Social Media - Losing our Quiet Times with the Lord

I turn 50 in a few weeks. Life is a vapor.

I have personally come to realize how addicted I have been to my smartphone and especially Facebook, and wasted alot of my life on them.

I can remember when I received my first computer, a Timex Sinclar Z81 in the early 80's and then a Commodore VIC20, then Commodore 64. As a teen in the 80s, (before I came to Christ), I was addicted to video games and computers. How much time I wasted as a youth.

In the early 90's I started an IT career and remember when Facebook started and the first Iphone was sold. Slowly over a decade from the mid 2000's to now the changes in our culture to have a smartphone computer glued to our hip has changed our very lives.

Now going back in the 80's before cell phones were common, I can remember being in college as a young Christian enjoying quiet times with the Lord, my bible, a notebook and just listening and praying in solitude. I would go for long walks praying and talking and just alone with God. Oh, how I long to go back to those simple days.

Now we have the entire world connected to us 24/7 to distract us with practically everything possible on our smartphones, including pornography to tempt millions of young people and adults.

So I made a decision, and I can always go back at some point in the future. Get rid of my Facebook account, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn., and just be silent. I know that some of the connections I had will be lost temporarily but that is worth unplugging and connecting again with God.

I have lost the art of physically connecting with brothers face 2 face over a cup of coffee and talk, praying, studying and working in ministry together. We are too busy sharing memes, and wasting a,,,lot of time on Social Media.

This book by Tony Reinke is good and will challenge you.
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-we-should-escape-social-media

So very true Doug!!!

Here is another good article I found:

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/10-reasons-we-should-escape-social-media-and-why-we-don-t.html

The conclusion sounds like enough but the issue is much deeper. The real issue is a divided heart. That won’t be dealt with by getting rid of social media. Something else will just replace it.

I think of the example Leonard Ravenhill gave when talking about losing one’s anointing. He spoke of a strongly anointed preacher who lost his anointing because of stamp collecting. That was a fad just as much as social media today. There is also the dear sister, I think it was Denny Kenaston’s wife, who shared that she wished she had spent less time focusing on making homemade bread instead of the eternal.

Social media is not the nemesis. Not doing everything as unto the Lord is.

I have another thread I started titled "Idolatry - The American Dream", please read if you haven't already.

I hear what you are saying, so is "building a business" or "baking homemade bread" ok if it's done "unto the Lord"? is that what I hear you are saying? because of a divided heart? because if what you are saying that what I just did in cutting off idols and my business building was wrong. I should have worked on my divided heart so whatever I do is done "unto the Lord".

thanks, Doug

Hi Doug,
Yes, it looks like you are getting rid of those things that are not done "unto the Lord.” They weren’t bearing eternal fruit Perhaps the T. A. Sparks message deals with how to proceed in unoffended devotion.

Has the Spirit been convicting you when your mind starts thinking like that again and waking you from the insanity of it? What you are coming out of is not uncommon temptation, even Denny Kenaston mentions struggling with the same thing when he had his business. However, I would suggest that the issue of wealth likely goes much deeper for you than money right now. You may have to start dealing with idols of Protestantism and Evangelicalism too. I trust that the Lord will reveal that to you at the right time.

I encourage you to be faithful in what God is dealing with now and to not try to run ahead.

As you reflect and obey, use the Scripture as your measuring stick. A good place to start is this:

1 Timothy 6:6-8 KJV
[6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

What are the idols of Protestantism and Evangelicalism?

Pretty sure that was Duncan Campbell Ravenhill was talking about.

Ok, not sure I understand still, so I'll wait until the Lord reveals this to me. Thanks, Doug

Unfortunately, it's a problem of the whole new generation. The modern world is so excessive in its variety of things that young men can't feel the way to the Lord. From all sides, they are surrounded by sins. Moreover, modern political systems support such a consumer way of life. Facebook, TikTok, and others have become like a drug. I can understand if the person uses these platforms for communicating or earning money for a living. You can buy followers on such services https://famoid.com/buy-tiktok-followers/ to make your page competitive. But, if you replace social life with sitting in front of a monitor - it will ruin you.

I agree Doug, I'm not on any of the social media sites, I am on LinkedIn, "I guess it could be called a social media site" mostly because I own a business and it's been beneficial to my business. I spend probably a couple minutes or so over there each morning, just mostly reading up on the new technology, and posts related to my business. Even @69 and being in business since 1984, I've gained a lot more business knowledge over there, because business times change often.

I have had a few of my "older" friends that's told me, they have deleted their Facebook accounts. Of course I don't know much of anything that goes on there, but we should all pray that we can spend more time away from all these sites and focus on the Lord more.
Thanks for your post Doug.

…2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily.…
(2 Corinthians 11: 2-4)