An Unlikely Influence

Anyone who is a regular follower of my blogs will know that I like to keep an eye on what the music industry is pumping out.  It’s important to be aware of the filth the world is pumping our way. Recently I was surprised to see an unlikely influence in a musical genre not normally associated with baser things.  If I was to blog about Satanic overtones in Rock music or sexual perversion in R&B then who would be surprised, however, on this occasion I feel I need to warn people about folk music.

Folk music? I hear you cry. Unlikely indeed but I’m never surprised these days. Folk music has always been the poor second cousin of the music industry, it certainly has never really had a ‘cool’ image, well at least it’s been that way until now.

Recently a folk band from England has found previously unheard of mainstream popularity with their high energy modern take on ‘folk music’.   I speak of course of ‘Mumford and Sons’.  I have never actually listened to Mumford’s music but I have been aware of their rise to prominence just from listening to the media. I note that they are Grammy winners and I have seen media clips of them packing out music festivals. Somewhat unheard of for a folk band!

I always get suspicious when I see such a rapid rise to stardom, I always wonder are they getting a little extra help from the musical maestro himself, Lucifer.  I saw an advert on TV a few weeks ago for their new album and its name sent off alarm bells in my mind. I refer of course to their recent album, ‘Babel’. I am interested to know why a band would choose a Bible word associated with rebellion against God for the name of their album.

The word Babel comes from the ‘Tower of Babel’ as recorded in Genesis 11. God had told man to spread through the earth, but when man reached the land of Shinar they decided to disobey God and build a city to stay together and there they built a tower. God was displeased with them and confounded their languages so that they no longer understood each other and went their separate ways. In this way God’s purpose was fulfilled in that the people spread through the earth as God had originally commanded.

‘Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.’ Genesis 11 v9

So why would Mumford associate themselves with rebellion against God in the name of their album?  Well perhaps the lyrics of one of the tracks of the album will shed some light on the subject.

Whispers in the dark

You hold your truth so purely

And swerve not through the minds of men

This lie is dead
And this cup of yours tastes holy

But a brush with the devil can clear your mind and strengthen your spine
But fingers tap into what you were once

And I'm worried that I blew my only chance
Whispers in the dark

Steal a kiss and you'll break your heart

Pick up your clothes and curl your toes

Learn your lesson, lead me home

Spare my sins for the ark, I was too slow to depart

I'm a cad but I'm not a fraud, I'd set out to serve the Lord
But my heart was colder when you'd gone

And I lost my head but found the one that I love

Under the sun, under the sun
But fingers tap into what you were once

And I'm worried that I blew my only chance

Fingers tap into what you were once

And I'm worried that I blew my only chance!

But my heart was colder when you'd gone

And I lost my head; let's live while we are young

While we are young

While we are young

Interesting Lyrics! I think you’ll agree they are certainly very spiritual in nature.

Now I’m not sure exactly what was in the heart and mind of the songwriter as he penned these lyrics but they do seem to describe a man who once served God, ‘I’d set out to serve the Lord’ but had an encounter with evil ‘But a brush with the devil can clear your mind’. It seems that the songwriter is now living by a new worldly philosophy ‘Let’s live while we are young’. This is certainly the maxim of the godless. The child of God, like old Abraham, is looking for a city whose builder and maker is God but the worldling is only interested in enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season.

Something else sheds a bit of light on the subject. Band member Marcus Mumford is from an Evangelical Christian background. This song almost seems to be a public renouncing of his former faith. He speaks of thinking about going back ‘lead me home’ but by the end of the song he appears to have decided on the life of sin. Sad!

It’s worth having a look at some of their other songs, they certainly make interesting reading. Have a look for yourself and see what conclusions you come to.  

A Very Expensive Bill

Tomorrow the United Kingdom government at Westminster will debate a Bill, which is intended to make same sex marriage legal in the UK. This should be a matter of deep concern for all Christians as our government has no right to tamper with an institution that is not of their making.


Marriage was created and ordained by God, at the very dawn of time, in the Garden of Eden. It was created between one man and one woman, it was Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve that good created for one another. Genesis is very clear.

‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.’ Genesis 1 v27

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the great head and Saviour of the Church reinforced this biblical pattern while on this earth. (Matt 19v4-6) There is no place in the Biblical pattern for a marriage between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. In fact such relations are roundly condemned by God’s Word and considered great wickedness (Gen 19v7) and an abomination (Lev 18v22). It is therefore a great wickedness and an abomination for the UK government to consider redefining marriage to accommodate homosexual practices. They have no right, nor, place to tamper with things that are not in their remit.

This is where it gets scary as far as I am concerned, for I believe if this Bill is passed into law it will prove to be ‘a very expensive bill’ indeed. You see when God created this world not only did he ordain marriage but He also put in place an unbending law, ‘The Law of the Harvest’.

‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ Galatians 6 v7

If you sow carrots, you reap carrots! If you sow wheat, you reap wheat! If you sow to the wind, you reap the whirlwind! If you sow sin, wickedness and abomination then you reap in kind. The United Kingdom will reap an awful harvest of judgement, as will those who are pushing this down the nations throat.

Please pray that God’s wisdom will yet be given to those, as yet, bent on folly. Pray that God’s Word will not be trampled over in parliament tomorrow and pray that in wrath He would remember mercy and that our nation would once again turn back to God.

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14 v34

Triple Security

‘A threefold cord is not quickly broken’, so said wise Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. These are words of scripture that came to my mind recently as I considered the eternal security of the believer in Christ Jesus.

One of the greatest guarantees of our eternal security is found in the fact that when we trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation we are admitted to the family of God.  Once you are in a family you are always in the family, no family dispute can change that fact.  I will always be my father’s son, that will never change.There is a threefold admission to God’s family that secures our eternity.

Birth

I was born into the Warburton family in 1971, nothing can alter that fact. During my early years I put my faith in Christ for Salvation, at that moment I was born into the family of God by the ‘New Birth’ as described to Nicodemus in John’s gospel chapter 3. As a result I have the right to be called a son of God, as John said in chapter 1 verse 12 ‘But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name’.

Marriage

In the year 2000 I got married, on the happy day in question my wife also joined the Warburton family.  At this point you might say my argument fails because a divorce could terminate that relationship.  The thing you are forgetting is God doesn’t do divorce. As the prophet Malachi reminds us, God ‘…hateth putting away’. You see when we trust Christ, not only do we experience the ‘New Birth’ but we also become part of the ‘Bride of Christ’.  One day our union with Christ will be consummated at the Marriage of the Lamb.

‘Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ Revelation 19 v9

Adoption

There is another way to join a family, the way that a stranger can join a family, by adoption. Now, my immediate family includes no adopted people, but there are a couple of examples of adoption in my wider family circle.  When we trusted Christ for salvation we were also adopted by God. Galatians chapter 4 verse 5 describes this reality for us. ‘To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.’

I don’t know about you but I know that I am eternally secure. A God that would go to such lengths, to reinforce to me that I am part of His family, wants to let me know that I’m secure. Triple Security!

The New Normal

American television giants NBC have created a new TV show called ‘The New Normal’.  I have not watched the programme but I have seen the trailers recently on British Television.  The general plot of the show relates to the challenges a couple of gay men face in adopting a baby.

It goes without saying that the general plot is sickening to me, not to mention sinful.  However, I was struck by the title chosen by the writers Ryan Murphy and Allison Adler.  There has been a serious push by the media in the past couple of decades to ‘normalise’ the activities of homosexuals in the eyes of the general population. This can be evidenced by the increasing quantity of homosexual characters in all major television serials.  I suppose the writers must believe that their goals have been reached in the use of their title ‘the new normal’.

I had a look in the Oxford English Dictionary to see the definition of normal.

Normal = Conforming to a standard, regular, usual, typical.

It’s fair to say that the homosexual lobby has done a good job on re-defining the standards of morality in western civilisation to accept homosexual practices as normal and even something to be celebrated.  Homosexuals are certainly regular characters on our TV screens, and so it no longer seems unusual to hear of people coming out, you could say it’s now fairly typical.

So what are we to make of this new normality as Christians? Should we adapt our views to accept the “new” reality or the “new” normality? Should we understand our Bibles relative to this new normality?

CERTAINLY NOT!

Sin will always be sin no matter how normal or unusual its occurrence may be!  God says what He means and means what He says!  God’s truth is not decided by a majority vote within humanity.  God Himself, who never changes, determines truth and standards. It is to Him that we all have to answer.

‘There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.’  Deuteronomy 23 v17

I don’t care if its normal, its evil!!!

Media Bias

I always get frustrated at the Medias' Bias towards the cause of the Palestinians in the Arab Israeli conflict. I experienced such a frustration just today when viewing the Belfast Telegraph website. There was a typcically staged picture of a Palestinian child looking 'forlorn'. Now no doubt, Gaza is not a pleasent place to be at the moment, but neither is Ashdod or Tel Aviv, but you never see media images of 'forlorn' looking Israeli children. The only pictures you see protraying Israel are pictures of tanks and F16 Jets.

I clicked on the picture on the Belfast Telegraph wesite and it took me to an article about the ongoing conflict in Southern Israel. Once again as I read the article my frustration grew. The following is an extract from the article.

'Since then it (Israel) has carried out hundreds of air strikes in what it says is a systematic campaign to halt years of rocket attacks launched from Gaza. While Israel claims to have inflicted heavy damage, dozens of rockets have continued to fly out of Gaza each day.'

You will notice that the Telegraph's correspondent calls into question Israel claim that there is a systematic campaign by Hamas to shoot rockets into Israel by the subtle use of the term 'in what it says'(highlighted above). However, despite using the language of questioning Israel's claim the correspondent goes on to acknowledge in the same paragraph that 'dozens of rockets have continued to fly out of Gaza each day.'

The facts are clear, in the past few years thousands of rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza and from Lebanon. There is no question about it, no doubt about it. But listen carefully to media reports and you will continually hear these questioning terms being used 'they say' or 'Isarel says'. On the other hand when they report what Israel does in response (and they have every right to) to these attacks there is no ambiguity. It reported as fact.

Once again the free press disappoints me.

'Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.' Psalm 121 v4

Preparing to Meet Royalty

Speculation has been growing in recent months that the infamous Irish Republican Martin McGuinness is preparing to meet Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth the Second. As a seasoned observer of the Northern Irish political process I would imagine that a meeting is indeed in the pipeline and that the recent drip feed on this story is merely the Republican base being prepared for such a meeting.


However, my reason for writing is not to make any kind of political commentary on this matter, I will leave that to others better qualified. I was simply struck by a spiritual parallel that we would all do well to consider.

Effectively Martin McGuinness is preparing to meet Royalty, something that every man woman and child should do. However, I’m not thinking about meeting the Queen of the UK, I am thinking about the day when we will have to meet the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. A verse of scripture in Amos chapter 4 springs to mind…

‘Prepare to meet thy God.’

The Person

If we were ever invited to meet the Queen, at perhaps a garden party, we would be instructed in advance how we must act and how we must address Her Majesty. In essence we have to take account of the person. When we think about a meeting with the God of Heaven we need to consider His person.

He is Holy, that is, morally pure. He has no sin; in fact He hates sin and must punish it wherever He finds it. That will leave our meeting with Him very difficult. As sinners, we are the subjects of God’s wrath.

‘God is angry with the wicked every day.’ Psalm 7 v11

A righteous, Holy God must and will punish sin.

‘But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.’ Revelation 21 v8

That meeting with God would not go well if it was not for a great plan…

The Plan

While God is Holy and angry with the sinner, we can be thankful that he is also merciful and has provided a means of escape for the sinner. He did that at tremendous cost to Himself in that God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, had to be born into a human body, live in this world and suffer the death of the cross, a cross on which He bore our sins…

‘Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.’ 1 Peter 2 v24

Having done all of the hard work, all God asks of us is to repent (turn away) from our sins, and trust in the finished cross work of the Lord Jesus. Then and only then will we be ready, or prepared, to meet God.

‘…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ 1 John 1v7

Are you prepared?

The Compassion of Christ

At this time of the year we especially think about the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and how He suffered so much in order to purchase Salvation. In these days running up to the Easter weekend as I have been considering Christ's Passion I have seen a glimpse of His Compassion.

You will of course remember how the anguish of the Lord Jesus began in the Garden of Gethsemane where, 'He sweat as it were great drops of blood'. He was then arrested and dragged around Jerusalem to stand before the High Priest, Pilate, Herod and then Pilate again. He was mocked, buffeted, spat on and finally whipped so severely that His back was lacerated from the neck to the back of the knees. After this a heavy cross beam was placed across his severely wounded back and he was forced to carry it to the site of Crucifixion. So deep had been the physical trauma that His now severely weakened body was unable to carry the cross beam and it was given to 'one Simon, a Cyrenian' to bear it for Him.

Stop for a moment and think of what has happened to Him up to this point. Put yourself in that situation. How would you have been feeling? What would you have been thinking? Severe fatigue and pain would be shooting across your nervous system or perhaps you would have been angry with your tormentors.

Having set the scene and the context I now want to show 'The Compassion of Christ'. As He was being lead to the cross with Simon bearing the cross beam a group of women who loved Him and believed in Him followed after him weeping. Luke records in his gospel...

'And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.' Luke 23 v 27-29

What a picture of compassion, at the very moment when the Lord Jesus was in deep agony and contemplating what lay ahead for Him on the cross He still demonstrated a concern for others and took the time to minister unto them by giving them a word. What selflessness, what love, what compassion, what an example...WHAT A SAVIOUR!!!

'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.' 1 John 3 v 16