1. The Devil is cunning and is winning the battle with many Christians in the realm of TV, Movies, & Music The Devil is getting people to preoccupy their minds with hours of television and movie watching – taking them away from God’s Word!

2.  1930’s to 1960 – a very strict TV code  Brutal killings could not be shown in detail  Crime could not be glamorized  Obscenity forbidden  Reference to deity was not to be irreverent  Nudity was not permitted  Sanctity of marriage and the home was to be upheld  If this was still practiced – there would be no need for the following….

3.  Current Ratings:  G – General  PG – Parental Guidance  PG13 – Under age 13 not allowed w/o an adult  R – Restricted (under 17 must have a parent)  X – No one under 17 permitted  MOST all movies today are filled with bad language, sex scenes and terrible violence

4.  Media has great power in reaching billions of people  Television is the most powerful  Businesses pay millions to advertise  WHY? Because billions watch – a great influence! How much time do you spend watching TV and movies?

5.  Statistics:  Average Home 98% of homes have at least one TV (2-3 in most) TV on 49.5 hours each week (7 hrs per day)  Children Watch 32 hours of TV each week (5 hours daily) One fourth of waking hours are watching TV Hear more than 400 commercials per week  Movies 22 million attend movies each week Only 4% in the movie business attend any worship

6.  Must evaluate what we allow in our hearts  God hates violence  Proverbs 6:16-19; Romans 12:17  Immoral Language  Lord’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7)  Profanity (Ephesians 4:29)  Lying (Revelation 21:8; Colossians 3:9)  Words are important! (Matthew 12:34-37) “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24

7.  Sexual Immorality  Fornication and adultery Galatians 5:19-21  Homosexuality 1 Corinthians 6:9 Profanity Violence Sex Immodesty Nakedness Subtle Messages Desensitizes us to sin

8.  Don’t make excuses for what you do, say, watch and listen to  They are nothing more than misgiven priorities of life! “It doesn’t bother me” “It only had a few bad scenes” “It’s only violence” “I’m not actually doing those things” “It’s only adult oriented subject matter” “There is nothing else to watch” “My friends chose to see it – I don’t want to offend them”  Remember – they are ONLY excuses to God 2 Corinthians 5:10

9.  Remember, we ARE influenced by what we expose our mind to  As a Christian – be aware of how God wants our mind to be:  Proverbs 4:23; 23:7  Matthew 5:8  Titus 1:15-16  Philippians 4:8  Always strive to close our eyes to evil and open our eyes to God’s Holy and sacred Word! “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law” (Psalms 119:18)