A Snare Amongst Us

By: Rob Peralta

In today's high tech world there is a snare in our midst. The devil has always found a way to use almost all things in a way that leads us away from God. He's brilliant at creating "snares". The snare I wish to talk about is the very one you are using right now---the computer! The fun, exciting and sometimes all time consuming--computer. Let's look at how this may be a BIG trap for you if you're not careful.

For a while now the small steady voice of the Holy Spirit has been nudging me about my use of the computer. I have been using it quite a lot, just like many of you. For one thing, I am faithfully on it for 3 or 4 hours on Sabbath evening putting out a contemporary post of what I see as important for people, based on what I have been guided by the Lord in my walk. This, I believe has the FULL backing of our Lord. But the "other" times during Sabbath (Saturday) I was getting a nudging. He said " Hey Rob, you know I want to be closer to you (prayer and reading) and you're making it harder to communicate with me by being on the computer most of the Sabbath". I started to see this clearly. And it also started me thinking about our dear friend(Computer) becoming an "idol".

There is basically two parts of this message I would like to tell about with this computer problem-- The Sabbath usage, and the daily usage. Let's talk about the daily usage first.

Indeed many are being touched and moved by God's truth being spread through the computer, it is quite awesome to observe! Many souls are being reached through this medium. However, Satan observes this too and sure enough he finds a way to mess things up. His first plan is to get you "on it" ALL the time! You neglect your Bible studies, readings, household time with family or friends, etc. In (Exodus 20:5) we are told "...For I the Lord, your God, am a JEALOUS God...". Here we must ask, jealous about what? Well, it is "serving" other things, and if we are spending almost all our free time chatting with friends and playing games and such on the computer, are we not basically putting it BEFORE our Lord? Remember God watches our time and how it is spent.

Please don't get in the habit of mindlessly getting up, grabbing you coffee or juice and going immediately ON THE COMPUTER! Grab the scriptures or S.O.P. FIRST! Let God know HE'S FIRST not some wired machine! We must create GOOD habits. I think many should pray this prayer, "Father, give me the wisdom to know when enough is enough, and that I am starting to make an 'idol' of the computer, please warn me clearly." God will be faithful in answering this you can be sure!

Now, about the Sabbath and the computer. We must first know it is HIS DAY not ours. In (Isaiah 58:13-14) we are told "...not speaking our OWN words. Then we will delight in the Lord." I wonder how many are chatting away mindlessly to their friends---how is your car? how is you new living room furniture--blah, blah, blah. Can the Lord be pleased with this? Think of it like this. The Sabbath is our "date" with Him. Would you like it if you were with some VIP for a special date, and they were practically on the phone the whole time? Of course not. It's the same with the Lord. He wants us to listen to Him on His Day (in prayer).Or spend time reading His love letters (the Bible).

So to summarize, let us be mindful of the computer. It can be a good and big part of our lives IF done in the right way with temperance. In Christ, Rob