Sound The Trumpet

Over the years, many people have asked the question, "What should I look for in a church?" This is actually an excellent question. There are a lot of things we should look for in a church - things which, sadly, are not found in many of the churches we all pass by every day. Yes, there are many buildings which are labeled "Church." However, many of these churches are hardly places where one can truly find peace and a place to worship. So, pay attention over the next few weeks to see what you should look for in a church. If you are in a church already, this guide may open your eyes to some interesting flaws in many churches. We promise this will be an informative series!

Ladies, do you use Facebook, a blog or other social media to reprove, rebuke or exhort others? Are men reading your posts? If so, you are preaching to men! Do you stand and teach a mixed class of young men and young ladies (teens and above)? You are preaching to men.

Ladies, this is confusion and it is absolutely wicked. Since the Garden of Eden, God’s plan was for the woman to listen to the man. Not the other way around. God never intended you to preach!

Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

I realize you may rule your home, but please don’t give Christ a black eye by claiming you are a Christian then coming out and publicly preaching to everyone. It simply is not your place.

1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

That verse applies to men of all ages. Yes, young men who are in their teen years are considered to be men. Physically, once a boy reaches puberty, he is a man. In the Hebrew law, a boy becomes a man at the age of thirteen.

If you are woman who is preaching to men, you should not call yourself modest, either. But, that is an entirely different discussion. Please repent of this sin and do so publicly. Please also apologize for bringing your husband to an open shame.

If you are a man reading this, you should not tolerate it either. Tell these immodest, preachy women to sit down and be quiet. Otherwise, you are as guilty as they are.

What you just read was the text of a recent post on my wall on Facebook (see Facebook). Since posting this thought, several women got very upset and a number of men parted company with me accusing me of causing divisions, citing Romans 16:17.

Ro 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

These men are defending what is clearly a violation of a Scriptural principle and accusing me of causing divisions contrary to the doctrine we have learned? I have not taught anything contrary to sound, Biblical doctrine: women should not be preaching to men. This is a clear Biblical precept. Among those who truly hold to the truths of the Word of God, this is a settled fact: women should not preach to men!

So, why are these men, men who are preachers in fundamental churches, defending women preachers? I could only speculate. Perhaps they are blinded; perhaps they enjoy the women’s preaching. I could not say.

As I was scanning through the guide looking for something to watch, I came across something called "Handel's Messiah Rocks."  I admit, I was curious, so, I watched a few minutes of it.  It was a complete and total perversion of Handel's Messiah.
In the few minutes I watched, I saw immodestly dressed women, and men who could easily have been confused for women dancing and jumping around a stage to the sounds of a combination of a full orchestra, overdrive electric guitars, drums and vocals singing the almost familiar words of "The Messiah."  I say almost familiar.  The words they were singing were not the actual words from "The Messiah."  The words they were singing were not based on the KJV.
Clearly, these people were presenting themselves as Christians.  But, were they?  Of course,  I cannot say if they are actually Christians or not.  However, I can draw some observations from the Scriptures.

2Cor 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? 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. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

In this passage, the Lord is asking the same question several times over.  How can light and darkness co-exist?  How can Christ and Belial agree?  What fellowship does God have with idolatry?  How can one who is saved stand with one who is an infidel?  They simply cannot.  As Christians, we are to be separate, distinctly different and set apart.  A part of salvation is repentance.  When we are saved, we repent, or turn from, our sinful nature.  So, when it comes to something like music, what does that mean?  It means that the music we listen to as Christians should be completely and distinctly different from the music we listened to when we were not saved.  Like every other aspect of our lives, the music we listen to is an indicator of where we are headed.  When you were saved, did you want to change the music you listened to?  Even a little? If not, perhaps you were not saved.
Some people claim you can take Christian words and apply them to the worldly music.  For something to be Christian, it has to be completely Christian.  We cannot walk partly in the world and partly in the Lord!

Lu 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Jesus was making the point that we cannot keep ourselves in the sins and cares of the world while claiming to follow Him.  Jesus plainly said that one who looked back was unfit for the Kingdom of God.  The worldly Christian music is just that.  It is someone who wants the benefits of being  a Christian while holding on to the vice of ungodly music.
If you are genuinely saved, the Lord has already nudged you about some things.  How did you respond to the nudge?  Was music something the Lord nudged you about?  If you are listening to Christian Rock, or other contemporary (so-called) Christian music, and you are saved, the Lord has nudged you.
How can you tell what is good music and what is not? Here are several things to help guide you in the choice:

1. Music should encourage you to get closer to God?
2. Music should encourage you to worship in a pure way.  That is, the music should not cause you to move your body in a sensual or immodest way.  That is, the music should not cause you to draw attention to yourself. Your worship should always direct attention to God.
3. If the words were removed, the music should still be honoring to God. Often, the music of the so-called Christian rock (rap, country, etc.) is identical to it's worldly counterpart. In fact, if you removed the words, could not tell the difference between the two. 
4. The musicians should have a good testimony.  Their life, as it is now, should clearly reflect the change Christ has made in their lives through salvation.  Their testimony should be clear and their lives should prove their testimony. Often, the clearest illustration of the contemporary musician's lacking walk with God is illustrated in their attire.  

Are you willing to change your music?

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