I know many of you listen to secular music. That is including songs that may not seem like they are all that bad...but they aren't geared towards leading people to God. Satan has dominated over this world until Jesus returns to earth. That means he has dominion over the secular music, movies, and media in general. That's why nowadays most songs and movies are about adultery, cussing, drinking, drugs, sex, love, partying. These songs uses God's name in vain. One the Commandments says" Thou shall not use God's name in vain." In Ephesians 5:4 says "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." In Ephesians 5:3 also says "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." Music plays a big part on people's emotions, that's why Satan put these things in the songs to keep you away from God. These are things that have nothing to do with God. So, why should we listen to it?

When we are claimed to be a child of God, we need to be Christ-like. In order to do that we must give up our earthly things (Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things). Things such as basic as places we go, music we listen , TV shows we watch, Movies we see. Those are only the basic of a Christian Life. If we can't give up things as eazy as those. Then how will we give up ours lives to follow the Lord. How can we be holy with filthy things from the world, which satan had dominated. We must base our standards on God, not on the world or ours. We need to be in the narrow road, not between the narrow road and the wide gate. In Hebrew 2:1 says "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." You are wondering, what about those songs that don't have anything bad in it? Well, is it bringing you any closer to God? If not then why listen to it. Would Jesus listen to it? NO, we were made in God's image so we must follow Jesus' foot steps. God called us different from the world, tell me how we are different when we listen, watch, do the same things as non-Christians? They are going to say 'hey they claim they are Christians, but they still do the same stuff as us. We shouldn't point out what our other friends are doing, and think we are better than them. Our mission on earth as Christians is to bring people to God. Don't let them think we are using the standard as them, but God's.' By listening to Christian music we are glorifying our Lord, and supporting the artists. Many of you probably only heard of praise songs, so you may think they are boring, that was how I was like when I was a young Christian. But there are so many genres out there, from country to hard rap.

We need to worship God everyday, not once a week. In Luke 9:23 says "anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." God will help you do this. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able." John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." How can we remain in Him, when we have all these ungodly things in our lives? We need to read God's word, worship him, and have personal quiet time with him daily, not just on Sundays. God is a jealous God, He wants every part of us, not just part of it. If you were married to a significant other, and you loved them with all of your heart, but they didn't love you back, how would you feel? Wouldn't that make be heartbreaking?

We are human...and it's human nature to sin...but God calls us to be holy and to be pure in heart. No where in the bible does it say we have to sin everyday, it's our choice to. We must strive to live righteous and holy. 1 Peter 1:16 "Be holy for I am holy." If we concentrate on things of God instead of things of this earth..., then it is much easier to serve God w/ a clean mind and a pure heart. we need to get rid of the junk in our life that takes up the time we could be spending w/ God. We need to be ready for Jesus' return every minute of our lives; We don't know when he will be coming. So live like everyday is Sunday.

Next time before you turn you music on, or watch certain movies, going to places or go to certain websites, imagine Jesus is sitting next to you, would you be comfortable doing these things? There is no excuse for those who choose to live the best of two things: living for God, and for the world. God tells us he will spit the lukewarm out of his mouth. It's time for this generation to stand up for the one true God and his standards and dedicat our life to Him by not compromising with this world.

Mark 4:24 "And be sure to put into practice what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand what I tell you."

Ephesians 5:11 "Take no part in the worthless pleasures of evil and darkness, but instead, rebuke and expose them. It would be shameful even to mention here, those pleasures of darkness that the ungodly do."

Philippians 4:8 "Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and God of peace will be with you."

1 John 3:13 "so don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you."