Some Weeds - Music, Movies, Machines, and Men

Ephesians 5:8-9  "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)"

Last week we were thinking about how our children are little gardens. This week I wanted to post this message by Bro. Ron Ralph. He points out some weeds that we may pass over not being for sure if they are a weed or a plant. Remember in the last post we saw that sometimes when the boys or my husband are helping me in the garden I have to tell them what are weeds and what are plants, well Bro Ron Ralph can help us identify some of those weeds in our children's lives.
Music, Movies, Machines, and Men
Approximately twenty years ago, I was given a great opportunity. I was asked to
speak to all the teachers and staff of every school in our county. My text was Psalm
127:4, which says, “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of
the youth.” I tried to convey to the teachers the great worth of children and the
enormous influence each teacher had on those children. That experience led to
another opportunity which would allow me to address what I considered to be some
of the DANGERS of our day, especially concerning our youth. For this occasion, I
titled my message: “Music, Movies, Machines, and Men.” Please consider these very
brief comments as I reflect on what I taught two decades ago, before the technology
had advanced to its’ present form.

 2 Kings 3:15  "But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him."

I – Music – I am baffled that so many adults fail to see the danger of “un-
Christian” music. You need to hear this – MUSIC HAS A SPIRIT BEHIND IT, IN IT,
AND THROUGH IT! I am not talking about Rock or Rap, I am talking about ALL
MUSIC. Do not forget, Satan is very subtil. Rock and Rap is not a problem for most
serious minded Christians. But there is plenty of music that by comparison appears
“safe.” However, a steady diet of that music will lead to a fleshy, carnal, sensual
spirit. It is a spirit that invites trouble and hinders the Holy Spirit of God. BEWARE OF
UN-CHRISTIAN MUSIC! (Eph.5:19; Col.3:16; 1 Sam.16:23; 2 K. 3:15)

Psalms 101:3  "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."

II – Movies – You will rarely see a movie that is not “backed-up” by music! That
alone is cause for concern. But beyond that, once again, the subtil nature of our
enemy is evident in Hollywood. I am equally baffled on this subject as so many
parents allow their children to watch what would have been rated “R” when I was a
child. As I hear children talk about the movies they watch, I ask myself if the parents
are ignorant (naïve), uncaring, or just lazy! While I would say some are truly
ignorant (not realizing the danger), and some may even be uncaring (they just don’t
care enough about the spiritual well being of the child), my personal guess is that
most of the problem is LAZINESS. Television (including video movies) has become
the “baby-sitter” and replaced the instruction of the father and the law of the
mother. (Ps.101:3; Lam.3:51; Ezek.23)

Luke 8:14  "And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."

III – Machines – When I taught this material twenty years ago, it was a warning
about the television and what would now be considered archaic video games. Today,
I would have to include computers, dvd players, cell phones, and a list I can’t even
spell. I could give you lots of scripture on this subject and address what these
“machines” of our day are doing to the minds of our youth, but I’ll simply tell you
one of the most obvious problems. Modern technology is working hand in hand with
modern society to destroy healthy relationships! People don’t talk, they text. They
eat meals while watching television. They sit around with their ears plugged with
something coming out of one of these machines. What might be a decent tool (like a
cell phone) is usually nothing but a toy. America has too many toys! And we don’t
own them, they own us! (2 Tim.3:4; Luke 8:14; Deut. 8:11-14 and 28:47.)

IV – Men – A wise man once said you can tell a lot about a society by the people they esteem.

 Psalm 12:8 says, “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.”

 The heroes of our colonial days in America were military heroes and
spiritual heroes. Today, in a society that loves pleasure more than God, our heroes
are athletes, musicians, and movie stars! And most of them are vile – morally very
loose! What has all this produced to this point and what will it produce in the future?
Time will tell, but for certain, we are seeing the development of the most SELFcentered,
lazy, dependant, shallow society that America has ever known. (Ps.12:8;
Pr.24:1 and 28:7; 2 Chron.19:2; 1 Cor.15:33 and Ezek.11:12).

America is in serious trouble. God’s people have become so “entangled” in the
affairs of this life, that now many of them don’t even see the dangers. May God help
us to “look unto Jesus” and may the things of this earth grow strangely dim in the
light of His glory and grace!