This weeks bulletin is by far the most difficult to write. This is an article that I actually started planning several months ago. Every article I write has the intent to encourage us all to be better Christians. I don't typically give a title to the articles I write, but this one is called the use or misuse of electronic devices in the worship.

Modem technology is a wonderful thing. It has certainly made life easier and work more efficient. Use of the Internet in particular has been a great blessing as one literally has a world of helpful information at one's disposal. The World Wide Web has enabled the Lord's church to teach the gospel to people all over the world through web-sites, pod-casts, blogs, Facebook, etc. In addition, people now have electronic versions of the Bible on their I-pads and smart phones. These handy tools let us conveniently carry our Bibles with us wherever we go. In addition, Bible programs that once cost hundreds of dollars in book form are now available for free on the Web.

But just as the devil has perverted other forms of mass communication (the printed page, radio, television), so he has corrupted the Internet too. Pornography and gambling web-sites, along with false doctrines of every stripe, are just the beginning when it comes to problems associated with the Web. But my purpose for this article is the proper use of our I-pads and smart phones in the worship device. It is obvious that using them to read scripture, or look up a verse, etc...is the correct use of these electronic devices. In addition, if your job requires you to be on-call, then keep your phone handy on vibrate. The real concern here is when we use them for any other purpose, and this is important to understand whether we are an adult or one of the younger people.

What we must remember is that the devil is always seeking an opportunity to ruin us, especially those of the faith!! The other thing we must consider is his methods. He is simply stated as the MOST crafty and cunning creature out there, and so it is no surprise I think that we are often fooled by him. I truly believe that he has turn this wonderful technology into his greatest weapon in the foreseeable future, and I am deeply concerned. I already stated what damage this technology has done to many in the privacy of there homes, but 1 fear a new danger. The danger I am speaking of is the theft of our hearts. God has demanded all our heart, soul, and mind. He has said in scripture that He is Holy, and therefore must be treated as such. Does He expect no less when we gather together to worship Him? In John 4:24, Jesus taught about true worship: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." True worship has God as its object. We come together to honor and glorify Him. As a result, we also edify one another (1 Cor 14:26; Eph 5:19). For these reasons, we are commanded not to forsake the worship assemblies (Heb 10:24-25).

As I stated before, I believe the devil will continue to use this technology against us. His method is a simple one as usual. The use of these devices have become so important to the fabric of our lives, that they become addicting. An addiction is the opposite of self control. The scriptures clearly state that followers of Christ are those that exemplify self control. 1 look into the future and have grave concern that if we don't see what the devil is up to, it will be too late. These devices impact every aspect of our lives and that's why He will try to use them against us. Consider for a moment these ways that He can ruin us through these devices. 1. In our worship, he can steal our attention and hearts 2. In our marriages, he can again steal attention that rightfully belongs to our spouse 3. Our children, again time and devotion critical for their development is stolen away by this sleeping danger! !

I could go on, but I want to end by getting back to the heart of this article. We misuse our electronic devices during worship when we: (1) send texts, tweets, etc.. (2) update our Facebook or similar sites (3) check our email or surf the Web (4) play games. when we do any of these things, we are no longer glorifying God or building up the brethren. Remember that people and God are watching us, so do the right thing and set the right example. The scriptures warn us to be on guard and to be alert!! So lets examine ourselves and make sure we are in control and the devil is not.

Eric