Guest Blog by Pastor Dwayne Bond
Check Dwayne Out at His Church Site: www.wellspring-community.org
Also, Join Dwayne’s FB Group “For Him” Where This Blog Was Originally Posted: http://tinyurl.com/lzsszd
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
If I had a fire burning in my lap without me trying to put it out, people around me would think I’m out of my mind. However, if no one knew the fire was burning in my lap there thoughts wouldn’t matter.
Is there a fire burning in your lap that no one else can see? Proverbs 6:27 says, “Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” Why am I talking about fire, burning and whether people know it and can see it?
Although Facebook (FB) can be used as a blessing for God’s glory, it also can be used as a tool of Satan for your destruction. Let’s be frank! Many of us on FB have connected with people that we haven’t seen in years and even decades. We are meeting new people everyday, experiencing life, sharing pictures (typically the best ones so that we can look our best), information and engaging in conversations that range from how many children we have to what you are doing at the moment. It’s a phenomenal means of socialization and networking.
For the most part, the FB social network is public. But FB also has a few built in allowances for “privacy” that allow for more one-on-one interactions, which are fine. But these allowances if not honestly dealt with could, can and will lead to emotional, mental and physical attachments with the wrong people that may destroy you. I know you are saying to yourself, “What, he’s trippin?” “Why does he hate on FB?”
Listen to me, I’m one of FB’s biggest fans with over 400 plus friends but I’m also not naïve to the depravity of man. Man’s heart is wicked, depraved, rebellious and desirous to please itself. Man’s heart combined with Satan’s schemes is a lethal combination. You see, Satan could care less about me and thus desires to use my sinfulness and whoever else would participate to hinder God’s work in my heart and family.
Now, before you write me off as “over the top” let me make sure that you hear me correctly. Using the chat feature, INBOX and whatever other means out there to communicate privately with people isn’t wrong. However, don’t sleep on Satan’s ability to awaken in you a subtle appeal for someone of the opposite sex that isn’t YOUR spouse.
Please feel free to answer a few questions for yourself: Who are you spending the most time chatting with? How often do you chat with them? What do you talk about? Where is your spouse when you are chatting? Could your spouse read your chats and not be offended? What about your inbox? Who is in your inbox? Who are you hoping would send you a message? Whose page are you constantly going to in order to see what they are doing?
Let me help you out! You don’t have to have sex with someone to be out of bounds, committing adultery and in an emotional affair. Affairs happen subtly. It is a subtle appeal that grips your emotions and then controls your desires, body and actions. Everyone who has ever had an affair would tell you that it started out so innocent but ended in disaster.
FB has a wonderful “public face” but I’m wondering how many people are behind the scenes creeping, hiding, lusting, freaking, caught, devastated and now assessing the collateral damage from a lot of bad decisions.
If you are huffing and puffing through this, you may be already knee deep in an emotional affair because you perceive that I’m throwing “cold water” on your flow. If so, good! If you are convicted like me then begin setting boundaries within FB and honoring your spouse and the friends you know and love.
I’m not a legalistic; you set your own boundaries but do take heed…
To the single brothers, make sure you aren’t engaging with someone else’s wife too frequent and too intimately. If her husband can’t read what you are saying to her without getting offended then you are out of bounds.
I know many of you are back in touch with a few sisters from the past but maybe now they are married. Let them BE! The past was the past and it’s time for you to move on… Don’t try to take a sister “back down memory lane” to test her loyalties to the past in lieu of her present marital commitments. This is sinful, manipulative and the carnal side of you lusting after her.
Join me on FB (http://tinyurl.com/lzsszd) making some new commitments, setting some wise boundaries and being honest with yourself as you seek to honor God with this amazing tool that he has given us to steward. Have the type of fun that would honor our King.
Peace.
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