Worldliness -- Media (Part 2)

Worldliness -- Media (Part 2)

Yesterday I shared with you some thoughts from a powerful book, WORLDLINESS - Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World.

Pastor Craig Cabanis, who wrote the chapter, God, My Heart, and the media, quoting pastor Kent Hughes says:

"Today the all-pervasive glow of the television set is the single most potent influence and control in Western culture. Television has greater power over the lives of most Americans than any educational system, government or church."

So how do we bring control in our lives in regards to the things we watch (TV, DVD's, movies, etc) so that we don't get sucked into the world and all its powerful allurements?

Pastor Cabanis offers a series of questions that are worth our consideration:

Time Questions
* Am I skipping or delaying something important in order to watch this now?
* What are my other social/entertainment options besides watching television or going out to see a movie?
* How much time have I already spent on media today?
* How much time have I spent surfing the Internet? How much time have I spent blogging or maintaining an online presence through social network sites?
* In the last week, how much time have I spent on the spiritual disciplines, building relationships, or serving in my local church compared to time spent consuming media?
* After investing the time to view this, will I look back on it as time well spent?

Heart Questions
* Why do I want to watch this program or movie? What do I find entertaining about it?
* Am I seeking to escape from something I should be facing by watching this? Am I seeking comfort or relief that can be found only in God?
* What sinful temptations will this program or film present?
* Do I secretly want to view something in it that's sinful? Am I deceiving myself by saying, "I'll fast-forward through the bad parts?"
* Similarly, am I telling myself, "I'll just visit this website once, and I won't click on any other links I find there?"
* Am I watching because I am bored or lazy? If so, what does that reveal about my heart?
* Am I watching simply because others are? Am I trying to be relevant or to fit in?
* How have my online relationships impacted my face-to-face relationships? How has my online activity impacted my soul? For better or worse?
* What motivates me to create and maintain a blog, Myspace or Facebook presence? Am I attempting to impress others? Am I being prideful, slanderous, deceitful, or self-righteous?

Good questions, my brothers. They have sure caused me to think. I trust you will give serious consideration to them. Tomorrow I will give you his list of CONTENT questions. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 9; Isaiah 32-33; Colossians 1

A quote worth thinking about: We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest passed by the man who had fallen among thieves, perhaps - reading the Bible..... it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God. -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Can't make our Men's Fellowship Night tonight? Watch it live right from our website. The program will air around 7:15 PM -- www.americaskeswick.org