Nutritional Supplements For 30 Day Media Fast

READ: Psalm 119:1-8  (Actually Ps. 119:1-176)

THINK:  What a great goal to go without something for thirty days!  A Media Fast!  Great idea and a great goal!  But let me give you a little hint: "When you go without something that you really like, you DESIRE IT EVEN MORE!"  UNLESS...???  Quite a few years ago in my High School days I would lose weight for wrestling.  Every week I had to lose between 10 -15 pounds to make the weight I was wrestling.  So I would go without food -- no hamburgers, no French fries, no fried chicken, no Pepsi, no cake, no mash potatoes, no desserts, no hotdogs, no pizza.  I wouldn't even chew gum (unless I would be sure to spit all the juice out) for fear I would swallow abd gain weight.  Ewww! GROSS!  Then it would be time to "weigh-in" for my weight class -- usually an hour or so before I was to wrestle.  And when I made weight, then I would go eat...ummm. NO!  I WOULD GORGE MYSELF EATING!  I needed to eat.

OKAY!  So here is my point.  You've made a commitment to go without secular media.  Good!  Are you plans to go back to the world's influences in its media attack?  Don't do it. Supplement what the world wants you to engorge in with a steady diet of God's Word, now.  Psalm 119 is a fantastic chapter all about the blessings and benefits of God's Word.  Yea, I know it is sooo long!  One hundred and seventy-six verses long -- 5 whole pages of Bible reading!  Ok, I know, but....you got time now. Don't you.  You're not listening to your tunes anyway.

DO: I found that when I read and then the next day read Psalm 119 again, and then the next day read it again....I began to get charged with a greater desire for God's Word.  I discovered God really showing me His Word and really dealing with who I was and with what He wants me to do.  Take the time....read Psalm 119.  BTW! Every verse (almost) is power-packed with a dramatic truth about God's Word, the Bible.  Bon Appetit!

Day 16

CONGRATULATIONS! on making it this far in your Media Fast. It feels good, doesn't it!? There is something not only spiritually liberating about being pure (that is what happens when you turn away from the influences of the world) but there is an inner spiritual power that can now be realized, as well. You probably understood little about the overwhelming influences and defilements that the world's media had over you. That was before you started this fast. But now you know. Now you can sense the difference - more purity now - more spiritual sensitivity now - more in tune with your Savior, Jesus Christ NOW! WOW! And that is POWERFUL!

So, today consider Matt. 15:17-20

"Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this
defiles a person.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.
But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Jesus is telling us that what we allow to go into our hearts will be the determining factor for what comes out of our mouths. Okay now reread that passage and meditate on how it is true with you. Note the difference you can sense now because of the Media Fast. After you have spent a little time on how God has been rescuing you from the world's influences and defilements, spend twice that amount of time PRAISING THE LORD FOR HIS VICTORY!

... and again CONGRATULATIONS!


- Russ Matzke (Matt's dad)

Day 10

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." - Matthew 6:16

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face," - Matthew 6:17

There are a number of passages of Scripture that speak concerning "fasting". Typically they all speak about going without food. None of them refer to going without any media. Hmmmmm Interesting. In the Scriptures "fasting" was always means of self-sacrifice for THE GLORY OF GOD! Now I know that there are probably a lot of us out there that it would be very healthy for us to skip a meal or two and to go without snacks for a week or so. But "good health" was not the reason God created "fasting". Jesus did not "fast" for 40 days just to prove He could do it or to lose some unflattering pounds. So doing a 30-day Media Fast, although probably a good thing spiritually - no "R" rated movies, no gratuitous sexually explicit TV shows, no authority-questioning tunes, etc. - it should not primarily be for our own spiritual well-being. No question we will be much better off, spiritually, by always avoiding the subtle impact of the world's seductions in the media. But I encourage you "Don't make your OWN spiritual benefit your PRIMARY PURPOSE to do this Media Fast. Give some prayerful thought to 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Therefore, whether, you eat or drink. or whatever you do, do ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD." My prayer for each of you that continue faithful in this Media Fast is that God will receive ALL the Honor and Glory. God Bless!

-Russ Matzke