The deepest, most abiding joy comes from fellowship with God, not a fleeting source of amusement. Secular folks believe in all sorts of things, like loving their spouses and children, or the value of education, or the potential of science, or the importance of protecting the earth, or the fact . Well . There is a time . Give them, O Lord what will you give? A Psalm of Asaph. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. And I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and her proud might shall come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. If a song glorifies what opposes God, a Christian should not listen to it. He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, Go up, you baldhead! And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. Culture, in its simplest definition, is simply what we do with what God has made. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. #3. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. Some secular music can fit most of what is listed in Philippians 4:8. For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. C The Exorcist, for example, is all about the effects of the demonic, but it in no way romanticizes those effects. And they called the name of that place Bochim. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess. Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. Be Your Brother's Keeper Bible Verse. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Prepare war against her; arise, and let us attack at noon! The king has brought me into his chambers.". H For your love is better than wine. What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. We are constantly surrounded by it in myriad forms. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. Q Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. M One must ask them selves, why they are listening to this . Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy . Some are obvious, such as gratuitous sex and violence, while others are problems that Christians may not consider, such as the habits of the artist the Christians money is supporting. Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Apply the Scriptures listed above. Understanding the significant differences will help us choose to think biblically about situations we face in our secular society. To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. N In the previous verse, the Bible invites us to think and consider only good Christian entertainment practices. A third principle is that in our entertainment choices, we consider avoiding all kinds of evil. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you. Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? And they sacrificed there to the Lord. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Here are four things Christians should avoid in secular entertainment. Any musicChristian or secularhas the ability to do so. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindlernot even to eat with such a one. Besides the amount of time spent on entertainment, we must also consider its location. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. F It is important that we think deeply and reflect on what we believe and our actions. Psalm 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Ephesians 2:1-5: The sinful nature brings death. Thirdly, and most important, take a look at the lyrics of the music. The Bible also says that music can be used to manipulate people's emotions. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. Some secular films and books have very strong Christian themes. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress. "When the world brings you down, lift up your voice to God.". We need to start with a biblical theology of culture. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen! If we love the things of the world more than the things of our God, then . You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. secular movies or books that carry strong Christian messages. They flock to theaters to see movies like Star Wars, The Avengers and Jurassic World. They help songs like Shape of You and Sorry Not Sorry top the music charts, and they help books like Gone Girl and The Martian explode into prominence. Worship songs typically don't have a very long lifespan, but a few favorites like "How Great Is Our God" and "In Christ Alone" make it to the CCLI top 100 and stay there. "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.". Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper, because the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe. Keep entertainment in perspective. And he said, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. Jesus heard the Lord's name taken in vain; they . Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Christians should also be aware of what the artist, author or producers support. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. Transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. God allows us this time to be renewed and to grow in our faith. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. How then will you understand all the parables? A Song. - family or taxpayers) Not saving money for the future is a way of "putting God to the test" (Matt 4:7) You are to "be dependent on . Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. The next time you find yourself at this familiar crossroads, cling to Jesus. O God, why do you cast us off forever? There is nothing wrong with this enjoyment of secular entertainment. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. It tells us not to give license to our flesh. Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. D J "The greatest education is the knowledge of God.". If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. These Bible-based books and free online Bible studies provide practical scriptural insights and information on abortion, secular entertainment, advertising, attacks on Christianity and other topics. John 14:21 begins, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me". Answer. Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Praise the Lord! Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. The people who comprise the church are "sacred"; that is, they are called . Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. You may choose what's best for your heart, between you and God. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! P Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. Some people love to try and shock their audience. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by . Yet you are robbing me. Solomon says there is "a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted," and so on (Eccl. "Where words fail, music speaks.". A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be brokenbut by no human hand. And we captured all his cities at that time and devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and children. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. F Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? When a Christian goes to see a movie that was not what they thought it was or buys an album that they later find unpalatable, they should set it aside and forgive themselves. I can say from experience that being a biblical creationist at a secular college has its challenges. The 'word of Christ' is the gospel. If you do well, will you not be accepted? Labs They tried, but they made a mistake. Jamming to your car stereo. Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. What the Bible says about Secularism. Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. After all, if good intentions meant that people could always get it right, Christ would not have needed to come in the first place, would He? Concerts. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel. And Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor. And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. Someone once pointed out that "recreation" means to "re-create" or "renew.". One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. God judges those outside. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Isaiah 1:1-31 - " The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard. Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. A Psalm of Asaph. Saving: Saving money is wise so you can help yourself and others, and have money in your old age when you will not be working. With whom have you dealt thus? Personally, I listen to only Christian music, because secular music tends to have a lot of junk in it and I want to protect my mind and heart from that junk. Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me. Reading Daniel 1 Reflection In an evangelical world in which "secular" knowledge is sometimes not valued, it's important to remember that the Bible itself, at least in a couple of instances, supports the learning and use of what's sometimes termed "secular" knowledge. In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. . When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Therefore I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! TopicalBible To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. 1) Serve God by giving your best service to your boss or superiors. The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of my people. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Colossians 3:23-24 exhorts us: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward . Of course, the short answer to the question is that it is not a sin to hear God's name taken in vain. They flock to theaters to see movies like "Star Wars . Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that? Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, Yes, what they are buildingif a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall! Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Oh when will you come to me? Arise, and let us attack by night and destroy her palaces! Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts. You adulterous people! To the choirmaster. Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! V G Psalm 16:7-8 I will praise the LORD who counsels me even at night my conscience instructs me. S For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. Blog, A Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. I keep the LORD in mind always. Counsel from God. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16; 5:24). For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. These are the works that can cause problems for Christians. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. Social media and the entertainment industry now celebrate "gender fluidity" as a more enlightened way of thinking than the biblical view. Unfortunately, rather than choose a narrative shock, many authors and directors choose to use sex, violence or a mix of the two to shock their audience. - Malcolm X. You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. But we must run aground on some island. When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! With Colossians 3:22-25 in mind, here are some ways we should treat our secular jobs. Of David. I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel. K 2. U Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? And begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the elders who were before the house. Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Committing to obey the voice of God is a big decision, but He is the only person worthy of taking full charge of our lives. W e live in a world of music. not ecclesiastical or clerical. Books and films that insist on showing deals with the Devil as acceptable or as the only way to defeat another demon can be scratched off a Christians list and replaced with something more appropriate. I don't believe viewers come into the equation, even in economic terms. Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished. Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness. The sower sows the word. 1) A heart that longs for worldly gains more than eternal gains. Numbers 25:4-9 ESV / 4 helpful votesNot Helpful. D Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. In fact, before we messed it up, God did create this world for us to enjoy and the beautiful creation he made inspires a lot of secular music, art, media and more. . Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 1. Most Christians enjoy secular entertainment, but they are also aware that there are things that they should avoid. How lonely sits the city that was full of people! He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. And Hazael said, Why does my lord weep? He answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. The sole condition to becoming a Christian is to believe in Jesus Christ. But you say, How shall we return? Will man rob God? The Lord said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, My own hand has saved me. Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead. Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. Will they finish up in a day? We often use the term Hollywood to refer to anything pertaining to the entertainment industry, even though other cities such as New York and Nashville contribute to it also. A bloody battle or a single love scene is not necessarily reason for a Christian to walk out of a theater or put down a book. Therefore, if we have Christ's righteousness credited to us by faith, then no work we do can add to . Most Christians watch, read or listen to secular entertainment. the new testament is all about examining oneself. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. It can be used to praise God, or it can be used to entertain people. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. Today's entertainment is far reaching and has slowly desensitized us to sex and violence. Publisher: OpenBible.info. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. I think there is nothing wrong with listening to secular music. They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. The Bible tells us to think on things that are above. But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. Z. Just trust Him, for He has a beautiful way of bringing good music out of broken cords.".

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