A Subtle Attack from a Subtle
Enemy
Genesis 3:1 tells us that the serpent, Satan
himself, was more subtil than any beast of the field. Then in
Revelation 12:9 we find that that same serpent "deceiveth the whole
world." From Genesis to Revelation, we find that our enemy, Satan, is
known for his subtilty and deceitfulness. Thousands of years have
passed since the writing of the Scriptures and no doubt Satan has taken
that time to perfect his subtil methods of attack. One method of attack
that Satan has learned to use subtily to his advantage is that of the
modern-day media. With TVs, computers, video game consoles, cell
phones, iPods, social websites and dozens of other media outlets,
Satan's arsenal against the Christian home seems limitless. If
Christian homes are to survive such attacks, they must know how to
properly deal with this "media monster." This month's "In The Know" is
dedicated to equipping parents with the knowledge and resources needed
to face this subtil enemy.
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Defeating the Media Monster
By Cary Schmidt
I n a multimedia
age, it’s time that parents and children engage in the day-to-day
process of understanding, discerning, taming, and containing the media
beast. Proverbs 22:6 teaches us, “Train up a child in the way he should
go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The process of
“training up” is a time-consuming, fully-engaged, active, and
deliberate course of action. Yet, I find that few parents have
intentionally determined to “train up” their children in defeating one
of the greatest threats to their future spiritual well-being—mass media
(including airwaves, music, internet, video games, cell phones and all
that comes with them.)
Some parents desire to “train up” but they feel
overwhelmed or are not sure where to begin. Yet, the risk is too great
not to jump on this beast and ride it into submission. Honestly, we’re
all still learning and media is ever changing, but for the next few
moments, let’s examine the big challenges media brings, and then some
practical steps to defeating and taming this monster.Read
More»
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Satan Is Using Your
Motherboard
By Tim Trieber
The Internet is an invaluable resource for an
estimated 1.7 billion computer-users around the world. Its applications
are virtually limitless—an inconceivable amount of information at the
click of mouse, online educational courses and publications, business
management or telecommuting, free programs and organizational tools,
worldwide communication, online shopping, internet banking, internet
radio, etc. Whether it is to stay connected to family across
the country or to track a shipment from Timbuktu to your doorstep, you
can do it all online. And while this resource is seemingly
inexhaustible in its benefits, I believe none of them can atone for the
tainted life of a youth.
More than ever, the Christian home is under
attack. It seems as if the devil has unleashed the fiery fury of hell
upon the family unit. In I Peter 5:8, we read: “Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan is seeking to destroy
your home, and in his arsenal of weapons is that which over a billion
of us use everyday—the Internet.
Read More»
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The Dangers of Social
Networking
With social networking sites  like Facebook,
Twitter, MySpace, and others growing in popularity (especially among
young people), parents must be vigilant on how and if these sites are
used. This article will list several recent statistics concerning the
dangers of social networking. Statistics like:
- 25 percent who have created a profile with a false identity.
- 39 percent who have posted something they
later regretted.
- 13 percent who have posted nude or
semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves or others online.
Read More»
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On the Same Page
The role of the church, concerning raising
teenagers, is to be a help to the parents. One way in which
the church helps is through age-appropriate preaching. Because this
tool is so important, it is vital that parents be made aware of what is
being preached to their teenagers each month. Below is a list of
messages that have been preached recently:
- "Discouragement" - Pastor Dan Carr, Sr.
- "Making the Right Choice" - Pastor Eric Hite
- "Surviving the Christian Life" - Pastor Steve
Mackender
- "Surviving to Succeed" - Pastor Jeremiah Andrews
To view more information about each message or to
view other previous messages, Click
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