Carousing (as if letting loose) has entered the house of worship.
NO SHAME WHATSOEVER!!!!
YouTube praise and worship is full of the den of wicked worldly worship.
John 4:23-24 (NKJV) "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The woman at Jacob's Well thought that she was a worshipper, but she lived in adultery with 5 husbands and was currently living with one man that wasn't her husband.
As I was watching some of the "praise and worship" of certain performers and local churches, I am disturbed at what is now an acceptable form of "praise and worship."
There was this one part of the performance where a lady had a very low cleavage outfit on and then there's dancing that's very provocative.
Some will say, "That's all in your mind. I didn't see any of that."
I challenge you to go back, frame by frame, and see it for yourself.
It's unacceptable and provokes God to wrath.
Some folk will get offended. I really don't care if you're offended.
I care enough to tell you that GOD IS OFFENDED.
Pastors are to be the gatekeepers, not the gate openers.
If it is wicked, the gatekeeper closes the gate.
It's allowed by some pastors because seats have to be filled or in the case of the Internet, likes, followers, subscribers, and how many people show up on Zoom or live stream are more important.
If you lose an audience and popularity, the numbers will decrease. You become irrelevant.
No one wants to watch something that's boring.
The picture caught your attention. Didn't it? But you shouldn't be shocked because this is what we allow in "praise and worship."
The Lord issued the warning.
"Repent, or I'll remove your candlestick."
Let's be honest with ourselves. We don't like boring. We want "excitement."
We play excitement to keep people interested.
In certain places of church worship, music has now dominated the purpose of the church with music. And it's no different than the club.
When the gospel of Jesus Christ is no longer the dominant message, sins, lies, and sexual immorality becomes the dominant thing.
Music is subservient to the gospel. Music that's holy from God supports the gospel of Jesus Christ and plays a support role in the worship of God.
Ephesians 5:15-21 (NKJV) "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation;
but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God."
Colossians 3:16-17 (NKJV) "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
No one should be saying that we need to do away with music.
We bring to God the best, not the worst.
We don't bring to a service what we think people like either.
We should be making critical adjustments that pleases God and never assume that what others are doing is acceptable.
What you do after service, only God knows. But we see what you do when you bring it to service and play it for people to hear and see.
Remember what Paul said.
Ephesians 5:8-11 (NKJV) "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
What's not expendable is holiness, righteousness, purity, and sanctification?
We forfeit the presence of God when we act like the children of Israel at the foot of the mountain of God, eating, drinking, and rising up to play after making and worshipping a dead idol golden calf in His face.
There was this one place where a "praise and worship" singer wore clothes that was revealingly tight as she exited the stage. It's out of the bounds of the Word.
IN SOME PLACES, IT'S THE ATTIRE OF A HARLOT.
Being brutally honest.
When SOME women wear immorally provocative clothing, it's an influence signal.
Women know that men are sight oriented. Provocative clothing gets a man's attention faster than the blink of an eye because women know that men are attracted to beauty and shape.
His mind isn't on the Lord during worship. It's on the provocative woman.
The other thing is that when you don't see or hear sanctified worship, the introduction to sexual immorality is the intent.
Now many people will vehemently defend the current trends of praise and worship and their performers.
Folks, instead of trying to correct those that defend that which is of the world, I won't fight you. I'll let you fall in the hands of the living God. The Lord will bring the correction as He sees fit.
Brothers and sisters. If we claim to be holy, let's live and love the Holy God.
The Lord doesn't deserve anything that the world offers and when the church offers to the great and holy God the way that the world worships, our offering is Belial. Worthless.
We must humble ourselves and break away from trying to be popular with the world. Or copy what other churches are doing.
At Prevailing Word, we refrain from showing cleavage, tight pants, strange flesh, dancing worldly dances, worldly music, and other wicked things that displease the Lord.
Turn it off and find a better and much more sanctified presentation.
Rebuke the pastor for allowing it and warn other believers about what other places are doing so they won't get polluted.
Besides, if the pastor sees it, he has every right and authority to stop it and instruct the people with the Scriptures.
Pastor fear God not the people.
The people don't have a hell to throw a pastor in and God does.
The pastor is the gatekeeper and watches for the wolf. The pastor sees the wolf coming and he must take his rod and bludgeon the wolf. Because the wolf is after an easy meal.
The wolf must not survive the defense of the shepherd.
The wolf must die.
John 10:11-15 (NKJV) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."
What if the pastor (shepherd) doesn't go after the wolf to kill it?
The wolf will kill every sheep. No survivors. And if he sees the shepherd, he may be the next meal after eating all of the sheep. If the shepherd survived and lost all or some of the sheep, if the Owner of the sheep saw that the shepherd failed to do his job. Guess what?
The Owner will fire the shepherd and try to save what's left, and give them to a shepherd that truly cares for the sheep.
So before you play a "praise and worship" show, and if it has tight clothes in it, don't play it.
If it has cleavage, don't play it.
If it has men with tight shirts and pants or shorts, don't play it.
If it has too much of the world in it (and you know because your heart is convicted), don't play it.
Many will say. "You haven't seen it, so why should you care?"
If I didn't say anything, I didn't care.
Correction in love doesn't mean to excuse things. Correction demands correction.
Many will say, "You're just too strict, loosen up."
Nope. In fact, let it get real tight.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (NKJV) "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world." Psalms 2:1-6 (NKJV) "Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
Romans 13:11-14 (NKJV) "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.
Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."
If it has too much of the world and less of God, don't play it.
We don't want anything that's of the world in the church.
1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—
is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV) "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.”
Finally, 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV) "Let all things be done decently and in order."
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