Music

I would like to discuss something that has divided families, friends and churches. I believe this one thing has more influence than anything else in our modern world. Even more influence than television. If you haven’t figured it out yet I am talking about music. Music is powerful. Even Hitler knew this; this is why he made certain types of music legal and other types illegal. Not just Hitler, but the majority of dictatorships and the majority of communist countries have also made certain types of music illegal. All we have to do is look around to see how powerful music is. Most of the time you can look at someone and tell what kind of music they listen to. The way they dress, the way they talk and maybe even the car they drive or where they live can tell you what kind of music the person listens to. This is not coincidence. We are all programmed by something. I believe our world is mostly programmed by TV and music. You don’t think so well let’s look at some examples. Why is it if you go to Mexico you can go to any corner in the city and hear people listening to mariachi music? If you go to Wyoming and stand on a street corner you will mostly hear country music. If you go to the inner city of any major US city you will hear Hip Hop. You can break it down into neighborhoods in most cities by what music a person listens to. Of course I am talking about the majority not 100% definite. We are not individuals like we tend to think of ourselves. Different types of music will make you act in different ways. Is it a coincidence that white supremacists all listen to the same type of music? Why do all gang bangers listen to hip hop? Different types of music cause different types of rebellions. But we are not going to talk about all music because it is easy to see the evil in most music. We are mostly going to talk about Christian music. Let’s not get on a high horse and get defensive. Let’s just look and try to understand. Is there a God in our life we are not willing to get rid of? 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: 2 Peter 2:1-3 (KJV) We have been made merchandise of. The church has been bought and has been bought cheap. Churches in this country spend millions and millions of dollars each year on contemporary Christian music to bring in the new younger crowd. Remember what I said before about Martin Luther King’s letter. He said the church has become a thermometer instead of a thermostat. Our churches have become what the world has told them to become so they can be accepted by the world. Christianity is supposed to change the people, the people are not supposed to change Christianity. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 1 Cor 9:19-21 (KJV) People use this as to say that if we are to reach the people who do not know the law we also must act as we do not know the law. We are to be the Greeks to the Greeks. Stop reading that verse that way. Quit making excuses for your love of the world and the things that are in it. I can say these things because I have been the one defending this music. I have stood my ground and told people we must do whatever it takes to reach the lost. I was wrong. We must offer the truth and must not find ways to trick people into liking Jesus. If you are not willing to change for Jesus then you are not worthy to worship Jesus. The church has changed to bring in the young people but the church is supposed to change the young people. Here are some quotes from Rick Warren from Saddleback church in Lake Forest, California. This is a mega church that has about 20,000 people each weekend for services. "Saddleback is unapologetically a contemporary music church. We’ve often been referred to in the press as “The flock that likes to rock.” We use the style of music the majority of people in our church listen to on the radio. Years ago, after being frustrated trying to please everyone I decided to survey our church. I passed out 3 x 5 cards to everyone in the Crowd service and asked them to write down the Call Letters of the radio station they listened to...What we discovered was that 96% of our people said they listened to middle-of-the-road adult contemporary music." Rick Warren, Saddleback Church "I will admit that we have lost hundreds of potential members because of the style of music Saddleback uses. On the other hand, we have attracted thousands more because of our music." Let’s change to please the people. Who cares if we all go to Hell? It’s all about the numbers right? There is a spirit in music just as there is a spirit in other things. What kind of spirit is in your music? Is it country music? Are all of the themes about drinking, whoring around, adultery, pride in your truck or how tuff you are, or just flat our rebellion? Is your music rock? Are the themes about sex and drugs, killing, rebellion or foolish slam dancing in the name of whatever your god is at the time? What about contemporary music? A peaceful free loving life that is about yourself, tolerance of all lifestyles because we are supposed to love not hate or choosing to get to heaven in what way suits your lifestyle the best. 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Eph 2:2-3 (KJV) 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:22-24 (KJV) Put your lusts away. Get rid of them. Just because you like a beat, does that mean it is ok? Take away the words to Heavy Metal music, is it ok now, NO. If we want to be a Christian we must change our ways completely and do not hang on to what made us feel good in the past. We should not talk about how great the things were because if you do then you might as well be doing them because you are speaking it. Your attitude and your belief system are shown in the music you listen to, your dress, and your conversation with your buddies and family members. It is easy to fake it sometimes but the truth will come out through these three things. Is your way of Christianity foolish? Does it show foolish talking or foolish acting? What about musicians, it can be safely said that some of them are in a sense worshipped. You will understand what I'm talking about if you've ever been to a concert where thousands of adoring fans were screaming and chanting the name of the musician they came to see live. Some are reduced to tears and even lose consciousness because of the sheer euphoria of the occasion. This is the same feeling that happens in a contemporary worship service at a contemporary concert. I have been there and I have defended this many times but again I was wrong. With all this in mind, it can also be safely said that music can be used as a very powerful tool for good or for evil. Does anyone remember that Satan was a musician so to speak? 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created Ezek 28:12-13 (KJV) Satan was made to praise God. He had instruments built into him for this purpose. Satan became prideful and arrogant and he was condemned. Now I believe he wants to infect all music with his ways. Think about this. When we are having church and Brother Paul is leading us in Praise to God, Brother Paul is taking the job that Lucifer was created for. Do you think Satan likes that? There is a song that George Harrison sang that is called My Sweet Lord. It starts out like a good hymn but before you know it you are singing the chant to Hare Krishna. My sweet lordHm, my lordHm, my lordI really want to see youReally want to be with youReally want to see you lordBut it takes so long, my lordMy sweet lordHm, my lordHm, my lordI really want to know youReally want to go with youReally want to show you lordThat it wont take long, my lord (hallelujah)My sweet lord (hallelujah)Hm, my lord (hallelujah)My sweet lord (hallelujah)I really want to see youReally want to see youReally want to see you, lordReally want to see you, lordBut it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)My sweet lord (hallelujah)Hm, my lord (hallelujah)My, my, my lord (hallelujah)I really want to know you (hallelujah)Really want to go with you (hallelujah)Really want to show you lord (aaah)That it wont take long, my lord (hallelujah)Hmm (hallelujah)My sweet lord (hallelujah)My, my, lord (hallelujah)Hm, my lord (hare krishna)My, my, my lord (hare krishna)Oh hm, my sweet lord (krishna, krishna)Oh-uuh-uh (hare hare)Now, I really want to see you (hare rama)Really want to be with you (hare rama)Really want to see you lord (aaah)But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah)Hm, my lord (hallelujah)My, my, my lord (hare krishna)My sweet lord (hare krishna)My sweet lord (krishna krishna)My lord (hare hare)Hm, hm (gurur brahma)Hm, hm (gurur vishnu)Hm, hm (gurur devo)Hm, hm (maheshwara)My sweet lord (gurur sakshaat)My sweet lord (parabrahma)My, my, my lord (tasmayi shree)My, my, my, my lord (guruve namah)My sweet lord (hare rama)[fade:](hare krishna)My sweet lord (hare krishna)My sweet lord (krishna krishna)My lord (hare hare) By George Harrison Satan is laughing at every person who sings this and thinks they are singing to God. If a person that had never been saved came into one of our churches today what would they see? Would it be the same as they see in the local bar? Would the music be close to the same thing? What about the dress of the people in the church, would it be the same as the local bar? I came out of a charismatic mega church and the music we praised God with had the same beat as the rock concert down the road. The people wore the same clothes as the people bar hopping on the weekend looking for a new mate for the week. I am telling everyone that the church is supposed to be completely different than the world. We should stick out and we should look strange to the rest of the world. If we look attractive then we are attractive to sinners. Think about that. Our music has created individualism. We relate to our music and say this is who I am. IF we are God’s children we do not need music to define who we are. We are to use music to praise God and only to praise God. God created music. I say many things about how I think we are suppose to live and maybe some people think I focus too much on Christian living. Good, because I am a Christian and I should live like a Christian only. I should not listen to the music of the world or wear the clothes or enjoy the things of the world. But what about me I should enjoy my life? You are not your own if you are one of God’s children and you should not be worried about how you can enjoy your life. Did you know that the more upbeat the music is the more endorphins that are released just like the television? Music is also addictive. Some people call being faithful to the bible legalism. The word legalism was not created until 1928. Imagine that. Humanists needed to create a term to define Christians. Remember God cares about what his people bring him as worship. We must be different. We must bring a holy sacrifice of praise to God. Remember Nadab and Abihu. 1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Lev 10:1-2 (KJV) All they had to do is bring fire to the altar, but they had to bring the fire that God commanded them to bring not just any fire. They though they could use any fire and what happened? They died. This is God’s character. He wants a pure worship and he wants us to praise him with a pure heart. Let’s worship our lord with pure worship and let’s not infect it with our worldly lusts. Let’s praise God with a music that is set aside just for him and not for the rest of the world. Let’s lift God up, not us. Praise God!!