in Christ's image or be cool.

[brodav9]

In my fellowship with a fellow who is trying to be a Christian outwardly, he hangs on to the old life also.

We are called to be righteous and live the life of Jesus and to let go of the world. The youth more than others are trying to win the world by identifying with them. Talking like the world using the same rebelious talk, saying we have to win them no matter what we do to get them to like us and join in with us to be a Christian. Sorry but quote Christian dating leads to Adultery or fornication.

One day our pastor went to the back of the church and found many youth back there kissing and whatever else. This was outside and it was dark. Even laughing at dirty jokes to be acceptable is not ethical.

One day I walked in the church men's room and several boys whose parents go there were talking about Marijuana. The world will love us if we be cool and like at least heavy metal music with Christian lyrics. In Eph.1 we are called to praise the father's glory, we will give account for world music.

People who are walking away from sin and being made into Jesus image are called narrow, that's okay Jesus said narrow is the way and few there be that find it. I have no self righteous atitude because I fear God and know that he is watching me. I am ashamed of my mistakes and am thankful for forgiveness through the blood shed to free me so I can be with him for all eternity.

To me Christianity is good by world even as I wrestle against temptations the Lord is the strength to overcome and be accounted worthy to enter his heavenly kingdom.

God delivered me from a Satanic life and so I know it is hard to put away childish things. It is most profitable to stay in the bible and walk by faith day by day with the Holy Spirit leading.

think about this original pun. it is fun to be doing the things that make me happy. It is joy to make the father happy and receive the life the world knows nothing about and it is wonderful. Today he told me something that no one in the world has never known before. It would be so hard for them to understand if I told them.

 

[Peace Seeker]

This is mostly the churches fault, because they no longer teach about repentance from sin, holy living, righteousness, etc. Instead of coming out of Babylon we are bringing it in to us, and doing things any other way than God's way is not a good road to travel down.

1 Corinthians 3:1-113
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

 

[::PreciousinChrist::]

To be "Cool" is another way of saying " to be conformed to this world" and not want to renew their minds so that they be transformed into the Image of Christ.
Rom 12:2.

 

[Cless]

Christians should not care about being "cool." Quite the opposite, following the words of Christ leads to inner warmth.

 

[brodav9]

I like the posts above. thank you for helping me to help someone else. The youth today need examples so they will change the way they live and dress. I am not a old crabby legal Christian. I was the member of a heavy metal rock band and into things prefer not talk about for they are a shame. I am concerned with my fellow brethren. Here are a few insights. the rap music is based on ganster talk. I was a ganster once. holes in knees? low cuts and tights to show off that which causes a man to lust. I used to create my own wardrobe. My talk was to hide my wicked plans so parents wouldn't understand. I hid the pot in the pot when jamming one night. Dad found it---why was I not worried?? because I worshipped Satan and knew he had my back. My guitarist and I had demons play guitars through us.
I confess myself under the blood of Jesus every day to protect me--- even while some brethren live the loose carefree sinful lives that Jesus died for to save them from.

I'm not angry, just wanted to let some poor soul backsliden who may say Jesus I total surrender and give you my whole life for your glory. I don't live backwards only forwards---in holiness. He's coming back real soon for his overcomers. Rev. 12:

 

[::PreciousinChrist::]

Dear Brodav9,

Thank you for sharing with all here the things you did before making Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.
How wonderful is the love and the grace of God revealed through Jesus Christ that now you are saved and are a new creation in Christ!

Through your post, I pray that people may come to know that rock music is indeed satanic and I find it strange how these days people come up with Christian rock music! Satan does appear like an angel of light doesn't he?
We as a family have had an experience with rock music which confirmed that rock music was played by demons behind the guitar strings. We learnt more from the book " Blessing or Curse, You can choose" by Derek Prince.


The music remains almost the same, just adding christian words to it to make it sound nice and 'holy'. Likewise with Rap music.

Before I close,
remember that you have authority over the devil and his demons...( Luke 10:19)
Greater is He who is in you than he who is the world ( 1 John 4:4)
You are a victor and more than a conqueror through Him.

Speak the Word of God and pray in the Spirit always... everyday.

God bless you richly
PRE

 

[Peace Seeker]

rock music was played by demons behind the guitar strings.

I think this statement is a huge exaggeration. So according to you, when I play my guitar at home, it is really demons playing it, not me? If you believe that, then you believe Christians can be demon-possessed, which is absolutely false. How about when I play my saxophone, or any other instrument? Or do demons only like electronics? The saxophone was once called the devil's horn! Do you think it was/is?

Do you call demonic whatever isn't of your musical taste?

We learnt more from the book " Blessing or Curse, You can choose" by Derek Prince.

Derek Prince and his Shepherding movement in the 70's and 80's led thousands of Christians astray from following Jesus to following and submitting unquestioningly to so-called shepherd gurus-types. His teachings on demonisation and submission are extreme to the point of absurdity, IE: referring to colitis as demonic possession, etc. Later in life he repented of many things he said and did, but the damage has already been done.

 

[Jaareshiah]

When Jesus established the Christian congregation and that went into operation on the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., he had told his eleven faithful apostles on the night before his death: "These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you. Bear in mind the word I said to you, A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also; if they have observed my word, they will observe yours also."(John 15:18-20)

Therefore, what does it mean for a true Christian to be "no part of the world" in both speech and conduct ? Why would the "world" hate and persecute them ? Some three years earlier in about 30 C.E., Jesus had already said that "broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it."(Matt 7:13, 14)

He further said, after being asked, "Lord, are those who are being saved few ?”: "Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able."(Luke 13:23) Who are the ones among the "many" that will seek Jesus, but are unable to get through "the narrow door" ?

Jesus now gives an illustration, whereby individuals, after the "door" has been locked", will "start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Sir, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.’ But he will speak and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !’ "(Luke 13:25-27)

These ones said that Jesus had ' taught in their broad ways', having sat before him as supposed students. However, he rejected them, telling them: "I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !" Why ? Because these are counterfeit Christians, having become "part of the world", practicing "unrighteousness".

Have not the churches supposedly ' sat before Jesus' to be "taught" by him, even individuals ' eating and drinking ' at their churches as a form of worship. But what have the religious leaders taught their respective members concerning being "no part of the world" ?

Some 450 years before Jesus arrival as the Messiah in 29 C.E., the Jewish religious leaders failed to honor God, with God saying through the prophet Malachi: "A son, for his part, honors a father; and a servant, his grand master. So if I am a father, where is the honor to me? And if I am a grand master, where is the fear of me?’ Jehovah of armies has said to you, O priests who are despising my name."(Mal 1:6)

Thus failing to honor Jehovah God, these "priests" allowed corrupt spiritual practices to infiltrate the nation of Israel that showed a ' despise ' of God's name. Over the following centuries till the arrival of Jesus as the "messenger of the covenant" in 29 C.E.(Mal 3:1), spiritual and moral conditions became worse, with the Jews being divided into different religious and political factions, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees who became deeply enmeshed in politics as "part of the world" and taught a distorted "Law", weighing down the Jews and even looking down on the common people, calling them ‛am-ha·’a´rets (Hebrew) as a despising term (see John 7:49), meaning "people of the land".(Jewish historian Josephus [37 ?-101 ? C.E.] first mentions the Sadducees and the Pharisees in the context of the second century B.C.E.)

Today, have the churches honored God's name of Jehovah or "despised" it, though professing being "Christian" ? Have the churches followed Jesus words to be "no part of the world" or have they become so intermixed with it that Jesus can rightly say to them: "I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !" ?

What have the young men and women been taught respecting what a genuine Christian is in the churches ? Have they taught what the Bible really says, "in order to make a distinction between the holy thing and the profane and between the unclean thing and the clean." ?(Lev 10:10) Have the religious leaders of Christendom taught their respective members in order not to ' profane the name of God', Jehovah ? (Lev 20:3)

Have they taught them how to avoid the political arena as Jesus did (John 6:15), or avoiding taking sides in hot political issues of the day like Jesus (Matt 22:21), to have clean language (Eph 5:3-5), to "love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind" (Matt 22:37), to avoid "the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life" (1 John 2:16), avoiding the worship of idols ?(1 John 5:21) Have they taught the clear defining moral boundaries that Jesus and the apostles laid out for a true Christian, "between what is holy and what is profane" ?(Eze 42:20)

 

[Strypes]

When Jesus established the Christian congregation and that went into operation on the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., he had told his eleven faithful apostles on the night before his death: "These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you. Bear in mind the word I said to you, A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also; if they have observed my word, they will observe yours also[/COLOR]."(John 15:18-20)

Therefore, what does it mean for a true Christian to be "no part of the world" in both speech and conduct ? Why would the "world" hate and persecute them ? Some three years earlier in about 30 C.E., Jesus had already said that "broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it."(Matt 7:13, 14)

He further said, after being asked, "Lord, are those who are being saved few ?”: "Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able."(Luke 13:23) Who are the ones among the "many" that will seek Jesus, but are unable to get through "the narrow door" ?

Jesus now gives an illustration, whereby individuals, after the "door" has been locked", will "start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Sir, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.’ But he will speak and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !’ "(Luke 13:25-27)

These ones said that Jesus had ' taught in their broad ways', having sat before him as supposed students. However, he rejected them, telling them: "I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !" Why ? Because these are counterfeit Christians, having become "part of the world", practicing "unrighteousness".

Have not the churches supposedly ' sat before Jesus' to be "taught" by him, even individuals ' eating and drinking ' at their churches as a form of worship. But what have the religious leaders taught their respective members concerning being "no part of the world" ?

Some 450 years before Jesus arrival as the Messiah in 29 C.E., the Jewish religious leaders failed to honor God, with God saying through the prophet Malachi: "A son, for his part, honors a father; and a servant, his grand master. So if I am a father, where is the honor to me? And if I am a grand master, where is the fear of me?’ Jehovah of armies has said to you, O priests who are despising my name."(Mal 1:6)

Thus failing to honor Jehovah God, these "priests" allowed corrupt spiritual practices to infiltrate the nation of Israel that showed a ' despise ' of God's name. Over the following centuries till the arrival of Jesus as the "messenger of the covenant" in 29 C.E.(Mal 3:1), spiritual and moral conditions became worse, with the Jews being divided into different religious and political factions, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees who became deeply enmeshed in politics as "part of the world" and taught a distorted "Law", weighing down the Jews and even looking down on the common people, calling them ‛am-ha·’a´rets (Hebrew) as a despising term (see John 7:49), meaning "people of the land".(Jewish historian Josephus [37 ?-101 ? C.E.] first mentions the Sadducees and the Pharisees in the context of the second century B.C.E.)

Today, have the churches honored God's name of Jehovah or "despised" it, though professing being "Christian" ? Have the churches followed Jesus words to be "no part of the world" or have they become so intermixed with it that Jesus can rightly say to them: "I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness !" ?

What have the young men and women been taught respecting what a genuine Christian is in the churches ? Have they taught what the Bible really says, "in order to make a distinction between the holy thing and the profane and between the unclean thing and the clean." ?(Lev 10:10) Have the religious leaders of Christendom taught their respective members in order not to ' profane the name of God', Jehovah ? (Lev 20:3)

Have they taught them how to avoid the political arena as Jesus did (John 6:15), or avoiding taking sides in hot political issues of the day like Jesus (Matt 22:21), to have clean language (Eph 5:3-5), to "love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind" (Matt 22:37), to avoid "the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life" (1 John 2:16), avoiding the worship of idols ?(1 John 5:21) Have they taught the clear defining moral boundaries that Jesus and the apostles laid out for a true Christian, "between what is holy and what is profane" ?(Eze 42:20)

Narrow is the Gate.. yep.

The only way (the gate) to the Father is through Jesus... Jesus is the GATE.(the door/ the way). Not our ability to conform to religious rules and standards.

I think if you understand Jesus, the passage is clear.. it is not about works it is about JESUS!

He further said, after being asked, "Lord, are those who are being saved few ?”: "Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able."(Luke 13:23) Who are the ones among the "many" that will seek Jesus, but are unable to get through "the narrow door" ?

This is a classic example of the New World Translation (JW bible) shifting translation to suit their false doctrines. Compare the wording (Luke 13)


The Parable of Bride Groom gives clarification of the "Closed Door" ... I would encourage you to read (Matthew 25)

 

[Strypes]

I love Christian Contemporary Music.

Those of y'all that disparage your brothers and sisters in Christ may wish to consider Matthew 25 also. Especially the part where Jesus says.. "Whatsoever you have done to the lest of these my brethren, you have done it unto me."

: )

 

[Jaareshiah]

Narrow is the Gate.. yep.

The only way (the gate) to the Father is through Jesus... Jesus is the GATE.(the door/ the way). Not our ability to conform to religious rules and standards.

I think if you understand Jesus, the passage is clear.. it is not about works it is about JESUS!




This is a classic example of the New World Translation (JW bible) shifting translation to suit their false doctrines. Compare the wording (Luke 13)


The Parable of Bride Groom gives clarification of the "Closed Door" ... I would encourage you to read (Matthew 25)

At Luke 13:24, Jesus used the Greek word agonizesthe (G75, from which the English word agonize came), that means "to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

Thus, a true Christian has to "agonize" or vigorously struggle to "get in through the narrow door." Jesus established that most will not be able to measure up to God's requirements for life, for most are unwilling to forcefully fight to meet the requirements of a genuine Christian, failing with regard to being "no part of the world."

Therefore, only a "few" are willing to agonize in order to please Jehovah God. The apostle Paul says that "with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation"(Rom 10:10) The churches have not taken the initiative to go "from house to house" (Acts 20:20), "preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God".(Luke 8:1)

Paul further said, quoting from Joel 2:32, said that “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”(Rom 10:13) Thence, those who call upon Jehovah God in faith "will be saved". All the loyal prophets of old all called upon Jehovah, with Abraham being called "Jehovah's friend".(Isa 41:8; James 2:23)

 

[Rockerduck]

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

 

[Strypes]

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Tiz true!

: )

 

[Strypes]

John 10:6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

 

[brodav9]

Sorry I think you misunderstood or maybe I wasn't clear. I was talking about demons playing through me when I wasn't saved. I was in a heavy metal rock band. Now the Holy Spirit's presence is in all my music. No demons allowed.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Christians should not care about being "cool." Quite the opposite, following the words of Christ leads to inner warmth.

JESUS is waay cool! Think about it. He takes what is right and sticks with it. He heals with a word. He kicked the devils butt with HIS very blood. He abolished bondage and led the captives free. And on and on and on HE is life, peace. joy etc Now that's cool!

 

[brodav9]

Not the same thing as we are asking. cool is a modern term for really good. But it is also a term with being a person who can have Jesus and live in a worldly fashion. In my days we used to call it---I'm hip. what was that? I looked good to everyone and fit in. I made my appearance to be cool so everyone thought I was special. Hey he's a cool dude, he smokes pot, drinks, swears, cuts school, has long hair, kicks butt, drives fast, lusts for everything, plays a wicked guitar, chicks like him, etc.

When I was in the heavy metal band and was a psycho, When I came to Jesus, I knew by old fashioned parental training that I must change my act. I knew sin had to go and that I must be a representative so people could say this guy is a Christian.

When you saw or heard me you would be able to say he is just like Jesus. God honored that so much that he let me know I am going to turn you into someone just like me. He filled me with the Holy Spirit. Each day I became holier and holier, with some struggles. Being changed is hard that's why people don't want to do it. I haven't arrived yet but when I look in the mirror I see Jesus. But also me. I hate the me. I love what I am becoming. The passion for Christ in me is as strong as a addiction.

I want to love, pray, sing, speak, glorify my heavenly father, serve him, do more and more miracles than I have before, receive blessings just like
always. My father tells me things that are secret, and some I can tell. The whole world doesn't know but wish they did the things he tells me.
that's how I became the bible secret man. People's mouths hang open when I preach the word.

One day I was sharing Jesus with a couple of children. I picked them up to hold on to the tree branch and told them the gospel through the story of
Zaccheous who climbed the tree to see Jesus. sorry for the spelling. They got saved, it was the Lord who had me do that story.

several people got saved when I commanded it to stop raining while in front of them. We will be just like him when he returns.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Not the same thing as we are asking. cool is a modern term for really good. But it is also a term with being a person who can have Jesus and live in a worldly fashion. In my days we used to call it---I'm hip. what was that? I looked good to everyone and fit in. I made my appearance to be cool so everyone thought I was special. Hey he's a cool dude, he smokes pot, drinks, swears, cuts school, has long hair, kicks butt, drives fast, lusts for everything, plays a wicked guitar, chicks like him, etc.

When I was in the heavy metal band and was a psycho, When I came to Jesus, I knew by old fashioned parental training that I must change my act. I knew sin had to go and that I must be a representative so people could say this guy is a Christian.

When you saw or heard me you would be able to say he is just like Jesus. God honored that so much that he let me know I am going to turn you into someone just like me. He filled me with the Holy Spirit. Each day I became holier and holier, with some struggles. Being changed is hard that's why people don't want to do it. I haven't arrived yet but when I look in the mirror I see Jesus. But also me. I hate the me. I love what I am becoming. The passion for Christ in me is as strong as a addiction.

I want to love, pray, sing, speak, glorify my heavenly father, serve him, do more and more miracles than I have before, receive blessings just like
always. My father tells me things that are secret, and some I can tell. The whole world doesn't know but wish they did the things he tells me.
that's how I became the bible secret man. People's mouths hang open when I preach the word.

One day I was sharing Jesus with a couple of children. I picked them up to hold on to the tree branch and told them the gospel through the story of
Zaccheous who climbed the tree to see Jesus. sorry for the spelling. They got saved, it was the Lord who had me do that story.

several people got saved when I commanded it to stop raining while in front of them. We will be just like him when he returns.

OK..But what's so important about 'fitting in'? You sacrifice you to become like a sheep, a herd animal. Not you specifically you understand....

 

[brodav9]

Hello, I used to be a heavy metal artist in training. We as a band were training to go pro. I heard the devil's voice clearly one day and he said hang in there I am going to make you top the charts. I was a musician and a writer. I was so filled with the devil, that my mind was transformed into a beast. I was a living nightmare to all around me. When Jesus saved me, he waited a few years, and I played gospel music, The Holy Spirit said, If you will never go back to that music I will give you the gift of music. One aspect of that gift was the ability to know most of the time my limits and perimeters. He caused me to know that just because I like something doesn't mean he is pleased. Sometimes I compose a song, lyrics are always correct but the music draws away from the Spirit in which God can minister to people.

90% percent of the music I hear is shallow. I am free to listen to whatever I want---but I love my father and Jesus and his Spirit and want to please him. He always
replaces something with something else. He himself led me to get some of the best music equipment money can buy. Everywhere I go to sing camera's flash and people want to put me in the newspaper. It is all because God touches their heart till they are amazed at what they hear.

Because I am non competitive , I cannot challenge people to show that they are not as good, my aim is to glorify the heavenly father, even if it is just him and I in the room. Liberty in Christ is where we get to make the choices---but those choices should be to glorify him. amen?

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Hello, I used to be a heavy metal artist in training. We as a band were training to go pro. I heard the devil's voice clearly one day and he said hang in there I am going to make you top the charts. I was a musician and a writer. I was so filled with the devil, that my mind was transformed into a beast. I was a living nightmare to all around me. When Jesus saved me, he waited a few years, and I played gospel music, The Holy Spirit said, If you will never go back to that music I will give you the gift of music. One aspect of that gift was the ability to know most of the time my limits and perimeters. He caused me to know that just because I like something doesn't mean he is pleased. Sometimes I compose a song, lyrics are always correct but the music draws away from the Spirit in which God can minister to people.

90% percent of the music I hear is shallow. I am free to listen to whatever I want---but I love my father and Jesus and his Spirit and want to please him. He always
replaces something with something else. He himself led me to get some of the best music equipment money can buy. Everywhere I go to sing camera's flash and people want to put me in the newspaper. It is all because God touches their heart till they are amazed at what they hear.

Because I am non competitive , I cannot challenge people to show that they are not as good, my aim is to glorify the heavenly father, even if it is just him and I in the room. Liberty in Christ is where we get to make the choices---but those choices should be to glorify him. amen?

Now that's cool!