The Pastor’s Garage July 30th, 2020

Hi everyone. Following is this week’s Pastor’s Garage from Pastor Mike. God
bless and have a great long weekend.

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PASTORS GARAGE, JULY 30, 2020

IS IT TIME TO SIMPLIFY?

We have come to the place in our technologically advanced culture that
if the internet or power goes down, even while you are in line to purchase
an item, you usually can’t. It doesn’t matter if you have cash in hand, or
even correct change! In so many ways technology makes our lives easier and
less complicated, and yet the trade off is that in doing so we become
addicted to it or dependant on it!

As I look at my own patterns of cell phone use (how much time I spend
on it, what I’m looking at, and those around me I’m ignoring while doing
so) I will admit I am more than a little concerned! We are already at the
stage in our society (young and old alike) where we can’t have a visit,
share a meal, wait in line, play some games, relax, etc. without
interjecting our time by checking our screens! When’s the last full day you
didn’t look at your phone? Be honest? I’m not talking about taking calls,
I’m talking about all the other stuff? When’s the last time you tried? Do
you see the need to try? Sure facebook is great at connecting with friends
who are not near, but is it so essential to connect with them that you
ignore the ones right in front of you while you’re on it? I’m seriously
considering going to a call and text only phone! They call them seniors
phones, how’s that for marketing! It gives the illusion that only a person
who has trouble seeing, understanding technology, and their arthritic
fingers struggle pushing buttons would even consider one of these phones!
Never mind that their batteries actually last more than a week, and the
usage charges are a fraction of what we’re paying now! (you can get an
unlimited call, text, and picture plan through sasktel mobility for $25 a
month, imagine!)

Now I want to talk about the spiritual implications of at least
partially de-technologicalizing our lives! Never mind the social
implications, which are many, and even related to the spiritual
implications as we are created in the image of God, and how we treat and
value people is very near God’s heart. God doesn’t like sharing His time
with us with anything or anyone! We can easily justify that our phones are
important “tools”, but at what cost? Do the benefits really outweigh the
negatives? Matthew 5:27-30 talks about if your hand or eye causes you to
sin you should remove it! The specific context of those verses is talking
about lust, but the principle of what He’s discussing can be applied to
many other areas! Are those verses talking about literally gouging out your
eye, or cutting off your hand? Does that mean that hands and eyes are not
useful in other ways? The key to understanding those verses is found in
verse 27 where Jesus says “You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit
adultery’, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful
intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart!” The reality
is that your hand, eye, or cell phone for that matter, does not “cause” you
to sin! It’s our heart that’s the real issue! The dangers of instant access
anywhere anytime to pornography on cell phones is obvious. How about the
access to sites tempting us to buy things we don’t really need with money
we don’t really have! How about the sites tempting us to be rude to or
gossip about those around us? How about the time we spend on these devices,
could it be used in more productive healthy ways? How about the friends and
family right beside us that we’re ignoring while we’re on those devices?
How about the money we spend for the user fees associated with instant
internet access 24/7? Proverbs 4:23 says “Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life!” If there is something that you
know is putting your heart in danger, maybe you should consider cutting it
out, or at the very least limiting access?

Please pray for our church in this season of world change! Pray for
our hearts and walk with God! Pray for “the church” worldwide! Pray for us
as leaders, for God’s protection, guidance and anointing! Pray for our
governments! Pray for the harvest, those lost, alone and hurting! In case
you haven’t heard or have forgotten, we are doing a thing on Friday
mornings called Front Lawn Friday’s! If you would like to have a visit,
need to discuss something, or desire prayer I will be on the front lawn of
the church tomorrow morning from 10-12am, drop on by!

Pastor Mike