Beyond Common Sense

We all have a beast living within – the flesh.  It is the old man that we will not be separated from until our flesh is truly dead.  That beast wants to control our lives – every part of it.  It has a voracious appetite and wants to be fed CONSTANTLY!

As a Christian, we have the beautiful Spirit of God living within us as well.  He is the part of you that weeps over sin and the sinner.  He is the part that is strengthened by the living Word of God.  He is the Spirit that urges us to do right, while the beast storms our castle to get us to do wrong.

Music – it is a great passion in my life. For some of you, it is a nonentity – for me, it is life!

There are three categories of music:

1. Music that feeds the intellect
2. Music that feeds the flesh
3. Music that feeds the Spirit

Intellect-feeders is Classical music.  It teaches us, and the more we know about it, the more we love it.  It can inspire us, frighten us, make us laugh, make us march, but it is generally an intellectual experience.

Flesh-feeders is a huge category.  Rock, country, blues, jazz and a host of other subcategories belong here.  This music, no matter the words, feeds our flesh – the part of me that wants to dance and sway.  The music pulsates in a way the stirs a part of me that I am trying to destroy – THE BEAST!  The words may be ministering to my spirit but the music is feeding my flesh!!!

Spirit-feeders are specifically written to feed the Spirit.  Some try to do that while using a vehicle that feeds the flesh.  I don’t get it!  I try to listen to it every once in a while.  My flesh says “Oh, goodie – I LOVE this stuff,” but my Spirit sticks out His tongue and vomits!

As I write this, I have Steadfast Faith by Soundforth playing (rather loudly!)  My Spirit is soaring, my flesh is humbled.  I nearly cry every time I listen to it – BECAUSE MY SPIRIT IS SO OVERWHELMED BY THE GOODNESS AND MAJESTY OF GOD!  When the music and the words are working together to feed our Spirit and leave our flesh in the dust, we draw into the very presence of God!  Our Spirit rejoices and flies!  We may sit and weep, or we may long to dance in a way that I am CERTAIN David danced, but the partner is God, and the flesh is not a part of this!

As I watch a young Christian walk the halls of our school constantly plugged into his music, which he would probably classify as Christian, I can hear the pulsating noise of it as I pass by, and I am not surprised that he is really struggling to walk for the Lord.  If only he would put the world behind him and embrace Christ in every part of his life, I believe he could succeed; but I know his church is not telling him to do that.

I watch another young man.  His struggle is great.  He is trying to make the right choices as he walks the halls of our public schools.  The girls throw themselves at him.  His friends torment him to go to the prom.  So many of his ‘Christian’ friends are looking and acting just like the world; however, when he comes to me and tells me how awesome the above mentioned CD is – I know there is hope for him!  He is filling his life with music that will strengthen his Spirit while his beast sits by and pouts!

Dear Christian, will you take a serious look at what you are listening to?  Music is one of Satan’s greatest tools, and if you sit back and say, “It’s not a big deal,” beware!  Our children aren’t slipping off into doctrinally weak churches and worldly lifestyles by accident!