God's Heartbeat

"He speaks TO the world, and He speaks THROUGH the world, so that His will is done and men will see Him and be saved."

I FOUND A SONG on Spotify that has 1.2 billion listens. Released, years ago, by an artist new on the scene, it pictures the Resurrection, so the church latched onto it and its rating went bonkers. Then the singer made an anti-Christian remark, and the church world dropped her like a hot potato. It didn't matter what was originally meant by the song, she had just killed her career.

Another artist, unrelated, had a hit album with a Christian theme and was doing well on the charts. Until he showed up drunk for an interview. Suddenly, the church is made a mockery of and who wants to listen to him? Except there is a picture to be seen in both. Though the artist in the first example couldn’t recover her popularity, the song has that 1.2 billion listens. And the second artist has a new album with a powerful Christian theme and seems to have his act together. God is in the forgiving business. He would have all men come to repentance and uses both those in the church and those out of it to send a message. We, His church, must pray for both those who repent and those who don’t.

This is not one of those "be careful little ears what you hear" speeches. No, we cannot listen to songs that glorify the devil, his work, his deceptions, or his behavior in an individual even if they can sing like an angel. God gave them their singing-musical gift, it is said, and this is true. But they are glorifying the doctrine of the world. Instead, we must listen to God’s heartbeat. Do you hear it? The Spirit of God knows every word of every song and every book ever written, but most of them He would rather you didn't read. On the other hand, religion has made Him into this austere being with a short temper. He can do the hand on the wall or the mountain of fire and trembling, but usually He's a nudge. "Not that one."

He writes a lot of music in many styles to please different age groups, listeners, and cultures. And when He needs to, He uses a song that had an impact although the singer was on the wrong page. How many have asked why it is so huge? God is why. Yeah, there are artists singing the wrong thing who have tons of listens, and we must take a step back. What we listen to is what will be in us, and what is in us is what will come out. We are meant to be an example to a world that is lost in the vapor of its own flames. The Word of God says the rich will be rich but when their life is over, they will have nothing they have relied upon. Money won't help you when you're facing the King. He will be looking at you with such love, and you will feel "this" high. That's the judgment prophesied. He is eternal, everlasting, unending love. He died and proved it. A prophet said she saw Him weep for that day where He must judge the earth. He doesn’t look forward to it.

READ "The Cup."

He's a softie, the King, where people are concerned. He loves people. He has the heart of His Father, and we have been given His heart. We, the church, are compared to a bride. Jerusalem is also compared to a bride. The picture of both being the intimacy in communication, in knowledge, in character to Him, and in adoration like a bride. She thinks of nothing but Him and can keep her mind on nothing else. She steps away from Him, only to race back to His side. It is there by His side we will see Him clearly and no longer make human judgments about people, about entertainment, and greatest of all, we watch our words. He begs us to watch what we say, and in that vein, what we promote. He begs us to trust Him. It has been said God can’t work through that one or this one. It has also been said, He is King, so people’s positions and abilities don’t matter. Neither is true. It matters who is in positions of government, education, and entertainment. It matters who is speaking for Him and who isn’t. One read of the Bible shows us where He spoke through godly men and ungodly men, where He spoke to false prophets and to unrighteous kings, through men who hated Him. He even used a donkey.

He speaks TO the world, and He speaks THROUGH the world, so that His will is done, and men will see Him and be saved. He sets up kings and pulls down kings, and He redeems them when they call on Him. He moves on the heart in secret places, where no one can see or hear. Our job is to believe in His faithfulness to do good, whether we are aware of it and it is in the public view or not. And to behave accordingly.

“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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay


----------
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com