Have a Superman Summer!

"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!"

 "Look! Up in the sky!"

 "It's a bird!"

 "It's a plane!"

 "It's Superman!"

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a figure like Superman in our lives, a symbol of strength and righteousness, who could swoop down and resolve all our problems?

Current, seemingly chaotic events will have a lasting effect on our world—that's inevitable. But one thing is certain: if sin dominates the hearts of men, there will be evil in the world. 

Summertime, a season of relaxation and escape, is upon us. As we prepare to post pictures of beautiful places and indulge in necessary distractions, let us not forget the urgency of our spiritual well-being. The stress of the past year may have left us in need of a vacation, but we must also remember the words of the evangelist Vance Havner, "If we don't come apart, we'll fall apart!" 

We all plan to have a Superman-type summer. 

The only thing that could weaken or destroy Superman was an element called Kryptonite from his home planet. In our spiritual lives, 'Kryptonite' refers to the things that can weaken or destroy our faith. Let me suggest some possible 'Kryptonite' that can undermine our Supernatural spiritual lives this summer. 

1. With the summer months comes the Kryptonite of Free Time: unstructured time, unsupervised time, and unspiritual time. Christians battle a world that preaches "take it easy," "you deserve a break today," and "if it feels good, do it." As stated earlier, everybody needs to have some "downtime." That is the principle of the Sabbath commandment and God's example of resting on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 23:12). Time should be constructive, not destructive to the believer's life. Redeeming the time we've been given, for the days are filled with the seeds of evil (Eph. 5:16). 

2. With the summer months comes the Kryptonite of Frivolous Activities: more time spent on entertainment like excessive TV, gaming, and social media, which can lead to a decrease in Bible time, prayer time, and time with God. A concise but powerful directive is given to us in Ephesians 4:27: 'Neither give place to the devil.' When I think of that statement, I think of setting the dinner table and reserving a seat for the Devil to come and join our family. Getting out of focus will distort the reality of our spiritual vision of Jesus, the author of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2). 

Now, understand the description of frivolous pastimes. Those things are entertaining. The word amusement literally means "no thinking" (the prefix "a" means no, and "muse" means to think). We all need some amusement in our lives. The point is that we all need to balance our priorities. Regardless of what activities we engage in, we are commanded to seek the Lord first, and then everything falls in proper order. 

3. With the summer months comes the Kryptonite in Friendly Associations: different peer groups (i.e., work associates), non-spiritually minded friends, and being away from supervision. 1 Cor. 15:33 (NKJV) says, 'Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.'  A popular slogan several years ago was printed on tee shirts that said, 'Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.' The wrong influential crowd has ruined many young people's lives. Associations influence attitudes, which determine actions. Therefore, it's crucial to choose our company wisely. 

Finally, I'd like to encourage you with some things that will help make this summer "Super," 

· It's super to Love what God loves and hate what God hates. It is impossible to properly love God and love what He hates. Paul said of Demas in 2 Tim. 4:10, "Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world…."  1 John 2:15 says, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Focus on God's love.  

· It's super to finish the summer with a clear conscience. No regrets! 1 Tim. 1:19 "…keeping the faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck regarding their faith." Right is right even if nobody does it; wrong is wrong even if everybody does it. 

· It's super to grow your faith this summer. Rom. 12:4 says, "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power (Eph. 6:10). 

"It's Superman … with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man. Superman is a defender of law and order, champion of equal rights, valiant, courageous fighter against the forces of evil, and never-ending fighter for Truth, justice, and the American way." 

Have a Superman Summer!

https://redcircle.com/shows/the-adventures-of-superman-the-series