Posted on 01/18/2013 1:39:48 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.(Genesis 6:5-6)
We have been looking at the universal conditions that led directly to the flood , in the “days of Noah”, because Jesus told us that this same state of affairs will be duplicated in some way at the time of the Parousia, and the final judgment of this world. “As in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be…” at the end of this age, according to the Saviour.
We have thus far considered six of the stated conditions; 1) A population explosion, 2) Rapid progress in technology, science and the arts, 3) A complete disregard for the original ideal of marriage, 4) the blurring of the distinction between the people of God and the world, 5) the rejection of a line of preachers of righteousness and judgment, and finally in the last article we discussed 6) violence covering the earth.
We come to another startlingly modern sign of the days of Noah, the fact that in those days God said, 7) The thoughts and Imaginations of mens hearts were only evil continually.
Imagination is a God-given attribute, part of the Image of God with which we were created. We men and women can conceptualize, and picture in our minds almost limitless possibilities. By Imagination we are able to create, plan, foresee, and visualize. We can dream and fantasize in our hearts for both good and evil purposes.
But Jesus warned us that because of the fall of man and the subsequent corruption of our nature, , the things which proceed from the heart, are what defile us,
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.( Mark 7:20-23)
The human heart has become an “Idol factory” according to one of the reformers, for fallen men are constantly devising Images unworthy of God or of those bearing the likeness of God. Those self conceived Images, formed by the deceitful lusts of the heart, shape and guide men, away from God, and after their fallen desires.
People tend to follow their most cherished inner concept ,the Image of what they love, the ideal that they regard as the most beautiful, whether it be the Image of ‘world peace’, Utopia, the vision of Humanism, Islam or communism, (in fact all “Isms” are actually man-made idols, rivals to God and His plan for the world). This is why it is so important to love and seek the “only True God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent”.
When there is enough peace, prosperity and leisure, men tend to have more time to devote to the development of their imaginations, and Images. In the days of Noah and even in the days of Lot, Jesus tells us that people were
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; (Luke 17:26-28)
The people of Noah’s day had the time to indulge in Imagination. Obviously they weren’t living ‘hand to mouth’, there was a vibrant economy, people got into trade, food, entertainment, the arts, drink, relationships. None of these things is evil in itself, but note the absence of God in their actions and thoughts. When left to themselves, the imaginations of men tend towards evil.
What we are living in now is a revolution of the indulgence of human Imagination. Our technology facilitates it. Most people who have ever lived could not have conceived of Radio, let alone television! Think of what the television revolution has done to the imaginations of modern man. People can get lost in a soap opera or a sitcom, they can become fascinated by a movie or documentary.
Even more so than radio and television is the explosion of technology that allows one to privately screen any movie he wants, anytime he wants, put the ‘buds’ in his ears, tune everyone else out, and to immerse oneself in story after story, meditating the contrived, special effected imaginations of hollywood directors and screen writers for hours without interruption.
Rarely is the question asked, “What becomes of the soul which has immersed him or herself into the Imaginations of degenerates such as Spike Lee, Quenton Tarantino, or even Mel Gibson?” Thousands of titles of blood soaked, gratuitously violent, blasphemous, sexual provocative films are constantly on call for PC users, who no longer need to think, but can at will enter into other worlds for hours at a time.
Perhaps more ominously are the computer games which millions of people have plunged their minds, hearts, affections and hours of time into. One doesn’t merely play board games, such as Chess or Stratego with a friend anymore. Such were the leisure pursuits of the past.
Now, with the flip of a switch one enters through imagination, into the killing fields of World War 2 or into a bizarre fantasy world of witches, warlocks, dragons, spells and curses, or into a football arena, a boxing ring , or a Colliseum .
Many of the more sensationally violent crimes , such as the recent school or theater shootings which have stunned and rocked us for the last fifty years, have been committed by mentally ill loners, often on prescription medication, and often hopelessly addicted to video games, many of which consist of the vicarious experience of going from room to room, and shooting at close range the virtual enemies who pop out at them.
Through our modern technology, millions have entered completely into Evil Imaginations, they now have the tools to escape from the burden of from any painful contemplation, and conviction from an uneasy conscience that all is not well.
Through their iTunes lists, or selection of movies or hours of video games, such thoughts don’t even stand a chance of entering their minds. They have already preprogrammed their thoughts, and are in danger of putting themselves out of reach of recovery.
What is it that many of these millions have fixed their minds on? Go walk through a video game store, and you will see shelf after shelf of evil. The occult, witchcraft, Grand theft Larceny games, where one can role play at being a pimp, a gangster, a Pirate, or whatever evil you can ‘imagine’ it is all available, and widely used.
Have you seen what is popular on I Tunes? All of the soul-destroying trash from the sixties and seventies is now regarded as quant, and mainstream music. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Styx, indeed ll of the drug promoting, occult based “rock and Roll” that churches once warned about and exposed is now as popular as ever thanks to the new technology.
We are rapidly approaching the frightening point reffered to in Genesis, where “Mens hearts are continually set on evil”. At least before, this shift in technology in the field of entertainment, it would have been impossible to constantly be distracted and amused by faxt moving, high quality Images. People had to think.
But we have created a highly entertaining, completely immersing world of constantly shifting images, many of which draw their inspiration from the occult, or various violent scenarios, wherein it could truly be said that of a good many, “The imaginations of men’s hearts became continually evil”. Are you ready for the coming of Jesus?
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The Beatles and Styx were occult based? What makes you say so?
Have you seen the cover of Sergeant Peppers lonely Hearts Club Band? Do you know where the name Styx comes from? Check out this website
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20America/Rock-n-Roll/witchcraft.htm
Man's heart is already continuiously set on evil. It is God who shines His light into the world to dispell the darkness. When He ceases to shine His light, He gives us up for the lusts of our hearts.
What you are really seeing is our loving God giving us up for the desires of our hearts.
Rom 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Rom 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Rom 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
Rom 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Rom 1:32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Among several dozen faces is occultist Aleister Crowley - and that makes the Beatles "occult based"?
Do you know where the name Styx comes from?
'In 1972 the band members decided to choose a new name [...] Several suggestions were made, and according to DeYoung, the name Styx (the river in Greek mythology between Earth and the Underworld) was chosen because it was "the only one that none of us hated".' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styx_%28band%29)
Another very thin reed on which to hang a charge of being "occult based."
but wasn’t it God that put Lucifer in the mix. Bad decision man is not responsible for....
“”Have you seen what is popular on I Tunes? All of the soul-destroying trash from the sixties and seventies is now regarded as quant, and mainstream music. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Styx, indeed ll of the drug promoting, occult based “rock and Roll” that churches once warned about and exposed is now as popular as ever thanks to the new technology.”
I’m sorry you don’t like good rock and roll music, pastor bill. But hey no one is perfect as we are all sinful people. In our church our pastor and all of us that lead worship love the kind of music you revile. Our church is a combination of a conservative gospel driven message with contemporary praise music. We are a Presbyterian PCA church and our message is as conservative as it gets. We are growing like crazy - about 20% per year - but do not compromise on the gospel message. But we do like contemporary music. When I read your “statement of faith” at your church’s web site it appears to mirror what we believe. However when it comes to music I vehemently reject your statement above. :-)
I’m sorry you don’t like good rock and roll music, pastor bill. But hey no one is perfect as we are all sinful people.
were not good enough to make any money professionally so went to the Church with their so called Jesus songs and you would be supprised of the donations they got just because they were introduced as Christians.
At that time you could go to an occult movie and hear the same thing with different words much cheaper than a donation.
I like some of the old rock and roll, but i haven,t liked hard rock since i quit working in the mines.???
I quit Church at that time because it became nothing but a popularity contest.
Thanks for the tone brother, and for the encouraging words. Really I didn’t mean to write an article about music, but about the way technology makes it possible for “the imaginations of men’s hearts to be continually evil”, as in the days of Noah. I hop you are enjoying the series my friend.
Hi Pastor- keep up the good work. I remember when Led Zeppelin was popular in the seventies. I had their music on at times. Strange things would happen in the room alone. They all started when the music stopped. I never listen to their albums again. I was 11(?) years old praying the Lord’s prayer then it all stopped. That crap is seductive.
Thanks John, its amazing how defensive some people are for their music, It must be a spiritual attraction. I have always believed those guys were he pied pipers of the demonic world.
My friend is in the industry. He is an open christian now. He has met Masons and other secret groups try to get people to glorify sin in music and movies. Just look at cable with music and sick movies. We are in the last days. Just remember we win in the end. I work for him. He works in various christian ministries. Praise Jesus!!
Amen brother- keep up the good work!
As one who straddled the fence (trying to serve two masters, without realizing it), I faithfully attended a very conservative Presbyterian church, but listened to all kinds of music. I enjoyed R&R, R&B, some country (being raised on a farm it was just natural for that), and even some disco/funk. At the age of 28, I finally heard the ‘rest of the story’ (the whole gospel) in Acts chapter 2, and was born again in the weeks that followed.
The Holy Ghost makes all things new. One of those things is how you feel conviction about things that do not glorify God. God has ordained that a man and a woman be united in marraige. So, I don’t feel conviction listening to songs that don’t cheapen the meeting, courtship, and marriage of a man and a woman. The song of Solomon is not sung, but it gives an example of such to me. I met my wife when Billy Joel’s ‘Just the way you are’, the Bee Gees ‘How deep is your love’, and Barry White’s ‘My everything’ were popular. We were married less than a year later, and after our first son and four years of marriage, we were born again. That song and some others are still fine with me and my wife.
I always prefered the men to sound like men, women like women. Some had a sound that I just didn’t like. Deyoung should have let someone else sing ‘Lady’, and Robert Plant with his satanic slanted music, was the hippie/druggie kind of guy that I’d loved to have punched out (longhaired redneck that I was back then). Those guys can’t compete with a B.J. Thomas (yeah, he had drug problems)singing ‘I just can’t help believing’.
Most of the popular music just tickles the senses with a catchy rhythem, but teaches immoral conduct; and country music is as bad as any other genre at doing that.
I used to like speed/thrash metal and punk when I was in my 20s, but then later on moved to Sinatra and while I always liked classical music, now it seems to be all that I listen to. There is a link between 60s hippies music and its successors and our societal problems.
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