DON'T JUST VIBE, YOU MUST DISCERN

Welcome back to the Christian in Progress, and well we have another long awaited blog, and this one is going to pierce the heart of those that have little or no discernment. Look, it's not about making friends with the world.... it's not I that speaks here, but the word of God. What does the Almighty God tell us about loving or friendship with the world?

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4:4

We are naturally enemies of God by default, because of the fall, when sin entered into the world. We are born into this world, not innocent but guilty as charged, anyone who's seen a child grow, and without any teaching at all, has deceit, lies and will even take what is not his or hers. This isn't taught, it truly is inherent in us. This is not all that God's word tells us, for He warns us about being lovers of the world, that we should not be of the world, but in the world.

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. - 1 John 2:15-17

I know this is going to seperate the paths of all who call themselves Christian, the ones who believe in God and those that follow God. Anyone can call themselves whatever they want, many have in the name of horrors called themselves christians, but when you put that against what Christ calls us to be, it is not a believer. You can't just pick a few bits of Christs words and say that's what I'll go with, well you can, but the bible is clear you will not enter

into the Kingdom of Heaven. I am not saying music can't be edifying, I am just saying not that which is of the world.... if it sounds like the world, and the world likes it, then I would say run from that now. We are called to sing psalms to one another as born again believers, that is whom has surrendered their desires in exchange for His desires. As Jesus was in Gethsemane, He prayed to God for He knew the pain He would be taking on, for the wrath of God would be upon HIm, the very wrath due upon us. So He said:

saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42

The bible, the inspired word of God the creator of all things is not a feel good book, a live my best life now instructions, or a promote self love. The one that roams this world is called the deceiver, the angel of light even, and he will do all that he can to deceive, as he did in the beginning with Adam and Eve. I am sorry if you're not discerning this deceptive music.... but if it sounds and seems like the world, then I would stay away from it. Music should align with scriptures theology, it should point you to His word. But if you are replacing music for time in the word of God, then as the word says, you will be deceived.

But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. - Matthew 22:29

Because you think you sit under someone, and just listen to what ever there saying from the pulpit, or on a youtube videos or wherever.... if you are not in the word, then how can you know, discern what is being told. We are blessed that the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church no longer control the people via Latin only translations... we were blessed by God to have such men as, John Wycliffe and latter with a more literal translation by William Tyndale... God gifted these men skill of translation and the engineering of the mechanical printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. Many of these past men were then persecuted so that you could read it for yourself. It is not about the music, the music will not save you, and if you just hear the word and are not doers of the word then deception will creep in.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. - James 1:19-25

So I urge you to reconsider the "Christian Music Scene", that it's intermingled with the world. I have done research in the past, but it has gotten worse, and one of the more popular, so called Christian Artists is Blanca. It didn't take me very long to do the research, I mean just the sound alone made me feel like I was back in the world as a non believer. As I researched a bit deeper, I found a song called "worthy", I mean a word like this is such a

powerful word is it not. So what is this song about... well it says words, like He is worthy etc, but nothing to explain why He is worthy, I just look at this image and see no reverence to the Holy God, and the male singer featured, is a latin reggaeton artist who I knew from the past life, as I was in one of his music videos. The reality is that we are unworthy for HIs grace, and that only because of what Christ did upon the cross are we even seen as worthy by Him, not us but He who took our place, paid our debt as Romans 6:23 tells us. It's not about us, it's about HIs glory, and the free gift from God.... we are just His clay pots to be remolded, re-formed upon His choice.

But what does scripture teach us about worthy....well let's start in Revelation. Are these singers showing true reverence to a Holy God, to the worthy Lamb who by His blood pathed a way for sinful sinners like me and you.

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

And have redeemed us to God by Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

¹⁰ And have made us kings and priests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

To receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power

Be to Him who sits on the throne,

And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

A song that makes our emotions flo, makes us believe God has paid the ultimate sacrifice by using His only begotten Son as a Ransom. for the many.... so that He will heal my fleshly illnesses, or my family's illness or anyones for that matter, or for my earthly success, not that He can't choose whom to heal, but it is not why He gave HIs only begotten Son. If this is why you go to church, call yourself a "christian" then you have missed everything, and this will lead you to hell.

I do not want that to happen, I want to know 100% that you will be in heaven, eventually in the new earth praising and glorifying the One True God who is worthy for us to deny ourselves, to carry our cross... what does this mean? This means that we get down on our knees, we repent "turn from our ways" "change of mind" of all our sins and believe in what the Lord Jesus Christ did upon that cross over 2000 yrs ago for all whom believe.

Brother and Sister.... stop your lusts for the world, delete all these artists and destroy the playlists..... for it better to lose one eye than it is for your whole body to end up in hell.

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. - Matthew 5:29

This is deadly serious, if you truly want to serve the Lord, repent today, right now and cry out to Him... He will hear and He will change you so that you will not seek the seen, but you will seek the unseen things, the eternal things. If your one of these artists, you may have a talent that is a gift for sure... but just because we have something, doesn't always mean that gift is working for His glory, but for your flesh. We must make the decision to die to ourselves and live for HIm. This means doing the great commandment, this is sharing the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you do not know the Gospel, please read below, it is the most important thing you will ever read.... for the truth will set you free.

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Have you ever lied, of course we have. Have you ever stolen, even a music download, yep we all have. Have you ever looked at someone with lust, yes we have and pornography is adultery. You see God is perfectly righteous, holy and just... and we are not. So one must repent, "change of mind" from the old ways of sinful desires.

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.” so this tells us that there is a consequence to our sin to what we have done above, breaking God's law:

Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins, does this mean we are sinless... not at all, we will sin but in sanctification over time we will sin less. You will see change like you never knew.

Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” this is the ultimate promise for those who are truly born again, John 3:3.

If you truly repent, truly believe and truly want to be with the holy God for eternity... then call upon HIm today and ask for HIs forgiveness, ask Him to change you, that you will desire what He desires, and that you will follow Christ's commandments and you will deny yourself and carry your cross and let all the world know the true saving grace, that is a free gift of God.

Romans 6:23. It says: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"

Yours by God's Grace

Dean