“Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”  

“My heart stopped for a moment and I got those annoying butterflies in my stomach…”

                I came home from school and noticed my mother was intensely chopping tomatoes in the kitchen.  She seemed a bit upset.  I headed towards my room and crossed paths with my Father who said, “Hey man…I borrowed your stereo today.”  My heart stopped for a moment and I got those annoying butterflies in my stomach…I simply answered, “OK.”           

The problem was that I had gained access to some music tapes that I knew my parents would not approve of and in secret I was soaking it all in.  My mind was churning as I thought, “Did I leave a tape in the cassette player?”  I hoped against hope that I was just being paranoid…I entered my room and it was much neater than I had left it that morning upon leaving for school.  Now I was sweating…I was so busted!  Just about then my dad called out, “Hey Paul…Please come to the kitchen when  you finish what you are doing.”  Yes…it was time to….face the music (pardon the pun).           

The next hour was spent sitting before my parents discussing the music that I had in my possession.  Dad appealed to my love for Jesus and trust in His Word as a starting point.  And as I have shared before, God grabbed my heart at an early age in life and the Spirit of God did live in me.  I knew I was in sin…and I had been telling myself the lie… “I just like the beat…I don’t listen to the words!”  Dad pointed me to Philippians 4:8 (see above).  He then said, “Let’s see if these songs are in accordance with Philippians 4:8.”           

 This moment in my life is up there on my “Most Ashamed Moments” list as after no more than 30 seconds of listening to one of the songs with my parents…my father had nearly filled a piece of paper with impure and profane lyrics that had been rattled off in the song.  He would ask, “Paul do you know what that Word means?  Does that message honor your Lord Jesus?”  The correction my parents gave me that day was not just old fashioned opinions or preferences they held to, but the correction was based on God’s Word.  How could I argue with that?           

My tape stash was totally erased (with some cool magnet) and my parents graciously said, “How about a new starting point in regards to the music you listen to.  If you’d like to record from the radio some decent songs…here are plenty of erased tapes to use.”           

Students…God does care about what we listen to!  He created music for His glory.  That’s why we’re so drawn to it!  Don’t be deceived like I was into thinking that it’s no big deal what enters your ears.  Sadly, there are still certain things today that bring back to my mind some of those wicked lyrics that I used to think I “wasn’t listening to.”  Go look through your tape collection, ummm... I mean your MP3 collection, ipods, etc.  Delete what you know you should delete!  Throw away what you know you should throw away.           

Parents…if my folks had done the easy thing and simply overlooked the rotten music in my possession…their message would have been clear… “It really doesn’t matter what we listen to.”  What message are YOU sending your children?  When is the last time you really studied the music on the CD’s, computers, ipods, mp3 players, etc. that belong to your child to see what messages they are feeding their minds on?  When is the last time you discussed with your child even the more tame and popular songs of our day that have deceiving worldviews and messages.           

Not long ago, a MTV executive said, “We do not influence the youth of America…we OWN them.  We put out the agenda, fads, and messages…and they buy into them.”  If we don’t guard our children from the deceit of Satan and this world…then it is likely that no one will.”