1-26-21 Overwhelmingly Duped
Overwhelmingly Duped :: By Candy Austin
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
For the past few months, I have been on a ‘Discernment Mission’ to identify and weed out ‘possible heresy and defection from the truth’ from those who are Ministers of the Faith. This scrutiny has been done on every Ministry I have subscribed to and then some. What I have come to learn is that those of us who refuse to ‘accept evidence’ of falsehood or teaching error in any Ministry or Pastor, no matter how well known or repudiated they are, this is, in essence, Idolatry!
Reason being, some people are adamantly all about a certain Denomination, Theology, or Belief System and tend to refuse to ‘see the forest for the trees’ when it comes to dethroning such systems in one’s life. If there is any ‘falsehood or heresy’ being taught, then we should be able to unsubscribe, tune out, and walk away from any adherence or loyalty to such Persons, Pastors, or Ministries! We are to ‘drop them like a hot potato’ no matter how much we may have ‘put them on a pedestal’ in the past! For even a little leaven, leavens the whole lump!
Galatians 5:9 “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
To say I feel ‘overwhelmingly duped’ would be a gross understatement! Not only are many, and I do mean many, Pastors and Ministries basically Teaching Error or are Heretical or are simply Apostate due to our ‘Watered-Down Christianity’ here in America; the so-called ‘Christian Entertainment Industry’ is overtly corrupt as well! To say I ‘misspoke or spoke too soon’ about certain Pastors and about subscribing to certain Christian Viewing Platforms in previous articles is something I am willing to do, to inform others of what I now know!
John 7:24 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
There was a Pastor that I named in one of my articles as a ‘stellar brother in Christ,’ but upon further Research, I found out the truth about this person and about his ‘affiliation with quite a few heretical religions and outfits,’ which was beyond shocking, to say the least! Then there is this ‘Christian Entertainment Industry’ that I wrote about. The one that my husband and I turned to for an alternative ‘wholesome viewing’ experience, only to find out their heavy influence and promotion of ‘certain false religions’ in their Films!
For example, a movie we watched recently had a scene with a Pastor drinking alcohol at a local bar along with some of his congregants! Talk about ‘huge red flag’! Upon further research on this scenario, I found that the Actor who played the role of the Pastor in this movie regularly posts ‘obscene, vulgar, and lewd comments’ on his Twitter account! Apparently, the ‘Integrity’ of the Actors and Actresses that play in these Films is obviously not important to this ‘so-called’ Christian Entertainment Industry!
On top of all that, I also found out that the Owners of this Ministry are apparently ‘Holy Yoga Instructors’! For those of us with eyes to see and ears to hear, we know that there is ‘absolutely nothing’ holy about Yoga (yoking up with demons)! Needless to say, we have since canceled our subscription to this supposed ‘Entertainment Ministry’ Platform!
Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
Now let me ‘turn everything on its head’ on what most of us have come to think about ‘Mainstream Christian Music.’ What I have learned in recent weeks is that, apparently, if the Artist is ‘run or endorsed’ by Big Name Labels, then, more than likely, they are not really teaching ‘sound doctrine’ through song lyrics! Everything in life has been Created to Glorify Almighty God, so our lives and even our music should be ‘clearly sung’ as unto the Lord!
If the song lyrics are ‘sketchy or vague’ to the point that you cannot tell if they are about God, your significant other, or something else, then, more than likely, it is not really a song to or about the Lord! Worse than that, is that many of these songs seem to have the intention to be used to ‘teach doctrinal error’ and to lead people astray from God!
From the time of Moses, God’s People sang Hymns (Songs of Praise), which are often Praise songs or Bible verses from the Book of Psalms that are sung unto the Lord. Not surprisingly, I also found out that there are certain Christian Rock Bands that ‘claim Christianity,’ but mortifyingly affiliate, associate, and even go on tour with Secular Satanic Rock Bands! As one so aptly put it, “If it looks like a demon, sounds like a demon, and acts like a demon, then it is more than likely a demon!”
Most, if not all, Christian Artists are ‘sold out’ to the World and are just in it for ‘self and the almighty dollar’ instead of really in it to glorify Almighty God! Several Artists have even clearly and verbally stated that they do not want the label ‘Christian’ applied to their Title, for the sake of furthering their Fame, Fortune, and Career. This, too, is gross and blatant Idolatry! Worse still is when they are interviewed about what scripture says about a certain lifestyle, and the Artist refuses to stand up for the Truth but instead cowers to please the World and to aggrandize self!
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
Finding this out about nearly every ‘Modern-Day Christian Artist’ has prompted us to throw out the CDs we had and delete their music off all our devices in recent weeks! We have come to decide that mainly listening to ‘Psalms and Hymns’ instead of Mainstream Christian Radio is not only ‘safer,’ but it is also the kind of Music that we can ‘stand behind’ and not feel ‘overwhelmingly duped’ about as well! In the morning while making my bed I tend to sing, “This is the Day that the Lord has Made, Bless the Lord O’ my Soul, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there is Something about that Name, and I’ll fly away, oh Glory.”
Whenever a Celebrity dies, I always look up their Religion, Beliefs, and Faith, so upon the recent death of Charlie Daniels, I found out that he is ‘one of the very few celebrities’ that was a Christian! Nine times out of ten, these celebrities did not know the Lord; sad but true! In hopes of my not ‘speaking too soon’ about Mr. Daniels, he apparently has a Gospel Album and even some songs about the Rapture on YouTube! There are other Singers and Artists who have Godly Music out there, but they will be ‘largely unknown’ because they sing ‘Truth.’ It is our job to become ‘Truth Seekers’ to find these people out!
Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Bottom line in all this ‘Research and Discernment Mission’ is this: stick to the Truth of God’s Word and nothing else! Do not put anyone or anything above Scripture! Everything should be done to Glorify God and not self! If a Film, Music, or a Ministry is elevating anything other than God, then it is time to turn away! Pray and ask God for Wisdom and Discernment that only He can give! We need it now more than ever in these Last Days, to say the least! Do not put ‘man’ on a pedestal (this is idolatry), and be willing to accept the truth. Finally, do not be deceived as God’s Word often tells us!
Until next time… Maranatha!
(JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!)
Jesus Will Come!
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