“Therefore, get
rid of all moral
filth and the
evil that is so
prevalent and
humbly accept
the word planted
in you, which
can save you”
(James 1:21,
NIV).
There sure
is a lot of
filth in the
world we live
in. Just turn on
your television
or open the
front page on a
Web search
engine and there
is filth right
in your face.
Shoot, we’re
surrounded by
filth and it
grows every day
it seems.
Is it only me,
or do filth and
evil seem so
prevalent in our
society that we
sometimes don't
even recognize
it as such? I
rarely watch
television
anymore because
the filth on it
is pervasive in
just about every
show. Seems like
the documentary
channels are the
only television
escapes from the
filth on
primetime
television. Even
those channels
are starting to
air shows that
are of moral
question and
filth, because,
well, evil and
filth pays and
brings in an
audience.
I wonder why
people are drawn
to it? I guess
it is just part
of our sinful
nature that
draws us to
watch sin and
moral decay on
television or on
the Internet. To
me though, the
more I learn of
the Lord, the
more filth and
evil I see all
around me─like
being surrounded
by the enemy.
It’s everywhere.
Commercials,
billboards and
posters in the
mall: filth and
evil surrounding
us on all sides.
Now that I’m in
Christ, I can
recognize filth
and evil like I
can spot the sun
rising. It is
quite amazing to
me that before I
knew Christ, the
moral decay and
evil in the
world was
seemingly normal
and acceptable
to me: I didn’t
notice it or pay
attention. Now I
find most things
reprehensible.
Maybe I’m being
overly
sensitive, but I
can’t stand
being surrounded
by filth and
evil.
Just recently,
my sixth-grade
daughter went to
her middle
school prom. She
dressed very
conservatively
in a nice dress.
She was very
presentable in
my eyes. Not
immorally
dressed to say
the least. When
we went to pick
her up, I was
appalled at the
outfits that
most of the
girls were
wearing. I mean,
what parents
would let an
eighth-grader
dress in; skimpy
clothes with
six-inch
stiletto heels
in a skirt that
I would expect
to see a 21year
old wearing at a
meat-market
dance club.
This type of
dress was not
isolated to just
one girl, it was
evident that my
daughter was in
the minority of
conservative
dress because
most were
wearing clothes,
or should I say
a lack of
clothes, which I
found
embarrassing to
look at. My
daughter then
told me that
some kids were
“grinding” at
the dance and
doing other
disgusting dance
moves with each
other. Not just
boys to girls,
but girls to
girls. I asked
if the chaperons
stopped them and
she said, “No.”
Come on people!
This makes me
think of the
acceptable filth
that society
says is normal
for people now.
My kids were
watching TV the
other day, on a
kid’s network
channel. I
thought I would
sit for a moment
and spend some
quality time
with them and
watched some
dumb teen show
on this kid’s
network channel.
All of a sudden,
two girls were
making out! I
was dumbfounded.
My daughter said
they do it all
the time on the
show. I asked
her what she
thought of it
and she said it
was disgusting,
but otherwise
she liked the
show.
It wasn’t even
isolated to that
show. She said
most of the teen
shows that she
watches have
gays and
lesbians and
other
inappropriate
relationships
(student and
teachers) that
portray that
type of behavior
as “normal” in
society, which,
for unbelievers
is normal. To
me, it seems
that every show
on now has some
type of immoral
theme to it.
That’s why I
don’t watch much
TV anymore. I’m
about ready to
cancel cable.
Let me say that
I’m glad my wife
and I are saved
and that my
younger children
know about Jesus
and hopefully
will follow our
example. We
didn’t raise our
older kids as
Christians since
their birth,
because my wife
and I have been
saved for only a
few years. But
we try to be
good examples of
God’s love and
talk to them
about Jesus.
(Can you see
their eyes
rolling now?)
The two youngest
recognize the
filth of society
and are more
receptive when
we talk about
God. The two
almost-adult
teenagers, well,
they are pretty
worldly since we
missed the
opportunity to
have Christ in
their lives when
they were
younger. All we
can do is set
the example,
surround our
house with
reminders of
Christ, and most
important, we
pray for them a
lot.
For the
unbeliever, the
filth and evil
of society is
normal and an
acceptable part
of their daily
lives. But it is
not normal. Once
one becomes a
follower of
Jesus Christ,
they will begin
to notice how
worldly the
world outside of
Christianity is.
Those things
that once seemed
normal will seem
disgusting.
Those things
that society is
saying is moral
will be noticed
as immoral (gay
marriage,
abortion, etc.).
Adversity is
always against
us. The filth
and evil is so
pervasive in the
world that I
sometimes feel
like I’m
drowning in it.
The world makes
it so easy to
sin because
society has made
sinful living a
facet of
society, part of
our every day
lives. Accepting
what society has
offered in filth
and evil is an
attempt by Satan
to separate us
from Jesus and
our walk with
Him.
Watching a TV
show with gays
and lesbians or
the push for gay
marriage is a
way that Satan
uses to try to
separate us from
Christ,
convincing us
that gay living
is normal and
acceptable. You
know what? There
are a lot of
Christians who
believe this is
okay, even
though the Bible
is clearly
against this
type of
behavior. Lust,
as portrayed in
advertisements
and TV shows, is
yet another way
Satan works to
separate us from
Jesus and our
walk with Him.
By inundating us
with lustful
visual scenes,
seeds are
planted to make
us accept this
unwholesome
behavior. I
could go on and
on, but the gist
is that Satan
uses his power
to introduce
filth and evil
into the world
and also try to
persuade
Christians to
stop our walk
with Jesus.
Remember,
Satan’s mission
is to kill,
steal, and
destroy. He
wants us to
stray from
Christ. And even
more so, he
wants
unbelievers to
never
consider a
relationship
with Jesus by
convincing them
that what Christ
stands for is
“not fun” and is
against what
society deems as
“normal.” Satan
tries to make
believers a
bazaar
fringe-group of
society.
“I have told you
these things, so
that in me you
may have peace.
In this world
you will have
trouble. But
take heart! I
have overcome
the world” (John
16:33, NIV).
Even though the
world is trouble
and we are faced
with these
troubles of
filth and evil
so prevalent in
society, we can
be assured that
Christ has
overcome the
world and if we
are with
Christ─true
followers─of
Jesus, we will
still face
trouble but will
overcome the
temptations of
the world just
as Christ did.
When He lives in
your heart and
the Holy Spirit
leads you in
your walk with
Christ, we can
be assured that
even though we
live in a world
of evil and
filth, we will
be okay.
Unbelievers,
take heed of
where you stand
with Jesus.
Jesus saves and
sets-us-apart
from the world.
Accept Christ as
your Savior and
His words will
be a saving
grace for you.
You will look at
the world so
much more
differently than
you do now as an
unbeliever. What
society says is
moral and okay
is completely
opposite of how
Jesus wants you
to live and
exist. He wants
you to live in
His love and
peace, free from
the ills of this
world and the
fall of society
and its morals.
God loves you so
much. He loves
each and every
one of us so
much that He
gave his only
Son, Jesus
Christ, as a
sacrifice for
sin, for your
sins. To have
eternity with
Christ in heaven
you must choose
to believe and
live for Jesus.
Just knowing who
Jesus is and
what He stands
for is not
enough, for even
demons know who
Jesus is.
You must embrace
Him fully and be
willing to
give-up the
world to follow
Him. You must
give-up your
worldly ways and
actions, turn
from what
society is
saying is moral
and normal and
hold tight to
the teachings
and guidance put
forth in the
Bible.
Once you accept
Christ and delve
into His Word
and read
articles, books,
and such about
Jesus, you will
realize how
depraved the
society we live
in really is and
how far it is
from what Jesus
wants for us.
Don’t choose
Jesus and you
will continue to
participate in a
world full of
depravity and
lies and moral
decay with an
ultimate
destination of,
hell. It’s a
choice: Heaven
through Jesus,
or hell through
continual living
in the world
without Christ
as your Savior.
Living for Jesus
will not make
you a perfect
person in this
world at this
time. We all
make mistakes
and will sin,
but we ask for
forgiveness and
it is granted by
grace. By
accepting Jesus,
your sins will
be forgiven and
your name will
be written in
the book of life
and in heaven
you will be
perfect. You
will live
forever in
eternal bliss
with our Lord
Jesus. By
accepting Christ
as your savior
you will also be
given the Holy
Spirit. The Holy
Spirit will be
your guide while
here on earth,
guiding you to
stay on that
straight and
narrow path that
leads to heaven.
Once the Holy
Spirit begins to
work in your
life, you will
see the world
differently. You
will see the
filth and moral
decay as it
really is: Evil
at work. The
Holy Spirit will
guide you to
Jesus always and
will impress
upon you the
things not of
this world but
on things of
Christ and
heaven.
The Holy Spirit
will also change
your heart. You
will be filled
with an
unspeakable
amount of love
and compassion
not only for
Jesus but also
for those you
care for and
love. You will
want to do the
things that
Jesus has
planned for you
as His child and
follower: To
live for Him and
become His
disciple to
bring others to
Him in ways that
He has planned
for you.
Your life will
change when you
accept Jesus.
Your eyes will
be opened up to
the depravity of
the world and
you will
discover as you
walk with Jesus,
that you
previous life
before Him was
full or worldly
ways and evil.
You will be
amazed at the
new life you
have that is
full of love and
life that world
could never
fulfill in you
and your heart.
God Bless
John Lysaught
John_lysaught@yahoo.com