ENVIRONMENT

“Quality of Life Series”

4/13/04

LEADER: “ Public Policy Statistics”

http://www.globalethics.org/public/statistics.html

In several recent polls, ethics and moral decline were considered among the most important issues facing the country today:

· The "decline in moral values" was listed first as the most important problem facing the country in an October 1997 NBC/Wall Street Journal survey. Almost a third of the 1,700 respondents chose it.

· A November 1997 Pew Research Center poll found that "morality/ethics/values" was tied for second in answer to the question: What is the most important problem facing the country today?

· ABC/Washington Post: In June of 1997 people were asked, What is the most important problem facing the nation? "Moral decline" was fourth on the list, one percentage point behind crime and ahead of drugs.

· In an August 1997 CBS poll, equal numbers of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans were asked what the nation's most important problems are. "Moral values" was third on the list among all people asked, and tied with crime for first among white respondents.

· Gallup/CNN/USA Today: When people were asked about issue priorities, ethics was listed third, behind crime and drugs (October 1997).

· An October 1997 poll by Time/CNN reported "morals/values" second only to crime as the "main problem facing the country today," ahead of drugs, politicians/government, unemployment/jobs, the economy, the budget deficit, education, homelessness/poverty, health care, and racism/race relations.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “VIOLENCE Why It Happens” EXCERPT

http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/q1111/q1111.html#page2

Loss Of Innocence. Proverbs 22:6 declares, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The experiences of infancy and childhood have great influence on adult behavior. In her 1981 book Children Without Childhood, author Marie Winn describes how our culture has changed from nurturing children to providing them with early exposure to adult experience in the hope of preparing them for the challenges of life. This cultural shift has brought a relentless assault on children’s innocence by the media. Popular musicians and movie stars model increasingly violent and promiscuous behavior before ever-younger audiences.

Research from the 1970s to the present consistently demonstrates a connection between media sex and violence and the self-destructive behavior of young people. In their book Saving Childhood, Michael and Diane Medved report:

A September 1997 Los Angeles Times poll found that 87 percent of respondents agree that “TV has more sex and violence than 10 years ago,” and 71 percent say shows depicting nudity or sex encourage immorality. A survey of 570 Hollywood elite found that even within the industry itself, half “said that TV had a negative impact on the country, and strong majorities said TV only did a fair or poor job in encouraging such things as lawful behavior, sexual abstinence, and respect for police”.

In spite of overwhelming agreement about the causal factors, we seem to lack the collective will to do anything about it. Even though the danger is self-evident, we seem too often to be guided by the lowest common moral denominator of our culture.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do

practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge

you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

LEADER: “A Plea for Authentic Christian Living” EXCERPT

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/1thes4v1.html

In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul wrote to a very immature church this plea, "Flee immorality." Why? "Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." Note the basis for his exhortation: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (verses 19-20).

Ephesians 5:1-6 brings out the contrast between a mature believer walking in love, as Christ loved and immature person living an immoral impure life style and its consequences.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Ephesians 5:1-6

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, as 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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

LEADER: “A Plea for Authentic Christian Living” EXCERPT

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/1thes4v1.html

We live in a day when we are steadily bombarded with the ethics and values of a Godless society. From toothpaste commercials to prime time television programs we are pressured to conform to an immoral lifestyle. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience" is advice we need to heed in our day. Sometimes it is the subtle constant dripping of appeals to our flesh and at other times there is blatant "if you don't like it turn it off" hostile aggression in programming.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: James 4:7
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “The Law of Opposition” 12/4

http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/12/04/

To him who overcomes . . . (Revelation 2:7)
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.

Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.

Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.

And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation . . ." ( John 16:33 ). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, ". . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.

Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: I John 4:4

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #1

http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=e&whichFile=environment

"Man shapes himself through decisions that shape his environment.”

Rene Dubos, Author & chairman of the

Rene Dubos Center for Human Environment

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Philippians 4:8

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praise worthy - think about such things

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “Garbage In, Garbage Out” By Jim Burns

http://www.solidrockcentral.com/ybgarbage.html

There's a simple principle that says when you put garbage into your mind and life, garbage will come out. When you put good things into your mind and life, then good things will flow out. Your mind matters, and what you put into your mind will ultimately make the difference between peace or distraction. Today take a few minutes to take the advice of Paul and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. God's promise to you in verse 9 is that when you think of these things the "God of peace will be with you."
People of peace are people who have learned with God's help to control their mind. They regulate what goes in, and peace prevails. Others choose to put garbage into their mind, and garbage naturally comes out.
Your mind is a powerful source of help and positive energy. Give your mind and thoughts over to God's power and you'll begin to think the thoughts of our Lord and live with the peace from above. Don't waste your precious life with less than what God has to offer. Heed this advice from Romans 12:2:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #2

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Morality&id=2

“Just as there's garbage that pollutes the Potomac river, there is garbage polluting our culture. We need an Environmental Protection Agency to clean it up.”

Patrick Buchanan 1938-, American Statesman

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #3

http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=e&whichFile=environment

“We make the world we live in and shape our own environment.”

Orison Swett Marden 1850-1924 Author- success and motivation books

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #4

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Morality&id=2

“Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.”

Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826, Third President of the USA

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Proverbs 4:10-19
Hear, my son, and accept my sayings And the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go .Guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.

LEADER: “The Road Not Taken” EXCERPT

Today in the Word 2/9/04

http://www.moody.edu/st/tiw/tdw/devotional.cfm?dy=09&mn=02&yr=2004
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15

In “The Road Not Taken,” the poet Robert Frost ponders how his life might have been different had he made different choices. Frost concludes, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.”

This poem reminds us of an important truth: life is a journey and the path we take makes all the difference. Not all paths lead to the same place. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are ultimately on the path to eternal life. But during our lives in this world, we make choices that lead either to abundant life or to spiritual dryness. Proverbs is like a road map that shows us what these two paths look like.

Proverbs 4 develops this path metaphor. Those who seek wisdom find life–a promise echoed in verse 10. Here we see that the way of wisdom is a straight path (v. 11) because it leads to rightness or justice. Thus the way of wisdom allows one to walk unhindered by deception or fear of falling because of sin. Because wisdom leads to life, it’s to be guarded and applied (v. 13).

In addition to seeking wisdom, we must avoid evil. We shouldn’t put even our big toe on this path! This may seem overstated until we consider that initially evil rarely looks bad. In fact, most sins look adventurous and enticing . . . at first. But Proverbs shows us what the end of the road looks like. And here, the end of the evil path really doesn’t look that exciting. Here are people so consumed by greed, lust, revenge, or some other evil, that they can’t even sleep at night. Unless they harm someone, they aren’t content. We may call this thinking psychopathic today, but Proverbs shows that this is where the path of evil leads.

As if to drive this home, verses 18 and 19 compare the two paths. Using the familiar imagery of light and dark, the stark difference between the two paths couldn’t be more vividly drawn.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: James 4:3-8

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: " He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “How to Have a Good Fight” EXCERPT

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/jas4v1.html

Resist the Devil

The person who is submissive to the will of God will be defiant with Satan. Our obedience to God is measured by our resistance to Satan. The enemies of God become our enemies. If we love God we will not treat Satan with timid politeness. We will fight him with all our might. You cannot treat him with neutral indifference; you must “resist the devil.” In deed, that is the promise God gives us. “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That is exactly what Jesus did (Matt. 4:1).

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Have you set yourself against Satan? Do you find yourself trying to use him to gratify your selfish desires? How tragic that we should find ourselves in complicity with him. Does what we read, our favorite television programs, movies, entertainment, Internet links, etc. reflect our collusion with him? Make a once and for all decisive decision to set yourself against Satan and his interests even though he should come upon you as a “raging lion” or “disguised as an angel of light” (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11). You confront the devil with resolve and he will flee your presence. You cannot be timid or indecisive with him. You must boldly defy him against all his attacks. If you love the lord you will hate the enemy of the Lord. Don’t hesitate or halt; confront him. Don’t try to be a good ole boy with the devil or his friends. Don’t play with matches.

Do I hunger for holiness of heart?

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #5

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Morality&id=2

“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

George Washington 1732-1799, First President of the USA

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #6

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Morality&id=2

“To give a man full knowledge of morality, I would send him to no other book than the New Testament.”

John Locke 1632-1704, British Philosopher

HAVE SOMEONE READ: 1 John 2:15

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #7

http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=e&whichFile=environment

“Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.”

Euripides 480-406 BC

Prize winning athlete, painter and prolific Author

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Ephesians 4:22-24
that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “A Plea for Authentic Christian Living”

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/1thes4v1.html EXCERPT

“The basis for the plea for sanctification”

God calls us to sanctification. It is a call to "holiness". We have been "called to be holy"––a call to become like God. These ethical demands are rooted in God's character. He is holy. Paul reminds us whoever "rejects this instruction" rejects God.

The apostle Paul argues for strong ethical behavior based upon his understanding of the character of God. Anyone who rejects them is not rejecting Paul but God. Therefore, these instructions are not rooted in any particular culture, but in a holy God. The assumption Paul makes is "that our bodies”––our persons––belong to the God of creation. If we believe God created us then we remain obligated to please Him with our attitudes and behaviors. We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to God––He purchased us with the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the philosophical basis of the Thessalonian argument, and in deed for all matters of sanctification.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: I Corinthians 6:20

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “Recall”

http://www.sermonillustrator.org/illustrator/sermon2c/recall.htm

IMPORTANT!

The maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to the serious defect in the primary and central component or heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed, 'Sub sequential Internal Non-Morality,' or more commonly known as S-I-N, as it is primarily symptomized by loss of moral judgment.

Some other symptoms are:

(a) Loss of direction

(b) Foul vocal emissions

(d) Lack of peace and joy

(e) Selfish, or violent behaviour

(f) Depression or confusion in the mental component

The manufacturer, who is neither liable or at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized repair and service, free of charge to correct this SIN defect, at numerous locations throughout the world.

The number to call for the recall station in your area is: P-R-A-Y-E-R

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human unit without correction, voids the manufacturer's warranty, exposing owner to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.

For free emergency service, call on J-E-S-U-S for prompt assistance at any location worldwide.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “VIOLENCE Why It Happens” EXCERPT

http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/q1111/q1111.html#page2

The Lord didn’t call us to be spectators of the world’s self-destruction. He gave us the task to carry on His work of healing and redemption. We are the heirs of His kingdom. The darker the world, the more powerful and penetrating the kingdom’s light. Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may . . . glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

The following prayer, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), eloquently expresses the light that is needed in a violent world:

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”

This is the kind of attitude that can be expressed by those who have the security of knowing that they are loved and provided for by God. Out of the overflow of their lives they can seek the good of others.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Ephesians 5:1-17

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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says,
" Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you."
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “Will It Please Him?” Our Daily Bread 10/2/02

http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/odb/odb-10-02-02.shtml

Walk as children of light . . . , finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. —Ephesians 5:8,10

Two friends were talking about a movie that one of them had seen recently. As he began to describe the film, he characterized it like this: "You wouldn't want to take your pastor to watch it with you."

It's a curious standard we sometimes set for ourselves, isn't it? We allow ourselves to view, hear, or participate in things that we know are not proper for us as followers of Christ. But if an activity is not appropriate for those whom we expect to be godly (church leaders), how can it be okay for us? Or if it has elements that would be harmful for young people to take part in, then why should we?

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he didn't limit God's moral standards to certain people or age groups. He didn't create a rating system that would allow exposure to evil for those who were at certain spiritual levels. Instead, he pointed to the Lord Jesus as the standard.

If we are committed to living as God has called us to live, we will strive to find out what is "acceptable to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:10). We will "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (v.11).

The issue is not what a pastor or any other person would do. The question is: Will it please the Lord? —Dave Branon

Lord, as I follow You by faith,
Help me each day to learn
That pleasing You in all I do
Must be my main concern. —Fitzhugh

You can do what you please if what you do pleases God.

LEADER: Let’s look at “A Brief History of Movie Ratings”:

http://www.psvratings.com/history-of-movie-ratings.html

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “Early Beginnings” “A Brief History of Movie Ratings”

http://www.psvratings.com/history-of-movie-ratings.html EXCERPT

In the early 1900s, as motion pictures became popular, people in many cities began to raise their concerns about the content of movies. In 1907, Chicago was the first city to create a board to regulate films. By 1929, as many as 100 cities and towns had passed censorship laws.

The entertainment industry reacted, preferring self-regulation to government interference. As a result, in 1922, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA) was founded, led by Will Hays. At first, the MPPDA created a list of "do's and don'ts " that members agreed to follow, thus holding off from having any form of censorship from cities and towns.

However, the invention of "talking movies" created further situations in which some type of regulation was being demanded. On March 31, 1930, the MPPDA agreed to new production guidelines known to this day as the "Hays Production Code." The code laid out in specific detail what was and what was not considered appropriate content. Some of the overriding principles included:

HAVE SOMEONE READ: The "Hays Production Code”

“A Brief History of Movie Ratings” EXCERPT

http://www.psvratings.com/history-of-movie-ratings.html

· No picture shall be produced that lowers the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.

· Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.

· Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “Changes in the Standards in the 1960s”
“A Brief History of Movie Ratings” EXCERPT

http://www.psvratings.com/history-of-movie-ratings.html

The Hays Production Code remained in place until the mid-1960's. By then, social values had dramatically changed and the code was considered out of step with the times. In the summer of 1966, amidst a more open and frank mentality permeating society, three incidents occurred that added pressure to change the old system of stringent movie-making guidelines.

· Within weeks of becoming President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Jack Valenti had to decide what to do about the release of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf." This film would have been the first time that blatant sexual language would be used onscreen.

· A few months later, the MGM studio was preparing to release the Michelangelo Antonioni film "Blow-Up." This was the first time a major distributor attempted to market a film containing actual nudity. However, the Production Code Administration in California denied giving the film their standard Hays Production Code seal of approval. To go around this, MGM decided to distribute the film through a subsidiary company, effectively disregarding the voluntary agreement that MPAA member companies would not distribute films without the seal of approval. The MPAA realized that it now had to determine how to deal with a serious breakdown in their self-regulation policy.

· Meanwhile, in April 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutional power of states and cities to prevent the exposure of children to books and films deemed inappropriate according to their own local standards. This put further pressure on the MPAA to determine how to market movies in a way that the public would accept. These three events caused the existing system of ratings to be no longer viable.

· On November 1, 1968, the MPAA announced a new voluntary system in which movies would be rated. This rating system was intended to allow the movie industry the flexibility to create whatever content they wished, while placing the responsibility on parents to decide which movies their children should see. Since 1968, the system has gone through a number of revisions to the ratings.

LEADER: Sometimes it takes a long time for movies to make it to TV where they’ve cleaned them up to a PG or PG-13…but they nearly all eventually get there. If you don’t want to wait, here’s a website where you can order cleaned up movies at www.cleanfilm.com .

LEADER: And what about some of the things we read…are you reading about the 200 pound toddler in the Enquirer…and so on?

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #8

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Media

“Some newspapers are fit only to line the bottom of bird cages.”

Spiro T. Agnew 1918-1996, American Vice President

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #9

http://www.entwagon.com/cgi-bin/quotes/quotes.pl?cat=Media

“Commercial jazz, soap opera, pulp fiction, comic strips, the movies set the images, mannerisms, standards, and aims of the urban masses.”

C. Wright Mills 1916-1962, American Sociologist

HAVE SOMEONE READ: “How do You know when you are Spirit-filled?”

http://www.abideinchrist.com/selah/jan16.html

Jesus Christ has been exalted to the highest place in heaven. God “highly exalted Him, and gave Him a name above every name” (Philippians 2:9). In the places where you often frequent is Jesus Christ exalted above every other name? Does your presence there bring honor and glory to Him alone? Does what you believe about God and your religion place the same emphasis the New Testament does on Jesus Christ? Do you in any way dilute the glory ascribed to Christ? Do you share His glory with some other religious leader or teacher? The Holy Spirit always glorifies Christ. If I am Spirit-filled my life and teaching will always seek to glorify the Son of God. Is Jesus Christ being crowned with many crowns in my life? Is He glorified in the way I spend my time, where I go on the Internet, my pursuit of pleasure, the people with whom I associate, the movies I watch, the desires of my heart, the things I long for in my quiet moments, etc.? Are these under the control of the Spirit? Is Christ being made Lord of my life? It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring every area of our lives under His control, and make it very plain when we are glorifying Jesus Christ. He also convicts us when it is clear we are not Christ-centered. He reproves us when we are tarnishing His glory.

How do we know when we are filled with the Spirit? We are under His control when we are glorifying Christ in our everyday life and work.

HAVE SOMEONE READ: Philippians 1:27

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

HAVE SOMEONE READ: 1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

LEADER READ: “Alive in Christ” By Will Pounds EXCERPT

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/jn14v12.html

Christ is formed in you.

The Holy Spirit brings the inward change to a person's life. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to fashion Christ in the believer.

Our body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. God has chosen to indwell our bodies

Christ is the believer's new environment.

Paul describes our intimacy with Christ in the expression "in Christ." It is more than a confession of faith. It is a declaration that Jesus Christ is a living, present Spirit, whose nature is the very nature of God and He is now the environment of the believer.

Paul uses the expression "in Christ," or its cognate expression "in the Lord," "in Him," etc. 164 times. Jesus taught His disciples, "abide in Me, and I in you" (John 15:4). On occasions Paul seems to use "in the Spirit" almost interchangeably with "in Christ." It is the Holy Spirit who makes Christ real to us. He mediates Christ's gifts and presence to us. You are "in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Romans 8:9).

Christ is the Christian's new environment. Paul sees the believer as living and moving and having his being in a spiritual environment that is the very breath of life. The redeemed person has been placed in a totally different sphere, the sphere of Christ. He has "made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:5). He who was "dead in trespasses and sins" has "raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus" (v. 6).

LEADER: “The Road Not Taken” EXCERPT Today in the Word 2/9/04

http://www.moody.edu/st/tiw/tdw/devotional.cfm?dy=09&mn=02&yr=2004
We would like to emphasize an earlier point: as believers, our ultimate destination is eternal glory with Jesus. But between now and then, we make choices that either promote or hinder abundant life. So it’s worth considering which of these two paths you are on today. Are you asking the Lord to show you how to bless other people’s lives, or are you harboring grudges and vengeful thoughts? These are hard questions. But if you know you’re on the wrong path, it’s not too late to change direction and head down the path to life!

HAVE SOMEONE READ: QUOTE #10

http://www.christianglobe.com/Illustrations/theDetails.asp?whichOne=e&whichFile=environment

“You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success -- or are they holding you back?”

W. Clement Stone 1902-2002

Self made billionaire (ins. Business) & motivational author

LEADER: It’s all about choices. You can choose your environment.

You can choose…. “Garbage in – Garbage out!” OR

Sonshine in – Sonshine out!”

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“VIOLENCE Why It Happens”

Loss Of Innocence. Proverbs 22:6 declares, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The experiences of infancy and childhood have great influence on adult behavior. In her 1981 book Children Without Childhood, author Marie Winn describes how our culture has changed from nurturing children to providing them with early exposure to adult experience in the hope of preparing them for the challenges of life. This cultural shift has brought a relentless assault on children’s innocence by the media. Popular musicians and movie stars model increasingly violent and promiscuous behavior before ever-younger audiences.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Ephesians 5:1-6

James 4:7

I John 4:4

QUOTE #1

"Man shapes himself through decisions that shape his environment.”

Rene Dubos, Author & chairman of the

Rene Dubos Center for Human Environment

Philippians 4:8

“The Law of Opposition”

Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.

“Garbage In, Garbage Out”

There's a simple principle that says when you put garbage into your mind and life, garbage will come out. When you put good things into your mind and life, then good things will flow out. Your mind matters, and what you put into your mind will ultimately make the difference between peace or distraction. Today take a few minutes to take the advice of Paul and think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. God's promise to you in verse 9 is that when you think of these things the "God of peace will be with you."
People of peace are people who have learned with God's help to control their mind. They regulate what goes in, and peace prevails. Others choose to put garbage into their mind, and garbage naturally comes out.
Your mind is a powerful source of help and positive energy. Give your mind and thoughts over to God's power and you'll begin to think the thoughts of our Lord and live with the peace from above. Don't waste your precious life with less than what God has to offer. Heed this advice from Romans 12:2:
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

QUOTE #2

“Just as there's garbage that pollutes the Potomac river, there is garbage polluting our culture. We need an Environmental Protection Agency to clean it up.”

Patrick Buchanan 1938-, American Statesman

Romans 12:2

QUOTE #3

“We make the world we live in and shape our own environment.”

Orison Swett Marden 1850-1924 Author- success and motivation books

QUOTE #4

“Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.”

Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826, Third President of the USA

Proverbs 4:10-19

James 4:3-8

“How to Have a Good Fight”

Resist the Devil

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Have you set yourself against Satan? Do you find yourself trying to use him to gratify your selfish desires? How tragic that we should find ourselves in complicity with him. Does what we read, our favorite television programs, movies, entertainment, Internet links, etc. reflect our collusion with him? Make a once and for all decisive decision to set yourself against Satan and his interests even though he should come upon you as a “raging lion” or “disguised as an angel of light” (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11). You confront the devil with resolve and he will flee your presence. You cannot be timid or indecisive with him. You must boldly defy him against all his attacks. If you love the lord you will hate the enemy of the Lord. Don’t hesitate or halt; confront him. Don’t try to be a good ole boy with the devil or his friends. Don’t play with matches.

Do I hunger for holiness of heart?

QUOTE #5

George Washington 1732-1799, First President of the USA

QUOTE #6

“To give a man full knowledge of morality, I would send him to no other book than the New Testament.”

John Locke 1632-1704, British Philosopher

1 John 2:15

QUOTE #7

“Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.”

Euripides 480-406 BC Prize winning athlete, painter and prolific Author

Ephesians 4:22-24

“A Plea for Authentic Christian Living”

“The basis for the plea for sanctification”

It is not as if God were making impossible demands upon His people. He has provided the power by which we can live such a life. Now that we have become a believer it is a matter of choice as to how we choose to live. "He is the One who gives to believers His Holy Spirit. The present tense 'almost certainly stresses the ongoing work of the Spirit in their lives,' especially with respect to the struggle against sin. The apostle Paul argues for strong ethical behavior based upon his understanding of the character of God. Anyone who rejects them is not rejecting Paul but God. Therefore, these instructions are not rooted in any particular culture, but in a holy God. The assumption Paul makes is "that our bodies”––our persons––belong to the God of creation. If we believe God created us then we remain obligated to please Him with our attitudes and behaviors. We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to God––He purchased us with the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the philosophical basis of the Thessalonian argument, and in deed for all matters of sanctification.

I Corinthians 6:20

“Recall”

IMPORTANT!

This defect has been technically termed, 'Sub sequential Internal Non-Morality,' or more commonly known as S-I-N, as it is primarily symptomized by loss of moral judgment.

Some other symptoms are:

(a) Loss of direction

(b) Foul vocal emissions

(d) Lack of peace and joy

(e) Selfish, or violent behaviour

(f) Depression or confusion in the mental component

The number to call for the recall station in your area is: P-R-A-Y-E-R

For free emergency service, call on J-E-S-U-S for prompt assistance at any location worldwide.

“Will It Please Him?”

Walk as children of light . . . , finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. —Ephesians 5:8,10

The issue is not what a pastor or any other person would do. The question is: Will it please the Lord? —Dave Branon

Ephesians 5:1-17

“VIOLENCE Why It Happens”

You are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may . . . glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

The following prayer, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), eloquently expresses the light that is needed in a violent world:

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”

Lord, as I follow You by faith,
Help me each day to learn
That pleasing You in all I do
Must be my main concern. —Fitzhugh

You can do what you please if what you do pleases God.

The "Hays Production Code”

· No picture shall be produced that lowers the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin.

· Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.

· Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

“Early Beginnings” A Brief History of Movie Ratings

“Changes in the Standards in the 1960s”
The Hays Production Code remained in place until the mid-1960's. By then, social values had dramatically changed and the code was considered out of step with the times. In the summer of 1966, amidst a more open and frank mentality permeating society, three incidents occurred that added pressure to change the old system of stringent movie-making guidelines.

QUOTE #8

“Some newspapers are fit only to line the bottom of bird cages.”

Spiro T. Agnew 1918-1996, American Vice President

QUOTE #9

“Commercial jazz, soap opera, pulp fiction, comic strips, the movies set the images, mannerisms, standards, and aims of the urban masses.”

C. Wright Mills 1916-1962, American Sociologist

“How do You know when you are Spirit-filled?”

How do we know when we are filled with the Spirit? We are under His control when we are glorifying Christ in our everyday life and work.

Philippians 1:27

Corinthians 3:16

QUOTE #10

W. Clement Stone 1902-2002

Self made billionaire (ins. Business) & motivational author