Satan's iPod shuffle and "we got an ewok down!!!"

ewoksrule

Active Member
1 peter 1:3,4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

Mankind lives for a dead hope, all the most valuable things on Earth will fade away.
God says that He saved me to a living hope, one full of His abundant mercy, one that will last forever.

Which one have I been pursuing? I don’t mean lightly, I mean with all my heart and mind. Am I meditating on His law day and night? Hardly, seems to me that in eq2/wow/mmo I meditate day and night. I go to bed dreaming about the phat loot I got that night and wake up wondering what my next goal for my toon will be.

I have such horrible misplaced hope, I am hoping in worthless, dead things. Satan has me like an ipod shuffle. Always another one on the playlist coming...“Here comes the next game release its gonna sell 1 million…hope, hope, hope, bummer it turned out to have a horrid launch and the company nerfed all the classes since beta…well there is always this game coming out on the 5th…hope, hope, hope ohh crud my system can’t handle it…guess I will wait for the new game and go back to WoW in the meantime, hope, hope, hope…”

It is like I am hopeing for the next big thing to distract me, the next great game release that will keep me glued to it for hours upon hours and satisify. I am hoping in anything BUT Jesus. Allowing my self to be satisfied way to easily

I don’t have a serious mind, I fill it with game knowledge and quest info. I don’t fill it with the Word. Do I kid myself that somehow my toon will make an eternal difference?

I have a failure to thrive in Christ, I am supposed to be living a holy, transformed life but instead I am letting myself become satisfied with valueless entertainment.

1 peter 5:6-9 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him.

There is an assassin out there with unlimited ammo. He constantly snipes me with pride, lust, financial worries, depression, distractions, and misdirection. It is time I resist him!

It did not happen overnight but it has happened. Men's ministry at church was the initial input. It really started with Mormon missionaries of all things. They kept coming to my door forcing me to search for answers as I flailed around trying to defend my faith. This time in the word grew into more as I listened to sermons on YouTube. Then I made a huge step forward and redeemed my commute. In the car I continually listened to podcast sermons by greats like: Matt Chandler, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, and Tim Keller. This broke me down. I would pull into my driveway sobbing most days, finishing off a sermon that cut to the bone.

A little time in the Word before breakfast was not enough; it wouldn’t even hold me over to lunch before the temptations to check the forums or read up on the next beta coming. I considered a 2 month fast on all video games. This was unbelievably hard, but was a great step forward. My mind cleared just enough to listen and hear. A men’s conference over a weekend sealed the deal. After spending hours and days seeking God He gave me the next step to take…make the fast indefinite and surrender it all. No more filling my mind with worthless trinkets of the Earth. Live the life of a new-man, one clothed in holiness not in the armor of a worldly game. I want to be transformed, I need to be, but I can’t do it! I soooo need His strength for this. I know He will give it if I continue to seek Him daily, hourly, moment by moment. I want to be drenched in the Holy Spirit!!

I had different plans for what to write here, but in the end, it was not getting written and I was putting it off. So stream of consciousness is what you get.

I am sacrificing videogames at the foot of the cross. I pray to God to take them away and give me the strength to never crave them again, to never waste my time and WASTE MY LIFE on such novelties. From the xbox to the PC to every last timewaster on Facebook and my phone, they will not have a hold on my mind/time/heart.

I love many of you and thank God for your friendships. I would love to continue knowing you through emails or IM (pst for info) but it will not happen here on the CGA forums. This place is probably the worst of the addictions for me. So easily accessible, so much content on all things gaming, and hundreds of fellow Christians to allow me to lie to myself, thinking I am doing OK.

TLDR version: I love you all, but I love Christ way more, and that means ewok is signing off for good.
 
I am sad to see you go, but anything for the benefit of ones relationship with God is good with me :)
 
That is really incredible, Mike! I am so proud of you! I wish the best as you continue on your journey.

-Lee
 
YOU BETTER KEEP IN TOUCH THROUGH IM'S AND EMAIL OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
A hard but honorable path you have chosen, though we shall miss you, go for it Ewoks! I'll say a prayer for you :) .
 
Some of the most difficult obstacles in our walk with Christ are not bad things, but rather good things or what some Christians call "questionable things" that we allow too high a priority in our lives. Games can be many things, ranging from tools we use to glorify God and bless others to distractions to severe addictions.

ewoks - You've been a member of Tribe of Judah for several years now, participated in several chapters, and blessed many people. I respect your decision, knowing it must be a hard one, and I wish you the best as you leave games behind.
 
This really is a hardening blow to see a good/great member like Ewok go, but we must all find our own paths and believe and have faith that those paths will one day cross again. After reading Ewok's post all I could do/think about was this old DC Talk song....

So, in DC Talk's own words, "So long, my friend, so long..." You will be miss Ewok.
 
God bless you ewok - it sounds like He is.

It has been a pleasure. Do stay in touch.
 
Sad to see you go Ewok, it's good to see when people have the strength to commit to these kinds of decisions though. I think a lot of us could probably benefit from a lot less time on games, you've done what a lot of us wouldn't have the will to do.

God Bless! :)
 
Ewok - I didn't know you and you many never see this, but it is this kind of a bold stand for Christ that leaves an awesome legacy. Just showing that you are willing to take this step reveals where you heart lies....to be with your True Love

Walk Strong the Lord

Gen
 
You taught me so much <3 Don't for one second think that all your time here was wasted as I know God used you here too. I respect your decision but we will miss your presence on the forums for sure.
 
You taught me so much <3 Don't for one second think that all your time here was wasted as I know God used you here too. I respect your decision but we will miss your presence on the forums for sure.

I agree, your time was not always wasted. You have made a very positive impact on multiple online communities and we appreciate you. I'm glad to see that you're moving on, but I will miss you.
 
Thank you all who have replied here and other ways. I appreciate the warm goodbyes and feel blessed to have been part of your community for so long. When I look with "narrow lenses" it seems like such a waste to me. As it happens with any addiction, when you start to leave it, you feel alot of pain and disgust for the way it had a hold on you. But when I look with the "big/wide lenses" of God's perspective, I know that my time was not always wasted and I was able to enjoy quality friendships, both learning and helping teach others about God's ways.

I have been checking this thread but I can't let myself look at other threads right now, it is just too tempting. I hope you all understand that I love you guys and gals and it is absolutely nothing personal against you, but how it needs to be if I am to move on from this chapter of life.

I was reading a newsletter from www.epm.org today that I thought I had covered all the material in, but all of the sudden I saw this quote for the first time. It was super encouraging to me and I'm going to take the liberty and post it here for my friends to enjoy as well.

Thanks again all and may God bless and bring you great joy!

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die is cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus. I will not look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I am finished and done with low-living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotion, or popularity. I do not have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on God’s presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way rough, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not give up, shut up or let up. I will go on until Christ comes, and work until Christ stops me. I am a disciple of Jesus.
 
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