Holy Rollers - Music and Entertainment Today

Baby Dedication

Isaiah 49:25 ESV

For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.

Proverbs 3:1–12 ESV

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Sermon

Blessings and Curses

God created

music

books

media.

Satan and humans

perverted

misused

counterfeited

what God created

used for evil.

Media

Books

Music

Radio

TV

YouTube

Other Social

Used for Good

Or for evil.

We have to make choices

to protect from

damaging media.

The wise man said:

Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Where our mind goes

our charater goes

Where our character goes

our destiny goes.

Make Proper Choices

Unless we live

under a rock,

we will be

exposed to media

in this world.

Key issue:

make good choices.

Psalm 119:9 ESV

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

How can we

stay pure?

By guarding our path.

Specifically,

guarding path to mind.

Review and Herald April 21, 1885: Praise due to the Creator

If the

What is our character

what we think and feel.

How to

stay pure

avoid sin?

Feast the mind

on pure things.

Store up Word

in our hearts...

Satan’s plan is simple

crowd out

scripture

Word

Holy things

focus on junk.

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices must

How can we stay pure?

Guard avenues

of the soul.

What are the

avenues of the soul?

5 senses!

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Many youth are eager for books. They desire to read everything that they can obtain. Let them take heed what they read as well as what they hear.

I have been instructed that they are in the greatest danger of being corrupted by improper reading.

When you see

“books” or “reading”

replace with “media.”

We must be

abundantly careful

in our media choices.

Science of Media

Music is not just

a type of media.

Music is part

of most visual media too.

Difference between

B-grade videos

Top grade

much to do with audio

especially music.

Danger of music

how it enters the brain

through the thalamus.

Able to bypass

reasoning portion

of the frontal lobe.

Schullian and Schoen

describe it thus:

"Once a stimulus has been able to reach the thalamus, the master brain is automatically invaded, and if the stimulus is continued for some time, a closer contact between the master brain and the world of reality can be thus established." Music and Medicine, pp. 270, 271.

Able to bypass

reasoning portion

of the frontal lobe.

Van deWall sums it up

in this manner:

"Much of what we call irresistible in music is so because we react on this sensory-motor level of functioning." Music in Hospitals, p. 15.

Our physical body

responds to music

virtually without

our permission.

Later in his book

Van deWall describes

how the nerves transmit

the music message to

the various parts of the body:

"Sound vibrations acting upon and through the nervous system give shocks in rhythmical sequence to the muscles, which cause them to contract and set our arms and hands, legs and feet in motion. On account of their automatic muscular reaction, many people make some movement when hearing music; for them to remain motionless would require conscious muscular restraint." Page 106.

Response

tapping foot

shaking hips

automatic response.

Don’t control,

don’t think

just happens.

Danger of music

reaches deep parts

of our brain and emotions

without conscience decision!

Music and Emotions

We have know

for many years

music has strong impact

on emotions.

We can make

entire crowds

sad

jovial

angry

etc.

When I was kids

I used to say,

“it doesn’t affect me.”

Oh the ignorance of youth.

Does this bodily response to specifically programmed musical selections mean that all rhythmic musical tones are beneficial to the body? On the contrary, although man has an inherent affinity for certain rhythms, there are some broken-meter, harmonic dissonances in the melodic line which are completely out of harmony with natural body rhythms. Such is the typical, insistent tempo of rock-and-roll music. - Creeping Compromise by Joe Crews

Much of rock music

other modern music

rap, hip-hop, pop, R&B.

Not natural body rhythms

raises heart rate

raises blood pressure

damaging stimulus.

Video Media Science

Video also enters mind

through the thalamus

then occipital lobe.

Once again,

skipping the

reasoning portion

of the brain.

Music and video combined

create emotion

powerful stimulus

that we don’t stop

think about content.

Perhaps,

the most dangerous

avenue to the soul.

Certain Media Genres are More Harmful

Violence

Common saying:

“You are what you eat.”

“What you behold you become.”

“You reap what you sow.”

What we dwell on,

forms our character!

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

How many books are there concerning war and bloodshed, which mislead the youth! As they read, Satan stands at their side to inspire them with the spirit of the warrior of whom they read,

and their blood becomes heated in their veins, and they are stirred up to do cruel actions. How numerous are immoral books, which lead to unholy desires, and fire the passions of the heart, and lead away from all that is pure and holy!

You have had your magical books, in which the very scenes and pictures were inspired by him who was once an exalted angel in the courts of heaven.…

It is clear,

violent media

makes us more violent.

Question is,

why is it even attractive?

Founder of Amazing Facts answers:

“No doubt, there is an innate morbid desire to witness violence without guilt. As an innocent bystander the TV watcher is neither the aggressor nor the victim. With nothing to do but watch, and being unable to intervene, he gradually adjusts to a mentality of fascinated inaction. Under constant bombardment, the mind actually blurs to what is fantasy and what is reality.” — Joe Crews, Creeping Compromise

Witnessing violence

can have deleterious effects

on the mind.

We can ask God

to protect us from

viewing violent material.

1 Peter 1:5 HCSB

You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

God promises to protect us

but we must make

right decisions

through faith.

Violent media

not just rated R movies.

“When your children are watching cartoons, they are treated to an average 30 acts of violence every two minutes.” — Joe Crews, Creeping Compromise

Perhaps the most conclusive study

on the subject of TV aggression

was documented by

Alfred Bandura and Associates:

Their emphatic conclusion was that filmed aggression heightened aggressive dispositions in children. They definitely do imitate the violent behavior which they view on TV programs.

Violence should not

be meditated upon.

With God’s power

we can make this same

promise of David:

Psalm 101:3 HCSB

I will not set anything worthless before my eyes. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me.

Lustful Media

I discussed this

at length

in last sermon.

Just quote 1 verse:

Matthew 5:28 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Here is lesson,

if we do it in mind,

= doing it in real life.

Evil media is

Vicarious Sinning.

No!

I correct myself

Not just Vicarious sinning.

It is actual personal sinning!

Novels and Fiction

There is a category

viewed as less innocent

than violence and lustful media.

I’m here to clarify

it is just as dangerous.

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Love stories

Fiction and novels

are bad for the brain.

Why?

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

The readers of

Maybe some here today

recognize that

your media choices

are damaging you.

You can pray

this prayer with David:

Psalm 51:10 ESV

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Ask God to give you

different tastes.

desire spiritual food.

Craving and Fasting

We must overcome

on this point!

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

But these very youth who profess to be Christians … [are] devoted to the reading of

We must overcome.

If we don’t overcome,

we will be overcome.

Results of Harmful Media

What is Harmful Media

Could be

Genres or content

not good for mind.

Or

could be

too much Time Spent

screen time.

“more wholesome”

Screen Time Statistics

How much time

are Americans spending

in front of screen?

Youth:

Ages 8-10: Around 6 hours per day. 

Ages 11-14: Approximately 9 hours per day. 

Ages 15-17: About 7.5 hours daily. 

Adults: 7.5 hours per day.

Leisure time - not for work.

How can we spend

so much time?

Simple,

it is addicting!

Addiction

Media addiction is one

of the strongest addictions.

Dr. Schoen

makes this remarkable

statement in his book,

The Psychology of Music:

"Music is made of the stuff which is in and of itself the most powerful stimulant known among the perceptual processes .... Music operates on our emotional faculty with greater intensiveness and rapidity than the product of any other act." Page 39.

Speaking of music,

could apply to all media.

Powerful Stimulant.

Mental Inebriate

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

When an appetite for exciting, sensational stories is cultivated, the moral taste becomes perverted, and the mind is unsatisfied unless constantly fed upon this trashy, unwholesome food.

I have seen young ladies, professed followers of Christ, who were really unhappy unless they had on hand some new novel or story-paper.

Ellen White says,

media addiction is

not much different than

alcohol addiction!

We make vows

no alcohol

no tobacco

no street drugs.

No vow for:

pure

limited

media use!

Yet,

results are same

minds controlled

by addiction!

Breaking an addiction

can be difficult and painful.

When we become

accustomed to stimulant.

Jesus spoke on this matter:

Matthew 5:29 ESV

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

We must do

whatever it takes

to brake addictions.

Addictions of any kind

tremendously spiritual destructive.

Mood Changes

Kings Saul

started kingship

filled with Spirit.

But he became

selfish

rebellious

demon possessed.

He needed help!

What was solution?

Music Therapy!

1 Samuel 16:23 ESV

And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Notice

music changed

his mood

spiritual well being.

In this case

music was used

spiritual tool

FOR GOOD.

Unfortunately,

Satan can do

just the same

but in reverse.

Use media

for evil.

Damage mood.

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

I am personally acquainted with some who have lost the healthy tone of the mind through wrong habits of reading. They go through life with a diseased imagination, magnifying every little grievance.

Things which a sound, sensible mind would not notice, become to them unendurable trials, insurmountable obstacles. To them, life is in constant shadow.

This is a description

of someone experiencing

severe depression.

If you experience

mood imbalance

consider

bring good music!

remove bad music!

I remember

in high school

used to listen to

depressing music.

I went from

jovial young man

depressed!

Bible says:

Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...

What we meditate on

is what we become!!!

When mood changes

reach fullest extent

they become:

Damaged Mental Health

Bad media choices

don’t just damage

spiritual health.

More generally,

they damage the

entire mental health.

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

That mind is ruined

Media

overuse

wrong genres

destroying mental health

of young and old.

Today,

Severe depression

Severe Anxiety

Compare with

50 years ago

100 years ago.

Poor mental health

It is greatest

epidemic of our generation.

Covid is not worst.

Cardio vascular disease not worst.

Mental health.

25% of American Adults

50% of Young Adults.

More than cardiovascular disease!

Antidepressants are

toward the top of the

most common medications

but did you know

70% of mental health conditions

are left untreated!!!!?????

I suggest that

we are looking

solutions in the

wrong places.

Chemical Imbalance

true.

Childhood Trauma.

true.

Chemical imbalance

is caused by

thoughts & feelings

media consumption

food consumption

lifestyle habits

life stress

etc.

Cannot control

every cause.

(ie: childhood trauma).

But we can control

what we think

what we feel

what we consume

mentally

physically

spiritually

Damaged mental wellbeing

leads to this:

Loss of Interest in Bible

Greatest issue

with media addiction

we begin to

lose taste for

spiritual things!

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Satan knows that to a great degree the mind is affected by that upon which it feeds. He is seeking to lead both the youth and those of mature age to read story-books, tales, and other literature.

When we find

a drug that is

very exciting

bible is boring.

We have to make

active choice to

apply criteria

what we will focus on.

Biblical standards:

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

To be honest

very hard to

watch TV

go to movies

scroll on social

meet this criteria.

If it does not

meet this high standard

it will!

draw us away from God!

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

My dear young friends, question your own experience as to the influence of exciting stories. Can you, after such reading, open the Bible and read with interest the words of life? Do you not find the Book of God uninteresting?

Ask yourself,

Do I have

more interest

less interest

scripture?

Make a decision!!!

Music

Music for Good or Bad

God created music.

God created books.

Both were designed,

draw us closer to God.

Both can be used

to do the opposite.

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God.

What a contrast between the ancient custom and the uses to which music is now too often devoted! How many employ this gift to exalt self, instead of using it to glorify God! A love for music leads the unwary to unite with worldlovers in pleasure gatherings where God has forbidden His children to go.

Many have tried

to argue that

music itself is A-moral.

They argue that

lyrics are bad

music is neutral.

Then why did harp music

drive away demons?

Music was

created by God

for worship.

It is not bad

in and of itself.

Let’s see this quote:

Messages to Young People (Book) Section 3—Gaining Victories

Angels are hovering around yonder dwelling. The young are there assembled; there is the sound of vocal and instrumental music. Christians are gathered there, but what is that you hear? It is a song, a frivolous ditty, fit for the dance hall.

Behold, the pure angels gather their light closer around them, and darkness envelops those in that dwelling. The angels are moving from the scene. Sadness is upon their countenances. Behold, they are weeping. — MYP p. 267

Angels are pushed away?

Why?

Frivolous ditty

For dance hall.

More than

lyrics themselves.

Genre of music.

Music in the Last Days

Last Day Events Music Is Made a Snare

The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, [the Holy Flesh Movement] the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation.

Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions.…

A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working.…

Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted.

Let us give no place to strange exercisings, which really take the mind away from the deep movings of the Holy Spirit. God’s work is ever characterized by calmness and dignity. - Last Day Events, p. 159

We are living

during the time

fulfillment of

this prophecy.

These are dangerous times!

How to Prevent Worldliness

Preoccupy body and brain

useful work

healthful study

Bible Study.

Remove evil

replace with good.

The Signs of the Times December 8, 1887: Christmas Gifts for Christ

Our souls are cold and dull because we do not dwell upon the matchless charms of our Redeemer. If we occupy our thoughts in contemplating his love and mercy, we shall reflect the same in our life and character; for by beholding we become changed

Appeal

Paul talks about

witchcraft in Ephesus.

But they were converted.

What did they do?

Listen:

Acts 19:19 ESV

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

They came together

burned all their books.

Saints

I’m asking you to

make a decision.

Control Screen Time

Parental Controls

Delete apps.

Cancel subscriptions.

In its place

Holy Books

Holy Music

Prayer

More service