Word on the Web Wednesday 9.12.18
I’ve ran into several really good articles this week and I thought I’d maybe try and start sharing a few for those who might be interested or have time to read them. That being said, here are a few articles I thought were great reads from the past week.
Teens now prefer texting to face-to-face communication; a third have been cyber bullied
This is an interesting article with some good statistics regarding teens and the use of technology. Part of the article that I found particularly surprising had to do with parents: 33% of teens say they wish their parents would spend less time on their devices, up from 21% in 2012. We all can have trouble staying off our devices in such a connected age. Read this one.
The Secret to Self-Discipline
This was such a good article. Ultimately, we work toward what will give us the most joy. What do you find joy in? From the article: James knows the secret to self-discipline (consciously or unconsciously), a secret that applies to all of us: joy. The secret is not that each rigorous exercise of self-denial gives us joy. The secret lies in the prize — what we're willing to endure self-denial to have.
Is Social Justice a Gospel Issue?
Kevin DeYoung writes one of the most helpful articles regarding all of the social justice talk that’s going on right now. Even if you haven’t been engaged in the conversation, this one is worth reading. From the article: If pastors in our day let cultural concerns crowd out the preaching of new birth, repentance, and justification by faith alone, it wouldn’t be the first time in the church’s history that the “gospel” became more social than gospel.
Don’t Preach a Heterosexual Gospel
Jackie Hill Perry gives great advice to Christians in this one. As we’re learning to navigate new cultural waters, we must realize that marriage isn’t the Christian goal, Jesus is. From the article: God isn't calling gay people to be straight. You’d think He was by listening to the ways Christians try to encourage same-sex-attracted people within, or outside, their local churches. They dangle the possibility of heterosexual marriage above their heads, point to it like it’s heaven on a string, something to grab and get whole with. And though it’s usually well-meaning, it’s very dangerous. Why? Because it puts more emphasis on marriage as the goal of the Christian life than knowing Jesus. Just as God’s aim in my salvation was not mainly the removal of my same-sex desires, in sanctification, it is not always His aim that marriage or experiencing an attraction for the opposite sex will be involved.
From Yesterday: Comfort in Chaos
Yesterday, I shared about comfort in God being in control when our lives feel chaotic. We as Christians have more reason for hope than anyone on the planet.
