "Do what the Lord tells YOU to do."
1. Romans 14:20-22, I do not want to be a stumbling block to anyone.
Recently, I had a close friend who mysteriously removed myself and many others from their friend list. It brought great concern amongst us...what had we done to offend them? Come to find out, that person was seeking to remove themselves slowly from facebook due to many reasons...of which I stand behind them. Because of the myriad of emails and contacts asking that person what we had done, they added us again as friend so not to offend. I do not wish to be a stumbling block, and what if, there are others too struggling with things that I am being a stumbling block to? Thus, based upon Romans 14, I deleted my account.
2. Psalm 101:3, I must not set wicked things before my eyes. As I stated above, when I first "joined facebook," there was not the trashy advertisements I saw in 30 seconds of myspace. But slowly, and increasingly, they have crept in. Advertisements of immodestly dressed women have become more and more frequent the last month. Finally, two days ago, on a Google Ad, that was it. I "must not set wicked things before my eyes." I can't, I must not, I will not allow my self to be tempted in such ways. Why? Simple: I don't trust me. I am wicked...and so are you. I challenge you to prayerfully consider this. Thus, I deleted my facebook account.
3. 1 Cor. 10:10 We are not to murmur and complain. We are saved...we are a child of God...we are not to be murmurers or complainers. God dealt seriously with murmuring. Where is the murmuring on facebook? Have you read a status lately? I decided to peek, while writing this at current status' of my friends:

_____ is soooo borred

Why is life so hard

Doctors are a pain in the rear

I have nothing to do today

_____ is depressed and discouraged

______ is wishing she had a real friend

______ hates this month

____________ is sick of being sick

_________ can't stand hypocrites

I could go on and on with others I have read in the last few months. You get the point. Facebook sets the stage for murmuring. I came home a few weeks ago after a rough day. I went into the living room and my wife changed my status to "Travis is :-(" After a sharp rebuke and a new status, my wife was reminded about the sin of murmuring. Thus, I deleted my facebook account.
4. Ephesians 5:16 We are to redeem our time. I am not saying that facebook is a total waste of time...but I did find myself checking on everyone else and updating everyone else on me numerous times a day. There are much more important things to be done. My "Travis is studying for history class" never led a soul to Christ; nor did my "Travis is :-(" show a lost person how great God is. Reality is, most with a facebook account check or update it nearly 10 times a day if not more. For me, I began to compare how many times I thought of a verse of Scripture compared to how many facebook checks I made....thus, I deleted my facebook account.
5. 1 Cor. 15:33 I must be careful who my friends are. On facebook, I have "friends" I've never met or talked to. When I first joined, I was so happy to get friends. Then requests started coming in that I ignored...I could tell from the image that I couldn't be friends with them. Then, people whose lifestyles are...in a word...wicked, requested me as a friend. I offended a few by not accepting this friendship, but I cannot let their pictures of boozing, dancing, and immodesty in my home. That evil communication will corrupt good manners. Then I began to notice as others removed me as their friend after they posted pictures or notes they didn't want me to read...all situations that can be avoided by deleting my facebook account.
6. Hebrews 10:25-26 We are to be encouraging one another with our faithfulness, not discouraging one another with willful sin. Those "changes of information" when I first joined are not so these days. How it discourages my heart to see our young people flauning their wicked music...when they know it is wrong. How it is discouraging to read the criticisms by others of yourself and your church. How it breaks your hearts to see those who you loved and invested in drinking their beers and cursing our God. How it breaks hearts to read or see pictures of those you love, flaunting adultery and sin. Thus, I deleted my facebook account.
I could give you more reasons as to why the Lord led me to do so, but just one will suffice.....
7. God told me to. John 14:15.
I love you all hope you stay in touch via this blog and email.

On another note, the Lord confirmed this in my heart...He had been speaking to me about it, and just now I saw this posted on facebook. Thank you Lord for confirming Your will: http://kentbrandenburg.blogspot.com/