Wow. Just about everything is getting attacked these days, specifically those who have set out to follow God's call on their life and His plan. Christian Music is no exception.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying every musician who proclaims to be Christian and is on Christian radio is necessarily following or serving God. It's just that oftentimes, the ones who I feel God speaking to me through their songs (I was suicidal driving home on a freeway late at night, not a good combination. A song came on the radio, "Here for a reason", it literally saved my life) are ridiculed, while those who I feel are being very "lukewarm" about Jesus and God in their songs are glossed over or accepted. It's wrong. (BTW, don't ask me to list names of musicians or bands I think are following God or not. It is not my place to judge them and whether they truly walk with God, that is between them and God.)
I do agree with some of the points that I've heard or read. For example, the musicians should be focused on God and only on God, doing this for His glory. Whenever I've just finished a song and someone gives me praise, my typical answer is "thank you! Praise Jesus its His talent not mine!" Many of my chat friends know this and one in particular has his own words for me "she sings for an audience of one, we just get to listen in." Amen!
Two things I just read in an article really got to me though, and not in the good way. One was that Christian music should never be used for evangelism for helping the lost, and should only be sung in church and not in concerts or other venues. That is ridiculous. God CAN and WILL move in any way He wants to, and use anything, whether it be music, the kindness of another, a dollar on the street, to glorify Him and bring His children to Him! My God is a BIG God, and He does not like to be controlled or limited by us humans, whether it be in the church, in music, on the street, anywhere. Sadly, religion has played a huge part in this, and we humans must be completely insane or simply stupid if we think we can control the one and only eternal living God! I have seen the Holy Spirit "squelched" so many times in a church that I will now only go where God tells me to go, and most often this is to churches where the Holy Spirit is allowed to do his work, and not limited to a few choice pastors.
The other thing that bothered me was the author of said article basically degrading a Christian singer and calling her an abomination for having won several grammies and praise for her albums. This is completely judgmental, and there are numerous bible verses on judging others, too many to list (if someone wants to, go for it and list them!) but the most famous one "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1 NIV) I just hate seeing someone twist and manipulate the Word of God to suit their own ends. I can usually tell too, when something is off, examples of people I have heard and read (preachers or not): trying to "sell" Jesus by equating walking with God to financial wealth, being overly religious and restricting God and where and through and how He will work, etc.
Yet another article complained on the STYLE of music, saying rock and folk and country cannot possibly be styles used in Christian music (I worded that a lot nicer than they did). All of these statements are faulty, being that as I have said, God is God of the universe. He will use any situation and anything, whether it be music, dirt biking, horseback riding, tv, radio, microwaves (lol ANYTHING right?) for His glory and to bring His children to Him!
I imagine such people as mentioned in this post would likely call the song "Jesus Freak" (one of my all time favorites and an awesome message!) devil music, an abomination, wrong, whatever.
Before we make the fatal mistake of judging others and listening to our foolish heads about what is right, let us remember:
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'" (1 Corinthians 3:19 NIV). God's the one who REALLY knows. He is the ONLY one who can judge. He is the one with REAL wisdom. Don't even get me started on the foolishness of modern health care, but God has been revealing that to me as well. Over the past couple years He has slowly been removing the veil from my eyes, and now I have seen the world for what it truly is. It is devastatingly sad.
I just had to rant after those articles. They made me angry. Anyway, God Bless everyone! Talk to you in a while.
~Dancing
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying every musician who proclaims to be Christian and is on Christian radio is necessarily following or serving God. It's just that oftentimes, the ones who I feel God speaking to me through their songs (I was suicidal driving home on a freeway late at night, not a good combination. A song came on the radio, "Here for a reason", it literally saved my life) are ridiculed, while those who I feel are being very "lukewarm" about Jesus and God in their songs are glossed over or accepted. It's wrong. (BTW, don't ask me to list names of musicians or bands I think are following God or not. It is not my place to judge them and whether they truly walk with God, that is between them and God.)
I do agree with some of the points that I've heard or read. For example, the musicians should be focused on God and only on God, doing this for His glory. Whenever I've just finished a song and someone gives me praise, my typical answer is "thank you! Praise Jesus its His talent not mine!" Many of my chat friends know this and one in particular has his own words for me "she sings for an audience of one, we just get to listen in." Amen!
Two things I just read in an article really got to me though, and not in the good way. One was that Christian music should never be used for evangelism for helping the lost, and should only be sung in church and not in concerts or other venues. That is ridiculous. God CAN and WILL move in any way He wants to, and use anything, whether it be music, the kindness of another, a dollar on the street, to glorify Him and bring His children to Him! My God is a BIG God, and He does not like to be controlled or limited by us humans, whether it be in the church, in music, on the street, anywhere. Sadly, religion has played a huge part in this, and we humans must be completely insane or simply stupid if we think we can control the one and only eternal living God! I have seen the Holy Spirit "squelched" so many times in a church that I will now only go where God tells me to go, and most often this is to churches where the Holy Spirit is allowed to do his work, and not limited to a few choice pastors.
The other thing that bothered me was the author of said article basically degrading a Christian singer and calling her an abomination for having won several grammies and praise for her albums. This is completely judgmental, and there are numerous bible verses on judging others, too many to list (if someone wants to, go for it and list them!) but the most famous one "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1 NIV) I just hate seeing someone twist and manipulate the Word of God to suit their own ends. I can usually tell too, when something is off, examples of people I have heard and read (preachers or not): trying to "sell" Jesus by equating walking with God to financial wealth, being overly religious and restricting God and where and through and how He will work, etc.
Yet another article complained on the STYLE of music, saying rock and folk and country cannot possibly be styles used in Christian music (I worded that a lot nicer than they did). All of these statements are faulty, being that as I have said, God is God of the universe. He will use any situation and anything, whether it be music, dirt biking, horseback riding, tv, radio, microwaves (lol ANYTHING right?) for His glory and to bring His children to Him!
I imagine such people as mentioned in this post would likely call the song "Jesus Freak" (one of my all time favorites and an awesome message!) devil music, an abomination, wrong, whatever.
Before we make the fatal mistake of judging others and listening to our foolish heads about what is right, let us remember:
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'" (1 Corinthians 3:19 NIV). God's the one who REALLY knows. He is the ONLY one who can judge. He is the one with REAL wisdom. Don't even get me started on the foolishness of modern health care, but God has been revealing that to me as well. Over the past couple years He has slowly been removing the veil from my eyes, and now I have seen the world for what it truly is. It is devastatingly sad.
I just had to rant after those articles. They made me angry. Anyway, God Bless everyone! Talk to you in a while.
~Dancing
