40 Day Devotionals 2014 Day 36

I recently had a conversation with someone about social media. As many of you know, I am a fan. A huge fan! This person was talking to me about the dangers of the web and how they don't want their kids on any social media at all because of the dangers of pictures and that teens don't know how to healthily express themselves and all the other dangers associated with the internet.
It is an argument that I have heard from a lot of people. Being that I am young (32 is still young right? Isn't it!?) I tend to err on the side of positive benefits from social media. I look at teens a bit differently I guess. Since I work with them daily and use many of them in leadership and teaching roles I have a lot of confidence in them. I also know that as teens, we all stumbled in our pride, arrogance, and stupidity. Heck, we still do that as adults! I don't think not letting students on social media will protect them from themselves, as much as I don't think home schooling is better than public schooling. It is all a user experience. You get what you make of it. If you want to live a double life online, you will. If you want to wear a "mask" in public and pretend to be different for the sake of protecting the real you, you will. I also believe people can just be natural. They can learn to be themselves in all facets of life.
Here is a reality check if you haven't realized it yet. The internet is here to stay. Social media has become a new fabric of our current generations like the telephone was for older ones. It is a new way to communicate. Learn to use it for the positives. Excel at it, and you can do the world a whole lot of good! Sure you can make yourself look dumb. But I've learned in life that you don't need anything to look dumb, you can do that with absolutely nothing at all.
On a daddy note, I know these are thoughts I will have to wrestle with as my daughter gets older. I remember pretty well when I was a teen, probably because my students help me do that. I hope I can use that experience to remember how my daughter is feeling at those ages. I will do my best to raise her in a protected environment. But I know that most of that protection comes from God. I will be constantly be praying for her.

Day 36

Scripture

James 4:7-10

-    Before Reading the scripture today; Pray and ask the spirit to guide you in the reading:
-    13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
-     17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Wisdom

-    There are so many passages on prayer and how to pray and what to pray about, but this passage in James strikes me hard. It isn’t just a how to guide. It is telling you about what prayer does. It tells you that if you believe in your prayers the Lord will respond. To go along with what we ended our study with yesterday, I want to talk about believing in your prayers.
-    This is a controversial passage. Many denominations use it for different purposes to support different ideas behind prayer but in the end it is a passage about Faith. Do you believe that God listens to your prayers and do you believe He answers them? I love the example James gives of Elijah the prophet. Elijah prayed for rain to stop, and it did. Then he prayed for it to rain, and it did. The faith of Elijah was so strong in his faith that he was able to control rain! Stop and think about that for a moment? Controlled the weather! That is amazing! I never doubt anyone that says they believe prayer to the Lord can accomplish amazing things. Because it can, if you have Faith that it can.

Apply

-    Do you believe that the Lord will listen to your prayers like that?
-    Where in your life are you sick and hurting? Where do you need forgiveness? Where do you need to rejoice in your life?

Prayer

-    Pray about all the things you just answered in the questions. Pray that the Lord strengthens your Faith daily. Take time to appreciate His listening ear for you. Ask Him to help you focus on your life to strengthen your belief in His work in your life.