I want to be more encouraging to others.
I want to share items that will make others laugh, smile, learn something worthwhile, help, and encourage people.
You probably want to be a good friend to others too!
So we all really want to be good encouraging friends on Facebook!
I just thought I would share a little story with you because if we were out for a coffee together I would have told you this. I love sharing little things that happen to us (or rather mostly me) if they are funny as it is good to laugh.
I love my slippers.
For years now as soon as I get into the house off come the shoes and on go the slippers.
But last year I got worse!
Before anyone starts to worry about safety in the car let me assure you this is perfectly ok as I am not driving very much now and my husband Fred does wear his shoes as he drives.
So one day I opened the hall cupboard and grabbed my black sling backs and headed on out to the car in a hurry.
However when I got to my destination and went to put on my shoes I discovered I had lifted two left shoes.
Yes I have two pairs of the same shoes!
They must have both got thrown in to the same part of the cupboard and in my hurry I did not look closely enough to make sure I was bringing out the correct pair of shoes.
Now the thing is 2 left shoes are very useful if you have the two right ones to match up with them but 2 left shoes on their own are not good.
Firstly they are exactly the same shoe but my feet are not, no way is a left shoe going to fit properly on my right foot. I could get my foot in but it would not be the correct shape so not a good fit.
Secondly it would not be wise to try to walk with the wrong shoe. Of course I did try but it is so uncomfortable especially around the toes and the arch. Wearing shoes like this would end up injuring my foot.
What do we learn from this little story?
Not everything is what it immediately looks like!
Be more careful!
You must look carefully at what you are going to use!
In a pair of shoes, both will look exactly the same in colour, size, design but they are not identical. We have to look closely at them to see which is the right one for each foot.
Something like this happens as we scroll through our facebook.
We will see posts that look like great Christian posts but we need to look closely at them to know whether they are the "right fit" for us.
Remember there will always be imitators of all good things and there are plenty of them on Facebook
but it may be a while before you see their true colours
for example
A. In a group of what were supposed to be "Christians" I had a lady private message me and call me "the Devil" because I had spoken to her friend about the reference for a verse she was using to instruct other women. She was actually taking a verse out of Job and using it wrongly but did not want us to know so she just said it was in the book of Job and then scoffed that we obviously did not know our bibles well enough when asked for the reference. I gave her the reference of the verse and then asked her to treat it properly in context with the verses around and that is when she got mad at me and her friend messaged me (twice in fact because she claimed this lady was very holy).
Obviously these two ladies had to be blocked by me on facebook so that I would not have to put up with being cursed at on messenger and called names and I also left the group because being in it was going to bring me into contact with more of this type of person - trying to teach the word wrongly.
B. Then there are the lovely pictures we see on Facebook but they are not being shared by Christians - they are being shared by people who just want more attention and followers and have sometimes even stolen other people's pictures to use - as was the case a few years ago when someone took a picture I had made and shared it but they had removed my name from it before they put it on their page.
They don't care if they are sharing misquotes of the Bible or of well known Christians, they don't care so they don't check their pictures or words are TRUE.
(This is completely different from the people who share pictures of mine straight from my page and I have several people who do this regularly and I do appreciate their support.)
I don't want to share things on my Facebook personal page or on Sandra's Ark Facebook Page
that would not be fun or educational or encouraging or beneficial to others and I certainly don't want to share posts that are advertising/promoting something I do not believe in.
So I am very careful to avoid certain posts on Facebook.
How can we we tell which posts to avoid?
1. Take a little look at the bottom of the picture or in the corner and you may see the credit given to whoever or whatever organisation created this picture, you may have a good hint from this name whether it is a Christian post or NOT.
NOTE.
Almost anything with "Spiritual" in the name will indicate other religions and not true Christianity.
Spirituality does not = Christian and if you don't know what I mean here take a look at all the categories in bookshops - Spirituality there will present you with Mysticism and Occult and other Non-Christian Religions.
I actually wrote a previous short blog post about Spiritual = Christian?
2. Look and see who originally posted this on Facebook and you may get a clue about whether or not this is a Christian post or NOT.
NOTE.
If they regularly tag loads of people they are looking for lots of likes and shares, if they are looking for an amen comment or if they are trying to make you feel bad for not commenting, liking or sharing their post, they are using a form of blackmail so just let it pass by.
3. If you are not sure about the poster/page when you find out who originally posted it, just click through to "about" on their Facebook page (about is sometimes now under "Community" on the side) and then scan through what you find.
NOTE.
You will most likely see a link to a website with a strange name, or a website which when you click through to it and scan down a page or two will obviously show you whether you can trust it or not.
EXAMPLE:
You may see "Project Happiness" and it looks like a good name.
These two links will indicate what it is like
https://www.facebook.com/projecthappiness
http://www.projecthappiness.org/
(you don't have to scan far on either of these two sites before seeing a person or a small logo of a person in a sitting yoga meditation position - and no you cannot have Christian Yoga)
4. Not everyone who calls themselves
Apostle / Prophet / Prophetess / Pastor / Pastrix (new term used for a female pastor) / Minister / Elder / Deacon / Deaconess,
are actually ordained by a true Christian Denomination.
Matthew 7 v 21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
NOTE.
Most Christians worth following on Facebook rarely mention their true titles.
5. One thing that stands out to me is if the picture or the cover pic of the page that shared it has angels or a type of celestial look to it just avoid.
Another Tip!
Look at quality of the picture that is shared - if not good or looks like it has been altered then think twice before you click the like or share button.
I know this all takes a bit of time but it is worth it not to be passing on something that is linked with someone or some organisation you really would not intend to advertise to others.
And remember EVERYTHING we do on Facebook
actually does promote ourselves and others
whether we mean it to or not.
I make a point of not feeling that I have to just share anything I see.
I make a point of not feeling that I need to daily fill up my personal page or my Blog Page.
I make a point of thinking twice about whether the item is good to share onwards.
When we have a safe, friendly, encouraging page or group or personal profile on Facebook
we will be an encouragement and blessing to others.
we will be an encouragement and blessing to others.
For further help in checking out other FB pages see my earlier blog post Spiritual = Christian?
Here are some Facebook Accounts to avoid:
Jen Hatmaker
Heidi Baker
Paula White
Christine Caine
Ann voscamp
Joshua Mills
Bill Johnston - Bethel (California)
Joseph Prince
Here are some Facebook pages to avoid:
Letting Love Flow by Mary Ruth Velicki
Wisdom of the Women rising
Soul Awakenings
Butterflies rising
Embracing yourself
The Warrior within You
Project Happiness
Here are some Words / Phrases to avoid:
Angelic
Spirituality
Christian Yoga
LDS - Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
Good Thoughts
Sensing your spirit
Spiritual energy
Crystals
Here are some Words / Phrases to avoid:
Angelic
Spirituality
Christian Yoga
LDS - Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
Good Thoughts
Sensing your spirit
Spiritual energy
Crystals
