Tag: Berea

The Impact of Influencers in Today’s 24/7 News Cycle

The Impact of Influencers in Today’s 24/7 News Cycle

When I was just a boy, I had a paper route. Everyday when I would get home from school I folded my papers and started out delivering the news. Imagine, waiting until 3 or 4 O’clock to get your news! It is hard for me to even imagine it and I delivered the paper. Today, we live in a 24/7 news cycle and instant updates. It is hard to keep up. Every morning I get an email from a news organization. It is their ‘Morning Brief’. They highlight five or six stories to bring one up to speed on the happenings around the world. Yet, even then some of the stories have changed considerably by the time I open the page. Time is moving at a extremely fast clip, it is hard to keep up, if you blink you might miss something.

This 24/7 news cycle with updates at your fingertips can lock you in and it is hard to take a breath. Yet, with news so in your face these days there are some still who are oblivious to what is going on in the world. Oh they have their phone in their hands but they are playing games and scrolling Tic Tok. Their algorithm is full of cat videos and silly dances being performed by people they don’t know but follow and like and comment as if they do. Everyone is influenced by something or someone. You have news anchors who influence your opinion based on what network you prefer. As well if you aren’t into the news you are influenced by social media influencers. There are even ‘Christian’ influencers out there influencing the mind of their followers. The question is what or whom influences you?

I only want One influencer, the Ruah ha’Qodesh, that is the Holy Spirit. His role is to influence us towards the Word of God. To meditate on it day and night. Soak in it like a sponge. So that when others are around us they too end up under the influence of the Living Water of the Word. When you take a sponge full of water from the sink it drips everywhere, that is how we should be. So saturated by the Word that wherever we go we leave a trail behind us of living water. The Holy Spirit through us influencing those around us by our word and deed. When others bring us news our filter should be the Word. When others bring us ‘entertainment’ our filter should be the Word. When others bring us the ‘Word’ our filter should be the Word.

Let us consider together Psalm 1 . . .
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Torah of YHWH, and on His instruction he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.” If you honestly desire to know YHWH in His fullness you must know His Word, His Torah, His Instruction. Not only to know it but to believe it and to obey it.

Psalm 1 continues . . .
“Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For YHWH guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” The wicked do not delight themselves in the Torah.

Is it only the wicked that turn their back of God’s instruction?

How would the Berean’s receive this statement?

Those in Brea were limited to the ‘Old’ Testament, we have the writings of the Apostles too. What can we find about “winds of doctrine”?

What are the implications?

This is the Way of the Rabbi,
You are loved,
cj

What is truth?

This is the question of the ages. It has been asked by every generation and sought after in every corner of the mind. It has been pursued in others, in governments, in teachers, in books, in science, and it has become relative. “My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.” This quote was taken from the dictionary definition, and it is perfectly fitting.

When i was in the 2nd grade, my teacher and i did not see eye to eye, not just because i was four feet shorter than her. She tried to get me to see her truth, but i just wasn’t able to understand. my brain wasn’t clicking on all cylinders at the time. In fact, my brain really didn’t turn on until halfway through my freshman year of high school. i was reading at a 3rd grade level at that point. It was then that some very caring educators took me under their wing and helped expand my ability to learn.

Through some very clever tactics, i was sent to “help out” at an elementary school. Much like the movie with Adam Sandler, called Billy Madison, they started me out in kindergarten. By the end of the year, i was helping out in the 5th grade, and my reading comprehension was on par with my peers. Now the movie came out in 1995, and i was a freshman in 1988, so it is fair to assume, although i wasn’t seeking the family fortune, this movie was based loosely on me . . . just kidding, but true story as i see it. And just like the dictionary definition, my truth here isn’t reality at all regarding the movie. We must get past perceived truth to know Him who is Truth.

This was the error the Pharisees and Sadducees had in the time that Jesus, The Truth, walked humbly and taught strategically. Their perceived truth trumped actual truth, and that misunderstanding lead to a prideful heart. We must learn in humility and beware of deep-rooted leaven. Jesus, in teaching His disciples, again and again, emphasized the need to beware of the teachings of the “religious.” Specifically, here in Matthew 16:5-12, we read:

“When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, ‘We brought no bread.’ But Jesus, aware of this, said, ‘O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? DO you not yet perceive? DO you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Of the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Because of my personal experiences, i am drawn to the word, understanding, more perhaps than others. And when Jesus asks, “How is it that you fail to understand . . .?” It causes me to sit up and take notice. The majority of these men were not formally educated; they were simple, blue color fishermen. Yet, even they had to be emptied of perceived truth to be filled with The Truth. And in a day in which we see many turning to false truths as Pual warned Timothy.

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

We must do our best to seek The Truth, as in “I Am the Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6). We can’t stop at the question itself as Pilate did, “Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’” After he had said this, he went back outside . . .” (John 18:38)

We must be Bereans when it comes to the Scriptures, to seeking truth and The Truth. We must be eager to learn, yes, but we must also be keen to search the Scriptures daily to see whether we are being taught truth. The world is an uncertain place, and as we get closer to the return of our Lord Jesus, there will be more and more false teachers and doctrines of demons. Therefore we must be diligent in our pursuit of The Truth.

“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11

Why is it so important to seek the truth?

”For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.” Matthew 24:24-25

You are loved,

cj