1st John 2:15,17, “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. ... And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
The world is an empty and shallow place. The world is filled with beautiful
music, but it is all so shallow and empty. All of the beautiful voices,
instrumentation and heart-gripping worldly songs—the ones that take you up on
an emotional rollercoaster—will all pass away with time.
Our
text verse from 1st John 2:17 stands out increasingly in my mind as I grow
older, reminding me that all this sin-cursed world has to offer is fool's
gold. Do you know what fool's gold is? It is the mineral iron pyrite (pictured
to the left), which has a
shiny luster like expensive gold, but it is VERY inexpensive in comparison
to gold. Take a look at how pretty pyrite looks, but it is not authentic gold.
And my friend, the world can never offer you authentic peace, joy or hope. The
heathen world can never offer you eternal life. Listen, this world is
diametrically opposed to Jesus Christ and God's will.
Many of the mega-popular rock stars of decades ago are dying. Singer Joe Cocker is dead at 70. Thousands more will be dying in the next two decades. I like to read biographies of famous musicians, to see where the singers who were famous when I was growing up are today. I remember as a kid hearing ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) on the radio in stores everywhere. It is beautiful secular music. In 2010 the founding member of ELO, Mike Edwards, died suddenly at age 62 when a bail of hay rolled off a hill and smashed his van, killing him instantly. Literally, death may be lurking around the next corner.
The Who, another infamous rock band, lost their bass player John Entwistle in 2002 at age 58 when he overdosed on cocaine supplied by a stripper in Las Vegas. The news outlet The Guardian reported that Entwistle “DIED IN CLASSIC ROCK STYLE”![1] As everyone eventually learns, the Devil always pays with counterfeit money. All Satan's apples have worms. All that this world has to offer is nothing compared to the endlessness of eternity. It makes me sad when I think about Jimmy Page, guitarist for Led Zeppelin, who is a devout follower of Satanist Aleister Crowley. Led Zeppelin is the most influential Satanic band in rock history. Not surprisingly, Jimmy Page denies being a Satan worshipper. In fact, Page worships Lucifer, who is the occult transformation of Satan (2nd Corinthians 11:13-15).
Look at the millions of U.S. Citizens (our own people) who are surviving homeless on the streets, while billions of dollars in foreign aid are handed out to countries that despise us. How many of us really care about the homeless? I always give money to the poor when asked, usually $5 to $20. I don't assume they'll use it for alcohol unless I smell alcohol, then I won't give them money. I once read somewhere (I think it was Dr. E.M. Bounds) who said that the world is like a man who holds a saxophone in one hand and a gun in the other. The world is like that man, who drown out the cries of his victims with a saxophone. While 34,000 people die each day of malnutrition and starvation, Americans enjoy one of the most entertaining lifestyles in history.
Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is no better than worldly rock music, and in many ways much more deadly, because it professes to be of the Lord. The euphoric music takes the listener on a skyrocket to the emotional stratosphere, while the empty words do nothing to help the soul, and in the end it leaves the listener with a feeling of loneliness, despair and worldliness. In sharp contrast, the old hymns of the faith make a person think about the Word of God, holy living and the Lord's return. Christian rock is a misnomer. All rock is rock! The sensual voices, lewd music videos and ecumenical singers are all helping Satan accomplish a New World Order.
Most people are blinded by Satan, hellbound in unbelief and sin. Of those who are saved, very few truly mature to the place where they bear much fruit of the Spirit and become soul-winners. The world is empty. All that this world has to offer cannot fill that empty void in man's soul. Only by being born-again through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ can anyone truly find lasting peace, joy and fulfillment in life. Jesus makes the difference!!! It is easy even for Christian believers to get their eyes off the Lord, quickly sinking into the depths of this world's darkness. Some commit suicide. Others end up in prison. Christian at best are still people, and all people are sinners. Don't ever forget that. Keep a humble spirit. Keep your eyes on the Lord Jesus. If you don't know Him, you need to begin by receiving Him as your personal Savior. Simply believe the Gospel that Christ died for your sins on the cross, and was raised up the third day.
The world offers all sorts of distractions to serving God, from hobbies to sports to education. Nothing will matter when this life is over if you die in your sins without Jesus Christ. Nothing will matter if you die and go to Hell forever. And if you are a child of God, what will all the pleasures and joys of this life matter if you stand empty-handed before Christ, receiving no rewards, having never told anyone how to go to Heaven when they die? The true measure of my success in life won't be how many people come to say goodbye when I leave, but how many are waiting to greet me when I get to Heaven!!! END
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)” —Hebrews 10:23
