R-Rated Movies
Dear Sisters,
I heard something so upsetting last night. I couldn't sleep and kept praying and praying to God about it. This morning I found my heart was still heavy and the tears just flowed and flowed to my Savior and King.
What is the problem? Well, my oldest son, Quincy, got into a discussion with a few Christian teenagers at church yesterday. The conversation was about rated "R" movies. The other teens felt that it was okay to watch them if they were "learning" something which would help them in the future to realize that this action or this history lesson being portrayed was wrong and should not be repeated. My son kept trying to show them that they should not be watching such a movie in the first place - that it would only put things into their minds which would cause more destruction than help to them. Violence, nudity, and the hearing of God's name in vain among other destructive words and scenes...
Education or complacency?
"Cease listening to Instruction, my son, and you will stray from the Words of Knowledge." Proverbs 19:27
Quincy came home from church and sat down with his father. He asked his dad to help him find verses from the Word of God which would help his friends to realize this kind of thinking was wrong. Art showed Quincy many verses. One of them was:
"Abstain from every appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain.
Withhold ourselves.
Don't go there.
Don't be named among them.
No evil.
Abstain. Abstain. Abstain.
"I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me." Psalm 101:3
That evening Quincy took the verses to his friends at a Bible study. Twelve teenagers were there. All of them believers in Jesus Christ. For a little over an hour Quincy tried to show them through the Word of God that going to rated "R" movies or any other movie which is profane is wrong, whether it is "educational" or not. But do you know what happened? Not one of those teenagers agreed with him. Not one. In fact, they strongly opposed him.
My son came home so dejected. He is sixteen years old. It is not easy to stand up against twelve other peers for over an hour. Especially when they are all coming at you pretty strongly. Quincy was a bit confused when he came home. He felt so alone. He was so sure that when they heard the Word of God they would agree that The Word was right because they were followers of Jesus Christ. But that was not the case. And there was no teacher present at the study last night to help him out. Although, to be quite honest with you, I am not so sure a teacher would have been much help to him. For we are doing a lot of things in the name of "education" these days, even among Christian leaders...
Education or complacency?
We have a saying in our house, "If we can't watch it with Jesus, we can't watch it."
God has a better way of putting it:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable." 1 Peter 2:11-12a
I beg you, too. Oh, I beg you. Abstain. Abstain. Abstain. I can tell you from experience that spending time in the world's words will only bring waste to your mind and heartache to your soul. I did it for years as a believer. I was as complacent as they come. By all rights He should have spewed me out of His Mouth. It was not until I gave up the world's words and hung on to His every Word that I began to see victory after victory in my life. His Word feeds the soul. His Word sheds light in your heart. His Word changes your mind and thus your conduct incredibly.
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15: 4, 13
I can tell you that I never had joy, peace, patience, and comfort in believing this world's words. But when I began to dig deeply into the Word of God and began to forsake this world's empty words I found joy, peace, patience and great comfort. My life has not been the same since. I simply love the Word of God! I am so very thankful He drew me away to abide in Him. There is nothing like being a child of God.
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest in your hope fully upon the grace of that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in ignorance, but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-16
Holy, holy, holy. Set apart. Chosen for His purposes and His praise. A royal priesthood.
We try very hard to teach our children "who" they are in Christ Jesus. They may look like the children of a welder and a homemaker, but really they are:
A Chosen Generation.
Called to abstain from fleshly lusts.
Held to an honorable conduct.
Minds girded in Christ Jesus.
Holy. Holy. Holy.
And what these teenagers decreed to my son last night, I have an awful, sinking feeling, their parents also decree.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
How many of us as believers are training our children in the world of movies and television rather than in the Word of God? Then when they become teens and have a thirst and a taste for the world, we wonder to ourselves "Where did this come from?"
We're blind! We're blind! We've spoonfed them the world's words for years and they've got "the taste of the world" on their tongue.
Guess what? They like it.
And they're not willing in the least to give it up. Even if you quote the Living Word of God to them.
May God help us. May God help us!
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded." James 4:8
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7
"Captivate every thought and make it give up and obey Christ."
"Abhor what is evil."
"Cling to what is good."
"As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
His Word is so true. So true.
I can tell you that you from experience that you will never know the power of God wallowing in complacency. You know what else? You will never know the power of God wallowing in education either.
Rather the power of God rests in His Word and the believer believing it, praying it, and obeying it. Oh, I can tell you from experience that I am not the same woman after spending seven years in His beautiful, beautiful Word. It has literally transformed my mind, my heart, my soul, and my entire being. Everything that I gave up from this world was really worthless. Everything that God has given to me in its place is perfectly priceless.
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Corinthians 2:9, 12-13
Ahhh, there is nothing like falling in love with God our Father, revealed through Jesus Christ His Son, and shed abroad in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing, nothing like it.
"Abhor what is evil."
"Cling to what is good."
I've been doing both through Jesus Christ my LORD and I am in awe of His power and victory in my life. Guess what? So is my son. He told me today that he's learned a lot through this and feels closer to the LORD. I know exactly what he means. For it may look like we're standing alone at times, but really Jesus Christ is the One doing the standing in us. It is more awesome than I can describe.
Education of complacency?
"For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16
The mind of Christ. Now that is priceless, pure, and powerful. It's worth everything.
Love,
Laine
I heard something so upsetting last night. I couldn't sleep and kept praying and praying to God about it. This morning I found my heart was still heavy and the tears just flowed and flowed to my Savior and King.
What is the problem? Well, my oldest son, Quincy, got into a discussion with a few Christian teenagers at church yesterday. The conversation was about rated "R" movies. The other teens felt that it was okay to watch them if they were "learning" something which would help them in the future to realize that this action or this history lesson being portrayed was wrong and should not be repeated. My son kept trying to show them that they should not be watching such a movie in the first place - that it would only put things into their minds which would cause more destruction than help to them. Violence, nudity, and the hearing of God's name in vain among other destructive words and scenes...
Education or complacency?
"Cease listening to Instruction, my son, and you will stray from the Words of Knowledge." Proverbs 19:27
Quincy came home from church and sat down with his father. He asked his dad to help him find verses from the Word of God which would help his friends to realize this kind of thinking was wrong. Art showed Quincy many verses. One of them was:
"Abstain from every appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain.
Withhold ourselves.
Don't go there.
Don't be named among them.
No evil.
Abstain. Abstain. Abstain.
"I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me." Psalm 101:3
That evening Quincy took the verses to his friends at a Bible study. Twelve teenagers were there. All of them believers in Jesus Christ. For a little over an hour Quincy tried to show them through the Word of God that going to rated "R" movies or any other movie which is profane is wrong, whether it is "educational" or not. But do you know what happened? Not one of those teenagers agreed with him. Not one. In fact, they strongly opposed him.
My son came home so dejected. He is sixteen years old. It is not easy to stand up against twelve other peers for over an hour. Especially when they are all coming at you pretty strongly. Quincy was a bit confused when he came home. He felt so alone. He was so sure that when they heard the Word of God they would agree that The Word was right because they were followers of Jesus Christ. But that was not the case. And there was no teacher present at the study last night to help him out. Although, to be quite honest with you, I am not so sure a teacher would have been much help to him. For we are doing a lot of things in the name of "education" these days, even among Christian leaders...
Education or complacency?
We have a saying in our house, "If we can't watch it with Jesus, we can't watch it."
God has a better way of putting it:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable." 1 Peter 2:11-12a
I beg you, too. Oh, I beg you. Abstain. Abstain. Abstain. I can tell you from experience that spending time in the world's words will only bring waste to your mind and heartache to your soul. I did it for years as a believer. I was as complacent as they come. By all rights He should have spewed me out of His Mouth. It was not until I gave up the world's words and hung on to His every Word that I began to see victory after victory in my life. His Word feeds the soul. His Word sheds light in your heart. His Word changes your mind and thus your conduct incredibly.
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15: 4, 13
I can tell you that I never had joy, peace, patience, and comfort in believing this world's words. But when I began to dig deeply into the Word of God and began to forsake this world's empty words I found joy, peace, patience and great comfort. My life has not been the same since. I simply love the Word of God! I am so very thankful He drew me away to abide in Him. There is nothing like being a child of God.
"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest in your hope fully upon the grace of that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in ignorance, but as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-16
Holy, holy, holy. Set apart. Chosen for His purposes and His praise. A royal priesthood.
We try very hard to teach our children "who" they are in Christ Jesus. They may look like the children of a welder and a homemaker, but really they are:
A Chosen Generation.
Called to abstain from fleshly lusts.
Held to an honorable conduct.
Minds girded in Christ Jesus.
Holy. Holy. Holy.
And what these teenagers decreed to my son last night, I have an awful, sinking feeling, their parents also decree.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
How many of us as believers are training our children in the world of movies and television rather than in the Word of God? Then when they become teens and have a thirst and a taste for the world, we wonder to ourselves "Where did this come from?"
We're blind! We're blind! We've spoonfed them the world's words for years and they've got "the taste of the world" on their tongue.
Guess what? They like it.
And they're not willing in the least to give it up. Even if you quote the Living Word of God to them.
May God help us. May God help us!
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded." James 4:8
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7
"Captivate every thought and make it give up and obey Christ."
"Abhor what is evil."
"Cling to what is good."
"As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
His Word is so true. So true.
I can tell you that you from experience that you will never know the power of God wallowing in complacency. You know what else? You will never know the power of God wallowing in education either.
Rather the power of God rests in His Word and the believer believing it, praying it, and obeying it. Oh, I can tell you from experience that I am not the same woman after spending seven years in His beautiful, beautiful Word. It has literally transformed my mind, my heart, my soul, and my entire being. Everything that I gave up from this world was really worthless. Everything that God has given to me in its place is perfectly priceless.
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Corinthians 2:9, 12-13
Ahhh, there is nothing like falling in love with God our Father, revealed through Jesus Christ His Son, and shed abroad in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing, nothing like it.
"Abhor what is evil."
"Cling to what is good."
I've been doing both through Jesus Christ my LORD and I am in awe of His power and victory in my life. Guess what? So is my son. He told me today that he's learned a lot through this and feels closer to the LORD. I know exactly what he means. For it may look like we're standing alone at times, but really Jesus Christ is the One doing the standing in us. It is more awesome than I can describe.
Education of complacency?
"For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16
The mind of Christ. Now that is priceless, pure, and powerful. It's worth everything.
Love,
Laine
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