Heaven & Hell Series, Part 1: Introduction

 

Heaven & Hell Series, Part 1: Introduction

Based on the Christian content I watch on YouTube, a video was recommended for me to watch about the near-death experience of a man named Jim Woodford.  I have seen and read quite a few reports of people who have visions of both heaven and hell, some of them have literally died, while others, like my husband, have had dreams and visions without being near death.  However, I am always skeptical that what the person has to say is legitimate, because quite often these reports are made up for the sake of gaining attention, to appear spiritual, or to gain fame/money, and/or the visions were influenced by demons and not from God in order to confuse and mislead people about what heaven and hell are really like. Although only God and Mr. Woodford know for sure, I felt that Mr. Woodoford's story was real.  I also read his book titled "Heaven, an Unexpected Journey" where he goes into greater detail of his experience. 

Mr. Woodford's story prompted me to reread Rebecca Springer's book, "Within the Gates" (Their books were checked out from my library's digital selection for free, so you can also read these at no cost.)  I also watched a few more stories on YouTube.

This is an 8-part series. I am going to give a brief synopsis of each of the above people's stories, will be sharing other experiences, give warnings on what (or who) not to believe, and end with how we can choose heaven over hell. Before I do that, however, I always tend to overexplain myself, so I will do so now!  The reason I feel so compelled to write about this topic is based on an interview I watched where people were asked about their views on heaven and hell.  The large majority of them said they did not believe either place existed or felt that heaven and hell were what we create in our own minds.  It really saddened me that so many people are so blind and callus about what waits for them after time on this earth is over. Our time here is so very teeny tiny compared to eternity, and yet the way we choose to live our life here will depend on where we spend forever.  That should be a sobering fact to all of us, not something to shrug off so lightly. I pray this series reaches at least one person and helps them to think seriously about eternity.

Although I will share more scriptures as we journey through this series, here are just a few to start things off:

The word "heaven" is found in the Bible 691 times (KJV), 55 of those references are in the book of Revelation alone.  The word hell is only listed 54 times (KJV). Hell is not always mentioned by name but as a place with fire and/or brimstone, so technically hell is mentioned more than 54 times, just not by name. For today, I am only going to reference both Revelation 20 & 21 as they mention both places.

(Revelation 20:12-15) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

(Revelation 21:1-27) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

And He that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new... It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

And there came unto me one of the seven angels... And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal...And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

When you Believe God has not Been Good to You

When you Believe God has not Been Good to You

I often quote Romans 2:4, "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Yet as I was thinking about that verse today, I realized that when people believe God has not been good to them, it is often why they refuse to change their ways and repent of their sins. They turn this verse upside-down by justifying their actions believing God is not good, so why repent.

People who believe God will prevent all bad things from happening to them or their loved ones end up hating God. They cannot find joy in the midst of suffering or trust in their hearts God is always good. They have difficulty trusting in the love of God. (John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.)

Not only does God grieve with us, He intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25 - Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.  & Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.). God is fighting for us, but we tend to sabotage our own lives by living in rebellion.

Yes, sometimes God uses negative circumstances to test our love for Him, but in general, God does not intend for bad things to happen to His children. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God wants only the best for us. Does that mean that God does not have any control? No, this means we will never fully know why bad things are allowed to happen because there is a war going on we cannot comprehend. (Ephesians 6:12 - We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.) 

My favorite verse, 1 Corinthians 13:12 (For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.), reminds us that we cannot understand why things happen as they do because we cannot see the big, eternal picture, but when we get to heaven, it will all be crystal clear. This senseless world will make sense.

If we cry out to God, He will hear our pleas. He wants to protect us and save us. It may seem like evil is winning, and I do not believe that this world will ever improve. In fact, I know it will only get worse (2 Timothy 3:13 - But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.). Man’s desire for independence corrupts him more and more. The mentality of not wanting to be told what to do is only getting worse. It is up to you to surrender yourself to God as well as your independence. It is up to you to choose to live right and separate yourself from this world.

 
People love to quote Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Yet they fail to pay attention to the part that says, "to those who love God." Do you really love God or are you just demanding He fulfill your every prayer request and then pout like a spoiled child when you do not get your way? Jesus said in John 14:15," If ye love me, keep my commandments." If you refuse to turn off your ungodly entertainment, give up drinking, cheating, stealing, backbiting, etc. then why do you say you love Jesus? Just so you can use the title of "Christian" to try to get what you want and then turn you back on God when things do not turn out according to your demands? Remember, you can fool people, but you can never fool God; you cannot manipulate the Holy of Holies to bend to your will!

 
1 Peter 1:16 says, "Be holy, for I am holy." Besides this being an excellent verse to remind us to live righteous lives, it also reminds us that a holy God cannot tolerate sin. If you are asking God to bless you in any way, be it a health, spiritual, financial, emotional, or mental issue, you cannot be wallowing in sin and expect Him to answer your prayers. If you feel your prayers are being blocked, it may be that God wants to help you, but your ungodly actions are hindering His blessings.

 
If we are honest, we can all admit that there have been numerous times in our lives we purposely chose to disobey God’s voice. Myself included. In essence, we are making an active choice to separate ourselves from God and hinder our prayer life. Would you expect a boss to keep you on the job if you kept stealing or refusing to show up? No; nor should you expect a holy God to turn the other way when you willfully choose to do the wrong thing.

(2 Chronicles 7:14) If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 

The key words there are “if,” and “humble themselves.”

(Psalm 34:18) The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 

Humble yourself and admit you have done wrong. The free gift of salvation begins with repentance and admittance of sin. Then you must begin to and continually walk in holiness to please God (Romans 12:1- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.).

Romans 6:1-2 tells us God's free gift of grace is not to be manipulated and abused for our own selfish will, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Grace is not an excuse to live however you want because you are a “Christian.” The opposite is true. We need to have a holy desire to please our Creator and live a truly Christian lifestyle. We need daily self-evaluation and repentance.

(Luke 9:23) Then [Jesus] said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 

(1 Corinthians 15:31) I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 

Daily very simply means we must crucify our flesh every day not just once. Psalm 139: 23-24 should be a daily prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Bottom line here is to quit using the difficult circumstances of life as an excuse to refuse to do what you know goes against the Word of God. First evaluate your heart and actions to see if you are going against His will so He cannot help you. Then learn to focus on the eternal picture and see how much God loves you and allow "The goodness of God" to "leadeth thee to repentance."

Are you questioning God's call?

Are you questioning God's call?

This post is inspired by a discussion I had with my husband a few nights ago.  I won't go into all we talked about, but my husband was asking me why I have been having doubts about our calling in the ministry.  This is a paraphrased version of the conversation.

I said, "Why would God call me?  I am a nobody, I can be a brat, and I am physically weak."

My husband lovingly responded with, "Jesus knows how much you love Him."

I said, "Yes, I definitely do; more than anything."

"And you want to serve Him with your whole heart, you read your Bible every day, and you follow what it says."

"Well, yes, I try to, but..."

"God wants a humble person who is willing to work for Him, willing to change, and who wants to give Jesus their everything, not some arrogant person who thinks God owes them everything," then he added with a sweet smile, "And you really are not a brat."

As the conversation continued for a while, I realized this would make a good blog topic as I am sure many of you can relate to feeling unworthy to serve the Lord.

(Mark 16:15) And [Jesus] said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

This verse does not say only a certain race, age, gender, economic status, or even only super healthy people can serve Him. We are all called to share His message. Furthermore, we should want to share it:

(Luke 10:2) Therefore said [Jesus] unto them, "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

Here is a writing my husband and I wrote on responding to the call of the Lord https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-lord-of-harvest-written-by-my.html.

God does not demand perfection, but He does expect us to practice what we preach.  

(Romans 2:1, 3, 5-6 & 21-22) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

In other words, we cannot be a hypocrite and please God.  We should not even be attempting to serve God until we clean up our own lives first.

But now let me get back to the title of this blog and hopefully give all of us some encouragement when we are wondering why God would call us.  We are not alone in feeling inadequate.  In fact, we are in very good company. When God called Moses, he did not say, "Of course you want me.  I am rich, skilled, handsome, and very moral."  No, he was very humble and in fact argued with God insisting God was calling the wrong person (Read Genesis chapters 2 to Exodus chapter 40 for his whole story and specifically Gensis chapters 3-4 to read about when he was called).  God, of course, never, ever makes mistakes, and He was certain Moses was the right man to go before Pharaoh to demand the Hebrew slaves be set free, as well as being chosen as their spiritual leader afterwards.  God did, however, acknowledge Moses' fears and doubts and allowed his brother Aaron to be his helper.

The prophet Jeremiah also questioned God about his calling.  In chapter 1 of Jeremiah, when he is called, Jeremiah feels he is too young and a poor speaker.  Yet just as God had reminded Moses that He had made the mouth, He also assured Jeremiah He would guide the prophet's words.   

Gideon (see Judges chapter 6) also repeatedly questioned God's calling. He also did not arrogantly say, "Of course you are calling me because I am brave and young."  No, the angel had to tell Gideon he was a man of valor, yet he never seemed to believe it.  All throughout his story in Judges through to chapter 8, Gideon is full of insecurities and doubts.

Through these few examples we can see a pattern of humility.  We do not need to be self-loathing for God to use us, but we should never tell God He needs to call us because we are so attractive, talented, rich, Godly, etc.  God does not need us, we need Him.  That's why we want to serve Him and spread His message, because we want others to need Jesus also.  We want to help others remove that barrier of pride and admit they need a Savior and then choose to give up sin so they can spend eternity with a holy God. 

(Isaiah 66:2) "For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been," saith the Lord: "but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."

That verse above, that is the key! Read all the words until they sink in.  

On the night of the above conversation with my husband, he reminded me of these verses:

(1 Corinthians 1:26-31) For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Yes, we may feel weak and inadequate, but our holy "foolishness" shares the life of salvation and not the rebellious foolishness of sin's death (see Romans 6:23). That is what it is all about, not glorifying ourselves.  Not seeing our name in lights. Not to be rich.  But to glorify the name of Jesus.  If you have any other agenda, then this next verse is for you.  It is for all those who have served the Lord under false motives and hypocritical actions.

(Matthew 7:21-23) Not every one that saith unto me, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;" but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" And then will I profess unto them, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

It is perfectly okay to question why God would call you, as it shows humility and a willingness for self-examination. Just make sure you follow through and allow the Holy Spirit to help you work on changing where God says you need to change and to give up the sins He expects you to give up. Nothing is worth holding onto if it means losing your soul, but God is worth giving up everything to serve Him and Him alone!  

I will leave you with this poem I wrote in 2006:

(Isaiah 6:8) Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then said I, "Here am I; send me."

When Called (2006)
It is an honor to be called out,
To have God say you are ready,
To walk through the battlefield
Equipped in the armor of His holy word;
To take a stand where others fall
And say, “Yes, Lord, use me.”

Not to whimper or cry,
But to shout because you are chosen;
To tremble in awe at such an assignment,
And pray for wisdom and strength;
To try to understand,
And believe God’s will even when things seem impossible;
To say, “Yes, Lord, teach me.”

To feel His blessing grip a hold of you,
And kneel in His presence;
To not give up or give in,
But to push ahead through the muck.

And when you reach the end,
To praise Him for surviving;
To say, “Yes, lord, heal me.”
And not become bitter;
To reflect on all He taught you;
To remember He chose you;
To feel your faith grow stronger,
And heart more open;
To do it all again,
And say, “Yes, Lord, use me.”

Exploring Christian Entertainment: Part 2: Movies & Television, Written by my Husband & Me

Exploring Christian Entertainment: Part 2: Movies & Television

Written by my Husband (Mel) & Me

There are many Biblical movies today being produced by both Hollywood, as well as Christian organizations that are not wholesome, nor Biblically accurate.  There was a time when Biblical movies were safe for the whole family to watch and there was more of a reverence than today. My wife and I made the decision to do away with television, as well as all movies some time ago because of all the wickedness shown. But before we completely made a break from movies, we viewed some Biblical movies and were shocked at what we saw.

We will examine some of the biblical movies that are being endorsed by many churches today. When Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" first came out, I went to see it in the movie theater. I had a strong discernment of a demonic presence during the entire movie. The discernment was strongest when they depicted Satan as a grotesque androgynous person holding a demonic baby. This movie was made like a horror movie. They didn't need to show the worms eating the carcass of a donkey or the overdone mutilation of Christ. The most disgusting scene occurred at the end of the movie during the resurrection scene. They showed a quick glimpse of Christ's nude backside, including his buttock. This is typical Hollywood's irreverence for anything holy. Yet the churches in their blind ignorance widely endorsed this movie. (Apparently there is a part 2 coming out soon that is a twisted story that heavily focuses on angels and demons.  Mel Gibson even admitted it disturbed him! Then why make it? I really don't want to know more about the plot, so I choose to stay ignorant of any further details about the movie.)

Another one of Hollywood's irreverent movies was "The Last Temptation of Christ." We never saw this rated R movie but have read much about it. This movie depicted Jesus fantasizing about having sex with Mary Magdalene upon the cross and it showed them naked in bed together. This is the ultimate blasphemy against our Lord who knew no sin. At least back then the churches protested this disgusting film, but today, anything goes with a church who has lost its way.

The last so-called Biblical movie we watched was "Noah" with Russell Crowe. This movie did not resemble the true Biblical account of Noah in any way! The movie depicted the fallen angels (watchers), as creatures made of rock. These rock creatures repeatedly made remarks about how the Creator punished them for helping mankind. The movie depicted the fallen angels helping Noah build the ark, and the result was that God forgave them for their trespass and let them re-enter Heaven. Later, aboard the ark, Noah is depicted as a mad man trying to kill his newly born grandchild. There is also a castaway aboard the ark urging Noah's son to kill his father. The facts are that the fallen angels did not help Noah build the ark. It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives, were the only ones aboard the ark, there were not any castaways or grandchildren. Noah and his entire family were Godly people God chose to spare from the worldwide flood, not homicidal maniacs. This gross departure from scripture is presenting a lie to many people who are not familiar with scripture.

Another insult from Hollywood is "The Young Messiah." Anne Rice is the author of the book that the movie is based off of. Anne Rice is famous for writing horror stories, especially about vampires. This movie is presenting a lie about the childhood of Jesus. The Bible doesn't have much to say about the childhood of Christ, so Hollywood considers it perfectly acceptable to fill in the blanks with lies. The movie depicts Jesus being bullied by a child who falls and hits his head and dies. Jesus feels bad about it and resurrects the child from the dead. According to the Bible, Jesus' first miracle was when He turned the water into wine at the marriage feast, and even then, He said that his time had not yet come. This movie also depicts an attempted rape scene in which the woman kills the man. There is also an implied sex scene between Herod and a woman who dances for him. A demon is also depicted taunting the young Jesus. There are no boundaries, or depths of depravity, that Hollywood will not lower themselves to. And, by the way, Anne Rice conveniently became Catholic long enough to get money for this book, then quickly denounced her "faith" again soon after the success of it all.  Why would any Christian organization promote someone such as that, especially considering that filth for which she is so well known? (Note: we have not seen this movie but read the review for it.)

(1 Corinthains 10:21) Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Other movies to avoid are, "Risen" and "Exodus." These movies also grossly depart from scripture, as well as are filled with violence.  As well as many I am sure I have not even heard of and don't care to know more about.

We have also been shocked at the movies being produced by Christian organizations. One movie depicted a pastor using profanity from behind the pulpit. This same movie also depicted a Christian family drinking alcohol on a regular basis. Many of these faith-based movies also show women dressed immodestly, they also include swearing, glorify and justify pre-marital and extra-marital relationships, as well as have unnecessary violence. There was a time when there was a reverence for the Lord, as well as Christian ministry, but now anything goes. My advice to Christians is to 100% give up television and movies and trade your free time to grow closer to the Lord.   

Now I know many of you will be upset about this, but I have to address the trend of Biblical television shows, which includes the very popular show "The Chosen."  Before we gave up television, I tried to watch the first episode.  I immediately felt a disturbance with it, but I wanted to watch a little more, so I knew why the Holy Spirit was warning me this was a bad show.  The prophet Nicodemus was depicted as a sort of, I am sorry but I cannot think of a better term, witch doctor.  Yes, they used herbs for medical cures back then, but he was portrayed more like he was making occultic potions rather than natural herbal remedies. I did not finish watching.  It only takes a little leaven (sin) to affects the whole loaf of bread (your soul), so why watch it if even only one portion of the show was tainted.  One can only assume there were many more disturbing errors throughout.  

(1 Corinthians 5:6, AMP) Do you not know that [just] a little leaven ferments the whole batch [of dough, just as a little sin corrupts a person or an entire church]?

(Galatians 5:9, AMP) A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]. 

I decided to ask AI how many Biblical inaccuracies there are in "The Chosen."  It said there is no exact number, but that MANY theologians have criticized the show saying it goes beyond creative license and is grossly inaccurate to the point it is often heretical.  The show often misquotes scripture, and even manipulate sand changes the timeline of Jesus.  It changes the Biblical back stories of many of real people just for the sake of ratings (such as Mary Magdalene and Judas just to name a few). Again, this is all from AI as I did not watch more than 5-10 minutes, but even AI had enough sense to say, " It contains numerous dramatized or invented elements that critics argue are biblically inaccurate. Viewers seeking strict biblical fidelity should compare the series’ events directly with the Gospel texts." 

 

Please quit allowing this leaven of false teaching into your homes.  Just read your Bibles if you want to know the story of Jesus and His disciples and apostles!

And just a quick note, many Christian books are not much better.  I read a lot on my own as well as both of us listening to audio books together in the evenings, and we have had to quit reading/listening to at least half of the books due to Biblical inaccuracies, inserts of the occult, sexuality, violence, and even profanity.  

However, there are still a lot of very good authors out there if you are patient enough to try them out, so do not be discouraged that all you have to do is sit and stare at the walls all day just to please the Lord.  As well as actually talking to each other, going for walks, playing games, etc.  Life does not have to be dull just because you make the decision to guard your ear and eye gates and not subject your body, which is the temple of God, to ungodly entertainment!    

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Please prayerfully consider giving up all tv/movies.  Afterall, is soulless entertainment really worth displeasing the King of Kings who gave His life for you?  

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18- 7:1) What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness...  for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate," saith the Lord, "and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

(Joshua 24:14-15) Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served... and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Exploring Christian Entertainment, Part 1: Christian Rock Music

Exploring Christian Entertainment, Part 1: Christian Rock Music

Music has always been a big part of my life.  My Mom tells me I used to imitate the singers in the church with my own sounds before I could even talk. I also have clear memories from when I was around 5 years old of sitting in front of our family's record player in my miniature rocking chair while raising my hands and praising the Lord (or maybe I was listening to an 8-track, for those of you old enough to know what that is).  My Mom says I was also speaking in tongues while I worshipped, but I don't remember those details, just the joy of letting God know how much I loved Him.  In spite of how shy I am, loved singing in church either with my family or alone (we sang a lot of Gaither songs!).  It was inevitable that by the age of 12, "I played in the band (trumpet) and sang in the choir"!  

In the 1970s and 80s I loved Evie, Sandi Patty, and Keith Green. Admittedly, as I grew older, I did not have the best music choices.  In the later 1980s through the 1990s my flesh was drawn to the heavier beats of Petra, DeGarmo & Key, and even Stryper.  By the 2000's I was even listening to Skillet, Kutless, and Flyleaf.  I shutter to think of that now!  Where was my discernment?  Actually, I know where it was.  When I would listen to certain songs, I would feel a Satanic presence, but I rebelliously ignored it and justified it by saying some of the songs had good lyrics.

Since meeting and marrying Mel, we have both prayerfully and humbly asked God to purge us of anything that was displeasing to Him.  One of the first things we got rid of after we got married in 2012 was the secular music labeled as "Christian."  I am much more careful with what I expose my ear gates to now (see Philippians 4:8 below).  My passion for music now goes much deeper, anything I sing or listen to MUST glorify the King of Kings.  There is nothing wrong with faster rhythms as long as they are still respectful and not using specific beats to summon demons (see below for more on that).  If in doubt, I turn it off!     

Let me further explain why I am posting this writing again.

My husband and I recently watched a sermon from a pastor where he spoke out against the demonic beats in music and how such music causes the listener to feel lust, rebellion, depression, etc.  Some people in his congregation became so angry they walked out.  I applaud this man for speaking out, but very unfortunately he did not practice what he preached.  After watching that message I wanted to watch a worship service from his church, and it showed their "worship" team screaming as they wildly jumped up and down.  This was not worshipping God in spirit and in Truth, but was appealing to the flesh (John 4:24 - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.). Whether you believe it or not, I felt a demonic presence so strongly, I had to turn it off after two minutes or less. It is also what prompted me to want to re-share this writing I originally wrote at least 10 years ago.  Here is that writing:

What would you say if I told you all of the above photos are of bands who promote themselves as "Christian"?  If you look like the world on the outside, what does that say about the condition of your heart on the inside? If these images don't make you feel sick in your spirit, maybe you need to ask God why you are so comfortable with "Christians" looking like Satanists and atheists.

(Romans 12:1-2 ) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.   And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

There are also plenty of pictures of female Christian artists from different genres of "Christian" music dressed and posed provocatively.  I did not feel comfortable sharing such images, but trust me, they are out there.  

(I Timothy 2:9-10) In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation... which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. 

I am not trying to mock anyone, but I just don't understand why anyone would promote themselves as a Christian band if they were not willing to walk the walk and talk and the talk.   

For that matter, why would any of us listen to such music, thus promoting ungodly music and giving them our money when only genuine Christians serving Jesus should get our support? 

(Philippians 4:8-9) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

We may think that any kind of music is safe as long as it is promoted as Christian.  As I mentioned in the new introduction above,  my husband and I once both listened to Christian music in the past with a heavy rock beat (and sometimes not-so-heavy, but it is still obvious the artist is compromising).  Our flesh enjoyed the secular rhythm.  There was not always a Godly message to be found in the lyrics, but the voices were good, and the beat was pleasing.  What we both noticed was that, even while trying to enjoy the music, we would always feel a sense of agitation while listening to it.  That is called a check in your spirit when God is trying to warn you something is bad.  This is also called discernment.

 (Philippians 1:9-10) And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.  

David Wilkerson was an amazing holiness preacher. He had a great gift of prophecy and discernment.  In 1987, David was invited to attend a well-known Christian singer's concert.  While at this concert, the band began playing a very popular song.  In the spirit, David saw Satan laughing at the crowd because they were doing this all in the name of Jesus, but they were truly worshiping Satan in their hearts.  (***Please read his very profound and eye-opening article: http://tscpulpitseries.org/english/1980s/ts870803.html   ***)

(Isaiah 5:20 ) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

Think demons aren't real?

(Ephesians 6:12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  

Mel gave up "Christian" rock music in his teens, when his late mother saw demons attached to the music he was listening to.  Mel's mother, Marie was a prophetic woman with a profound gift of spiritual discernment.  

Like Pastor Wilkerson, even before I knew he also had a vision, I also had a vision of a demon on stage at a "Christian" concert my husband and I attended.  The demon had a wide, sadistic grin on its face as if it was fully enjoying the fact that the audience was enjoying and even dancing to the very secular music that had nothing to even do with Christ.  I turned to Mel and said, "Do you feel that? The air is heavy and making me sick to my stomach." Mel acknowledged he felt the same way. We quickly left. As we were heading out the door, Mel felt the urge to loudly say, "Ichabod! The spirit of the Lord has departed."  Another concert goer, also about to leave, looked at him and shouted, "Amen! Preach it brother!"  

Artists promoting themselves as "Christian" are truly wolves in sheep's clothing.  They do not care about the condition of your soul.  What they want is your adoration, and of course, your money.  Look again at the faces of those in the pictures above.  Do you see any humility?  Do their songs really praise Jesus or just ask for stuff and whine about life being hard?  The only message given is the very watered-down grace message that says we are all forgiven because we are only human.  You will never hear repentance or holiness preached.  You rarely even hear the name of Jesus or God, but rather the songs are about a generic, "you." 

If you have ever been to one of these concerts, pay attention to who is getting worshipped.     

(Romans 12:3) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought.

Ungodly music does not just come from professional studios.  Many churches are also into promoting the same ungodly beats for the sake of entertainment and, more importantly, for the sake of getting money placed in the offering.  Do not be deceived that just because the music is sung in a church that it is pleasing to God.

Mel once had a dream where he was attending a fancy mega-church.  He sat in the bleachers with some younger people, and the elders of the church were seated to their right.  The worship leader began encouraging them to worship God by clapping and lifting their hands to the Lord.  Then he began telling them to dance before the Lord.  Don't be fooled that there is anything holy about the Holy Ghost Hop, for this is what they were doing in the dream.  Then he encouraged the congregation to take their clothes off before the Lord.  This is symbolic of sin.  As the younger people began peeling their clothes off, the elders began to point and chant, "Shame!  Shame!"

Also, consider this:  the heavy drum beats used in some of the popular music styles come from tribal music used in satanic rituals.  Some of these same rhythms have been and still are used to call on demons.  The demons have not forgotten this fact, nor do they care who you think you are calling.  They will answer.

Not all Christian artists are wrong to listen to. There are many that sing beautiful songs that glorify the Lord. With that said, however, even the softer style of music is likely to be sung by lukewarm Christians. Often, I see popular artists dancing around, jumping up in down, raising their hands, using phony mood lighting, and even strobe lights and smoke, all for show-and-tell and to promote him/herself.  When you are close to the Lord, you can tell the difference between these actors pretending to glorify the Lord with teary eyes and up-raised arms. Emotionalism sells albums and tickets! The lyrics and beats may be safe, but even if the singer is phony, just make certain you are glorifying God in your personal worship and not the singer. 

My husband and I are both very careful about the type of music we listen to.  We pay close attention to any discernments the Holy Spirit may give us.  If either one of us feels uncomfortable, the music gets turned off.  We encourage you to also listen closely to the Holy Spirit when he warns you about what you allow into your home, car, or office.

Here is a link to my husband's video on Christian Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvB28kbBm68

Where is the discernment? Part 2, Written by my Husband

 

Where is the discernment? Part 2

Written by my Husband (Mel) 

There are many counterfeit revivals going on where God’s Holy Spirit has been replaced by demonic manifestations. People are laughing uncontrollably, as well as making different animal sounds. They are hissing like snakes, mooing like cows, roaring like lions, howling like wolves, as well as barking like dogs. These same manifestations occur within Kundalini Hinduism, as well as other forms of occultism. In a congregation in Boston, the pastor crawled on his hands and knees like a dog, barking, and his wife led him around on a leash fastened to a dog collar around his neck. The wife then said, “Where he leads, I will follow!”

People also claim to be drunk in the spirit; they display symptoms of physical drunkenness. After leaving one of these revivals in Florida, numerous people were pulled over by law enforcement officers for drunk driving. They all passed their breathalyzer tests, because they were made drunk by an unholy spirit. God’s Word is clear that God hates drunkenness, and no drunkard will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Satan is the lawless one, and he is making a mockery of God, within these revivals. After leaving this flesh fest, people were also seen displaying drunk behavior in local restaurants. They were falling on the floor in the restaurants, laughing hysterically. God is a God of order, and not foolishness. God will not make a person drive drunk or embarrass them in public. Where is the discernment? Why can’t Christians see that an unholy demonic spirit, is at work in their churches?

There are many counterfeit revivals producing demonic manifestations occurring worldwide. The Toronto blessing, Pensacola outpouring, Lakeland revival, Kansas City IHOP, Bethel Church in Redding Ca, Hillsong church etc. are but a few examples. False Ministries to avoid, Rodney Howard Brown, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Joyce Meyers, Paula White, as well as all other prosperity gospel preachers, and those that teach the unconditional eternal security doctrine.

In some, so-called Christian rock concerts, many of the young people are going into trances, where they display tribal dancing. These are but a few of the demonic manifestations going on worldwide. The late pastor David Wilkerson warned the church about this invasion of demonic activity, as well as the need to return to holiness preaching, but most will not listen. It is time for the church to start using discernment and realize that something has gone wrong. God is withdrawing his Spirit from many churches, because they will not endure sound doctrine. If the churches will return to teaching and living in holiness once again, then maybe God’s Spirit will return!

Many of the leaders of these false revivals have been caught in adultery, as well as homosexual relations. I believe that in many cases physical perversion is a manifestation of spiritual perversion. A false prophet from Florida who led a well-known revival, has a tattoo of a Japanese goddess on his arm. He claims that this goddess is really an angel by the name of Emma who accompanies him during his kicking sessions at his so-called revival. He claims that Emma has instructed him to hit or kick people in need of healing, as an act of obedience. The revival was shut down when it was revealed that he was having an affair during the entire time of this revival. This wolf in sheep’s clothing, divorced his wife and married his mistress. Now he is back at it again. A false prophet from Kansas City, claims that this same angel Emma came floating into his church to usher in their false revival. His church later removed him from his ministry position due to sexual misconduct with church members. Another false prophet from his church admitted to being a practicing homosexual. I could go on and on with examples of how perverted these revivalists are, but this should suffice.

Many of the television evangelists, as well as mega-church leaders, have also had their share of scandals. A well-known television evangelist, who wears a white suite, and has a healing ministry, has much darkness surrounding him. Channel six news from Orlando featured an expose on this minister. They showed on film a group of men sitting at a table together, and the evangelist handed a bong to his lead singer, as well as another man at the table. Both of these men smoked the bong. One of the men who smoked the bong, died later from a heroin overdose. While this married evangelist was in Rome, he was filmed walking and holding hands with a female television evangelist, who was wearing very short shorts. They both admitted to a friendship when the pictures were released but denied their obvious affair. In spite of this wickedness, their supporters chose to forgive them. If Christians would wake up and stop supporting these apostate ministers, they would shut them down overnight. God’s anointing is not on these reprobates, who use God for dishonest gain. Hell will be full of those who fleece the flock.

Many Christians are afraid of supernatural experiences because of the demonic manifestations. However, we need to allow God’s true gifts to be in operation within the church. It is not good to quench God’s Spirit, or to be afraid of it. For God does give visions, dreams, work miracles, heal the sick etc. (1 Corinthians 12). It is crucial that we pray over experiences, as well as use sound judgment. The reason for this unholy spirit which has invaded the church is a false grace message that promotes loose living, as well as other false doctrines. God gives Grace to those who repent and walk in the light, but NOT to those who love darkness.