Sitting Alone Together

The other day in the cafeteria of the hospital where I work, I saw a round table at which several employees were sitting together, but they were not together.  Every one of them was busily texting on their smart phones.

No one was talking to anyone else.  This seems to be a hallmark of our modern culture.  We are all talking but no one is listening.  This is happening even within the Church.

http://www.basicsofchristianity.com/growth/new-believer-basics-fellowship.htm

http://www.victorious.org/felwship.htm

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:5

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” Ephesians 2:19

A Text in the Middle of the Night

Last night at one-thirty AM my wife's smartphone received a text message.  We have someone in the hospital so we burst out of bed to read the message.  It was a text of an internet scam which has been active for over a year.  The text says that the receiver has won $1000 and to get the money one needs only go to a link provided in the text.  The link loads a virus which steals a person's private personal information (passwords, account numbers, social security number, etc) from a computer or smartphone.
This is a criminal activity.

Attacks on personal information are rampant.  In just the same way, Christians are constantly under attack from The Evil One and his servants, especially when they are distracted by life's worries or worse, are spiritually asleep.  It is not currently popular to think of Satan as a person but the Bible clearly does.  Most people, including Christians, do not need his help in falling short of the mark.

Remember, if you resist the devil in the power of the Lord, the devil will run away! James 4:7.

OMG!

OMG!  Stop with the OMG already!  This exclamation is everywhere, on television, in every movie, on the streets, on children's playgrounds.

OMG began as a shortcut for cell phone texting and is the exclamation of surprise, "Oh ... my ... God!'

I have tried to explain to a frequent user of the phrase why Christians find this to be offensive but it just flew right by their understanding. It is a trivialization of the Holy Name, taking the name of God to the same level as vulgarities and profanities.