Worldliness-Part 2

Music:

We all love music. Well, actually I take it back, almost everyone loves music, the rest just like to hate on us who do... :P

When I was in DC taking the Metro (subway thing) I noticed everyone had an iPhone, and 90% of people listened to music while in transit to work and home. Is music a bad thing? Of course not, if You think it is, read the Bible...
Music was created by God, and He enjoys it. We are told to sing a new song to the Lord and praise Him to the sound of musical instruments in the psalms.

What motivates us to like music the way we do? Is music entirely neutral? Why does music affect us so deeply? Does the music I listen to affect my thoughts or behaviors in any way? Does it say anything about my relationship with God? Most importantly are my music choices consistent with the gospel that has saved me?

Music effects our emotions in profound ways. The passions music draws out range from noble to base, from simple to complex, from God-glorifying to sensual. That's why music sells. It doesn't just sound good. If you are gonna go play basketball rap can get you pumped up, If you want to relax some Hillsong or Casting Crowns might be a good choice.

Music conveys content:

When you listen to music you also hear the words, believe it or not... If the words are not God glorifying (or at least neutral) find some other music. Generally a good indicator is the explicit tag... You can't just "ignore" the words, over time they will affect you. Listen to the song "slow fade" by casting crowns. It explains it fairly well.

When I listen to a song by someone I haven't listened to before I go look up the lyrics (if it's rap) so I can know what they are putting into my head.

To see how much you are dependent on music try going for a few days with out listening to any. It's probably nearly impossible for most people.

Worldliness

Ok... Fun topic right? Well actually I am gonna be taking somethings out of book that I got from a library just tonight. That book?
Worldliness
Resisting the seduction of a fallen world.
Edited by C. J. Mahaney
(btw, I'm not gonna directly quote from the book, because I'm not sure if thats legal and I don't want to get into any more trouble :P)

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. (1 John 2:15 KJV)

So what does it mean to not love the world? Well obviously this doesn't mean you are not to love anything in the physical *world*. (see my previous post about love, or just read the Bible)

The world, in the Bible, often refers to sin, sinful behaviors, all that good stuff. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So how do we tell if we are loving the world? (you can figure that out... I hope...)

Now we will look at a few places that people commonly fall into loving the world, sometimes without realizing it.


I'm gonna do one every day (that I'm not gone) because I can't read the whole book tonight... xP
1. Media

Media is everywhere. If you don't admit this then you either live by yourself in a hole in the ground with a million cans of baked beans, or your a zombie... Just saying... So, let's look at TV. According to pastor Kent Hughes:

Today the all pervasive glow of the TV is the single most potent influence and control in Western culture. Television has greater power over the lives of most Americans then any educational system, government, or church.

This isn't very good, seeing as most the stuff people watch on there isn't Popeye... Maybe it isn't all REALLY. bad but it does push the creator's own world view, wether you realize it or not.
It isn't bad to watch some TV, movies, a morning talk show. You just gotta watch with discernment. If it isn't glorifying to God, it at least requires further investigation.

Watching with immunity:

Some Christians think, well sure I'm watching a murder, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna go shoot someone... They figure that they are immune. Maybe you won't murder someone, but I hope you have higher expectation for your life then just not deserving capital punishment... The drift toward worldliness is subtle, gradual, an internal. Assuming that you are immune is a sure sigh that the drift has begun.

96% people surveyed in a recent poll claim that they watch less TV then the average. Umm, maybe it's just me, but 4% is not a majority...

Living in front of God:

God watches when ever you do anything. If you are surfing the web, watching TV, or just talking with some friends, God is right there watching. If we truly fear God shouldn't we be careful what we do, say, think, watch, or listen to?

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:1-16 KJV)

Does this mean we should flee all media? NO! There is LOTS of great types of media and God glorifying programs, movies, and the like. Just before you watch something next, ask yourself, "is this really something I should be seeing?"

IMPORTANT NOTE
Just because some of your Christian buddies are doing something, that doesn't make it good to do. We are all men and make mistakes. The only person we should follow with no question is Jesus.

Shout out to:

Casting Crowns!!!

Well, I don't like them enough to BUY their songs, but they are nice to get for free off freegal, the library's free music thing.
Some recommendations

1. Courageous (buy this one right now)
2. My own worst enemy
3. What if His people prayed
4. American Dream
5. City on a Hill

Also, this is the last day of February... This is it. It's over... No more National Hoodie Month and no more shout outs... I am gonna try to blog every day still. Maybe I'll do it again next year.

Shout out to:

David!!! (the king)

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. (1 Samuel 17:48-51 KJV)

Not only was he a great warrior but he was merciful and would not kill the man who God anointed, though Saul wanted to kill him.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. (2 Samuel 2:5, 6 KJV)

And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? (2 Samuel 9:1 KJV)


Obviously I am reading out of Samuel right now...

Shout out to:

Double dose today, they just go together so well.
Anthem Lights and Abandon!!!!

They make awesome songs... Check out all of them xD

Forgiveness

Unofficial shout out...

I just finished judges. God is forgiving and patient... BELIEVE ME!! Israel kept falling from God and worshiping other gods. They would be captured by other nations. God would raise a judge to correct them. They would become free for a few years. Then repeat. Over and over and over... You would think that after a few times they would learn, but apparently not! But sometimes aren't we the same way? Of corse we aren't being captured by other nations, but sometimes our desire for God just seems to lessen compared to something else. It could be anything: a car, sports, a game, even a person. It's not named baal, but it's just as deadly.

I'm glad God is forgiving. Are we forgiving? Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone before they reached the limit. Typically you were to forgive someone three times, in the Hebrew culture. Peter decided, "Hey I'll be generous, I'll do twice that, and add one more just for good measure." I'm sure he was surprised by Jesus's response. "not just seven, but seven times seven!" meaning there should be no end to our forgiveness. The guy I talked about about days ago, Jacob DeShalzer

Shout out to:

Jacob Deshazer!!!

Participated in the Dolittle raid on Japan. Jumped over china, captured by the japs, POW for a while. Released, back to America. Came back to Japan to be a missionary for 30 years to the people who would beat him everyday at periods.

Shout out to:

Childlike faith!!!

Ok it's a weird thing to shout out to, but I just thought I would talk about it for a bit.

So what does it mean to to have faith like a child? I think lots of people miss the point of this and say, "yeah we should just believe and not study the Bible or learn more about God." Clearly this isn't what Jesus meant. Faith means to believe with no strings attached. You can't just say "all right God, I will believe in you, I'll tell people about you, I'll try to live for you, IF..." No! God sets the standards, we fail to attain them, and we need a savior. We are not doing some sort of "favor" to God by believing, HE IS SAVING US!

Ok I went a little of topic :)
Back to childlike faith... I was talking to some kids the other day, and as is usual I try to see how they react to different things I say or do... This time I told them I had a tattoo. (I got a temporary one for my basketball game ;) ). One kid says "I don't like tattoos, and the others seemed to agree. Then I told them it was temporary, and made from hydroxide. Idk why I thought of hydroxide, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind and I was pumped up for a basketball game... Anyway, where am I getting with this? Well they accepted that my tattoo was made from hydroxide with no questions. That's how we need to come to God sometimes. "God you know everything and I know almost nothing, but You don't have to tell me about anything. You don't have to tell me why these various things are happening, I will just trust that You work all things together for good, for those who love you and are called according to Your purposes." Humility is also a part of childlike faith. Some kids may act really confident and able, but when a bigger kid comes, they still run to Mom or Dad. They know they can't do some things on their own. Likewise, we can not save ourselves, or do anything else. Of God didn't keep our hearts beating we would be dead. That's another thing to think of. We have been studying WWII and cold war times. The rulers of Germany, Russia, and China each killed millions and millions of individuals, yet God didn't let their heats stop. He has some purpose in all things.

Matthew 18:3-4

And said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Ry-Guy
2 Timothy 2:22

Shout out to:

KB!!!
Another guy like Lecrae. Raps wonderfully and for the Lord.
Songs to listen to:
1. Head to the Heavens
2. Lighter Fluid
3. Go
4. Lion King

Shout out to:

This is actually for yesterday because I forgot to post... :-o
Me in Motion!!!!
Songs to check:
1. Yes we Can
2. Back 2 Life
3. Eye of the Hurricane
4. Let Mercy Hold You