From gods at war Kyle Idleman p113
"People arrive hours early for church.  On Sunday mornings  they don't just set a backup alarm clock to assure they wake up in time; they set a backup for the backup.  They arrange their schedules to make sure they don't miss gathering for worship.  Throughout the week, they talk about what happened on the previous Sunday as excitement builds for the upcoming church service.  There are all-day talk shows on the radio devoted to reviewing the last week's service and breaking down the next one.  There's even a TV show called "Church Center" that runs highlight clips of church activities that have happened across the nation.  When Sunday comes the members start loading up their trucks, SUVs, and sedans hours before the service starts.  "Hurry," says Dad frantically.  "We're behind again."  "It's 6am" says mom. "Church doesn't start for another five hours.  Last time we left at this time, we had to park three miles away from the sanctuary and sit in the balcony.  Someday I really want to sit on front seat, but you have to camp out for that seat.  The roads are really congested on the way to church, no matter how early you leave.  People have elaborate spreads prepared, breaking out potable grills and lawn chairs.  Some have television monitors and satellite dishes so they can catch updates.  It's nice weather, not that it matters.  Even in the dead of winter, they'll be out here in the same numbers.  On the service starts everyone is on their feet- not that they ever sit down.  After several hours people start looking at their watches saying, " I hope the sermon goes into overtime!"

Does this sound familiar to anyone.  Well it certainly  does but not in the realm of church, but football and other sports.  Don't get me wrong I am not hear to tell you sports is of the devil because I love sports, but it does have its place.  Let's try to put it into perspective a little more.  How many sports players do our kids know, compared to the biblical principles of the Bible.  How many stats can they quote about their favorite player, versus Bible verses they can quote.  Listen, this is not condemning but extremely eye opening.  The truth is our kids and even our self spend tons of time learning about facts and stats on things that  will not matter in a year much less for eternity, but spend very little time learning about the one thing that will last an eternity- scripture.

Let's move on to other entertainment.
Is there anything wrong with television?  Well it depends on what you watch, and if it takes up all your time.  Is Music bad?  Well it depends on what you listen to and what it says.  I don't normally do this but I have felt very convicted about it. I have struggled recently with song choices.  Isabella ask for an iPod this year, and I have been looking for songs to put on it. I am not a music connoisseur so I have to look everything up including the words because I can't understand what they are saying sometimes. I was shocked when I pulled up the lyrics to some very popular songs.  I encourage every parent reading this to go and pull up the lyrics to popular songs.  Let me give a little example from one of the most popular songs right now:

'Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places
Yeah, my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."

I'm bringing booty back
Go ahead and tell them skinny ******* that
 I see the magazine workin' that Photoshop
We know that **** ain't real
Yeah my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."
It's all about that base.............

Here is the bottom line.  It is not Facebook, iPod, iPad, Sports, TV, etc that is necessarily hindering us but how we use them.  If what we do with those takes over more time than we give to God, diminishes our witness, or causes us to put ungodly things into our mind then absolutely God would consider those things an idol.  I think he also shows us personal things that can be idols for us that may not be for others.  In Ecclesiastes the whole book is based on Solomon's quest for pleasure.  He was looking for something that would bring him that escape, peace, fulfillment, joy.  At the end of the book after trying everything because he had the money to afford anything he says, 
"I saw the tears of the oppressed--
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors--
    and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.
3 But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, as chasing after the wind." 

After trying to chase all these things, and filling his life with all kinds of "things" he realized it would never satisfy his soul.  The only thing that can  satisfy our need for something else constantly is Jesus Christ.  On this side of eternity we will always struggle with being satisfied, but all the gadgets and toys in the world will not quench it.  Is there anything in your life today that God would say is taking too much of your time?  Is there something that is causing you not to be a good witness to others?  Are there things you are watching and listening to that are not edifying to him?  God always convicts the writer or the speaker first before they can write it or speak it.  I pray God would help me exclude those things that are taking too much time away from the true meaning of life.

I read this article recently that caught my full attention.
Christian Today
http://www.buildingchurchleaders.com/devotions/?query=&type=&filter=&tone=&order=&start=31

An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable.
Proverbs 14:4

"Leaders who expect progress must allow some latitude for chaos and failure. That's the point of Proverbs 14:4.  Do you want your feeding trough kept clean? Fine, then don't have any oxen. But you'll have a tough time harvesting and processing your grain.

Churches and ministries that make an impact create an environment where people are allowed to make mistakes. Obsession with complete order will curb creativity. Do you want the walls in your church facility to be spotless, or do you want to reach more teens for Jesus Christ? Is it more important to avoid legal hassles and red tape or to develop a ministry to single moms? Leaders must create environments for themselves and others that allow for a reasonable amount of mess. That's the price for progress."
— Steve Mathewson

The truth is that some people are not willing to try anymore because things have not worked out in the past. They are willing to become stagnant because it is the easiest thing to do.  Doing things the way you have done them for twenty years does not require as much thought. Can you imagine if inventors had not kept working on their dreams of being an inventor; where would we be?  We certainly would not have the technology we do today.  I am not suggesting we have to recreate the wheel just to do it.  If things you have been doing for years are working, then by all means keep doing it.  However, we need to  be willing to examine them and see if they are truly working.

 My favorite line of the whole devotion is "Do you want your feeding trough kept clean? Fine, then don't have any oxen." Let that roll around in your mind for a little while!