Effects of the Media: Part 4 -- The Great Escape

After witnessing so much evil promoted via the media, I have to wonder why it is so alluring to people. Why do people abandon the path of the Lord and willingly follow a cheap imitation of life? I believe most of it has to do with wanting to escape the pressures of life itself, especially a life of righteousness. Since the rise of the hand-held media, humans have been escaping the need to self-reflect and sit quietly for a while. I rarely witness a person sitting quietly without earplugs or an iPod or a video game. The thought of sitting still and not doing anything but thinking or praying is terrifying to a great number of people. Why is this? Well, why should they when they can be amused and avoiding the nagging suspicion that something is missing in their life? They can attempt the fill the gaping hole in their heart with what the media claims will "complete" them, like sex or materialism.

These are the results of a culture saturated by godless media, who eagerly promote sin and a "freeing" escape from righteousness:

• Instead of focusing on God, people focus on how to get away with breaking rules.

• Instead of focusing on what makes a Godly relationship, people focus on how to improve the pleasure for self.

• Instead of self-reflecting, people distract themselves with media and consumerism.

• Instead of living life, people live it vicariously through a godless character.

Where does it lead these people? To a life of bondage, sin, and oppression and eventually -- Hell, the final and ultimate separation from God. This seems really dramatic, but it is the sad truth of our culture. We must be passionate about setting people free just as Jesus was.

Luke 4:17-21 "And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
²⁰And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Discussing the effects of the media has been a horrifying and eye-opening experience. Not wanting to sound redundant, I will shy away from replacing "Lust" with every other sin the media shamelessly promotes and leave you with the gist of my findings: Proverbs 5:1-9 (imagine the 'adulteress' as the media -- who abandon the ideals of God and all the good they could do and leap willingly into bed with Satan)

^"1My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;
²That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.
³For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
⁴But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
⁶She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
⁷Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
⁸Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,
⁹Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;"

Hopefully if you've read my previous blogs on the Effects of the Media you will see how the media twists the Truth to ensnare souls. I do not suggest that as Christians, we should permanently avoid the media; however, take great discretion and care when allowing doses of potential poison to enter your mind. The eye does not readily forget what it has seen and the lasting impressions of an alluring sinful life may tempt a soul to the point of sin.

May it never be! May we never encourage this evil to continue.

If you currently find yourself ensnared by the media -- whether with an un-Biblical mindset, relationship, or means of entertainment -- and want to escape it, there is a way out. While the media offers a cheap imitation of life as an escape, Jesus Christ is the Great Escape from all evil and unrighteousness. Call upon Him in all humility and grace to rid your life of sin. There is no sin too big to be forgiven, and there is no sin too great to escape immediately. Even if you have been addicted to porn for years, you can be set free by committing your whole heart and mind to the path of the Lord. Take heart in knowing that "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 Confess your sin to God and tell of your struggles to a trusted Christian. You are never alone; Jesus was given to set us free. John 8:36: "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

Amen.

Effects of the Media: Part 3 -- "Femininity" and (de)Masculinity

Similar to the topic of love, the roles of men and women in today's society is worthy of a string of blogs. I will concentrate on the direct effect of the media on the portrayal of roles and shy away from the controversial topics of equality and leadership. I think we will all agree that America changed its views on the roles of men and women in society quite often in the past century. While some changes brought liberation to the enslaved, more recent and disturbing changes are bringing the "land of the free" into a lifestyle of sin and extreme unhappiness.

Media portrayal as it relates to intimate relationships

Women are only considered mature when they are sexual objects, to be conquered and appraised. Women should appreciate the attention, as it gives them a better selection of mates. Do you ever notice that female child stars will not be given older roles in movies unless they "put out" first? Female singers dress like strippers and the ultimate beauty contest has women walking around in bikinis onstage. The mark of a woman's worth is her transparent sexuality.

Young men are typically portrayed as glamorous womanizers, marking their masculinity by "conquering" the most females. Middle-aged men are shown as disgruntled and sexually dissatisfied husbands who seek elsewhere to fulfill their needs; the majority of movies and TV shows I have seen portray this in a negative light, but this behavior has become more socially acceptable in recent years on TV and real life.

Consequences: I already discussed some consequences of a sex-drenched media in my earlier blog, "Effects of the Media: Part 2 -- Warped Love and Sexuality". Among the divorce rates and rampant rise in sexually transmitted diseases, there is an insatiable thirst for sex. Sex was never meant to be the thing to base a relationship on or to find fulfillment in; however, our society has made everything sexual in a vain attempt to find lasting satisfaction. Sex is glamorized in the media and gives people a false sense of its true purpose and function, ultimately disappointing the millions who believed it to be a necessary and lasting proponent of a relationship. ^"15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Titus 1:15-16

Media portrayal as it relates to work and the home

Women must react against the chauvinist pigs and propel their worthiness by refusing to be "just a mother". Women must hold down a demanding job while nearly single-handedly rearing their children into responsible adults. They typically feel resentment toward their husband, who is either too focused on his career or not enough. This leaves the wives feeling unappreciated and overwhelmed with juggling duties. The wife finds solace in asserting her intelligence; after all, what are husbands good for if she does it all?

Men are inept at raising children and allow the children to do precisely what the mother said not to do, as long as they keep it a secret. The men feel trapped in a career they no longer love and must remain in it to support the growing family and the demands of a materialistic life; conversely, they love their career too much and neglect their family emotionally while providing for them physically. Most of the time the men feel like they deserve something for their sacrifices. When the wife does not provide this "something", whether it be sex or respect, they seek elsewhere to find it.

Consequences: Marriages are more of a business transaction than a relationship. The husband and wife resent each other and feel trapped in a loveless, draining marriage based entirely on rearing children. There is no unity among husband and wife, no lasting affection, and no respect. ²²"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." Acts 8:22-23

The new "norm" of society due to the media portrayals: Do it all, be it all

Men are expected to sow their wild oats, lead a monogamous life, and inevitably stray. They are expected to be dangerous, exciting, able to make decisions but defer to the woman (lest they be called a chauvinist). The men must also tap into their feminine side by improving their communication skills; however, if they do this they must be gay. Men must be perfect gentlemen and open doors for women, but if they do they must believe women are weaker!

Women are expected to be as sexually appealing as they can be to attract the straying men, ensnare them with their womanly wiles, have children to trap the men into a monogamous lifestyle, raise successful children while holding down a demanding career.

The men in our world are being thrown contradicting half-lies. They are always receiving criticism and never respect or encouragement. Instead of being encouraged to lead, they must be submissive so that the equality of their relationship with their wife is never questioned by outsiders. But if they don't make decisions they are considered weak. The men cannot win! Why should they even bother trying? The women in our world have always suffered from low self-esteem and crippling doubt. The one thing women have that men do not is their alluring sexuality. Women know they can typically succeed in manipulating men with their sexual advances. "And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her." Ecclesiastes 7:26 While they have been treated unfairly in the past, women now equate anything that men typically do that women are not encouraged to do with inequality and chauvinism. This can range from legitimate concerns about prejudice in the workforce to paranoid complaints about men automatically paying for dinner. In their search for equality and freedom, women found slavery to the belief that they can be just like men -- only better.

"It is a naive sort of feminism that insists that women prove their ability to do all the things that men do. This is a distortion and a travesty. Men have never sought to prove that they can do all the things women do. Why subject women to purely masculine criteria? Woman can and ought to be judged by the criteria of femininity, for it is in their femininity that they participate in the human race. And femininity has its limitations. So has masculinity." Elisabeth Elliot, Let me be a Woman

What if?

But what if the majority of America did not look like this? What if Christians took a noble stand and defied the media and public expectations? It would look a lot like this:

^"2Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. ³Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. ⁶Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;⁷in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2: 2-8

^"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2: 24-26

"⁹How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word." Psalm 119:9

Why is this not so easy?

Honestly, it IS that easy. Follow Jesus' example, rejoice in the will of the Father, and He will faithfully teach you His commandments. God would not give you a commandment if it were impossible to follow. Most of the time, people are enslaved by fear. They fear that the world will hate them if they follow Jesus' teachings. They fear losing their worldly respect and endangering their promotion. Is this a good enough reason to defy the living God? NO. This is absolutely hypocritical behavior! Of course we will be persecuted for standing up against evil and leading a life of Absolute Truth.

⁸"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:8-12

^"18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them." 2 Peter 2:18-21 (bold mine)

" ⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?" Galatians 4:9

We must speak out against the media when it spouts lies. If a TV show says that women are entitled to view men as sexual objects because men do it to women, I encourage you to speak out against it at the appropriate time. Even just a "well that's horrible" will stick in a person's mind and make them wonder why you disliked that statement. They might think you take things too seriously or they might get into a conversation because of it. More than just speaking out against it, we must model the Biblical approach to our relationships, work and home lives. We cannot defeat evil by encouraging evil; we must fight it with Truth.

May God grant you the strength you need to appropriately fight media's lies.

Effects of the Media: Part 2 -- Warped Love and Sexuality

Love is such an expansive topic, I cannot possibly hope to penetrate all of its amazing qualities in one blog. I will concentrate on the way the media twisted the idea and definition of love into lust. For simplicity's sake I will define love based off of 1 Corinthians 13. When I say "love", I am discussing Agape, the long-lasting choice to put your romantic partner's well-being above yours. When the media says "love" they mean Eros, the emotion-based love that is dependent on circumstances. You cannot hope to have a lasting, functional relationship without Agape, but the media suggests that love can survive entirely off of lust, or even Eros. I will show why their portrayals are faulty and how it has affected impressionable viewers.

I must take a position of compassion and righteous anger when it comes to the topic of Warped Love and sexuality. So many people destroyed their lives and the lives of others through their pursuit of Love, or what masquerades as love. My compassion mourns for the souls who have broken hearts and for those who believe their sinful actions are justified all in the name of "love". It seems as though this "love" is rampant throughout the world, reaping destruction and pain in its path. I know this love to be an impostor. Love, by definition, cannot be a thing that destroys; it is the action that builds up those around us. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

When I make an effort to read this definition from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 slowly, I recognize all of the ways the world does not show love the way it is meant to be. The main force that encourages the lies about love is the media. Love is now synonymous with Lust and Self-Absorption. Instead of enduring all things it endures until money gets too tight. It is something to fall in and out of, uncontrollable and based entirely on emotion. What happened to change love from a selfless action into a self-absorbed emotion? Part of it was a yearning for an escape from reality. Love is the most difficult thing to work at, so it is easier to make it seem like it is out of our control. As I surmised in my last blog, the complacency of the viewers contributed greatly. They gave the media one inch and the media took it and sprinted away until all voices either faded out in the distance or joined in. Once the younger generation grew up believing sexuality was a thing to be displayed or bought and love was a cheap dance of meaningless pursuits, the world fell deeper into sin.

These three scenarios are the extremes of media love -- every other possible scenario seems to be a variation of these listed. I will explain the media's portrayal, then show the faulty beliefs (lies) and combat it with truth as it applies to the definition of love (agape) in 1 Corinthian 13.

1) Two lovers meet in a bar, get drunk, and have sex. Their relationship will continue if the sex is good and end abruptly and awkwardly if the sex is bad, assuming they were not too drunk to remember. If they continue in a long relationship, one of them will inevitably "fall in love" with somebody else or have a sexual affair.

• Impressionable lies: People base their relationship entirely off of sexual appeal and satisfaction and find happiness in this. The only reason their relationship failed was because one person was unhappy sexually; therefore, sex is a requirement to make a relationship work.

• Combative truth: A "love" based on how much the partner can pleasure you is not love at all, it is merely sexual attraction and lust. Sex is a natural part of a loving relationship, where two people can entrust their hearts, minds, and bodies to each other in the committed covenant of a marriage. It is not the most important part of a relationship and should not be a "deal maker or breaker".

2) Two lovers fall in love at first sight. Through all challenges they persevere, even when avoiding the root of the problem. They will forsake all else for "true love".

• Lies: Love is based off of first impressions and chemical reactions. True love should come naturally; if it is difficult then it must not be love. Nothing is as important as true love, even if that means going back on your commitments.

• Truth: Love is a decision to act patiently, kindly, becomingly, humbly, selflessly, righteously, truthfully, faithfully, hopefully for all times in all situations no matter what. For most people it takes a lot of work to act in this way toward all people, especially in trying times. True love will not harm another person in order to thrive; it will not forsake its commitments and promises. When celebrities say "I left my wife because I found my true love" they are not acting in a selfless way. They can decide whether to love their wife whether they "feel" something or not.

3) Two people grow closer through their dangerous adventures together. They learn to protect each other and are sometimes willing to sacrifice their own lives to save the other. They can't help falling in love with the person who saved them.

• Lies: Adventure and danger makes a person more appealing. Love is always exciting and you owe it to the person who protects you.

• Truth: Love perseveres through difficulty, it is true, but it is not necessarily a product of difficult times. You choose to love someone whether that person is adventurous or not. Giving your heart to somebody should mean they are worthy of your love and respect. A person who has no morality and who treats the opposite sex as flesh to satisfy their desires is not a worthy candidate for love. They should be shown love the way Jesus loves sinners, but it would be unwise to trust and love a person who does not love anyone but themselves.

Millions of people watch these scenarios play out and do not recognize anything wrong with them; in fact, they believe this alternative to be better than reality and attempt to mirror it in their own lives. Their escape from reality only lasts for 2 hours in a movie, so they take what they perceived and apply it to their own lives and seek to encourage others to do the same. Once society sees how "free" these people are, it models the behavior as the new "norm".

We have hundreds of thousands of desperate people searching for lasting love in a sexual escapade. Why is this such an issue? Because once these people realize that what they have is not love (or they find something better), they want out! The projected divorce rate in America is 50%! http://www.divorcerate.org/ We have a generation of children who believe that love is not lasting, that it is something not to be trusted or even attempted. Children who were affected by adultery (or sexually dissatisfied parents) believe love cannot last without sex, and this idea is only reinforced in the media which they so readily absorb.

Before these children even grow up they are attempting to find love through sexual endeavors. "A study presented in 2008 revealed that around 26% of young American women aged 14-19 are infected with at least one of the four most common sexually transmitted infections. This amounts to around 3.2 million female teenagers. The most widespread infection is HPV (human papilloma virus, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer), found in 18% of young women. In second place is chlamydia, with a 4% infection rate. The study found that African American teenagers are most severely affected; around 48% of young African American women have an STD, compared to 20% of young white women." http://www.avert.org/stdstatisticusa.htm

How does our brilliant and culturally evolved society attempt to combat these appalling STD statistics? By promoting miracle drugs and getting rid of any programs that promote abstinence. What's more, some people in government are attempting to enforce the HPV vaccine on ALL female girls as a "preventive measure", whether they plan to be involved with a previously sexually active male or not. http://pediatrics.about.com/od/immunizations/a/0207_hpv_school.htm

This affects our society spiritually as well: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:1-5) Oh boy, well this is not very popular.

So what shall we do? Obviously we must follow God's commands and not be swayed by the evil ways of the world. I recommend you read Psalm 37. Besides the beautiful passage regularly quoted "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart...." it has this: "The wicked plots against the righteous/ And gnashes at him with his teeth. /The Lord laughs at him, /For He sees his day is coming." Pslam 37:12-13. Honestly, it makes me very relived to know that our God is so powerful He can just laugh at the wicked the way my big brother laughs at me when I try to punch him. The wicked are no force to reckon with when we have God on our side.

Be ready to speak against evil. Your time will come when you must stand up for what you believe in.

Effects of the Media: Part 1 -- Absolute(ly NOT) Truth

Let's face it. The media is more than a reflection of our current culture; it is the springboard from which every "evolved" cultural generation in America stems. It holds sway over millions of minds and poisons them with faulty beliefs about love, sex, and morality. I cannot blame the media single-handedly for being the cause of everything immoral in our country. The media would never have gotten as far as it did with its immorality if it were not for the complacency of the viewers. What caused the viewers to allow this shift in standards? I cannot say exactly, but I can assume love of sin had something to do with it. Instead of complaining to the company about the sex scene in a TV show, most viewers probably found themselves watching and enjoying it -- feeling guilty about it afterward and not wanting to be hypocritical by calling it in. Oh, I can imagine how Satan used these opportunities to convince people that their 'minor sin' was not a big deal. The minimal outrage was stifled by the rise in ratings; as a result, the current moral standard of our age was born, promoted eagerly by the media: there is no absolute truth; truth is specific to the individual.

Anyone find it ironic that the statement "there is no absolute truth" is in itself a statement of absolute truth?*

I believe I am very well qualified to discuss the negative effects of media on the mind. I have seen more than my fair share of the media's attempts to normalize sex, drugs, and violence. My opinions and actions were once majorly influenced by the media. My internal sense of right and wrong became clouded over the years and replaced with society's morals. This "truth" is so prevalent in our culture it permeates every area of life, from relationships to schools to careers. It is like people take the Romans 14 idea of "some things are a sin for you and not for me" and blow it wildly out of proportion. (Reference is Romans 14:16 "Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.") Our culture is so tired of feeling judged it is trying to make the problem of "judging sins" disappear altogether and react by judging the righteous. If you say fornication is wrong and you do not fornicate, you are now considered sexually repressed and scared of sex. These kinds of people are explained in Scripture as well: "And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." Romans 1:31-32

Society's truth: If you are the only one doing something right, you must be wrong. Any truth is the truth except for Absolute Truth.
Absolute Truth: "We must obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29

Society's dangerous and evil ideas were preceded by the media's portrayal of what is "good" by normalizing evil. The media twists the idea of righteousness to a more carnal pursuit, so that all may stay where they are morally and feel less guilty about their sin. Who would want to watch TV if they feel guilty all the time or feel like they have to change? Most people believe characters should not be goody-goody all the time -- there is no character development and people cannot relate to the character. It is better to create a flawed, but dashingly heroic character so the audience will relate on one level and fantasize about being this character on another. TV characters can get in and out of bed seemingly without emotional consequence. Real humans strive to be like these characters by sleeping around and expecting not to get hurt emotionally or damaged physically. Then when they realize real life is not like the TV, they attempt to take a pill for every sexually transmitted disease they receive so as not to reap the consequences of their actions and possibly lie to themselves about how emotionally damaged they are. The typical person will rationalize their behavior by saying sex is good, it is natural. Now don't get me wrong -- sex is good and natural, but God decrees that it meant only for traditional marriage. I will address the topic of sex, love and relationships in my next blog.

The media tries to keep their characters morally ambiguous. It is like when somebody asks you if you would be willing to rob a bank if that was the only way to keep your wife alive. Humans can see the pros and cons of the situation, and eventually talk themselves into sin because it is the "only way", or it "isn't so bad" or "you would do it too." For example: If McDreamy and whats-her-face are hopelessly in love, then by golly -- who's to stop him from marrying her, his wife?! How preposterous! He doesn't even love her anymore! Nothing can stop true love. So what if you have to commit adultery? Love is way more important than mere commitment. Or if Harry Potter cannot save the wizarding world without lying to a grown up, isn't it more important to lie and save the world? After all -- they would not be around to know he lied if he didn't save them!

You know what is so sad about this? I used to believe these lies! I used to internally struggle with the question of "is it okay for a man to abandon his wife if he doesn't love her anymore?" I tentatively settled on "yes" until the same thing happened to my mother. Then I wasn't so keen on the whole adultery for the sake of love thing. I used to mistake sin for nobility until God revealed to me why He hates it so much: sin causes destruction and separation from Him. "Hate evil, you who love the Lord,/Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10

I bet Satan pats himself on the back for leading humanity into a revolt against righteousness. As Christians, we must not settle for complacency. We should constantly re-evaluate the content of movies, TV shows, books, magazines, and websites we allow ourselves and our loved ones to absorb. With God's Word and personal conviction from the Holy Spirit we should know what we ought to avoid and what we ought to promote. Philippians 4:8 gives us some direction: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things".

If you think your brother or sister in Christ is involved in media that you would consider dangerous, first put it in perspective. If it is something as drastic as porn, it is absolutely wrong. If it is Harry Potter, you can always respectfully discuss with them why you think the material is immoral, but chances are you will agree to disagree. For example, I find it difficult to watch a movie with any sort of intimacy in it without turning away. But if I were watching a movie with another Christian friend and they were not affected by a happy kissing couple the way I was, it is not my place to judge whether that would be a sin for them or not. My life has certain boundaries that do not apply to others. I have to take certain precautions to avoid temptation in ways that my fellow Christian has never been tempted. I find these two verses in Romans very important when dealing with a situation like this: "Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned" Romans 14:22, 23a and "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this -- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way." Romans 14:13

It is important for me to feel confident about what media I take in. It is equally important for me to not cause my brother to stumble. I always try to check the content of any movie I watch or recommend and warn others ahead of time if it has questionable content in it. I use the website of www.screenit.com to get detailed reviews of movies from reliable sources. There are plenty of websites out there and I urge you to use them. It may seem dorky or overly cautious at first, but you will soon find it a blessing. "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

Do your best to keep the content clean, but remember that you cannot know everybody else's temptations (you DO know all of yours). I have made the mistake of getting a movie I thought was clean because I could not find a review of it telling me otherwise. I put many people in an uncomfortable situation. This lesson taught me to look harder for a review next time and to review it myself if I had any doubts so as not to "put an obstacle in a brother's way."

More important than the differences in individual temptations is the calling we have to stay obedient to God's specific Word that applies to everybody. This is one of many, many examples of sin to avoid:
"There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
¹⁷Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
¹⁹A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16-19

Let us follow His righteous commandments with a joyful heart, united in Spirit and love. The Lord is Truth, and His reign is Absolute.




* not my original quote

Change of Heart: Part 3 -- The Promises of God

Dear friends,

I tried my best to explain the Problem, Truth, and Stumbling Blocks with Scriptural evidence and world application. Tonight I will "tie the knot" by focusing on the Results of Applied Truth -- what happens when humans change through the power of Jesus. At the same time I hope to open a can of worms by asking a question I cannot satisfactorily answer: "If you can only be truly trustworthy with Jesus, is it wise to trust non-Christians?"

The question of trusting non-Christians (or even so-called Christians) depends entirely on a case-by-case basis. Certainly, I can make sweeping judgments about the evilness of such sinners (indeed sin is evil no matter how big or small), but then I would only be contributing to the original Problem God pointed out to me. I do not want to contribute to the cynicism of this age by teaching humans cannot change for the better, but I do want to be smart and encourage the guarding of hearts until Jesus comes into a non-Christian's life.

Trust permeates all areas of life, from anything as simple as trusting that your friend closed your locker properly to trusting someone with your life. There are varieties of trustworthiness in non-Christians and so-called Christians as well. Over time I have learned who has a trustworthy spirit. Thankfully, I do not have many examples of non-Christians I cannot trust at all. Most of the non-Christians I know are kind and thoughtful people who work hard and love me for who I am. No dramatic conversion story of a famed drug addict here.

I can trust Person X to tell me when I look fat and I can trust Person Z to drive safely. I do not, however, automatically trust Person X and Z's spiritual advice. Do I listen respectfully and consider their spiritual advice? Yes. But more often than not, I cannot follow their advice when it significantly affects my spiritual life. It would be unfair of me to expect that their advice would be as Biblically sound as my pastor's. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 says "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are Spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one." That may ring as true for you as it does for me! I cannot tell you how many times a well-meaning friend or family member has told me to do something that I know blatantly disobeys God's Word. It may be as simple as being recommended a "funny" (raunchy) film or being told that I am sexually repressed and ought to express myself before I spontaneously combust.

We have to be able to judge when to trust people. Jesus gives us a clue here: "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Matthew 7:17-19 God is the only one who can truly know a person's heart, but that person's actions can reveal a lot about their heart to us. We should take care in trusting humans, for "The heart is more deceitful than all else/ and is desperately sick;Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

Some of you might be upset that I assert we ought to judge people's actions, but let me try to explain myself. 'Do not judge' is probably the most misused and misapplied passage I have ever heard in my life. It would be ridiculous if people blindly follow others without using discernment of character, but we are not supposed to judge a person's salvation and say they are permanently damned. Does this sound familiar? Refer to the Problem: "Humans have been scorned so often they tend to believe people cannot permanently change for the better; as a result, most expect and model failure and distrust for future generations." We need to be able to judge whether a person needs God or not and if we can trust them. This does not give us free reign to call out a person's sin as often as we please, mind. Use discretion when speaking out against sin. If you are in the presence of sin, dissuade it in the most appropriate manner possible, whether that is with a calm "hey, I don't think you should say that" or a flat-out rebuke to Satan. Just remember, lovingly judge their character, not their salvation.

Jesus judged the deceitfulness of human hearts, and yet He intentionally placed Himself in their midst. "Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples,'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.'" Matthew 9:35-37 I love this passage about Jesus because it highlights his compassion. He judged their characters and knew they were lost, yet He reacted by showing them love. Even though we cannot completely trust non-Christians in certain ways, we always need to be showing them compassion and love, revealing to them the ways Christ has transformed our once deceitful hearts. They will see the light in us! Some may resent it or try to sabotage it, but they cannot help but see.

The Truth that people see is God's Truth, His promise, which is "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 God changes us permanently in His image! When you fully realize the Truth and apply it to your life, you will change the world. I'm not even kidding.

If you were once a sinner and have now been saved by the shed blood of the Lamb, your light will shine forth in darkness and you will shatter society's conventions and transform the ideas and ideals of men. Walk boldly in Christ in your school and your peers will follow suit. Pretty soon your whole school will be transformed by the ideals of Christ, whether they convert or not. Now imagine all of the Christian undergraduates moving on to graduate school and in the work force. Christ's light will shine in all the world. This is God's promise, that He will bring redemption and transformation to all who seek His kingdom and righteousness!

Can I get a Hallelujiah?!

The more light we shine, the more the darkness tries in vain to fight. The Lord has already won the war, my friends; we are on the winning side! We must stand our ground and fight for the name of our Lord God. We must attack sin as hard as it attacks us. Apply the Truth and beauty of God's Word and let your light shine!

Change of Heart: Part 2 -- Battling the Lies

Yesterday I pointed out one of many flaws in the world's thinking. I proceeded to identify the problem, divulge the Truth, recognize the stumbling blocks, and show the result of Christians defeating the lies. This is a common 4-step process the Lord reveals to me, summarized succinctly below for you to refresh your mind.

Problem: Humans have been scorned so often they tend to believe people cannot permanently change for the better; as a result, most expect and model failure and distrust for future generations.
Truth: Humans can change by the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Read Romans 6 for one example of Biblical proof, and I encourage you to look for more verses.
Stumbling Blocks: Temptation keeps us from believing the truth and has the potential to weaken our resolve. When sin is not admitted because blame is applied, it keeps us from enjoying fellowship with Jesus, who is the Truth.
Result of Applied Truth: When believers obediently follow Christ and flee temptation, they are transformed into the image of Christ. Non-believers are then inspired by our transformation and start to wonder why we are more trustworthy than everyone else.

Today I will attempt to take a more in-depth look at the Stumbling Blocks and how we can take steps to overcome them. The Bible says we can defeat temptation and requires us to flee from it. Tomorrow I hope to address a question that naturally arises with the Result: "If you can only be truly trustworthy with Jesus, is it wise to trust non-Christians?"
Very well then, let's begin.

Temptation is nasty. The world was without sin in the beginning, but temptation came before sin. Temptation stems from the ability to obey or disobey the Law. "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, 'You Shall Not Covet.' But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." Romans 7:7-12

Satan presented Eve with temptation by asking her to question the only rule God had given her. What else was there for her to question? She and Adam had everything they could ever need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There was nothing to covet, nothing to steal, nobody to commit adultery with. Adam and Eve walked with God in the Gardens. The only thing they did not have, as Satan put it, was the ability to "be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5 There was recognition of the Law, there was the temptation. And sin entered this world.

The following italicized questions are an example of every kind of frustrated excuse or complaint I had when I was in the midst of extreme temptation. The answers to my questions are an example (obviously not verbatim) of the inevitable Holy Spirit smack-down I received.

Rules, rules, rules! Why does life and Christianity have to be about following rules?! Hey, don't blame God. He tried to save humans from death by keeping them from the tree of knowledge, remember? The whole Bible is about Him planning ways to get humans back to fellowship with Him in life! Sin only causes destruction and hurt. Why do you think God hates it? These rules are for a good reason, even if you cannot comprehend it.

Well, God does not know what it is like to be faced with temptation. He's never had raging hormones and a girl/boyfriend! Actually, that is one of the reasons why God came to earth as fully man and fully God. He experienced every kind of temptation for 40 straight days with no accountability partner and no food. Jesus models for us that if you are following the Lord, it is possible to resist sin and temptation. He was even sinless through childhood and adolescence. "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." Hebrews 2:17-18

Yeah, but Jesus was God. Yeah, well Job was not! He followed hard after God and did not sin!

God won't care if I commit a tiny sin. He's got bigger things to worry about, like world hunger. Anyway, I've been saved, so it's okay if I still sin. What exactly separates a little sin from a big sin? Romans 1:18-19 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them." (bold mine) Chew on this for a while: "The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, graced abounded all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 5:20,21 - 6:1,2

It's too hard to resist! Better to sin and ask for forgiveness than be faced with unavoidable and constant temptation. Boy was I stupid. "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 No excuses there. And that whole concept of blasé "God will forgive me anyway" mentality is met with some extreme smack-down in Hebrews 10:26-27: "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries." Fear the Lord your God indeed!

I always feel guilty when I am being tempted. I feel like I ought to be above temptation, especially when I've overcome this sin. Remember that Jesus, the sinless one, was still tempted by Satan. Temptation itself is not a sin; it is when someone entertains the temptation or acts on it that it becomes a sin. Keep in mind my dorky mantra: "Once a sinner, always tempted."

The Lord was patient over these many years and combated my ignorant lies with His Truth. Can you see the progression of my thoughts? They changed from anger to shifting blame to denial to flat out disobedience until I allowed Jesus to free me from my chains of bondage. Never once did the Lord throw up His hands in disgust and smite me (though I would not have blamed Him if He did)!

So how is it that we can overcome sin and temptation, especially in the moment? How do we successfully battle the lies? Here are some practical tips I can give you from my own walk with Christ:
1) Pray -- go to God when you are being tempted, no matter how often. This is a battle of the mind, and if you can distract your mind by talking to God, Satan's got no hold over you.
2) Read Scripture -- Battle lies with Truth. You must get rid of the faulty thinking by training yourself to recite Scripture. Carry around a Bible or flashcards if you must. Find verses that encourage you and discuss your particular temptation.
3) If you're alone, go be near people; if you're being tempted by people, get alone -- in either case, it is preferable to find a safe group of Christians to take shelter in. If it's the "Christians" who are tempting you, then you need a new group!
4) Sing and listen to worship songs and hymns -- sometimes all I have to do is sing a doxology and I can feel Satan fleeing my presence like I would flee nuclear material.
5) Avoid the place or person of temptation -- go sleep on a trusted friend's couch if you must, or block that person on facebook.
6) Find an accountability partner -- get someone who is NOT struggling with the same sin to pray with you and guide you during your difficult period. Preferably find someone of the same sex if it is a sexual temptation and get somebody more mature in their walk with Christ, somebody who will not be afraid to call you out on your sin.
7) Set up appropriate boundaries and tell your small group -- whether it's a curfew, a ban on TV, or only getting on the internet when your Christian friends are around, it's necessary.
8) Get counseling from a pastor or leader -- they will be able to help you with words of encouragement
9) Be HONEST -- seriously, stop trying to make yourself look good. Do you want to get over this sin or not?
10) Flee, flee, flee! -- if you know you are being tempted, drop what you are doing and GET OUT. God does not care how stupid you look to your friends, He cares whether you are obeying Him or not.

Friends, I know you can overcome your sin. God promises you that you will not be faced with anything you cannot handle. In all honesty, it boils down to this: Do you love sin, or do you love God?

Change of Heart: Part 1 -- Identifying the Problem

God's allowed me to notice that there is a common misconception in the circles of the wounded or abandoned (so basically all of us). Wronged people have a hard time believing that humans can permanently change for the better. Why should they believe any different? Time and time again their failed relationships have proven that humans are untrustworthy creatures. The older they get, the more scorned they become as our spouses leave them and our business partners betray them. It is only natural to take the cynical approach so that they may guard their hearts and protect their loved ones from the same pain.

Unfortunately, this falsified protection they feebly use as resistance becomes the source of power for The Liar (aka Satan) and his cronies. Automatically they find themselves becoming more and more cynical of human behavior -- and rightly so, if they dare to turn on the news. Trusting humans becomes dangerous, almost laughable, and will most certainly lead to destruction. The intentions of any kind-hearted individual are tainted by the sins of those who came before him or her. The bold pronouncement of a newly inspired teenager to say "This is wrong; I will change!" is greeted by rolled eyes and an illegal promotion of "safe" underage drinking by those who "know better". Those who attempt to change from their negative ways are seen as doomed to repeat their actions; worse still are those who believe that such a person could change -- how naive! It is better to expect failure and guard against making it worse than trying to stop it. After all, it's just their personality type -- it's in their blood, their hormones! We can't change who we are.

Hopefully you're starting to see the lie in this.

Our society places the expectation of failure on our heads before we even attempt to change for the better. A common phrase I hear is, "Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic". I believe the original purpose of that phrase was to keep alcoholics out of temptation -- if they believe they are "fixed" and able to drink and control the urge, they will inevitably fall back into their old ways and destroy what they have worked so hard to achieve. It is smart for alcoholics to recognize their weakness and avoid it. I have no issues with this phrase. The issues I have are the lies that have latched themselves onto an idea like this. Let me replace "alcoholic" with something generic, like "sin" itself.

What would you say if I said "Once a sinner, always a sinner"? There is something fundamentally wrong about that statement! The Bible completely contradicts that statement over and over. Just read Romans 6 and you will know what I'm talking about. Romans 6:6-7 "our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin." or Romans 6:14 "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." and the wonderful Romans 6:22-23 "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NASB translation) Praise be to God, once we accept Him as our Savior we are cleansed from our life of sin!

Now, since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), it is definitely required to flee from temptation the way alcoholics do. The Bible says to "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18) We are even told that we can "resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). What amazing grace God shows us! He changes what was once rotten flesh and replaces it with His purity and light. God patiently teaches us how to change for the better in His Image, and when we pursue Him with all of our hearts, that change is permanent.

Remember: just because God has delivered you from sin does not mean you can flirt with that area of temptation. My mantra might turn into "Once a sinner, forever tempted". Perhaps you are finding it difficult to change and resist temptation in the first place, even when seeking Christ. Take heart, for "no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (italics mine) There is no temptation that you cannot overcome if you are truly seeking God's righteousness. You must rely completely on God and flee temptation; you must believe that God can change your heart! The Lord will not turn away from you or give up on you, so you can trust Him even when you cannot trust humans.

Sometimes, however, the problem lies with the admission of sin in the first place. My friend, do not fall into the trap of believing that God's commandments do not apply simply because He created you to be a sexual being, or because you're young, or because He has "bigger" things to worry about. There is no society too civilized to be convicted of sin.

God can and will change your heart, your personality flaws, your mind -- if you let Him! Allow the most trusted and faithful Lord of the universe to heal your wounds and lavish you in His love. Come into His presence on bended knee and ask Him to reveal to you how you can change permanently, so that you can properly reflect the character of Christ. Then Satan's lies can be destroyed by Truth and non-Christians will be inspired to know why we, as recipients of God's grace and transforming power, are more trustworthy than the average joe.

When God's people earnestly seek Him, only then can we transform the world. This is change I can believe in. It is God-driven, and God-inspired.

This is my prayer; will you join me in it?