My friends, do you find yourself often feeling like you are in a desert on Facebook? If so, believe me when I say that I understand you completely; particularly the discouragement that some of you feel in regards to friend participation on Facebook. I feel it too.
Myself, I used to have just under 5,000 Facebook friends. However, close observation over the years has shown me that during that time, only 300-400 took some degree of interest in my posts. Even worse, only a few dozen people engaged in regular to semi-regular participation with my work.
In case you were not aware of it, it might interest you to know that many others have reported this same thing, and it is always the same small group of friends who participate. Sometimes I even wonder how many of them are real people, and not just Facebook bots who are pretending to be people.
For example, participation on my former Facebook page was about zero. But get this: Prior to November of 2017 when Facebook began making adjustments to their algorithms, I used to get dozens, hundreds, and in some cases, even several thousand reactions — likes, shares and comments — PER POST on my page. Yes, for each and every post.
However, beginning in November of 2017, interaction and participation began to drop like a rock in a matter of a few days. My timeline has also pretty much become a dead man’s land with very little participation. As for the Bill’s Bible Basics FB group, Facebook shut it down quite some time ago for unknown reasons.
But my friends, as I explained before, the problem is NOT necessarily with your friends not liking you, not caring about you, and not being interested in the things which you post.
The REAL problem, as far as I can tell, is with Facebook itself and their algorithms, their attitudes towards Christians and conservative viewpoints, and their d-i-s-c-r-i-m-i-n-a-t-o-r-y practices against us. This begins with their army of liberal-minded editors.
In short, one of the BIG reasons why — like me — you seem to be out in the desert alone most of the time, is because Facebook has sandboxed us for the most part, and is NOT allowing others to see our posts. This has been going on for literally years now, sad to say.
I know this for a fact, because my friends have repeatedly told me so. They simply think that I am participating less on Facebook because they see less of my work in their news feed. However, this is NOT true. I normally make hundreds of posts each and every month.
Now think about this: Your friends cannot possibly react to your posts, if they aren’t even seeing your posts. It makes sense, right? Yes, YOU will see your posts, but most others will not, because Facebook has you sandboxed. It is an i-l-l-u-s-i-o-n.
Aside from the d-i-s-c-r-i-m-i-n-a-t-i-o-n against us, I am convinced that it is also a business ploy that Facebook purposely uses to try to pressure us and e-n-t-i-c-e us into spending money on ads. If you doubt my word regarding this issue, spend $100 on an ad campaign and see what happens. All of a sudden, you will reach more people and get more likes and comments.
But beware, because even their ad campaigns are a s-c-a-m. Again, I know from experience that while running an ad may possibly result in quick reactions and comments, ads will garner you very few real friends in the long term. Once you stop paying for the ad, all of that traffic just dries up and disappears. So was spending the money really worth it?
Whatever you do, as hard as it may be at times, don’t let discouragement overcome you, because that is EXACTLY what the enemy wants you to do. That is, to throw up your hands in defeat and say “What’s the use? Nobody cares. Nobody reacts to what I post. Why am I wasting so much of my time here if it is not bearing any fruit?” Before you give in to that ruse, remember this:
“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6, KJV
“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1, KJV
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9, KJV
“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13, KJV
So if you reach even one person, isn’t it worth it? If even one person is blessed and encouraged by your work on Facebook, or on any other social network for that matter, isn’t it worth it? If even one person comes to the Lord as a result of what you do here, isn’t it worth it?
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7, KJV
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Genesis 3:19, KJV
“And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:17, KJV
“And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life . . . All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.” Genesis 7:15, 22, KJV
“Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.” Job 10:11-12, KJV
“Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:9-10, KJV
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4, KJV
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 150:6, KJV
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7, KJV
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” John 20:22, KJV
This two-part article exposes the vanity of following the highway of life which may lead to worldly riches and comfort, but which will leave one empty, cold and alone in the end, and without any hope of real Salvation.
“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” Matthew 5:25-26, KJV
“They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21, KJV
“And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.” Mark 12:17, KJV
“And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.” Luke 20:25, KJV
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18, KJV
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” Romans 13:1-5, KJV
“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.” Titus 2:15-3:2, KJV
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” 1 Peter 2:11-17, KJV
