And we wonder
by Rev. Damien Salazar, Pastor South Mt. Zion Church

My wife and I decided to get a couple of videos for our two young and impressionable daughters and after a long search they finally chose two age appropriate movies. As they were looking, I chose to look around at what was being offered since it had been several years since I had been in a video store. At first it was a typical video store but as I started to pay a little more attention (which is hard for me to do), I couldn't help to notice how graphic movies have become. So for homework for this week's article I went back to the same video store and counted all of the horror movies on the shelf also for everyone's viewing pleasure, and I use that term lightly. A lot of people may be asking, "What's the big deal?" That is a good question to ask, for it has a significant answer.

To answer that question, we need to go back to the beginning in Genesis Ch.6:5-6. The Bible says "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart." When Adam and Eve decided to eat the fruit, their eyes were opened to things that God had no intention of them knowing, and yet through the craftiness of deception, the enemy was able to bring down man. We are no different thousands of years later and with billions of people in the earth's population, men are still evil continuously. Does it help that movies, television programs and graphic novels that unlock the imaginations of people bombard us? Certainly not, and yet we wonder why the world is the way it is when we subject ourselves to such content.

The movies on that shelf were full of murder, torture and the demise of men and women for the pleasure of the deviant. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:22, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." That is exactly what we need to do in order to be pleasing unto God "for when we draw near to Him (God) He (God) draws near to us." James 4:8 says God does not take pleasure in His creation being attacked by unnecessary evil and that is exactly what it is. I know a lot of people may be arguing that we as people have free will to do as we please, and we do but listen to what pleases God. "When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7 reminds that when trouble comes our way, we need to examine our life and lifestyle and ask ourselves if we in all our ways are pleasing to God. It means a great deal to our self being that we get right with God and clean up our act just as we take great pride in a clean home or city we too should pride ourselves in having a clear conscience and soul.

In closing listen one more time of the admonition of the Lord in Ephesians Ch. 5: 14- 17 "Wherefore he says, awake thou that sleeps, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore by ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." The next time we are looking to be entertained let us consider carefully what it is that we are considering. Until next time may God richly bless you in all your endeavors in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit I pray.