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Picking up the Blitz

Recognizing & Countering the Technology Rush in Our Homes

Tim Keeter

timkeeter@gmail.com

How today’s parents recall their first computer How your kids may recall their first computer

The Home Network (1990s)

modem internet

The Home Network (now)

internet modem wireless router home entertainment centers mobile devices gaming consoles computers printer

• I. The World in Which We Live
• A. What has changed?

• I. The World in Which We Live
• A. What has changed?

• I. The World in Which We Live
• 1. The good

• I. The World in Which We Live
• 2. The bad

• I. The World in Which We Live
• B. What hasn’t changed?

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

• Mt. 28:19–20

II. Our Relationships

• A. Our relationship with God and others

“ ‘AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

• Mk. 12:30–31

Others exist for:

• God’s glory

So I will:

• Love
• Serve
• Evangelize
• Edify

* Adapted from Scott, Stuart, From Pride to Humility, p. 22

A God-Centered Perspective

* Adapted from Scott, Stuart, From Pride to Humility, p. 11

A Self-Centered Perspective

My sinful desire for others to:

• Please me
• Serve me
• Respect me
• Meet my needs

Selective obedience

• He is here for me

False Worship

• A god of my own making

So I will:

• Judge
• Criticize
• Impress
• Manipulate

II. Our Relationships

• B. The local church

– The leadership is provisioned to watch over your soul (Acts 20:28; 1 Pe. 5:2; Heb. 13:17) and to set examples to follow – Compassion and help is ever present (Gal. 6:1; 1 Thes. 5:13b-15)

“The deep limitations of digital technologies become evident where the church is most needed.”

Al Mohler

II. Our Relationships

• B. The local church

– The local church is designed by Christ to help develop gifts so that believers may become loving, generous people – The teaching ministry of the church is essential to the evangelism and sanctification process

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home
• Don’t be in a hurry – think it through with

disciplined discernment

• A. Educate

– Why do they want it? What do they intend to do with it? – What does the device/software say it will do? – Research what their peers actually do with it – How might it influence your lives?

* Ref: Tim Challies, The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, 136-137.

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home
• B. Establish boundaries
• 1. The time they dedicate to the device/software
• 2. The way in which they use it

* Ref: Tim Challies, The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, 136-137.

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home
• C. Mentor

– Watch/observe them to ensure they are using it well – Instruct and explain what they are doing well – Help them with they (inevitably) make poor decisions

* Ref: Tim Challies, The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, 136-137.

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home
• D. Supervise

– Do not give them full/unlimited/unmonitored access

• E. Review

– Make sure they can eventually articulate expectations and wisdom

• F. Model

– Intentionally provide a clear example of disciplined discernment in your life – Model restraint: own your devices/software … not the other way around

* Ref: Tim Challies, The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, 136-137.

• III. Introducing New Technology into the Home
• G. Trust

– As they grow and demonstrate trustworthiness, give them more trust & express greater confidence in them

* Ref: Tim Challies, The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion, 136-137.

• IV. Social Media
• A. How social media deceives*
• 1. Promotes a false sense of intimacy
• 2. Lures into isolation
• 3. Gives a false sense of intelligence
• 4. Gives a false sense of image/importance

* Ref: Tom Patton, The American Media & Your Marriage, gracechurch.org audio, 1/20/13 – 2/3/13.

• IV. Social Media
• B. Exposing the heart
• 1. Love of escape
• From the rigors of life in a fallen world
• cf. Ps. 55:6-8  16,22
• 2. Fear of man
• Love of esteem from others

– Over-anxious concern about what others think

• Unwise choice of companions
• cf. Gal. 1:10; Jer. 17:5-8
• cf. Pro. 13:20; 18:24
• cf. Pro 7:21-23; 20:19; 26:28; 29:5

• IV. Social Media
• 3. Pride
• Hyper-critical of others
• Lacks genuine compassion/concern

for others

• Unforgiving spirit/bitterness
• cf. Jas. 4:6
• 4. Coveting
• Getting caught up in everyone’s

“hype”

• Looking to the world for satisfaction

and fulfillment  Discontentment

• cf. Phil. 4:4, 11-13; 2 Co. 10:12

• IV. Social Media
• C. Watch for:
• 1. Preference for virtual relationships
• 2. Deception
• 3. Negligent towards serving others
• 4. Turning to social media as a “false refuge”
• 5. Avoiding hard work
• 6. Poor stewardship of money and time
• 7. Not seeking wisdom/accountability

from parents, church leadership, etc.

• 8. Susceptibility to predators
• 9. Does not consider the

harvest of current actions

• IV. Social Media

• IV. Social Media

• V. Gaming
• A. Exposing the heart
• 1. Love of escape
• From the rigors of life in a fallen world
• cf. Ps. 55:6-8  16,22
• 2. Love of pleasure
• To experience what he thinks

he has been denied

• cf. Eph. 4:17-24
• cf. 1 Ti. 6:11-12
• 3. Love of control
• Desires to be their own “god” (idolatry)
• cf. Pro. 3:5-7; Jas. 4:6

• V. Gaming
• B. Watch for:
• 1. Preference for virtual relationships
• 2. Sinful attitude towards those who displease them
• 3. Negligent towards serving others
• 4. Unwholesome (sinful) speech
• 5. Turning to games as a “false refuge”
• 6. Avoiding hard work
• 7. Poor stewardship of money and time
• 8. Questionable game

content

• VI. Pornography
• A. Initial responses to those “caught”
• 1. Don’t panic
• 2. Keep the circle of information as small as possible
• 3. Gather data
• 4. Seek wise counsel

• VI. Pornography
• B. Reprove

– Corruption of perceptions & expectations – Corruption of your relationship with God – Corruption of your relationship with others – Corruption of your testimony – Corruption of your habits

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the

• ne who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap

eternal life.

• Ga. 6:7–8

• VI. Pornography
• C. Correct
• 1. Guide them through biblical repentance
• Correct with gentleness & humility (Gal. 6:1ff)

For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 2 Co. 7:11

• VI. Pornography
• 2. Maintain a comprehensive biblical strategy

My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; That you may observe discretion and your lips may reserve knowledge.

• Pr. 5:1–2

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

(Ps. 16:11)

“I should never even want to view pornography or to have sex with someone who is not my spouse (real or imagined).” easy path hard path

• VI. Pornography
• a. A pattern of biblical thinking

– Learn how to recognize lust & quickly confess it – Learn to quickly divert your eyes & speak truth to yourself – Memorize & meditate upon Scripture that helps you: » hate lust » love righteousness, grace, & mercy » better know & love the person & works of God

• VI. Pornography

Proverbs 5 1 Ti. 5:1-2

• Pro. 26:11
• Phil. 4:8

PRAISEWORTHY

• The good

in God & what He has done for me PURE

• Filling

your mind with thoughts

• f God

EXCELLENT

• How you

can serve God &

• thers

NOBLE

• Important
• Vs. trivial

TRUE

• Vs. false or

fantasy

• VI. Pornography

– Develop a biblical theology of sex and sexual desire

• VI. Pornography
• b. Stewardship of time

– Eliminate time alone with technologies – Order a schedule around biblical priorities (e.g., time with God, time with family, loving the church, serving others, academic responsibilities, hard work/chores, etc.)

• VI. Pornography
• c. Eliminate access to pornography

“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.”

• Mt. 5:29–30

• VI. Pornography

i. Provide loving accountability a) Inspect what you expect b) Use software and other tools to assist you

• ii. Help them develop disciplines that they will

understand how to keep even when they leave your home

• VI. Pornography
• iii. When addressing how much to

restrict each person’s access, consider: a) Age & spiritual maturity

» How aware are they of the potential for abuse/sin? » How concerned are they about that potential? » What is their attitude about the restrictions?

b) Sinful tendencies (past and present)

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

(Ps. 16:11)

“I should never even want to view pornography or to have sex with someone who is not my spouse (real or imagined).” easy path hard path

Picking up the Blitz

Recognizing & Countering the Technology Rush in Our Homes

Tim Keeter

timkeeter@gmail.com