So, last night on my drive home, I switched from the news stations (was getting too depressing....except for the excerpts of Charlie Sheen's latest lunatic ramblings - that's just funny) to XM's "The Boneyard". For anyone not really familiar with XM radio, this station plays Heavy Metal music from the 70's, 80's and 90's with an occasional newer song (usually from a band that was big back then). Typically, I don't feel badly about listening to the station as I'm just enjoying the incredible guitar riffs, etc. But every once in a while, I come across a song that does convict me (because of the overtly sexual or demonic themes, for example) and I'll switch the station.
So, last night, they were playing some awesome songs that were big when I was in high school and college...just great rock music. Then, a song by W.A.S.P. came on and I immediately recognized it as one of the more vulgar songs I used to listen to way back when. In fact, the song made the PMRC's "Top 15 Fithiest Songs" list way back when Al Gore and his wife were trying to make names for themselves by going after the music industry. But, I digress. So, the song came on and I didn't switch the station - I kept listening and soon found myself singing parts of the song (the ones that were not quite filthy). I KNEW I should turn it off and didn't feel right listening to it, but in those moments, my new self fell short. That's the only way I know how to put it. I failed.
Anyway, I've come to learn that God has an awesome sense of humor and an incredible sense of timing. And because I exercised my free will to listen to the whole song, God was waiting for me on the other side with a message. At the end of the last note, the DJ says:
"And that's a song that Blackie Lawless says he will never perform again because of his Christian faith. A lot of people give him crap (except he didn't say crap) for that decision. But like Michael Sweet of Stryper puts it - 'Blackie chooses not to play that particular song because of the conviction of his faith. To me, that makes him an honorable person. You're going to give him a hard time for being honorable? That's something that should be applauded, not attacked.' So there people, you've been b**** slapped by Michael Sweet."
And I too, had been slapped, but by God. To drive His point home, when I studied my devotional today, this was the key verse: "Therefore, . . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
Next time I open my mouth to sing, it better be to sing something worth singing...that honors HIM, not glorifies sin.
So, last night, they were playing some awesome songs that were big when I was in high school and college...just great rock music. Then, a song by W.A.S.P. came on and I immediately recognized it as one of the more vulgar songs I used to listen to way back when. In fact, the song made the PMRC's "Top 15 Fithiest Songs" list way back when Al Gore and his wife were trying to make names for themselves by going after the music industry. But, I digress. So, the song came on and I didn't switch the station - I kept listening and soon found myself singing parts of the song (the ones that were not quite filthy). I KNEW I should turn it off and didn't feel right listening to it, but in those moments, my new self fell short. That's the only way I know how to put it. I failed.
Anyway, I've come to learn that God has an awesome sense of humor and an incredible sense of timing. And because I exercised my free will to listen to the whole song, God was waiting for me on the other side with a message. At the end of the last note, the DJ says:
"And that's a song that Blackie Lawless says he will never perform again because of his Christian faith. A lot of people give him crap (except he didn't say crap) for that decision. But like Michael Sweet of Stryper puts it - 'Blackie chooses not to play that particular song because of the conviction of his faith. To me, that makes him an honorable person. You're going to give him a hard time for being honorable? That's something that should be applauded, not attacked.' So there people, you've been b**** slapped by Michael Sweet."
And I too, had been slapped, but by God. To drive His point home, when I studied my devotional today, this was the key verse: "Therefore, . . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
Next time I open my mouth to sing, it better be to sing something worth singing...that honors HIM, not glorifies sin.
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