Reclaim Your Focus | Clayton Hentzel

It causes depression and anxiety.

Is responsible for low self-esteem and eating

disorders. It's responsible responsible for

bullying and severe trauma. It rewires the brain of the

young causing serious mutations. In neurological Pathways.

It's responsible for people not getting jobs being fired from

jobs and it keeps people from getting high capacity jobs.

It's responsible for the loss of relational intimacy and couples.

Enlarges the relational gap between Parents and their

children and is a primary driver in feelings of loneliness and

isolation since its introduction on college campuses.

The number of students seeking help for mental illness has

increased drastically. If I were to ask you to stop it,

you'd call me old-fashioned. You get defensive and upset.

But if I were to promote it and push it, you would call me

Reckless and uncaring. Welcome all of you guys join in

our different locations online and inside, I want to thank you

so much for being a part of our church.

Special shout-out to our Keokuk location celebrating their

nine-year anniversary. We're incredibly proud of you

super thankful to AJ firm and you really are a dear friend one

of the best passengers. I know very thankful for Jason

and for Ashton and all the team that is assembled there in Lee

County, the county that I grew up in and I'm thankful that you

guys. Eyes are trying hard to make

that the hardest place on planet Earth to get to Hell from.

I'm very thankful for our partnership in the gospel.

I also want to welcome those of you who are joining us for the

first time or the first time in a long time.

We are in a sermon series called reclaim restoring what was lost

and fixing, what is broken. And I believe that, every person

that can hear my voice right now.

Once a better life, better relationships and a better

family, however our desires and our Tensions, if not followed by

actions in those directions, will result in a widening gap

between our experiences and our expectations.

When God was establishing his relationship with his people.

He had just brought them out of Egypt.

He was moving them into the promised land.

He issued this decree through Moses, but what he says, Hear o

Israel. The Lord Our God.

The Lord is one. Love the Lord, your God with all

your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.

These Commandments that I give you today are to be on your

heart. And then he explains what that

would look like. Impress them on your children,

talk about them. When you sit at home and when

you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get

up, tie them as symbols on your hands buying them on Your

foreheads write them on the door, frames of your houses and

on your Gates, this is what an intimate personal relationship

with Jesus Christ. Looks like through the lens of

the Old Testament. We are to talk about God when we

get up and when we lie down, when we sit at the kitchen

table. And when we were driving along

the road with our kids, the word of God is to be in our hands, in

our minds, and coming out of our mouths, this The sad truth is,

we have done this. Just not with God, we have done

it with our technology and we have done it with our social

media. The things I listed at the very

beginning of the message. Or all things associated with

social media. In today's day and age, our

living rooms are now centered around a TV, where we stream and

binge, we used to have to watch a show and then wait, a full

week to catch the next episode, but now we can burn through.

And it's several seasons of a show in one Reckless weekend,

when we sit at the table, our phones and our iPads, join us,

when we get in the car, there is a TV and the headrest and there

is a charged tablet. In the pocket because God

forbid, we have to spend time with our kids while we're

driving when we get up in the morning.

The first thing we check The thing we checked, before we go

to bed, we have tied our technology to our hands and it

is the thing that dominates our minds.

How many of you have seen this? Was one of the saddest pictures

you might ever see. Here's another set picture. but

before we get all judgy, if someone were to take a picture

in your house yesterday, Or last week, I bet you wouldn't have to

look that far before you could easily find yourself in this

picture. How many of us throw are pods in

while we're driving around town? So that way we don't have to

interact with the people that are in the car with us.

I find it incredibly ironic that tech companies are hiring

attention specialists. To create algorithms designed to

keep you and I scrolling while at the very same time, they are

sending their kids are, they're keeping their kids off of social

media and sending them to private schools that limit

technology. There are certain people that

are saying that in the future, there will be two classes, the

ruling class and the working class.

The ruling class will be comprised of people who stayed

off of social media limited their technology because they

will have developed problem-solving skills long

thinking skills because they have a longer attention span and

relational skills. And the working class will be

those who were on social media heavily, addicted to technology.

They have shorter attention, spans less relational skills.

There might be some of you right now who are doubting the

validity of our problem. You might be thinking, oh, this

is a problem for other people, but not in our wholesome,

Midwest communities. so we spent some time taking video of our

own kids I want you to see what they had to say.

Yes, yes. Yes, yeah.

Yes. I have a time limit on my

phones. Yeah, we do yep.

Yes, no, you are really, not really not usually, but

depending on the on the day, sometimes do that you are not

allowed to have screens during the weekend after school.

I'll an hour of straight, it's like, oh my iPad for 14 hours

and then, that's Done it says tons 30 minutes on my bed.

I'll get it from like 8:00 in the morning till like 8:00 at

night. Then I spent on Ethan this mini

mini 06 minutes. Okay, 07 can be 100 minutes.

Oh, that's a lot of minutes. Yes, yes, yes, yeah, yeah.

If we had some beer sometime ibises, I do feel like they

should follow these rules because sometimes my dad gets

lost. I feel like they should because

most of the time like after work danger, just get on the phone

and you still get Facebook, sir, it's not good for your eyes.

No they don't, but they should because they're on their phones,

like the whole day. No, because they could have

emergency calls and look and see a text when we get to forward

and stuff. All the time.

Pretty much all the time. Every a lot.

They're always on the phone for 24 hours.

My dad, all the time, playing Call of Duty, unless the dad,

but my dad tornado a lot, but he's fun of my mom who read

sometimes. Well, not often.

Probably like Facebook, her tank top, sometimes, Facebook,

actually, a lot of times Facebook and crack due to like

Games, by Dan games. Thank you.

Just go on Facebook and look at different things.

At what what people post To get away from me and my sister.

I don't know, but dictated to Facebook.

It's the only thing they do, you do it.

They're bored or they just don't, they don't know what to

do, because they have businesses.

And they have to take phone calls a lot, a surfboard, and

they don't get to it. A lot probably to get money for

all of us, and probably take a break because they had five kids

a game because they watch the thing that their YouTube phone,

No judging. We could have done those on all

kinds of kids, we all get it. So then we also sent out a

survey and we had you guys fill out the survey and then we had

your kids fill out a survey and I just want you to know what our

people us this is us but we're saying stats on kids ages, 10 to

20, they're averaging five hours and 14 minutes on a device.

Every single day, parents think their kids are spending three

hours and 22 minutes. So we're thinking they're

spending too much time on it, that's what I hear University

from parents and collectively. We think we're spending three

hours and 22 minutes and actuality go spend 5 hours and

14 minutes. That's their screen time.

But then, you know, it's not just one of the kids.

Let's look at older people to, let's look at the 20 and 30 year

olds for hours and 47 minutes. Let's look at the 30 year olds

for hours and five minutes. Don't worry, you know, as people

get older more mature, when people get into their 40s, Oh,

dang it, some of you right now. Are employers and going, hold on

a second. I think I might be paying for

some of that Facebook time. You are, you are 50 and 60 50 to

60, 3 hours and 34 minutes. All right, we'll probably it

gets, you know what about the 60 year?

Olds in our church, three hours and 17 minutes.

So I mean they've got the Fox News app which is awesome.

They're they're surviving. What about the 70k?

Two hours and 49 minutes. Okay.

I mean do we have any 80 plus people?

Oh my goodness the only difference is the 80 plus people

just fell asleep a little bit earlier like a they just take

that fell asleep. Mid scroll.

Okay. Okay here's another question.

We ask God bless you. We asked kids between ages 10

and 16 were asked, if they think their parents spend too much

time on their phone, fifty percent of them said, yes, let

me, let me speak to that for just a second.

I think it's hard for your kids to out you when somebody asks.

Question and I think there's a protective nature there.

We know this, right? If our screen time usage is in

the four to five hours a day. We know it's too much, right?

Let me, let me show you this one.

We had asked kids, would you rather have fun with Mom and Dad

or play on a device? 83% of them chose you?

17% of like, nope. Not not going to do it and

listen to me, not all of you are in the 17 percent.

Which means I know you're going, man.

I want to spend more time with my kid, just so, you know, your

kid actually wants to spend more time.

With you, check out this statistic 96, percent of your

kids, said they like doing fun things with you.

I don't know who this 4% is, but there are tough boot of their, a

tough group. Here's what I hear.

I hear parents saying my kids are always on their device.

I want to say two things to you one.

You are still the parent. God has ordained you to be the

head of your homes. And you can make decisions and

change the culture of your home. You have that Authority.

If you don't like it, you can change it.

They want to spend time with you, they would rather make a

memory with you then play on a device, that's what they're

saying. Second thing before you get too

upset at the amount of time that your kids are spending on their

device, realize that they are probably just mimicking.

How much time you are spending on your device.

So we asked these younger people.

Are we asked you in the survey to write a letter to your

younger younger, self about what you would tell your younger self

about technology and social media.

Look what they had to say. Dear younger self, don't get

social media. You will get attached and

compare yourself to others in your everyday life.

Love you this from a seventeen-year-old female.

How about this one? It's a terrible addiction.

That I wish I would have limited from the beginning.

You miss out on so much time with friends and family when

your nose is constantly in your phone, it's just not worth it.

Nineteen-year-old female in our church.

How about this one? From a 22 year old female.

I would warn my younger self about strangers on the internet.

Trying to contact you, that sounds like it's written from a

place of pain and experience. How about this one?

I have never wished. I spent more time on my phone.

I believe that one day I will wish I had all the time.

I spent looking at a screen back real relationships, real

interactions. And real experiences are the

things I treasure the most 40 year old male.

How about this one? From a four year old female.

You don't get a refund on time. Wasted time is precious and

valuable use it wisely. maybe you've seen it, someone driving

down the road and they are on their device and you're like,

that is so incredibly dangerous or how many of you if you're

getting ready for your heart surgery, your heart surgeon was

You would call that malpractice. You won't know it's the more

dangerous. Distracted parents addicted to

their phone instead of parenting and raising and investing in

their kids. That kind of neglect causes way

more harm to way more kids and way more Hearts.

You might be thinking that I'm getting ready to call for a

boycott. Nope, I'm not calling for that.

I'm calling for wisdom. Look what it says in Ephesians

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5, be very careful then how you live not as unwise but

as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are

evil. So what does wisdom look like?

We need what? Andy Crouch calls, a tech rule

of life. He actually wrote a book, it's

called tech-wise. Family are ready.

It a couple of years ago, it's a great read.

You can download it on your device.

So at least you can be redeemed, some of your device time.

Okay. I really would, I would

encourage you to read it. You're going to go on Clayton.

I don't have enough time. Listen, just take one day off of

screen time and you'll have plenty of time to read this book

but he has six main points that he pushes forward.

He's a Christian Author and I just want to take you through

five of them. This is what he says.

We use Tech to build our closest relationships.

His Tech rule of life or one of them to he says technology and

its proper place when it helps us bond with real people and

have that we have been given to love.

It is out of its proper place. When we end up bonding with

people at a distance like celebrities, whom we will never

meet He says, we are suffering from being over stimulated over

informed and under engaged when you.

And I know more things about what's happening, all over the

world and less about what's happening on our street, in our

neighborhood, or in our homes, Tech is out of its proper place

when I'm giving the most of my attention to that, which I have

little investment and little power to control.

And neglecting the areas where God has ordained me to have

maximum influence. We can use technology to stay

connected to people, who've moved away or to gather with

people over FaceTime and zoom. We can use it to keep up on

Milestone moments and celebrate accomplishments.

But if it gets in the way of the people that we are the closest

to it is out of bounds. He says, this, another rule, we

use technology to have healthy conversations.

Technology is in its proper place.

When it starts great conversations, it is out of its

proper place when it prevents us from talking with and to one

another when it gets in the way of us listening to what other

people are saying. Tech distracts us from being

good, conversational, partners and conversations.

On social media are almost always unhealthy.

People are either raging on social media or they are

engaging in self promotion. It is our own little stage where

we worship ourselves and ask other people to join in

sometimes to the pity of others. Have you ever noticed if you're

going to stay on social media for a while, I just want you to

take a look at this. Have you noticed that often

times on social media people fall into like three categories,

the either position themselves as the hero The sage or the

victim. Look at my accomplishment.

Look at my suffering. Look at how awesome of a mom.

I am. Look at how cool I am as a dad.

Hashtag, dad life. Look at my brilliant political

take, look at how smart I am. How sophisticated even though

nobody would have liked you to a school board.

Look at my duck face. Look at how glamorous my life

is. Look at how sophisticated I am.

Look at how brilliant Look at how bad my life is.

I've been so good, but my ex-husband's been so bad.

You know, we do, we frame ourselves.

Center Stage, we make ourselves out to be the god.

And we hop up on the altar. Waiting for everybody else to

Applause. But that God doesn't save.

We end up becoming more about pushing egotism and outrage to

all the people around us. However, what gets cut off is

the chance to engage and learn, and listen, and that can be

powerful. It's a great jumping-off point

to begin and Implement online learnings, and to implement them

in everyday life and relationships.

But how many of you have been talking to somebody?

You care about only for them. Not to hear what you said

because they were sucked into their device.

He says this, here's another rule will use Tech while

remaining mindful of our physical limits.

Ecology is in its proper place. When it helps us take care of

the fragile bodies that we inhabit.

It is out of its proper place when it when it promises to help

us escape the limits and vulnerabilities of our bodies.

All together. When Tech is causing us to lose

sleep, stay up late when it's turning our lives sedentary.

When it's making us constantly available to work, even on

weekends weeknights vacations, maybe some of you are working

now, it's not healthy. Statistics are in.

You should be trying to get eight hours of sleep.

And how many of you are not getting eight hours, because you

spent three hours. Then you wake up, less rested,

emotionally, you're not as healthy, mentally.

You're not as in shape which means that you are going to

bring a reduced version of yourself into your marriage,

into your parenting, or reduced version of yourself as a

co-worker friend. Boss manager leader, Was it

worth the sacrifice for you to scroll?

He says this another tech rule, we use tech for cultivation, not

consumption. Technology is in his proper

place when it helps us acquire or skill or Mastery of domains

that are for the glory of human culture.

But when we let technology replace the development of skill

with passive consumption, something has gone wrong.

This is a weird takeaway for me to give you, but I would

encourage you to this week watch the movie by Pixar.

Are called Wally. They escape this planet over

time. People become more, and more

dependent on technology, more and more obese, and less and

less happy. And I think when that movie came

out, we like yeah, that's a little scary.

I think if we watch it now, it will feel very much like we're

watching ourselves Far to summarize.

The point of that movie would be this Comfort doesn't build

character. Passivity doesn't build.

Courage luxury doesn't build wisdom.

And in the world ahead, our kids are going to need character and

courage and wisdom. Parents.

You and I are going to need character courage and wisdom.

What makes this era of technology?

So different is that our Tech is beginning to work by itself.

For all of human history Technologies, were things like

Farming, tools, and weapons, things that required our

engagement. Now, our house gets swept by

roombas while we sleep, our cars drive themselves or at least

some of them do. And now the algorithm is

designed to trap us. How about this one?

We use Tech to cherish the created World technology is in

its proper place when it helps us, cultivate all for the

created world around us and we are responsible to Steward.

It is out of its proper place when it keeps us from engaging

in the wild and wonderful natural world.

With all of our senses, this one's self explanatory, go for a

walk. Leave your phone, every

experience doesn't have to be documented shared, an experience

secondhand through a screen. Let me prove it to you.

This is how weird we've become if I were to meet up with you in

the lobby after service and start walking you through my

phone of all of my pictures. Look at this one.

Look at this one. Look at this one.

Look at this one. You would be bored that fast.

I take those same pictures. Put them on your phone for you

to scroll through and you'll stay There for hours.

You remember, a couple of years ago, everything was hashtag, my

perfect wedding. Every person who got married had

their own hashtag. Now, you know what people are

doing, leave your phone in the car and be in the moment with

us. If we're going to do this you

and I we need a plan, we need a filter.

This is the filter on want us to use First Corinthians chapter

1 Corinthians 10 · chapter mention

10. This one, it says, I've

highlighted your part. I have the right to do anything

you say, but not everything is. Yeah, you guys got it.

I have the right to do anything but not everything is no one

should seek their own good but the When you're getting ready to

leverage your technology, this is your filter.

Is it beneficial? Is it constructive?

Is it for the good of others? when you think about technology,

And you think about your marriage?

It's beneficial. it's a constructive but the good of

others when you think about your parenting, One of the most

precious responsibilities you have.

This afternoon me being on my phone for four hours as a

father. Is that beneficial to my boys?

Is it constructive for their character?

Is it for their good? Some of you your marriage and

you're struggling with intimacy. Maybe.

Your social media isn't beneficial.

To your sex life. It's not constructive for you

building intimacy. It's not for the good of them.

I think about you being a friend.

Beneficial constructive. Good of others.

I want you to run your technology usage through this

filter. First Corinthians 10, get it

tattooed right here. So when you get ready to scroll,

it's just always looking at you being weird tattoo, but, you

know, if you get it and does not cost more than like 30 bucks,

I'll pay for it. Okay, this week.

Here's what we're asking you to do.

I want you to do a family challenge.

We've got a challenge for those of you who have kids in the

early childhood area, we're going to put on a fun night for

you. At our locations, we will take

the pictures. You put your phone down and make

memories if you're in the elementary age and fuse age for

Junior High kids. We're going to have you do a

family meal night, you're going to go to the store.

You're going to purchase the stuff, we've even got a menu for

you and then you're going to make the meal together.

You're going to keep your phones down and hang out.

You'll remember a couple of years ago.

Even last year, we did like no technology nights.

I need you to hear me say this. It is the most requested thing

in my house. My kids love no technology

nights. You know why?

Because they get a dad. And they get a mom.

Who are doing things that are beneficial constructive and for

their good high school kids, we want you to go out for a meal

and leave your phone in the car. No one cares.

What you ate. We don't.

Okay listen parents high school kids, can I give you extra

credit? Consider doing a digital detox,

30 days, off social media. I will do it with you.

I finished preaching my sermon on Thursday and while everyone

was at the steps of praying, I deleted all of my social media

and YouTube apps off of my phone, crazy things happened.

I was a guy who was a power user on my phone so I had to charge

it every day. I charged it on Friday, I'm

still at like 40% like I'm you know, I'm going green okay.

I'm saving the world. One iPhone charge at a time, you

know price God for me. Okay, when you get done with the

30 day detox, One hour a day, one day a week, one week a year,

peel off social media put limits on yourself.

I'm not saying this stuff isn't good.

I'm saying it's just gotten out of bounds if you're a parent.

Hear me, you need to have greater app, awareness.

You need to look at life 360. You need to think through the

parental control settings, on your kids.

Phones set up restrictions and scream time limits, get

permission to download apps on the settings.

If you have questions about that, talk to one of the

pastor's here at our church and so you might be going.

But Clayton like if I go off social media for 30 days, how

will I know what's happening in the world and how I know what's

happening at church? Church, let me tell you

something. If it's really bad news, you'll

hear about it. But most of the news you get

shoved, doesn't matter. 24 hours from now.

I have no clue what's happening in the world right now.

I know that my wife loves me. I know that I've got milk at

home, you guys are at church and the food I ate last night does

not agree with my stomach and I'm praying with my way through

this sermon, okay? That's what I know.

They'll Vita scotchies and meet no bueno.

Never having that again. That's what I know right now.

And just so you know I'm happy as can be, I'm on the edge but

I'm happy. Okay.

I'm I'm telling you. You will be okay.

You are getting. I'm not a conspiracy theorist,

but you are getting crammed news as entertainment.

If something really bad happens, you'll find out.

Tornadoes have sirens. Like you'll be okay.

What about for church? How are you how are you going to

know what's happening? Just so, you know, we send you

emails semi-regularly, check your junk folder.

You'll find out all the things we've been trying to do for you.

Okay, just go. Hey this isn't junk anymore and

you'll have information. You need to hear me say this.

We have decided as a church, our strategy going forward is we

will continue to maintain a strong vibrant, social media

presence. Why?

Because that is where the people we are trying to reach are at

The people we are trying to minister to the people that are

looking for a little bit of help and a little bit of hope.

We want to make sure that we are a part of that conversation.

If you see something posted on my account over the next couple

weeks, you didn't do the 30 day detox.

Gotcha. Second thing is, it wasn't me?

It was somebody on our team, leveraging.

It, I'm out for the next 30 days.

I'm doing it with you because I don't want you to feel like you

have to do it alone. We believe that there is a

better way for you to live your life parents and grandparents

only to hear me have Grace here. There are going to be real with

drawers with our kids if they go through a detox or you start.

Limit their screen time because they are actually addicted.

There are chemical issues at play.

You need to be intentional with the time.

You have with them put a game plan together.

Go buy some board games do chores together so you can stir

up conversations. Couple years ago, I showed you a

photo that I'm going to show you in just a second, someone was

commissioned to come up with a art installation that was

indicative of Our Generation. And this is what he came up

with. The art installation is in

Amsterdam. It's called absorbed by light.

the artist was saying This Is Us and people go ironically and

they sit in between them and they take a picture for them to

post for other people to do this with And while we could easily

point the finger at them, I think probably the thing we

should do is go. Isn't this us?

Was this your last night? Was this your last week?

It stinks to be a part of second service because if you have an

iPhone, you got your screen report.

Tim Cook is already told you over, I'm right.

It should convict us. All, why are we saying all this?

Because we want to be in your corner.

We want to be in this with you deep down inside.

I think, you know, that we are right and deep down inside.

I think you want something better.

Look what it says in Hebrews chapter 12.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great,

cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and

the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with

perseverance, the race marked out for us.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith

for the joy set, before him, he endured the cross.

Scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the Throne

of God you and I have been called to a glorious Life.

By God our creator. We have been purchased ransomed

and Redeemed by his son Jesus Christ and we have the

indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish his

mission. We were meant, and made and

saved for so much more than scrolling.

We Were Made for More. And every single one of you,

myself included need to start living up to our god ordained

calling. He says, throw off everything

that hinders, you know what that phrase is?

It's a weight loss phrase. When someone's getting ready to

run, you've shed the weight. It was talking about people who

are getting ready to compete in the games and they're like, look

I got to lose this. If I'm going to run as fast as I

want pretty soon, it's going to be warm enough where all the

runners come out. And you can tell the difference

between the serious runners in the pretend Runners.

Because the serious Runners are basically naked because they

just don't want, that's why I'm not a serious Runner.

Okay, that's all there is to it that and I hate running.

Those are the two reasons why I'm not a runner the clothes.

and the Running part and people will trim down because you don't

want to carry excess weight on a race that matters the most Throw

off. Question is your technology

usage await on your walk? Is it an unnecessary weight in

the race of your marriage? The race of your parenting, the

race of God's calling on your life.

Maybe we need to throw some of it off.

And I wonder, how many of us are having a hard time living the

life that God called us to, because we have not fixed our

eyes on the author and Perfecter of our faith, we have fixed our

eyes on our phones, And when you've sinned and messed up and

you need grace, and mercy, you won't find it in Silicon Valley.

You won't find it in an algorithm.

You will only find it in a savior.

When your life is in a tailspin and you need direction, you need

a North star. You will not find that in your

phone but you can and you will find it in Jesus.

And when you find yourself in the darkest Valley, You won't

find the Hope or the help that you need in your phone but you

will find it in Jesus. Fixing our eyes on him.

And I don't think you'll regret it.

We're moving to a time of decision if you are here and you

have never started an intimate personal relationship with Jesus

Christ. You are why this church exists.

Because we found him and we've never gotten over it.

And I know, for some of you, you might be going, there's a lot of

challenges in my life. There's a lot of things going

on. And there's some Perfect Day in

the future. When I'll be able to begin that

relationship, with Jesus that day is just not today.

I just need you to hear me say, that is just not how it works.

You don't fix you before you get to Jesus, you will get to Jesus,

and you allow him to do the fixing.

You allow him to the redeeming, you allow him to do.

The saving. And maybe you've been here and

you've watched everybody else, start that relationship with

Jesus Christ and it's just never been your day.

I want you to know that today can be that day.

That you take your life and you surrender it to the saving work

and the lordship work of Jesus Christ.

And the testimony of this church, not just here, but in

all of our different locations and all of those watching online

Universal, testimony of our church, is that the greatest

decision we ever made was making Jesus Christ.

Our Lord and Savior and our biggest regret is you we didn't

do it sooner. And we believe that when you

find, what we found in him that you would agree.

And so if you have questions about what that is or what that

looks like in just a few moments, while the people around

you stand and sing, there's gonna be somebody right over

there by the baptistry. Who would love an opportunity to

talk with you about it. To the rest of you in the room.

The Christians. We have been given a glorious

mission. An opportunity to participate

with God himself in his redeeming work.

How many heartbeats do you have left?

How many breaths do you have left?

Because for the crossing, I don't know how many beats your

heart beats and 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Every day. And I don't know how many

breaths get chewed up in that timeframe every single day, but

that is what we are spending on this.

I heard people say now I just want to be a great Christian.

I just I just don't have time to read my Bible.

All right. What if he just shaved your

phone usage down 24 hours. Man, I wish I had time to pray

more. I'm just so busy.

So busy you crayon. Five hours of scrolling in. what

if there are people who are close to you, who need real

Godly answers a real Godly example, But the people God has

placed this in our lives are looking to us to be the light.

Instead we've been distracted by the Light.

On our phone. I think.

I think we were made for more. I think the mission that he's

called us to is worthy of our investment and his cause is

worthy of advancement. I think your marriage needs it.

Your relationships are aching for it and your kids require it

from us. So, here's what I'm asking you

to do. Come up here at some point in

time during the next couple songs and we have these that we

have the challenges up here, they're labeled by age group.

Would you just be willing to spend a little bit of time on

your knees going? God, I want to surrender this

area. My life to your lordship God, I

want you to help me run my life and my technology usage through

this filter. God, I want to be a change agent

in my home. I know some of you after talking

to first service, some of you were really pumped about the

sermon and your kids were not Yeah, well it's going to take

time. But let's go on this journey

together. Let's make it count.

Would you join me in that you stand heavenly father.

Thank you for loving us and never giving up on us and God

thank you for giving us the power to make the changes that

we know we need to make God be with this church.

As we try to become a place that makes you proud help us.

Not to squander Our Lives. God, give us the strength and

courage to live out our convictions.

Because so much is in the balance and I pray, amen.

Because so much is in the balance and I pray, amen.