| "Passionately Seeking & Speaking the Love of Jesus Christ" Dateline: Phillips West "Absolute futility," says the Teacher."Absolute futility. Everything is futile." Ecc. 1:2 We are living in an age in which we are constantly bombarded with the news of the day. I am greeted by continually updated news feeds from apps whenever I turn on my computer. News networks and local news programs crowd the screen with data and informational overlays during every broadcast. Newspapers try their best to attract readers with cluttered front pages. Websites solicit clicks through trending headlines. Our mail boxes (electronic and snail) get filled with junk telling us what is supposed to matter. I even got an automated phone call yesterday telling me how crucial my role is to a pending class action lawsuit... I have no idea what the automated voice was talking about. Despite the information overload of news and current events, I am beginning to notice that the majority of the headlines do not really affect people at all. Does the latest partisan battle really matter to person with a loved one in the hospital? Do stock market numbers concern the unemployed father struggling to pay bills? Is the latest gossip piece helping the person struggling and dying in sin? 108,400,000 people watched the Super Bowl this year... A mere 8 days later, how many of those people really care which team won the game? When monitored objectively I would wager to say that news reports and current events do not really matter to 95% of the people watching, listening, and reading them. Matter of fact the only thing on the news that does directly matter to the audience is the weather and they only get that right 25% of the time (I couldn't resist that one). Just turn of the news for a day or two and see how your life changes. If you spend more time with God it will be truly enriched intsead of simply being entertained. As Christians we have the Good News which is eternally relevant and we have a headline that will never lose it's power- John 3:16. This message is so important that God came in the flesh and died for it. We serve the God of heaven and earth and He makes every day a miracle. His Bible is a record of His goodness and greatness and His church resonates His power and promises. Recent stories at New Hope Baptist include a cancer survivor, God's healing power over a stroke victim, and someone who has been set free from methamphetamine to be turned loose on the mission field. You won't see these stories on TV or hear about them on the radio because those stages are too small for our God. |
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
news Hope Weekly 2/13/13
