Social networking does not have the same meaning today as it used to have. What was once considered social networking generally occurred at social gatherings of all types and probably took place without much thought by those involved. If you attended a party, visited your local hair salon, or any gathering of people, you probably took part in some version of networking with your peers. Now social networking takes place on the internet. There are many different avenues on the internet to network, but one of the most popular is Facebook. Facebook is so popular around the world that more people use it than live in the United States. If the users on Facebook comprised a country, it would be the third most populated country on Earth.
People become "friends" on Facebook with individuals, business and organizations. People can use Facebook to interact with others, post their thoughts and photos and their "friends" can see what they post. New Vision Fellowship has a Facebook page and you can visit to find out about upcoming events, read scripture, etc. Sometimes people post things on Facebook and other social media that is questionable. A lot of employers now visit employees and perspective employees Facebook content to determine if he/she is a quality person to employ.
Finally, there is another Facebook feature called the "Like" button. This is a way your "friends" can give positive feedback to your posts. If you like a post, you can just click on the Like button.
So what if God had a Facebook page? Would God like you on Facebook? One thing you cannot do is unfriend God. You cannot just click a button and suddenly He cannot see you anymore. There is nothing you can do to make yourself invisible to God.
My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. Jeremiah 16:17
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13
There is nowhere we can hide what we do, what we say or even what we think. God has a "Facebook" page on each of us and on that page He sees us just like we are; everything we say and each thought that we have is there. And no one has a perfect page with the Lord.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23
Even though we are all sinners, we should not be comfortable with that. Even though we mess up and we know we will, God is looking at our lives to see what kind of fruit we will produce.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Luke 6:43-46
Jesus was pointing out here the kind of fruit God was looking at. One of the things He was talking about is what we say; the words that come out of our mouths. What we have in our heart, deep down in ourselves, comes out in what we say. God knows what is in our heart. Not only does he know what we say, but what we do as well. What we say and what we do is a direct reflection of what we have inside. The good man brings out good things about the good stored in his heart. The evil man brings out the evil inside him. How we talk and walk are reflections of what is in our heart. What we allow to come into our lives will influence us. There is a term that says "Garbage in, garbage out." There is a lot of garbage out there on the internet. It will pop up when you aren't even looking for and it can become easy to get sucked into it.
If we know God and have a personal relationship with Him, what is inside us? We are to be filled with the spirit of God. How do we know that we are filled with the spirit of God? If we are filled with the spirit of God we should show forth His fruit as being inside us. If we know Christ, the fruit that comes from us should be recognizable.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25
So how is your life? Is your life producing fruit? Are you showing forth love to other people? Is your life promoting joy? Are you promoting peace? Are you being patient with one another? These are different things God says we should be exhibiting in our lives as we go through life. We need to be active in being sure we are producing. God expects these fruits to show forth in our lives. Showing love, joy, patience, kindness and all of the fruits - these should be our objectives as children of God.
The online auction site eBay offers users the opportunity to leave feedback for buyers and sellers with whom you have recent transactions. If you choose to leave negative feedback, a box opens to asks you to be sure of what you are about to say as it will be seen by others. Here is an online retailer suggesting that you act in a Christian manner. God tells us the same thing. How do we bear the good fruits of God? We have excellent instructions He gives us.
Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:15-21
There is evil in the world. But don't be part of it. Do not be foolish. Be filled with the spirit, not with the mess of the world. When you are filled with the spirit, it shows. You can tell by your actions, words and walk through life. How can we be any more filled with Him. His influence in our lives is only at the level we allow Him to be involved. What can you do to stay full of His presence? Be careful by what you store in your heart. Store up great music in your heart. So many of the songs we sing in church come straight from the word of God. The world offers a lot of different music and we must be careful to stay clear of music that would lead us away from God. What we put into our hearts and minds will reflect in our lives. You can use the following qualifications when you are making music choices.
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. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:3-4
We should also fill up our lives with thanksgiving. There are many thing in our humanity that bother us and leave us feeling like there is no hope; but these can be resolved simply by giving thanks. We live in a country where we are so blessed and we should be thankful.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
The benefit of being thankful is having the peace of God; a peace that is beyond our understanding. You can take your anxiety to Him. God wants us to do this. God also wants us to make others a higher priority than ourselves. A lot of evil that comes into people's lives is the result of self interest.
To bear the fruit of God's spirit, we must fill ourselves with good things: good music, right attitudes, the right humility to serve others. As we consider our lives today and the fact that God knows everything about us, does He like what He sees? Or is there anything he would not like about what we do? Let's bear good fruit. May we overflow with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As you go through your day think about these things and apply them in your lives. And remember to be thankful for the blessings you have and receive the promise for peacefulness. The starting point to receive that peace is to have Him in our hearts. We must have Christ living in us.
