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Pray for our youth and text the teens you love that you are praying for them.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Ps 103:13-14)

IFA editor’s note: Praying for the nation should include praying for our youth, who will be the leaders of tomorrow. As we pray for our youth, it is important to understand what their lives are like. Pray for strong connections to develop among Christian teens and for them to be different, reaching out to their peers with real friendship and caring. And use texting as a tool to pour into and encourage the teens you love. Not sure how to intercede for the teens in your life? Download our prayer guide: Praying for Students. Leave a comment to share how you are praying for and encouraging the teens in your life.

More than two-thirds of teens say they would rather communicate with their friends online than in person, according to a new study that comes as tech companies are trying to help parents and children monitor the time spent online.

The study, from the nonprofit Common Sense Media, is an update of a similar survey conducted in 2012 that was one of the first to document the influence of digital media on teens. It lands as Silicon Valley’s technology titans—including Facebook Inc., Apple Inc. andAlphabet Inc.’s GOOGL 0.90% Google—are trying to address rising parental concerns about whether too much screen time can be hurtful.

“You can’t help but say, ‘Is there something big going on here?’—some fundamental shift in the way people will be communicating with each other in the future,” said Vicky Rideout, principal at VJR Consulting, the co-author and lead researcher on the project.

Ms. Rideout noted two other survey findings. The first was a rise in the percentage of teens—to 54%, from 44% six years ago—who say their devices distract them when “I should be paying attention to the people I’m with.” The other finding indicated that a sizable percentage of teens, 44%, say they are frustrated with friends for being on their phones so much when they are together.

“I start to wonder are we getting into some negative feedback loop. You’re distracted with people when you’re with them, and they’re distracted, and it isn’t as fun in person so you’d rather be communicating online,” Ms. Rideout said.

Common Sense, based in San Francisco, promotes safe media and technology for children.

The new study also highlights the increasing frequency of social-media use among teens, 89% of whom now say they have smartphones compared with 41% six years ago. Now, 70% of teens say they use social media more than once a day compared with 34% six years ago; 38% say they are on social media multiple times an hour, and 16% say they use it almost constantly.

“The good news is [teens] are much more aware of its impact—both the good and the bad—than they were a few years ago,” said Jim Steyer, Common Sense chief executive, in an interview. “The bad news is they prefer to communicate with each other online rather than face to face. As a parent and educator, I find that very troubling.” …

“These updated estimates of teens’ social-media use are helpful because they show how common it is for teens to be checking social media several times per hour or per day,” said Dr. Jenny Radesky, a University of Michigan assistant professor of pediatrics, who specializes in developmental and behavioral health.

That is significant, she said, in light of a July article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that suggested a link between heavy media use—including frequently checking social media—and the emergence in teens of symptoms of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

She said there have also been recent reports of rising ADHD rates in U.S. children. “That’s only one study so far,” Dr. Radesky said, “but I think it shows that we need to dig deeper into how the frequent split attention, instant gratification and emotional arousal that stem from media use might be influencing teens’ thinking processes.”

(Excerpted from The Wall Street Journal, reporting by Betsy Morris.)

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DAVID OLIVER
September 15, 2018

We all were created to worship and praise God the Father in Heaven. Parents Responsibilities to lead how their children shall go. We should keep our minds on thee. Unforgiveness and failure to stay connected to the true vine its sowing ungodly fruit that cannot bear any branches must be cut off. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved! When we are not sure what or how to pray we should ask God and He will intercede for you.

Speaking and reading the word of God will guard and protect you from spiritual and carnal things. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenesses, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Everything that’s wrong within our nation is a failure to stay connected to the true vine and the gardener.

I pray that our nation will start and continue prayer sessions praying until strongholds are broken against anything that is not part of the plan and purpose for our nation and its peoples. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Scripture Reference: Romans 12:1; Genesis 1:26-28; Isaiah 26:3; 1John 1:7-9; Hebrews 4:12; John 15:1,5; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Romans 8:26-28; Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 2:12-13; Galatians 5: 17-25; John 3:16-17

stella
September 14, 2018

Pray the Word of God over our families, leaders that we may live peaceable lives. Ephesians 6:10-24 instructs us to put on the whole armor of God, because the battle is not against flesh/blood. It’s spiritual, i.e. put on the helmet (keep our minds, focused on God, in peace)of salvation. 2 Kings 6:17-20(KJV)
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
RECENT foreign embassy workers were returned to US soil due to some(?)high frequency waves damaged/scrambled their brain. So yes in today’s tech cover our youth, commit their being/keeping to God. and we do.

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