Counsels for the Church - Ellen G. White

The young generally conduct themselves as though the precious hours of
probation, while mercy lingers, were one grand holiday, and they were
placed in this world merely for their own amusement, to be gratified with a
continued round of excitement. Satan has been making special efforts to lead
them to find happiness in worldly amusements and to justify themselves by
endeavoring to show that these amusements are harmless, innocent, and even
important for health.
Many are eagerly participating in worldly, demoralizing amusements
which God's word forbids. Thus they sever their connection with God and
rank themselves with the pleasure lovers of the world. The sins that
destroyed the antediluvians and the cities of the plain exist today--not merely
in heathen lands, not only among popular professors of Christianity, but with
some who profess to be looking for the coming of the Son of man. If God
should present these sins before you as they appear in His sight, you would
be filled with shame and terror.
The desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment is a temptation and
a snare to God's people, and especially to the young. Satan is constantly
preparing inducements to attract minds from the solemn work of preparation
for scenes just in the future. Through the agency of worldlings he keeps up a
continual excitement to induce the unwary to join in worldly pleasures.
There are shows, lectures, and an endless variety of entertainments that are
calculated to lead to a love of the world; and through this union with the
world, faith is weakened.
God does not own the pleasure seeker as His follower. Those only who
are self-denying, and who live lives of sobriety, humility, and holiness, are
true followers of Jesus. And such cannot enjoy the frivolous, empty
conversation of the lover of the world.
If you truly belong to Christ, you will have opportunities for witnessing
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