Me and the Lord Jesus on Facebook. Using Twitter one with Christ. Social networking, the Lord Jesus, and me

What does God have to do with the social networks? What does Jesus have to do with Facebook? Can you actually have God seen or expressed on twitter? In the world of free expression of everything that's going through your head, everything you see, everything you want to do, all your emotions, the things around you, etc - can you actually say something meaningful about the Lord Jesus? Can you find Jesus on twitter? Do you see Christ on facebook? Is the word of God on Google+? - these questions many Christians face and deal with in one way or another, mostly ignoring the Lord when it comes to social networking...

It's free to use the social networks, and this also means that you can literally say whatever you want, you can post pictures and videos and other media items - freely! The social networks allow you not only to connect with people you know, but with people you never met nor will ever meet, with all kinds of superstars and dignitaries, famous people or infamous persons, and you can "become best friends" with people you have no idea how they look like, what do they really do, what's their personality like, etc. Many times I am asked - probably TOO many times I am asked, Stefan, do you really know EACH and EVERY ONE of your over 2.8K friends on Facebook? Do you know each one of your over 1K followers on twitter? I stopped trying to answer this kind of questions, even though for a while people would start naming my friends and asking me "how did you meet them? Who are they?"

But what about expressing Christ on Facebook? How about speaking the Word of God on twitter? What if we +1 the articles and websites with spiritual and nourishing food? How is our being on the social networks - do we use these intensely personal and private websites (which happens in public...) together with the Lord? Have we ever asked the Lord to be with us as we browsed our friends' pictures on Facebook? Have we ever prayed for our followers or the ones we follow and chat with on twitter? Did we ever ask the Lord's advice and feeling as we use the social networks? Or do we just post how we feel ("I'm bored", "what is everyone doing - I'm dead bored", etc - the most popular status updates), what we think about (cool quotes from famous rappers, movies, world renown philosophers, inspirational quotes, etc), or where we're going / what we're doing... ?

No, we don't have to be super-spiritual while using Facebook or twitter, we can and should write things we are interested in, but what if we share with the ones we're friends with / the ones we follow something of our enjoyment of the Lord? Have you ever felt responsible for your friends on facebook? Has it ever crossed your mind that you owe the gospel to each and every friend you have on facebook? You may be among max. 100 people in school, but the average number of friends one has on facebook these days is close to 500, and on twitter is rising up to 100-200... We as Christians - no matter how we feel, what we had for breakfast, or what we are thinking of right now - owe all the people we interact with THE GOSPEL!

And the gospel is simply the Word of God! If we enjoy something in the Word, why not share a verse on Facebook as a status update? If we enjoyed a song or a hymn chorus, why not share it either on twitter, on facebook, in a facebook group or on a facebook page, on our google + stream, or even as our Skype status! All these means of communication and interacting are just helping us express how we really feel - we love the Lord Jesus! "I don't care now how I feel / I just know that this is real / And I know - O, Jesus, You're alive" in me! This is the reality! The Lord Jesus is living again IN ME, in YOU, wherever you are!

Are you on facebook? The Lord Jesus is right there with you on facebook. Are you tweeting away all kinds of random things going through your mind or some feelings you wish you had? The Lord Jesus is inside of you as you punch in the keys or gently touch the touch-screen keyboard of your smartphone! Our being on the social networks with our friends is so that we would bring our friends to the Lord, pray for them, and then "give them food"! We have the food - we have Jesus Christ as the tree of life, we eat Him every day, He is our constitution, and... we can minister food to others! A Tweet like, O Lord Jesus, I love You! - so real, so genuine, coming out of your inner being, is so much better and more helpful than your opinion on the recent football game!

... the question still remains. Am I one with the Lord Jesus as I am using Facebook? Do I express the Lord as I tweet, check into foursquare, +1 things away, or share links on the social networks I'm active on? ...

Photo From London :) Priceless Shoes store

[one of the many shops called, priceless shoes, with less expensive shoes, scattered all around the UK :) ]

[what do YOU think? What is Your experience related to using the social networks and also touching the Lord as we post stuff there? Did you touch the Lord in this aspect as you were "networking"? Share your experience / opinion below...] 

the football game tonight vs the Real Game going on (1 Pic + 1 Experience with the Lord today), 30-day challenge

I think I got myself into trouble with this "one picture per day", since sometimes I am not really going out in London - unless you count going to home meetings, prayer meetings, young people meetings, and the Table Meeting as "going out"... Today I was thinking - well, apart from work, gym, and the prayer meeting, where can I take a picture? And then it dawned on me, as I was walking to the saints' house tonight - it is such a privilege to be ONE with the Lord in His prayer today! One with the saints in praying for the Lord's interest! But then I got to come home after the prayer meeting and this is what I saw this...

The Football Game Tonight VS The Real Game Going On - 1 Pic + 1 Experience with the Lord today

This is how Holloway Road looks like on most Tuesday nights at 9.30-10.30pm, and this picture was taken close to Highbury and Islington tube station. Almost every Tuesday night there's a football game at the Emirates - Arsenal plays some team, and tonight there was Arsenal Vs. Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup. Don't ask me what that means, but it looks like Arsenal won 3-1(thank you, BBC Sport News). As I am intending to make my way up the Holloway Road, thousands of people are streaming down from the game, many reaching home close to midnight... The buses rarely work during this time, and both Holloway Road and Highbury & Islington stations have limited access... - too many people!

There have been many times I made my way up the Holloway Road against the crowd, being literally bumped and kicked shamelessly by the people streaming down from the football stadium... Usually the Brits say, "Sorry", or they apologize somehow - but not after the game, and not these people! Hundreds of British people, Polish people, Romanian People, Arabs, Indians, French, etc walking down the street from the game... You hear all kinds of languages being spoken when they pass you by. All these come from the tonight's football game - which sometimes coincides with the time for the prayer meeting, Tuesday night at 8pm.

So what about this football game? In the football game thousands of people get together to watch some select ones play ball on a wide football pitch, and usually one of the team loses and the other wins. But no matter whether one wins or loses, the score counts towards the final score - after many other games... It's a whole system, with points, penalties, goals, etc - it will give you a headache to try to understand... And then there's the many transfers of players, the coach, the boss, the TV commercials, the club, the fans, the magazine, the scarf, etc. Everything is to get people fully involved and occupied with this game, out of which they don't gain anything - but they spend lots of money!

What about the REAL GAME? As we were praying tonight, though less than 20 of us, I had the clear feeling that we touched the Lord's heart and we were praying one with Him. Can you believe that? We as human beings can move God's hand to accomplish His heart's desire by us praying in oneness with Him! We don't just pray for our needs, our problems, our families, our new ones, our jobs, etc - we pray for God's will to be done! We pray for God's economy to be accomplish! We pray that God's kingdom would come and His will be done on earth as it is being done in the heavens(Matt. 6:10)!

When we pray in this way, God has a group of people on earth that are one with Him in the heavens - this is all He needs so that He would go on in His move and accomplish what's on His heart! I believe that in the prayer meeting we're praying THE REAL GAME, the game that is played in the universe between God and Satan, where we already know the end score! In the end, Satan loses and has NOTHING, while God wins and gains the glory in everything. And we are here to "be God's team", be on God's side - not just "God's fans" wearing "the scarf with God's club initials", but to be One With God!

The "ball" we play with - and we surely do play ball in the prayer meeting - is our prayer one with His prayer! It's actually a real thing and also a very good experience to enter into Christ's prayer in the heavens and pray what's on His heart! Christ as the Great High Priest is interceding right now, and we can be those who hear His prayer, utter His prayers, and offer Christ's prayers to God as the Body of Christ. When this happens, when God gains a response and a cooperation from man in the principle of incarnation, He wins! He can tell Satan,

Look: these men whom you have usurped and damaged now have not only been redeemed and filled with the divine life but they also cooperate with Christ to pray God's will on earth! Go to the lake of fire, Satan! Your sentence has been uttered - and your full judgement is being hastened! 

:) I want to choose to play The Real Game - and be on God's side! This doesn't mean I will never watch a football game (remember, some things like these can shepherd others or can "waste your time") - but when the time is for the REAL GAME to be played, when "the game is on", I want to join the winning team and learn to be One With The Lord in the Body so that He may accomplish His economy! :)

Being Supportive Without Being Noticed - One Meaningful Thing I Did Today (30-day challenge)

We all need support and a friendly advice. Some need this more than others, while some seem like they don't need anyone or anything - they are "all-inclusive" and they "know everything". Apparently I am the second kind of person, at least that's what hits the eye when one meets me / sees me. But within, just like everyone else, "I am NOT OK"! Here in the UK everyone asks you, instead of "How are you?" - "Y'alright? Y'alright?" In the beginning I would say like the rest, I'm fine, thanks... but then I realized - nah, I'm not fine at all! Funny thing though, sometimes I would answer them, NO, I'm NOT OK... and they would nod... [obviously, not even listening!]

This doesn't mean I have major problems or some issues(which I do, just like everyone else), but this means that we as human beings are NOT OK - we need help! We need the help of our parents when we grow up, the help of our teachers in school, the help of our friends(and sometimes this help is "not very helpful"), the help of our professors and teachers in university, the help of our family in need and at any point in life, the help of our workmates at work, etc - no matter how much we give the impression that we are OK, we actually are the product of being helped a lot by many many people in our life! Which brings me to,

One Meaningful Thing I Did Today - Being Supportive Without Being Noticed

Maybe I started a bit too dramatically than the principle and the "thing I did today", but even at work we need to help one another - and in the church life it is the same. Somehow we need to shepherd one another in a way that is not "obvious" or "to be applauded", but in an organic way and even "being supportive without being noticed". Things may be piled up on you - you have a lot of things to do, but someone comes and demands your immediate attention to help him. What do you do then? Do you care for "the many things to do", or do you care for the person? Most times I just "go right ahead as a steaming train" and "do my thing", but sometimes it's better to STOP and HELP / SUPPORT someone...

There's no incident or a particular event of today that I am referring to, but I realized it's all about the PEOPLE and not about the THINGS you do. At work, in the family life, in the church life, wherever we are - we need to care for people! And having a being that is open to them and available to them, caring more for people than for what you think you need to do or something that HAS to happen... that is noble and also much needed! I'm NOT that kind of a person, but there are situations, even pressing environments or surroundings, where the test comes and exposes me of my lack + brings me to pray,

O Lord, WHY? Why am I like that? Is it my disposition? I'm always right, I always judge others, and I always criticize others! Why don't I rather help or shepherd others - instead of having this "attitude"? O Lord.... Work Yourself into me to such an extent that You will live the God-man life on earth IN ME!

There was One Person that was like this - He did not live for Himself, He did not speak His own words, He did not do His own work, He did not seek His own glory, and He did not express Himself. This One expressed the Father by being one with the Father. Because He was always listening to the Father, the Lord Jesus also listened to the people and could meet their real need. Some people would come to Him with questions to ensnare Him, but He would answer in such a way that would show them that what they need is not "a doctrinal answer" but "a living Person who can save them". Some people were physically sick, but the Lord would not just heal their body but also their soul and their spirit.

Being right does not satisfy, and doing all things right / "according to the book" does not fully approve one before man or God. What really satisfies both man and God is the living of the God-man Jesus to be reproduced in the 21st century in many believers who express Him corporately as the Body of Christ! Only by allowing Christ to live in us can we support others, help others, in a way that it's almost un-noticed. The Lord ministered to people and then when they would try to crown Him as King, He would disappear / leave! I want to learn from Him by enjoying Him until He lives in me the same life He lived on earth 2k years ago - the life that pleased the Father!

... I thank the Lord for my workmates, for my family, for the people I know, for the saints in the church life, and for everyone that somehow the Lord brought in my life. They mostly did one thing towards me - showing me what I really am and exposing me of what I am not. I'm not supportive, I am not helpful towards others, and I can't do things that will not bring me appreciation from others. All the characteristics of the Lord which were aromatic, expressing the bountiful God - this is what I am not. But Lord, little by little, stitch by stitch, work Yourself into me / into us until we become Your duplication - Your increase and Your extension on the earth today!

going shopping with the Lord - One Meaningful Thing I Did Today (30-day challenge)

I hope this blog doesn't become something "cheesy" or worse, a "bragging about what I do". It's not about WHAT I do or we do, it's about - in case you didn't notice - involving the Lord Jesus, the living Person within us, in everything we are and we do! The truth is that the Lord is a living person, and a Christian is one who not just "believes in God", but one who lives in an organic union with the Lord, consulting Him in everything. The Apostle Paul even said that it wasn't him who was living anymore but Christ living in him(Gal. 2:20). Christ is in us, Christ lives in us, and we live with Christ - we even live Christ. ... or at least we learn to!

It's such a privilege to converse with the Lord, turn to Him, and go about your daily life doing things here and there, meeting people and talking to them, and at the same time be one with the Lord! In the previous posts I was describing how I realized that I can take a nice walk, we can enjoy the Lord at the Table Meeting, we can go to the gym, we can go through the Bible and read it according to a schedule, we can provide proper customer service, redeem the time at lunch, update our phone contacts, leave the carnival, play football with the brothers, and get some rest - TOGETHER WITH THE LORD! Yes, you can do all these in yourself, with your friends / family, etc, but you can be One With The Lord in this! So....

One Meaningful Thing I Did Today - Going Shopping With The Lord!

For some people shopping is something they hate, and for others is something they are addicted to(or even therapeutic for them!). No matter in which camp you are, you NEED to do some shopping - at least for the basic things you need like food, drink, hygiene stuff, clothes, etc.... Sometimes you just DON'T HAVE MONEY, and so whether you would like to or not like to, you can't really go shopping (unless you do some window shopping and basically desiring the things on the display... - which is not that good). But once you get some money, unless you are a strong-willed person, it is so easy to just spend....(or at least that's just me).

When I was in Romania I used to earn my own money - when I started working and taking care of myself - I used them mainly for the basic needs, and the rest were for the church life, the saints, and... not much left actually. In the UK though, and in the Western Europe / USA / Modern Countries - with no reference to how much or little I earn right now - almost every salary can allow you to live a decent life and even think of more commodities or things you don't really need for your day-to-day living, but are "auxiliary", extra things. These things can become something that occupy you and enslave you, taking your time...

Anyways, coming back to shopping - I went shopping today, since I have built up a small shopping list already... and I was praying on the way, Lord, You know me! You know that "I think I need this and that" and I buy things which I eventually don't need or use! O, Lord, be with me! ... I had to buy two specific kinds of things: food and some pieces of clothing. I started with the clothing and as I was walking in the Marks and Spencer and looking at these new modern sweaters, shirts, trousers, jumpers, jackets... even though I knew I had what I need, there was a thought, What if you just get this one? You may need it later! You never know... and the one you have is a bit "old", it doesn't look as nice as this one!

I have to admit, both in the clothes department and in the food store I had to spend some time walking around and contacting the Lord! O Lord, I don't know myself and I'm afraid of myself - what decisions I may take and what things I may buy APART from You! I need You, Lord! You tell me, is this particular item what I need? .... Guess what, there was no "voice from heaven" talking to me or telling me to get this or not get that... but there was a sense of peace and life within! It's so small, so tender, that even putting something in the shopping basket can quench it...

I am learning. I want to learn this. I mostly fail, and I mainly learn - hopefully - through lots of failures and mistakes. But it all starts with my being - personally, in my private time with the Lord, on my own, where no one can see me or know what I'm doing. There and then, I need to turn to the Lord and build up a habit of contacting Him in everything. I want to build up this habit to such an extent that "I don't even need to ask Him - I just KNOW" because of the sense of life and peace within! It starts in my personal time and it goes on in the things I do - since what I do is an expression of what I am! In everything, everywhere, with whomever is there, and in any situation...

The real meaning of the things we do or we go through is not just accomplishing something or gaining something, but doing everything in oneness with the Lord. Having His smile while sleeping, waking up, taking a shower, brushing our teeth, having breakfast or skipping breakfast, at work, at school, with the workmates or the classmates, on our own, at lunch time, in our free time, in our busy schedule - we want His Smile! When the Lord within us is happy, we are happy! When we have LIFE and PEACE, we REALLY LIVE! We need to fight for this - watch for this - so that we may remain in this sweet touch with the Lord... - even until He comes!