Dear friends,
Last week a friend told me that he wished we could go back to the 1980s when there was no Internet. I was surprised to hear this, but reflected on his comments about how many people today don’t think deeply, opting instead to look in search engines for answers to their questions. This week I was reading a book by Dr. David Jeremiah entitled “What Are You Afraid Of?” in which he writes about the Internet replacing face-to-face conversation. “In 1998, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University studied the effects of addiction to the Internet, a new phenomenon then. They found that the more time people spent online, the more depressed and lonely they became. A 2008 survey found that adults were spending 30% of their leisure time online. By 2009, the average jumped to twelve hours a week – double the average in 2005. Today most Americans spend between eight and nine hours per day staring at some kind of glowing screen, be it a TV, a computer or a phone.” This was written in 2013. Of course, I realize that I am contributing to the amount of time that you spend online by sending you this blog!
Today I received two phone calls from people who have been in touch with our ministry for many years. One is a man with physical challenges, who completed close to 200 Bible course lessons from our office. The other is a woman who has had many challenges in her life. She called to say that the Lord has healed her and she is enjoying receiving Bible courses from us. Please pray for Albert (pseudonym) and Marianne (pseudonym) to know the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension (please see the Scripture below).
Some of you reading this knew my grandmother. If she were still alive, she would have turned 121 today. I thank the Lord for her prayers for me while I was growing up. After I trusted in Christ at the age of 17, I began attending the church where she occasionally played the piano. Eight years later, Karen and I were married in that church. To God be the glory for His wonderful love!
Scripture for the weekend: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)
Thought for the weekend: “In Christ a person has position – where He is, the believer is; privilege – what He is, the believer is; possession – what He has, the believer shares.” – Theodore H. Epp (from his book “Living Abundantly – Volume 1”)
By His grace,
Steve