Music Matters

by Christian Garcia

One writer said, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” All the military weaponry cannot compare to the influence of what we read. As a musician, I would go a step further and say what we hear can impact us just as much (if not more) as what we read.

Music is a tremendous gift from God. In fact our Bibles contain the most beautiful songbook in all the universe: the book of Psalms. We learn from Scripture that music inspires us to worship and teaches us truth. We also learn that Satan is the master of hijacking God’s blessings and making them secret curses. And when it comes to the world’s music, he has quite the operation.

Pop music was born from the Rock and Roll in the 1950’s. Rather than jamming out to bands with poor recording equipment and not-so-great singing, listeners wanted something more professional. It gave rise to the highly-commercialized music industry we see today. The United States alone spearheads a $20 billion dollar music industry.

While highly popular, parents should know that the music is highly influential. And that influence is not for Christianity. The lyrics to most of these songs promote sex, vulgarity, drugs, and anarchy. This is proven by the Top 10 list for 2020 alone. And these are the songs that likely your kids enjoy listening to.

Have you taken recent inventory into the musicians on your teenager’s phone or iPod? Do you know the lyrics to the songs they love most? If you are trying to shape a biblical worldview for your family, you must take into account the music your kids listen to. Whether you believe music is powerful will not stop these singers from influencing the next generation. But parents who encourage godly, uplifting music will stop them at the door.

Every parent should know what comes out of those earbuds in your kids’ ears. Warn your teenager about the agendas these artists have and how easily influenced we are by music.

Where Can I Find Christian Music?

For uplifting music that points people to Christ, the music groups below will be a tremendous help for your family:

- the Wilds
- Matt & Christi Taylor
- Gaulken Evangelistic Team - Bill Rice Ranch
- Majesty Music

Disconnected: Your Teenager Is Losing Social Skills

by Christian Garcia

Parents, is this your frustration? Whether it’s out to eat, at the dinner table, or sitting on the couch, your teenager is always on their cellphone. It drives you crazy.

And for sure, you’d like to limit their digital frenzies, but you think, “I wouldn’t want to harm their social life.” Unfortunately, it seems few parents consider that their teenager’s excessive smartphone usage is actually damaging their social life!

”It turns out that the people who reported spending the most time on social media — more than two hours a day — had twice the odds of perceived social isolation than those who said they spent a half hour per day or less on those sites. And people who visited social media platforms most frequently, 58 visits per week or more, had more than three times the odds of perceived social isolation than those who visited fewer than nine times per week.”1

Online communication is extremely appealing for teenagers because 1) it offers freedom from their physical limitations, and 2) they can surround themselves with people who think like them. For a generation struggling with identity crisis, those benefits seem like great plusses. Unfortunately, teenagers are lonelier than ever, and it’s because their face-to-face interaction is nonexistent.

Be very careful with how free you allow your kids to handle their social media habits. By filling their minds with the thoughts and opinions of others, they tend to leave very little space for their walk with God and real, life-giving relationships.

How Can I Help My Teen’s Social Skills?

• -  Consider a set time of day where screen-time is off limits. Use this time to engage your teenagers or to encourage them to build stronger connections with someone face-to-face.

• -  Teach your children to have Quiet Time (Bible reading and prayer) while they’re young. The more distant we are from God, the less vibrant our relationships become.

• -  Challenge their thinking. Have you ever considered how much small talk we have with each other? Very rarely do matters of eternal value come up. But these are the very things that bind hearts closer together. Challenge your teenager to go beyond the trivia of life and start talking of things that have real value.

  1 Katherine Hobson, National Public Radio, Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely- too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why

Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles - Book Review

by Christian Garcia

About the Author

John O'Malley is the President of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions. He is committed to educating and training missionaries for the Great Commission while investing in college students preparing for ministry. Respected for his preaching, writing, and leadership, Mr. O'Malley is a champion for the cause of Christ. 

Purpose of the Book

The author's purpose “…is about putting tools in your hand to help you go from defeated to victorious in your time alone with God."

Targeted Audience

This book is fantastic for the new believer. If you have had the opportunity to lead a soul to Christ and began a discipleship process, you’ve seen the overwhelmed look on the new convert’s face. Their eyes bulge at the concept of reading a book filled with a mountain of literary and cultural challenges. Wise is the mentor who has this book on hand to dispel the fear of new believers.

But it’s not just for new believers. Frustrated or discouraged believers who find challenges with their time with God find hope. I identified with each one of his eight obstacles and could pinpoint moments in my life where I struggled. So if you’re ready to flood the barren land of your time with God with fresh water, this book is a read for you.

First Impressions

Author's Sincerity

John O’Malley does way more than present facts about having your time with God. Within the book, he personally offers his own help to answer questions readers may still have about their alone time with the Lord. In fact, each chapter that uncovers a possible obstacle to a person’s time with God concludes with a personal invitation for readers to share their thoughts, takeaways, and questions with the author.

Freedom from Guilt

I remember the reoccurring guilt I would feel during my time at Bible college when it came to my devotional life. Students I looked up to all had a variety of reading and prayer methods. From the classroom and in private conversations, the professors I respected offered a multiplicity of ways to spend time with God. On many occasions I would sit alone with my Bible and start with a read-it-through plan, only to get past a few verses until I suddenly stop, switch gears, and try a topical study. I desperately tried everything at the same time, feeling guilty for not spending enough time studying out a particular word or covering more ground of God’s Word.

Relatable Content

He excellently describes the gap between our expectations of our devotional time and reality. In the dream-world, he imagines a woman sitting in solitude, with perhaps music and perfect lighting to adorn the atmosphere. Her eyes sparkle with tears as she drinks in the refreshing streams of truth from the pages of her Bible. Pulling back the screen, he exposes the harsh reality of how it is for the average mother: kids making noise, clothes and toys scattered throughout the room, and other distractions clamoring for attention.

 Whether your challenges are weak comprehension or a lack of Bible knowledge, Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles provides practical solutions to meet your needs.

Full of Practicality

This book is not an educational book to teach you the value of devotions. It’s a manual, a how-to guide to meet the needs of various believers. In fact, chapter one allows readers to skip ahead to different portions that fit their scenarios. As he unpacks eight obstacles a person may face in his time with God, he provides specific strategies or “tips” to break through the barrier. In the back of the book is the “bonus section” where readers find multiple reading plans, links to personal downloads, and strategies you can apply the next time you get alone with God. 

My personal takeaway

Of the eight obstacles he wrote about, I identified most with the obstacle of comparison. As a Bible college graduate, I remember the pressure to have the perfect Bible reading plan. Students I looked up to and professors I highly respected expressed how much time they spend with God and what they were reading. Listening to how much they were enjoying their time with Jesus made me feel three inches tall when I thought of my own time with God. 

Then I came across chapter four, where John O’Malley wrote, “Release yourself from other people’s picture frames and live in the picture frame of His grace and mercy.” Those words resonated with my heart and encouraged me to stop comparing myself to those around me and focus more on loving my walk with God.

Buy it

To order John O'Malley's Overcoming Your Devotional Obstacles, click here.

"My Brethren, Count It All Joy"

by Christian Garcia

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations"  James 1:2

Flat tires, financial struggles, relationship conflicts, and tragic losses make up only some of life's many pitfalls. Temptations are a reality. When Christ taught His disciples, He warned them continuously that their experience living for God would come at a great cost. Yet with this in mind, James gives us this Scriptural command to consider the struggles as a joy!

Commands imply that we have a choice. Commands also imply that our choices will have consequences. God rewards blessings to His obedient children. Conversely, He delivers chastening to rebellion. Regardless of natural thought, the best attitude one can have in the midst of trials is to consider it all joy. This will protect the relationship one has with his God while allowing him to remain in a position of spiritual blessing.

Commands also imply ability. Christians have the ability to do something that those without Christ cannot - receive our troubles as joyous. A lost man cannot claim the promise of Romans 8:28, knowing that God works all things together for the good of those that are called by His name and give Him their love. Because joy is commanded, joy is possible. Your heart may say, "I'm ready to quit." God says, "I'm ready to help."

Commands imply purpose. God has a purpose for every command, all of them tracing to His ultimate glory. When you choose to obey God's command, you thereby give God glory. God, in a sense, becomes visible when His children choose to wear the spiritual glow of joy in response to troublesome times. When Satan and his tactics are met with a Christian's joy, the world witnesses a powerful message. You become a testimony to sinners that God satisfies deeper than one's situation. God satisfies the heart.

You are pretty much guaranteed that life will be a struggle. You are also guaranteed that when struggles come, you can still have joy. This is a Christian virtue, blossoming from a trust in God. All pain comes to an end. Your reward for obedience lasts forever. So my brethren, count it all joy!

God's Search for a Man

by Christian Garcia

"But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee." - 1 Samuel 14:14

If summer camp was a tradition as a kid, then you ought to have an arsenal of pranks up your sleeve. One of my personal favorites is disguising toothpaste as the creme between two Oreo cookies. Fooled by the similar appearance, an unsuspecting victim accepts your kind but deceitful offer of free cookies, only to gag with disgust at the taste of toothpaste! It looks good on the outside, but creamy filling is awful.

This accurately describes the reputation of the first King of Israel, Saul. He failed as a leader. Succumbing to doubt, insecurity, and fear, one compulsive decision cost him the privilege of leading the nation of Israel. Like the axe that falls the fruitful tree, so his disobedience toppled his blessed position. God was done with a leader that only looked good on the outside. He wanted a king who passionately pursued his Lord.

God is still looking for people with a heart for Him. He quickly looks over an impressive title, a profound set of abilities, or a charming personality. He desires a man or woman who humbly walks after His commands and passionately pursues godliness. David was that kind of man:

·      Psalm 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

·      Psalm 119:20 "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times."

·       Psalm 119:47 "And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved."

Every person in the body of Christ has the potential to lead others, because God calls us to influence others towards Himself. We have been given a powerful message by a powerful God. If we content ourselves with our usual routines that bears little fruit, we will be sorry when we stand before our Savior.

As the Spirit of God investigates the hearts of men, what does He find when He comes to you? Does He see an impressive shell on the outside like King Saul, or does He find an inward sincerity to pursue God? If unsure, consider taking a spiritual inventory. Examine the following aspects of your Christian faith:

1. Your Bible reading -- Has this become a routine, or are you regularly finding inspiration for your day? Sometimes we just have to paddle through some rough waters, but we should never allow ourselves to go too long without some fresh enlightenment from God's Word. Pray as David did, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

2. Your prayer life -- Is this the part of the day you look forward to most, or is it just another Christian duty? When was the last time you felt broken before God about a sinful practice you've noticed? If you're like me, there are times you simply need to acknowledge your apathy for prayer and ask God for a fresh fervency.

3. Your perspective -- Do you see God at work while enduring a hard-nosed boss? Are you claiming His promises when bearing the pain of a physical illness? Do people see you as a positive person to be around, or do you drape a wet blanket on the day? A heart for God is inspiring to be around. An empty shell of Christian faith can fake for awhile, but eventually the negativity wins every time!

Remain in Unity

by Christian Garcia

Principle 2 for Peace of Mind

Philippians 4:2-3 "I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life."

Verse one of this passage commands us to "stand fast in the Lord." We called that principle, "Resolve to Stand." For the second principle, we will see that in order to live with biblical peace, you must "Remain in Unity". The first principle deals with us being right with God. The second deals with us being right with others.

According to this devotional's text, there was a conflict brewing between two ladies, Euodias and Syntyche. It is impossible to have peace in your heart if you have conflict with others. Notice that Paul doesn't even mention the cause of the conflict. Apparently, it wasn't important enough for God to put in His Word. That should tell us that the cause behind our conflicts is not as important as having the unity. Romans 12:18-19 commands us to "live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mind; I will repay, saith the Lord."

We lose the sweetness of our peace with God when we live in conflict with others. If you are a breathing human, odds are someone has wronged you in the past. They sinned against you. They slandered you. They gossip about you. We as sinful beings crave self-justification. We stew about the wrongs others have done against us, allowing them to morph into the dark clouds that rain on our day. These thoughts become the booms of thunder that keep us awake at night.

You will never experience true peace of mind until you choose to remain in unity. God places the responsibility on you to as much as possible, live peaceably with all other people. This is especially important if the person who has wronged you is a believer. I pity the heart who values their self-righteousness more than the sinner's soul. Praise God that was not His attitude when He saw His only Son being mocked, scorned, and ultimately crucified for sins He never committed. Our forgiveness of sins meant more to God than His very life.

"But what about the wrongs they've done! I can't just forget that." You're right. You can't. But you can delegate it. Choosing to hold the thoughts of bitterness and self-righteousness is robbing God of His place as Judge of all the earth. Plead your cause to Him alone, then leave it there. It's His responsibility now. James 4:11-12 says, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" It's not our place to judge the evildoer. It's God's.

Is your heart in constant turmoil because of relationships you know aren't right? Have you done your part to live peaceably with as much that lies within you? Have you given God their wrongs and slanders in exchange for His peace and justice? You cannot have peace and bitterness in the same Christian. You cannot be right with God and wrong with others.

To have peace, you must resolve to stand. Determine today to do right despite the consequences and despite how you feel. Second, you must remain in unity. Do your part to forgive, to love, and to live peaceably with all men.

Resolve to Stand

by Christian Garcia

Principle 1 for Peace of Mind

"Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." Philippians 4:1

As we embark on our Peace of Mind Series through Philippians 4, we see the first clearly stated in verse one: "so stand fast in the Lord". Before you can expect God's peace to dwell within your heart, you must first resolve to dwell with God.

What is mankind's natural reaction when trouble invades our expectations? We worry. We doubt. We get angry with God and others. We complain. Sometimes, we permit excessive and frequent pain to encourage us to throw in the towel altogether.

There may be an unpleasant diagnosis. There may be that loved one's betrayal. There may be that job loss. From the moment of Adam's transgression, sin and death flooded this world with the suffering she now bears; and still Paul tells us under God's inspiration that we are to "stand fast in the Lord".

Did he not know that the Philippians were facing poverty? Did he not know that the cost of being a Christian was increasing in severity? He did. And he understood. Writing from his prison cell,he commands them under God's direction to resolve to stand - don't give up!

This command is reinforced by the first word of the verse, "therefore", which references thoughts from chapter three. When you're ready to throw in the towel, when peace seems impossible, you must remember that this is not the end.

Philippians 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before."

Whatever the trial we face today, it will not be with us when we stand before Christ. The day will come when Jesus shall establish His reign forever upon the earth. Pain and suffering will be no more. To give up now is to miss out on hope for the future. When we consider all that God has in store for those who love Him and serve Him, the dark times are but light afflictions. The tears of agony you may shed today will be tears of joy in heaven.

A second reason we must resolve to stand is because judgment is coming. Philippians 3:14 says, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Though the apostle himself was in prison, he did not dare allow his present circumstances to detract him from his coming reward. All of us will stand before the Lord Jesus and give an account of what we did for Him.

A third reason for our steadfastness is found in verse fifteen: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." You must stand fast in the Lord because you set an example.

We like to think we are not influenced by the choices other people make, but that is unfortunately not how human nature works. We are influenced, and greatly so. When you choose to stay standing, a weaker brother or sister in Christ may see your "ensample", and be encouraged to do the same. Children learn by watching others. So do God's children.

So how does this relate to peace? When you give up on living for God, you forfeit your peace. The natural reaction for many is to give up on spiritual things when they start to become costly. My friend, that is the opposite of how God expects us to react. Peace - that virtue whereby we are right with God, right with others, and right with ourselves - cannot exist apart from the Lord Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace.

Though the storms overwhelm you, keep sailing. Jesus can calm the storm. If the hill seems to high and strenuous, keep climbing. Faith moves mountains. If the foes seem too powerful, keep fighting. You're on the winning side. The Philippians 4 journey to peace begins with a resolution between you and God: no matter what, I will still do right. I will still stand.

Dumpster Diving

by Christian Garcia

Computer technology is the hub for every developed society. A program handles transactions. Applications give directions. A device the size of your hand can access every published song in the digital world, video a friend on the opposite side of the globe, and post adorable cat pictures to our social media — all within seconds!

The digital world is powerful. But even more powerful is the human brain. Though expensive computers can calculate data faster and store more information, nothing beats the efficiency of the three-pound devices inside our heads. But despite how efficient our brains may be, they all possess a near-universal flaw: they are very forgetful!

Because of how efficient our brains are, they don’t like to store a lot of “clutter.” One particular study finds that, in corporate training sessions, participants forget 50% of the information in just one hour! (1) For the average high achiever, this forgetfulness can be a problem. This is where a task manager saves the day.

A task manager is essentially a dumping tank for all the important facts the brain is bound to forget. When your short-term memory drives the dump truck to the sea of forgetfulness, the task manager sets up a huge storage container that collects all the clutter. You and your brain can now both be happy. Your brain gets to clear out the “stuff” that is spiking your stress levels, and you get to keep track of all the important data that will be used in the future. But what really makes task managers beautiful is that they don’t just stop there!

Imagine if your home functioned like your brain. You have a bedroom, where you sleep. You have the kitchen, where you make your meals. You have the living room, where you rest and rejuvenate. Each space has a purpose and items that help you achieve it. Now imagine a knock on the door followed by an army of movers that takes all your possessions out of each room and throws them into a huge container outside in the driveway. Next time you want to turn on the TV and have a relaxation session, you need to go outside, dig up the TV, remote, and the armchair, place them in the living room, and set up for recreation. Feeling rejuvenated?

That’s essentially what to-do lists do to the clutter in a person’s mind. It’s great putting all the important tasks that need to get done on a list, helping you see what all gets done. But for those of us with a high-energy job, a busy family, and long-term goals and dreams, that to-do list can quickly evolve into the size of a mountain! If you want to retrieve a specific piece of information, you have to send your brain on a dumpster dive inside the contents of your journal or to-do list to find it.

A task manager isn’t just the dumpster for your data. It’s your professional organizer. Good ones provide you the tools to assign a purpose to your task, organize it by project, set a due date if needed, and group related tasks together. And digital ones go a step further. If you still couldn’t find a specific piece of information as quickly as you would like, you could perform a search and quickly retrieve it.

Are you tired of forgetting tasks that need to get done or failing to pursue a life-long dream? Is your to-do list the size of the Amazon Jungle, forcing you to embark on a jungle safari to find that client’s phone number, that website’s promo code, or that gift idea for your mom’s birthday? Get a task manager. Since I live in the digital world, I’ve provided a list of trusted apps that function as fantastic task managers.

(1) https://learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/1379/brain-science-the-forgetting-curvethe-dirty-

secret-of-corporate-training

Identity Crisis

by Christian Garcia

Colossians 1:1-2  “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Michael Phelps still stands as the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time. And rightly so when you consider how much he pushes his body. One writer documented that this professional athlete swims nearly fifty miles each week. That’s the minimum. He trains five to six hours per day and practices more depending on the altitude.

One could argue that the secret to his success hides in his biology. He just has good genetics for swimming. Others would give the credit to his trainer, Bob Bowman, and certainly he played a major role. However, this author disagrees that biology or training alone account for the majority of Michael’s twenty-three gold medals. It’s his passion. If a person has no passion, it does not matter how smart, healthy, or strong his body and mind may be. He will never come out on top without passion.

When it comes to serving God, Paul stands out as a spiritual Olympic athlete. His introduction to the book of Colossians illuminates his underlying passion. The very first verse tells us that Paul understood who he was: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Like an ambassador who sees himself as his nation’s representative, so Paul saw himself as the herald of heaven’s celestial city.

One cannot find a single recorded social circle of Paul’s life where the gospel was not on his mind. His first instinct upon conversion in Acts 9 is to preach the gospel. In seeing a group of women praying by the riverside in Acts 16, he tells them about the risen Messiah. Alone in the center of Athens, an openly pagan city, his stirred spirit could not refrain from pointing the heathen men to the Unknown God. Understanding who sent him provided the bedrock for how he lived.

When a believer internalizes Who he represents, every fabric of his social life submits to the sovereignty of Christ. What others would think of as a regular trip to the grocery store becomes a window of opportunity to find a fellow shopper, or a cashier with an opened heart. The dull and unsavory routine of taking a sick child to the pediatrician suddenly deepens to an occasion of eternal significance to the godly mother prayerfully witnessing to the waiting room attendants or to the staff.

Based on the dusty tract racks in many of today’s churches, a lot of God’s children seem to have lost sight of their position. It would seem that the man who sees himself as a church-going Christian on Sunday often forgets that he is a gospel-giving Christian on Monday. With churches prioritizing better meeting facilities and fellowship-based programs, there seems to be an ever-weakening discipline in personal evangelism. The culprit seems to be an identity crisis.

Passion for spiritual living flows into a passion for reaching people. A man excited about the things of God but never testifying of the things of God is no better than a hypocrite. Parents would rather encourage their children to earn good grades in school and play well in sports than prepare them to give an account to Christ. A smart athlete may get a good scholarship that would give him a higher paying job in this life but leave him bankrupt when he enters eternity.

Have you thought to measure your spiritual passion? Take a look at last week’s agenda. Who were you making a priority to reach while you did your errands or attended that family gathering? Did you turn that conversation with the mail lady to the gospel or did you stay on the topic of the weather? Are you more concerned with how your children play their sport or how faithfully they are inviting their teammates to church? Understanding who we are determines what we do.

If your analysis leaves you uncertain about your spiritual passion, write a notecard of all the social circles in your life. Make it a point to pray for that cashier you always see at the grocery store. Pray for that coworker you know is unsaved, and look for opportunities to take him or her out to lunch and build a friendship. Refuse to live next week with an identity crisis. When you understand who you are to Christ, it impacts what you do for Christ.