Welcome, my friends,
to Digital Disconnect.
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I am your host Scott Ritsema
and I have the joy of presenting
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our 13th message...
the last one in the series.
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And this one is maybe
going to be the most challenging
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for some of us:
it's Digital Detox.
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We're going to make some
decisions today of some kind.
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And I have the
privilege and joy with my wife
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in Michigan of running a little
ministry with a small team.
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We're called Belt
of Truth Ministries
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and we share
newsletters periodically.
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I hold in my hands
one of my favorite stories
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that I've ever
heard and ever shared.
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And we pass this on
via e-mail newsletter.
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I want to share it with
the 3ABN audience as well
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as we begin the
question of a family media fast.
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So let's begin
with prayer, shall we?
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Father in heaven,
we thank you so much
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for the
privilege of knowing Jesus.
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We pray that the
decisions that we make
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as we're confronted by
challenging information
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and conviction by Your
Holy Spirit that we would
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come out of that knowing You
better and finding greater joy
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in the experience
You've created for us to live.
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We trust You; we
love You; we know that You
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open Your hand and satisfy the
desire of every living thing.
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In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Well, it begins on
a pretty dark note.
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Annesha, the
mother was desperate.
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She had two
children... a third on the way.
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Her oldest son getting detention
all the time in school.
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Ten years old and
plagued with dark thoughts
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of even violence
against his own family.
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The daughter, age 7,
in an even worse state.
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Her mother wrote to us.
"It's frightening for me to read
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her feelings of hurt and
frustration" Annesha noted,
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the mother noted, as she was
reading her daughter's journal
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entry one day. They
were deeply morbid thoughts
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for a seven-year-old, too
horrible for anyone to have
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at any age. Annesha con-
sidered admitting her daughter
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to a hospital, but
prayer was her chosen refuge.
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And during the most troublesome
time she wrote to us and said:
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"All I can do is hold her tight
and pray. " Annesha didn't know
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where to turn for help.
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Knowing of parenting and
media seminars she decided to
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reach out to me via
e-mail with the plea:
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"I hope and pray it's not
too late for us. " Well...
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I assured her it is
most definitely not too late.
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We set her up on the
video channel beltoftruth.tv
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and she began
watching the seminars.
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I advised her:
"You're going to do a trial.
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Do a test run of a
whole different way
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of doing life
with the whole family.
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Focus immense attention
on that daughter and the son.
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Specifically for three
weeks you're going to eliminate
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screen time completely if
you take this challenge on.
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Be outside
literally as much as possible.
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Commit to a whole food
plant-based diet for the time.
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Spend lots of
quality time together.
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And all of this is to be
bathed in spiritual themes
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of joy and peace and prayer for
the power of the Holy Spirit.
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I recommended the
family follow the strict
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three-week media fast
prescribed by psychiatrist
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Dr. Victoria Dunckley in her
book Reset Your Child's Brain.
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You might remember we
referred to the findings
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of this
researcher and practitioner
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where she's treated
hundreds of children
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with previously diagnosed
disorders of various kinds
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from depression to
anxiety to attention problems
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to disruptive moods. And
she's found that taking them
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off media for three weeks and
putting them on better things
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like nature and real stuff and
relationships and eye contact
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she finds 80% of her patients
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have the majority of
their symptoms disappear.
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What an amazing thing!
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So we're going to try this.
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We went over some examples
of specific night-time routines
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you could try
since that troubling time
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in this family...
troublesome time of day
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where these really
dark things come in.
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Since most people are aware
there is an enemy out there:
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Satan, the adversary,
and we are in a struggle
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against... not against flesh
and blood but against these
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principalities and
powers of darkness.
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We recommended that
they cleanse their house
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of CDs, DVDs...
anything of the world
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that the enemy might
claim to gain a foothold
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to disturb
these little children.
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Most importantly, I encouraged
her to keep on praying.
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Keep on praying for
and with your children.
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And my wife and I
began praying for Annesha
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and her family as well.
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She was determined. It
would be difficult she said
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and aside from being in
the middle of her 3rd pregnancy
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she also worked nights. But
she took the advice seriously.
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She wanted to change... she
wanted her family to change.
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She wrote to us: "I'm still
struggling and I won't give up,
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but I will claim God's power. "
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Three weeks later
I received an e-mail
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after the end of the
three-week media fast.
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Annesha had kept a daily
diary during this trial time.
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During that time she and
her daughter had planted tomato
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seeds. The family had
attended Camp Meeting.
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And there was a whole
new schedule for nighttime.
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She even changed her work
routine to be with the children
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at bedtime. And at
the end of the 3 weeks
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get this: neither child was
even asking for their media.
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Definite changes were underway
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and this fast was becoming a
new way of life in this home.
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On one occasion soon after this
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the children were misbehaving
while they were supposed to be
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finishing some chores.
Yeah... we all have been there.
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Annesha with her
hands full of dishes
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unwashed presently announced
that she would be dishing out
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a serious punishment, one
that the children would not soon
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forget. And the children
began yelling and crying
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but Annesha,
instead of lashing out,
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only prayed silently.
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And in reality, she had no idea
what punishment she would give.
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She'd been working on not cor-
recting the children in anger.
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The media fast
helps with that, too.
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Then suddenly as she
was praying it came to her:
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their punishment would be
to hug and kiss each other
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every morning and
evening for the next seven days
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just as Romans 12:21 says.
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"Be not overcome with evil
but overcome evil with good. "
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Annesha ended the e-mail to
us with this: "I'm so excited
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and I can't wait to see what
God will continue to show me
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when I seek Him
first. " Next day
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Annesha found a piece of paper
with her daughter's handwriting
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taped to the wall. It was a
prayer to her heavenly Father,
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one of repentance for the
misbehavior of the previous day.
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A prayer for a new heart and
a prayer for her family members.
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"Make me a servant
humble and meek" she wrote.
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Through eliminating
media, incorporating nature, and
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plenty of family togetherness
God was transforming
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this family in
a matter of weeks.
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A few months later Annesha
is now the mother of three
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beautiful children. Both
parents continue to spend
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more quality time
with their children.
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Media addictions are history
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and this family is
now working together
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as a unit, as a whole.
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Her son has not only stopped
receiving detentions in school
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but he is now known as
an attentive and cooperative
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student. One fellow
church member even noticed
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"Your son has made a 150% turn-
around in just a few months. "
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That's divine
math right there: 150%.
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As for her
once-troubled daughter,
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she is now a happy
child. She wants to be baptized.
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She feels loved like
she's never felt loved before
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and she feels
love for her parents.
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"Mommy, I love you to
God's throne and back! "
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she recently exclaimed.
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Annesha and her daughter
now pray together from a place
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of calm not crisis.
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And praise God this newest baby
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will be well loved at
home with his mother without
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anyone exposing this baby to
the harmful media of childhood.
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"We're continuing to see
improvements" Annesha wrote
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"and still persevering through
the tempting discouragements,
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the failures, the struggles,
the negative thoughts. "
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Annesha continued to walk with
God and cling to His promises.
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And He has only begun
to show her and her family
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the blessings
bestowed when we follow His way
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for our lives. So may you,
also, walk in that same light.
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There is a light in
this darkness, and that light
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is named Jesus.
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That is an encouraging story.
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And so many things we
could discuss from just
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that one experience, right?
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I mean, how about the part
when they cleansed their home
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of the worldly influences?
'Cause this is a dark thing
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and many people might not see
that violent of a manifestation
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in their lives of
demonic oppression.
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But we might have
temptation, discouragement,
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distraction, just
darkness and a cloud around us
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that we're not even aware of.
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And when we remove the
things of Satan from our lives
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it brings light and
angelic peace into our home.
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You know, James 4:8 says
that we can resist the devil
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and he will flee from us.
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But I heard a story
from a pastor one time
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that made me think about that
verse "Resist the devil and he
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will flee from you. "
Pastor got on an airplane
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and was discussing
with the man next to him
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what they do for work.
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"Oh, hey, what's your
name? What do you do for work? "
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"Oh, I'm a pastor. "
"What do you do for work? "
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"Oh, I practice witchcraft. "
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"What? How do you
make a living doing that? "
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And so he's sitting
next to a practicing witch -
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a male witch - and he says:
"How do you make a living? "
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He goes: "Well, the most common
way is we arrange adulterous
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affairs. Actually a man
who wants a certain lady
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who is married... he will pay
us and get the lady to leave her
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husband and go with him. "
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What a diabolical
thing to do for a living!
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But he says: "You
know, we do make good money.
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We do it regularly. " And
the pastor says: "You know,
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I'll just say something:
you wouldn't be able to affect
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my marriage because my
wife and I are Christians. "
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Oh... well now it's
on. The witch says to him:
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"We actually get
Christians all the time. "
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"OK, well, that may be
but I can promise you we have
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the power of Jesus
Christ and in His name
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you would not be able
to touch my wife and I. "
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Well the witch says:
"Well I've heard that before
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but let me ask
you a few questions.
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He proceeds to ask the pastor
some very specific and pointed
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questions mostly about the
media use of he and his wife.
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"What kinds of things
are you guys watching? "
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"What kind of videos
do you have in the home? "
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"What kind of
music do you listen to? "
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"What kind of reading material
does your wife indulge in?
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Any of the trashy novels
and the People Magazine-type
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of entertainment stuff? "
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And praise God, this pastor
was able to go down the litany
00:10:48.91\00:10:51.78
in the list and say:
"You know, we've eliminated
00:10:51.98\00:10:53.42
worldliness. We have
videos that we watch that are
00:10:53.62\00:10:56.72
uplifting and
spiritual and good and true.
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Books: wonderful, good
books. Inspiring books.
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Of course, the Bible being most
prominent: the Book of Books.
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We don't have any of
those things that you mentioned
00:11:05.99\00:11:07.63
in our home. " Well
now the witch says to him,
00:11:07.83\00:11:10.67
true story. He says:
"Well then you're right.
00:11:10.87\00:11:12.77
We wouldn't be
able to touch you. "
00:11:12.97\00:11:14.30
So: "Resist the devil
and he will flee from you"
00:11:14.34\00:11:16.40
has a prerequisite, doesn't it?
00:11:16.60\00:11:17.94
What's in James chapter 4
verse 7 right before verse 8
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that says: "Resist the devil
and he will flee from you? "
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it says: "Submit
yourselves therefore to God.
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Resist the devil and
he will flee from you. "
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We've gotta get
the whole package.
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We can't dabble in the world
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and be aligned
with Satan in some ways
00:11:34.46\00:11:36.46
and then expect the
power and peace and presence
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of Jesus in other ways.
We say "No" to the world.
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We "touch no unclean thing" God
says, "and I will receive you. "
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And that doesn't
mean we don't struggle.
00:11:45.37\00:11:47.20
"A righteous man
may fall seven times. "
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"We messed up; I
raised my voice or got upset.
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I slipped and fell in some way
and God, please forgive me. "
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And He will take
you right back up
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and His grace is
sufficient for you.
00:11:56.95\00:11:59.05
But we are not committed...
we are not trying to serve
00:11:59.25\00:12:01.98
two masters. We are not
dabbling with one foot in the
00:12:02.18\00:12:05.72
kingdom of Satan and one
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.92
That's not possible
'cause Satan makes his claim
00:12:08.12\00:12:10.69
and God says: "You
cannot serve two masters.
00:12:10.89\00:12:13.96
Either you will love the
one and despise the other;
00:12:14.16\00:12:16.33
hate the one and be
devoted to the other. "
00:12:16.53\00:12:19.10
Now, when it comes to
the things in our homes
00:12:19.30\00:12:21.80
this older gentleman didn't
need to deal with the question
00:12:22.20\00:12:25.51
of video games. It
wasn't a pitfall for him.
00:12:25.71\00:12:28.08
But you know, I heard an
interesting statement from
00:12:28.28\00:12:30.45
one Jonathan who was quoted
in the book Play Station Nation.
00:12:30.65\00:12:33.88
Jonathan became a college
student, had been addicted
00:12:34.38\00:12:37.02
to media, and was interviewed
as a part of the research
00:12:37.22\00:12:39.72
for this book.
And what Jonathan said
00:12:39.92\00:12:42.16
was advice to
mothers... to parents.
00:12:42.36\00:12:45.86
They asked him: "What would
you say to parents with kids
00:12:46.06\00:12:47.83
in the home today? " He
had been allowed to play
00:12:48.03\00:12:50.30
you know a certain
amount of video games
00:12:50.50\00:12:52.17
and got into the
addiction. He said:
00:12:52.37\00:12:54.27
"Get rid of it
completely, entirely.
00:12:54.47\00:12:57.71
I wish my mom had done that.
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.24
Even if you limit
the actual playing time
00:12:59.41\00:13:01.91
you're not going to eliminate
the kids thinking about it
00:13:02.11\00:13:04.48
as long as it's in the house.
00:13:04.68\00:13:06.01
Don't ask: 'Are
video games OK? '
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.38
Just rather ask: 'Is it the
best use of time and money? '
00:13:07.45\00:13:10.49
And 'What can we be doing
as a family that's better? ' "
00:13:10.69\00:13:13.92
Oh, that's good stuff...
good advice from Jonathan,
00:13:14.12\00:13:17.13
a college student who'd
been there and done that.
00:13:18.03\00:13:20.06
So how do we gain the victory
over addictions and habits?
00:13:20.46\00:13:23.97
And how do we do these
fasts? One of the things
00:13:24.17\00:13:26.40
that we've gotta
do is healthy living.
00:13:26.60\00:13:29.34
That gives power to the
brain to overcome temptation.
00:13:29.54\00:13:33.07
It's universally recognized
that the health of the mind
00:13:33.48\00:13:36.61
is dependent on
the health of the body.
00:13:36.81\00:13:38.91
In fact, I have a quotation
that I want to share with you
00:13:39.11\00:13:41.72
that says:
00:13:41.92\00:13:43.25
This is the sin of
Sodom when you end up
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.62
in sexual sin or any habits
and any self-deprecating types
00:14:17.82\00:14:22.76
of destructive behavior.
00:14:22.96\00:14:24.49
It's partly you heard
fullness of bread and idleness
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.93
and pride and not
caring about the poor.
00:14:28.13\00:14:30.23
But thinking about exercise...
you know, there are a bunch
00:14:30.43\00:14:33.23
of benefits of exercise.
May I bullet point them for you?
00:14:33.44\00:14:35.80
This is all based on research.
00:14:56.96\00:14:58.43
So we're learning new habits.
00:15:44.81\00:15:47.08
Remember: overcoming habits is
not so much stopping something
00:15:47.28\00:15:50.61
as it is starting something new.
00:15:50.81\00:15:52.45
And exercise will help
you start all those new things
00:15:52.65\00:15:54.72
and exercise can be one of those
new things that you are doing.
00:15:54.92\00:15:57.45
New habits... a
new way of doing life.
00:15:57.65\00:16:00.52
Remember the story of Annesha.
It was re-writing the way we
00:16:00.72\00:16:03.83
do life in general.
Not just removing media
00:16:04.03\00:16:07.00
but we're adding all
sorts of wonderful things.
00:16:07.20\00:16:10.37
But speaking of simple
physiological things we can do
00:16:10.57\00:16:14.60
Listen to this from Dr.
John Ratey in A User's Guide
00:16:14.80\00:16:18.11
to the Brain. He says:
00:16:18.31\00:16:19.64
So even secular
scientific authorities
00:16:52.87\00:16:55.74
are saying the same thing about
exercise and he mentioned diet.
00:16:55.94\00:16:59.71
Oh, dare we touch that one?
"Don't talk about what I put
00:16:59.95\00:17:02.08
on my plate! " Oh, this one...we
struggle with this one, don't
00:17:02.28\00:17:05.65
we? But you know if
we can overcome appetite
00:17:06.05\00:17:07.99
we'll have the mental
and spiritual and moral power
00:17:08.19\00:17:10.63
to overcome anything
that we face, won't we?
00:17:10.83\00:17:12.79
Listen to this quotation from
Mind, Character and Personality.
00:17:12.99\00:17:15.83
Overeating defogs the brain.
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.89
It does things to the brain
that make it harder to make good
00:17:38.09\00:17:41.62
choices to
overcome the carnal nature.
00:17:41.82\00:17:44.03
Irregular eating,
irregular sleeping, not having
00:17:44.89\00:17:48.70
set times of the day
that we do these things
00:17:48.90\00:17:50.87
also has the same effect.
00:17:51.07\00:17:53.13
Now I want to
quote from page 235 of
00:17:53.34\00:17:55.50
Mind, Character and Personality.
00:17:55.70\00:17:57.81
An excellent book on these
things from long ago. It says:
00:17:58.01\00:18:00.88
Those are some
strong words right there
00:18:32.81\00:18:34.88
about if we're
overeating, eating unhealthfully
00:18:35.08\00:18:37.81
it's going to take its toll
00:18:38.01\00:18:39.35
on our ability to
make good choices.
00:18:39.38\00:18:41.65
So what kind of good
food choices can we make?
00:18:42.05\00:18:45.15
We all know what bad food is.
00:18:45.35\00:18:46.69
We don't even need to say it.
00:18:46.86\00:18:48.19
We're not thinking
about the bad food...
00:18:48.22\00:18:49.89
we're focusing on the
new thing we want to become
00:18:50.09\00:18:52.86
compulsively
interested in, the new addiction
00:18:53.06\00:18:56.16
we can be addicted
and do a new pathway.
00:18:56.36\00:18:58.50
How about a good
quality breakfast?
00:18:58.90\00:19:01.34
High fiber: grains and fruits
& nuts. Hmm, that's good stuff!
00:19:01.54\00:19:06.47
Did you know that people
who eat a high-fiber breakfast
00:19:06.88\00:19:09.48
are found to be:
00:19:09.68\00:19:11.01
THAT is a good
piece of news right there.
00:19:16.28\00:19:19.65
There's another quotation
I want to share with you.
00:19:20.59\00:19:23.09
The influence of
unhealthy food is to:
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.96
So you're getting the
idea of quality brain food.
00:19:51.12\00:19:55.46
Complex carbohydrates and
good nutrition for the brain
00:19:55.66\00:19:59.39
are going to give us the
power to overcome the habits
00:19:59.59\00:20:02.26
of media use. There
was a science publication
00:20:02.46\00:20:05.37
called The Annals of Neurology.
00:20:05.57\00:20:07.10
And in this one they
looked at some of the
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.11
butter and red meat
and these kind of things
00:20:10.31\00:20:12.61
we put in our bodies. And
they found that those types
00:20:12.81\00:20:15.28
of fats reduced cognitive
scores in the people that were
00:20:15.48\00:20:19.55
eating those versus
people who were eating
00:20:19.75\00:20:22.28
nuts and avocados
and even olive oil.
00:20:22.48\00:20:25.29
They were performing better
than those who were indulging
00:20:25.49\00:20:28.62
on more of the rich indulgences.
00:20:28.82\00:20:31.59
So just some food for
thought... pun intended.
00:20:31.79\00:20:35.86
I had the privilege to
take some students to Ireland
00:20:36.06\00:20:38.63
as part of my
academy teaching years.
00:20:38.83\00:20:41.24
I was a Bible
teacher. The music teacher
00:20:41.44\00:20:43.34
set up this whole music
tour for the young people,
00:20:43.54\00:20:45.94
and I got to go along
and tag along with my wife.
00:20:46.14\00:20:50.25
I had chaplain duties, and
so I got to be a part of it
00:20:50.45\00:20:54.12
and witnessed amazing things
and incredible, beautiful nature
00:20:54.32\00:20:57.55
and the students
singing in amazing places.
00:20:57.75\00:20:59.89
At the end we
witnessed downright miracles.
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.92
At the end we had
a debriefing session.
00:21:03.12\00:21:04.93
Everybody sits in a circle and
we're about to head back home...
00:21:05.13\00:21:07.43
I should mention
that before the trip began
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.87
the music teacher announced
as being in charge of the trip
00:21:11.07\00:21:13.30
he said: "You're not
bringing your phones. "
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.14
Oh... there was
almost a revolution
00:21:16.34\00:21:18.37
and a revolt among the students
when he announced they were not
00:21:18.57\00:21:20.71
allowed to have
their phones on the trip.
00:21:20.91\00:21:22.94
"This is a mission trip.
We're going to be focused on
00:21:23.14\00:21:25.08
our mission. " Well,
during the debriefing at the end
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.48
they spoke of the miracles.
They spoke of amazing things
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.22
but you know what the
number 1 thing they said?
00:21:32.42\00:21:34.29
Often they were prefacing it
with: "We don't really want to
00:21:34.69\00:21:37.89
say this in front of Mr. Ritsema
but... " 'cause I was kind of
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.50
the Media on the Brain
guy, embryonic in development
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.70
at that point. And they
said: "We are really glad
00:21:43.90\00:21:47.04
that Mr. K, the music teacher,
that you didn't require us...
00:21:47.24\00:21:50.37
that you required us
to NOT bring our phones,
00:21:50.57\00:21:53.38
that you didn't let
us bring our phones. "
00:21:53.58\00:21:54.91
"We are so thankful we
didn't have our phones. "
00:21:54.94\00:21:57.15
Can you believe that?
00:21:57.55\00:21:58.88
We think: "I'm glued to
it... so addicted to it. "
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.28
When you become
freed from something
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.49
and you try something different
00:22:03.69\00:22:05.19
you might find a big surprise
waiting at the other end.
00:22:05.39\00:22:08.59
It surprised the young people.
Frankly, it surprised the adults
00:22:08.79\00:22:11.59
that they actually felt that
way and shared that at the end.
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.63
We don't give them
enough credit sometimes, do we?
00:22:14.83\00:22:16.77
Well, we used an analogy
at the beginning of the series
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.67
of an optometrist's office
00:22:19.87\00:22:22.10
where you go into the appoint-
ment and you don't have glasses.
00:22:22.30\00:22:24.87
You think you're seeing fine
00:22:25.07\00:22:26.41
but at the end of the
little test he gives you
00:22:26.51\00:22:28.88
you come out going:
"Oh wow! I actually CAN see
00:22:29.08\00:22:32.41
more clearly with the
prescription you just put
00:22:32.61\00:22:36.72
in front of my eyes. Really?
So that's the natural eyesight
00:22:36.92\00:22:39.52
and that one is
the prescription. "
00:22:39.72\00:22:41.89
It surprises you
when you try it out.
00:22:42.09\00:22:43.93
So maybe you're thinking
about... and if you're not,
00:22:44.33\00:22:47.03
I want to
encourage you to think about
00:22:47.23\00:22:48.90
a media fast of some kind.
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.23
In a previous session, we talked
about Boredom and the Bible.
00:22:51.43\00:22:54.14
Is your experience
with Jesus at peak level?
00:22:54.30\00:22:57.77
Or is there some room to grow?
00:22:57.97\00:22:59.87
And could it
possibly be our media choices
00:23:00.08\00:23:02.91
that are causing some of that
smog and haze between us and God
00:23:03.11\00:23:06.11
that could actually if
we make those media changes,
00:23:06.31\00:23:08.68
increase our love for and ex-
perience of Jesus in our lives?
00:23:08.88\00:23:12.82
Maybe our pleasure and joy
in life is being numbed & muted
00:23:13.66\00:23:17.09
by the hyper stimulating
pleasure seeking culture
00:23:17.29\00:23:20.56
in which we live? And
it's innocent media maybe.
00:23:20.76\00:23:22.86
But they did a study in
1954 called The Milner Study.
00:23:23.06\00:23:26.53
They had mice, and they
hooked up to the mouse's
00:23:26.74\00:23:28.97
brain a little wire
that was connected to
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.47
a lever. And the mouse could
tap the lever and literally
00:23:31.67\00:23:34.68
it would send an electrical
signal into the nucleus
00:23:34.88\00:23:37.41
accumbens of the brain
where the mouse feels pleasure.
00:23:37.61\00:23:39.51
And the mouse quickly
learned: "Wow! I tap that lever
00:23:39.71\00:23:41.95
and I feel good!
That's an easy, quick-fix way
00:23:42.15\00:23:44.85
to pleasure. Whoo! Yeah! "
00:23:45.05\00:23:46.96
So la de dah de dah.
"Ooh, I want to go back.
00:23:47.16\00:23:49.02
Let me go back to the
lever. Oh yeah, that's good!
00:23:49.22\00:23:51.39
That's good...
now what shall I do?
00:23:51.59\00:23:52.93
Shall I eat my mouse food?
00:23:53.13\00:23:54.46
Nah, it doesn't taste that
good. I just want my lever.
00:23:54.56\00:23:58.30
Should I run on a wheel and
live a normal mouse existence
00:23:58.50\00:24:00.90
for a little
while? No, no, no, no...
00:24:01.10\00:24:02.44
I just want the lever. "
The mice became totally addicted
00:24:02.50\00:24:04.57
to the lever,
totally consumed with it,
00:24:04.77\00:24:06.71
and they were literally
stopping the consuming of food.
00:24:06.91\00:24:10.58
They stopped eating
their physical nourishment
00:24:10.78\00:24:14.28
that brought them life and
all they wanted was that lever.
00:24:14.48\00:24:17.65
What is our physical nourish-
ment that brings us life?
00:24:17.85\00:24:19.85
The Word of God.
00:24:20.06\00:24:22.26
Are we not
consuming that like these rats
00:24:22.66\00:24:25.26
'cause we've got
something else we're busy with?
00:24:25.46\00:24:27.23
"I'm too busy. The
Bible's kind of dull. "
00:24:27.43\00:24:29.40
Well, that's 'cause we
re-wired and mal-wired our brain
00:24:29.60\00:24:33.44
into a state of
altered and "negativized" -
00:24:33.64\00:24:38.17
that's not a word... it is now -
00:24:38.37\00:24:39.71
tastebuds. Our
tastebuds seek that which is
00:24:39.74\00:24:42.41
OVER stimulating. Well, I
have some good news for you.
00:24:42.61\00:24:46.11
God can re-wire our tastebuds.
00:24:46.51\00:24:48.92
I want to quote
from a publication called
00:24:49.78\00:24:52.22
Review & Herald where it
speaks of this very thing.
00:24:52.42\00:24:55.99
We read:
00:24:56.39\00:24:58.26
"If we do not receive
the religion of Christ
00:24:58.66\00:25:01.46
by feeding upon the Word of God,
00:25:01.66\00:25:04.10
we shall not be entitled
to an entrance into the city
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.53
of God. " How are
we saved? By faith.
00:25:06.74\00:25:08.27
Grace and faith
through Jesus Christ.
00:25:08.47\00:25:10.61
We have to behold
Jesus Christ in His Word.
00:25:11.01\00:25:13.48
"If we are not receiving
the religion of Christ... " -
00:25:13.68\00:25:16.21
salvation by His merits -
00:25:16.41\00:25:18.41
"by feeding upon the Word of God
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.18
we shall not be entitled to an
entrance into the city of God.
00:25:20.38\00:25:22.88
Having lived on earthly
food, having educated our tastes
00:25:23.08\00:25:25.79
to love worldly things,
00:25:25.99\00:25:27.59
we would not be fitted
for the heavenly courts.
00:25:27.79\00:25:29.86
We could not appreciate
the pure, heavenly current
00:25:30.06\00:25:32.76
that circulates in heaven.
00:25:32.96\00:25:34.30
The voices of the angels
and the music of their harps
00:25:34.33\00:25:37.03
would not satisfy us.
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.93
The science of heaven would
be as an enigma to our minds. "
00:25:39.13\00:25:42.30
You know what an enigma
is? This is... people would be
00:25:42.50\00:25:45.21
transported to heaven
who have educated their taste
00:25:45.41\00:25:47.84
to love the things of the world
00:25:48.04\00:25:49.38
and they would find it so dull
and uninteresting up there...
00:25:49.41\00:25:51.55
it would not
satisfy us we just read...
00:25:51.75\00:25:53.58
they would find it a
mystery. "Why do people like it
00:25:53.78\00:25:56.18
up here? " An enigma.
"Why would anybody like it here
00:25:56.38\00:25:59.42
in this place? Where
are my video games? "
00:25:59.62\00:26:01.52
"Where? I can't
get on my social media?
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.32
I've gotta check
my notifications!
00:26:03.53\00:26:04.86
Where's my entertainment? "
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.23
Again, there's nothing evil
necessarily about communicating
00:26:06.26\00:26:08.46
via Smartphones, but is
that addiction captivating us
00:26:08.66\00:26:13.57
to the point where we're losing
our taste for the Word of God?
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.10
My wife did a fast from
social media for 30 days.
00:26:16.94\00:26:21.21
She asked me to lock her
out of her Facebook account.
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.21
At the end of that she
said: "Honey, don't tell me
00:26:24.41\00:26:26.51
the password. I've
been cured of my addiction
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.68
to Facebook and all the
dynamics of negative social
00:26:28.88\00:26:32.12
psychological stuff
that goes on in there.
00:26:32.32\00:26:34.39
I'm happier now! "
00:26:34.59\00:26:35.92
We know another mother
who uses it in moderation
00:26:35.96\00:26:39.19
in the morning only. You
remember all the questions?
00:26:39.39\00:26:40.90
At what times of day?
For what duration of use?
00:26:41.06\00:26:43.43
And how frequently? This
mother says: "I'm committed
00:26:44.07\00:26:46.84
to only going on their
once at one specified location.
00:26:47.04\00:26:49.30
It's not following me
everywhere I go notifying me,
00:26:49.50\00:26:51.87
interrupting me. I have
30 minutes in the morning
00:26:52.07\00:26:55.18
some days if I'm
ready: if I've exercised
00:26:55.38\00:26:57.08
and gotten the day ready for
my child, for my home school,
00:26:57.28\00:26:59.75
etc. " So maybe you're
thinking about a media fast.
00:26:59.95\00:27:03.08
Now you've gotten
rid of the toxic stuff.
00:27:03.28\00:27:04.65
You get that out of your
house. Remember the story
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.42
of the pastor and the
witch. We don't want that stuff
00:27:06.62\00:27:08.62
in our house, but are
their innocent video games?
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.33
Let's give it a
try... go without it.
00:27:11.53\00:27:13.26
Or pick something to say:
"I'm going to make a plan;
00:27:13.46\00:27:16.50
I'm going to make a schedule.
" You know, King Jotham became
00:27:16.70\00:27:19.83
mighty, the Bible says,
because he prepared his way
00:27:20.04\00:27:22.24
before the Lord. Prepare the way
before our children and we do...
00:27:22.44\00:27:25.51
I want to share with
you: scottritsema@gmail.com
00:27:25.71\00:27:28.71
I'll walk you through
the Dr. Dunckley media fast,
00:27:28.91\00:27:32.28
the three-week media
fast 'cause we're out of time
00:27:32.48\00:27:34.48
to really get into
all the details of it.
00:27:34.68\00:27:36.99
But preparing something
better for those children:
00:27:37.39\00:27:40.26
a lot of your
time and attention.
00:27:40.46\00:27:42.59
Better things: books
and Play-Doh and nature
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.39
just like Annesha
did and her family.
00:27:45.59\00:27:47.53
And God will give us a
greater experience with Him
00:27:47.73\00:27:50.70
is the promise of His
Word. We will weep and mourn
00:27:50.90\00:27:53.40
while the world rejoices.
It will be hard at first
00:27:53.80\00:27:55.50
but our mourning
will turn to joy.
00:27:55.70\00:27:59.87