What Happens After You Die?

What do you know for Sure?

Oprah Winfrey said that one question she enjoys asking her show guests is, “What do you know for sure?” I don’t know what you’re thinking, but there is a very simple answer to that question. What I do know for sure is that each one of us will die someday.

We are all part of the statistics that say, “Ten out of every ten people die.” The young dies, and so is the old. The rich dies and the poor is not left out. Death is inevitable.  No matter how we try to ignore the idea of dying, it doesn’t change the fact that we will all face it one day.

So the question isn’t any more about ‘what we know for sure,’ but what happens after we die? Have you ever thought about that? Since you will one day end up in the grave, don’t you think it’s important to consider what happens beyond the grave?

A doctor once said to his team of medical students who were examining a dead body, “If life were only of the flesh then even goats are better, because when a goat dies, its flesh can be eaten, but the body of a dead human being is not edible.” To my utmost surprise, I read in Mark Cahill’s One Heartbeat Away that about two-thirds of atheists and agnostics believe in the existence of an afterlife. Mark Cahill also wrote that, “Eight in ten Americans believe in some sort of afterlife. And 79 percent agree that ‘every person has a soul that will live forever, either in God’s presence or absence.’”

Here’s something to think about, “What happens after you die? What are we here for? Is it just to have an education, party a little, get a job, make money, save some, retire, and then die? Is that all there is to life? Or is there something more?

The Bible offers some important facts about what happens after we die. Hebrews 9:27 for example, tells us that, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” And there is Luke 16:19-31, which talks about the afterlife events of the rich man and Lazarus (a beggar who fed from the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table). For your reading, below is the full story:

Luke Chapter 16

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ₂₀And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ₂₁And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

₂₂And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 

₂₃And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ₂₄And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ₂₅But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 

₂₆And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ₂₇ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: ₂₈For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 

₂₉Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ₃₀And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ₃₁And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

The above scripture proves beyond doubt the existence of an afterlife. It must be noted that, both the rich man and Lazarus were living before they died (see Luke 16:19-21). Then after death, there was still interaction between them (Luke 16:22-31).

Why was the rich man in hell?

It is because he was not a child of God. Many people think that everybody is a child of God. The fact is that, everybody is a creation of God, but not everybody is a child of God. Why do our parents call us sons and daughters? Isn’t it because they gave birth to us? Similarly, to be sons and daughters of God, we must be birthed by Him. That is what being born-again is about. Jesus said it best, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” – John 3:6-7.

Dear reader, God cannot accept us into His glorious Kingdom if we are not His. This is why we have to surrender our lives and heart unto Him. There are only two destinations after we die; there is Heaven and hell. Heaven is a place of peace, joy, love, and a place where our tears shall be wiped forever. Hell on the other hand, is a place of torment and eternal fire. Decide today where you want to go after you die. Is it Heaven or hell?

God’s Word (the Bible) says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1.  Take action now. Ask Jesus into your life, and live a fulfilling life here on earth and eternal life with God in Heaven.

Let’s pray together, say:

Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today.

I thank you for loving me and dying on the Cross to save me.

Please forgive me of all my sins, and cleanse me with your blood

That you shared for me.

Today, write my name in your Book of Life.       

Help me to live my life to please you.

All the days of my life, may I worship you and honour you.

Thank you for saving me, In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!!!

Kindly email us at theyouth4christ@hotmail.com if you prayed the above prayer. Or leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Arguments For, And Against Christmas

Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world and the only begotten son of God the Father (See John 3:16). With this definition, one could easily think that all Christians celebrate Christmas. But that’s not the case. A good number of Christians worldwide celebrate Christmas, and many also do not. It must be noted that there are strong believers as both ends. So in this post, we bring you face-to-face with some of the arguments against Christmas and those in support of its celebration. Remember to share your own thoughts about Christmas via the comment box at the end of this post.

Arguments against Christmas (By: Kielenstijn Favour)

In the Scripture, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birtday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day in whitch they were born unto this world. Christmas was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth a feast was established in memory of this event in the fourth century.

In the fifth century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated forever on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of Saturnalia as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed. In the Roman world, the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birthday of Iranian mystery god Mithra, de Sun of Righteousness. 

On the Roman New Year January 1 houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites where the Teatonic tribes penetrated into Gaul Britain and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian. The December 25 festival of natalis solis invicti, the birth of the unconquered sun, was decreed by the emperor Aurelian in A.D. 274 as a Winter Solstice celebration, and sometime later was Christianized as a date to celebrate the birth of the Son of Light.

Arguments For or In Support of Christmas (By: Bob Godwyll)

Thank you Favour. All your arguments against Christmas may be valid, but they in no way affect the way I celebrate Christmas. Yes, Jesus may not have been born on December 25, but that's of little importance to the meaning of Christmas. There are thousand and one things linked to each day of the year, and Christmas day (Dec 25) will be no exception.

I celebrate Christmas, but do not hate or criticize those who don't. It's just a matter of differences in our beliefs. And the Bible says it is given to each of us a measure of faith.

Secondly, I see nothing wrong with one day of the year set aside to commemorate the birth of Christ, the Saviour of the world. My only problem with Christmas is how it has been secularized, and even such secularization has not made it lost its power of bringing families, friends, old classmates and school mates together to show love to each other.

Each day is a day that the Lord has made, December 25 is no exception, and so we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). The names given to each day of the week are believed to have different traditional, mystical, and even pagan backgrounds. However, none of such affects what we do or don’t do in each day of the week. It’s the same with Christmas. Whatever affiliations that other gods or traditions have with December 25, had nothing to do with what we Christians do on that day, because December 25 is also a day that God has made.

Family-friendly Movies For Christmas!

Christmas and other occasional events like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s Day are all characterized by the coming together of family and friends, colleagues, and old school mates and classmates, to have fun, share, and celebrate the joys of each other. However, the gathering could be very boring in the absence of something that can bring joint fun.

During holidays, most people resort to movies as a great source of entertainment. But in a world where obscenity is becoming as popular as President Obama, parents are becoming more and more cautious about the kind of movies their families are exposed to. The following family-friendly movies are perfect for the holidays. They are safe to watch and also full of fun and thoughtful lessons.

My Top 7 Family-friendly movies

1.               1.The Encounter

The desire to save a lost soul at all cost caused Jesus to move Heaven and Earth to become a Waiter at a diner known in the film as LAST CHANCE DINER. But after the lost soul arrogantly rejected His(Jesus’) offer of salvation after all persuasions, others in the diner stand to benefit in the most greatest form; both in the form of more food, as well as eternal life. This fulfills the scripture at John 1:11-12 which says, “He[Jesus] came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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” You will surely encounter Jesus as you watch the movie The Encounter. Buy it from Amazon.

2.     It is a Wonderful Life

It’s Christmas in a snowy western US town, but George Bailey (a resident of the town) is thinking of taking his own life to avoid a possible jail sentence after one of his workers misplaced huge sum of money belonging to his company. Minutes before his suicidal thought could materialize; he encounters an angel and confesses to him that he wished he was never born. Following, we see the angel showing George Bailey what the world would have been like without him. As it turned out, the world is better off with him than without him. The lesson is, never say you wish you were not born, because your own life touches a million others. Example, you were born to become somebody's daughter/son, wife/husband, sister/brother, friend, colleague, etc. and all these people's lives wouldn't have been the same without you. It's A Wonderful Life is a great movie.

3.     Flywheel

It is obvious that being a Christian goes a lot beyond just going to Church on Sundays. How do you ‘be-a-Christian’ in your business? In Flywheel, the husband of a devoted Christian woman dupes his customers by overcharging them for cars bought. But thanks to his loving wife (a true Proverb 31 woman) who was very supportive spiritually. Her husband suddenly repents from cheating his customers, and like Zacheus, returned money to every customer he had ever cheated. His good behaviour is rewarded when a secret study of a television network finds that he is the only vendor selling cars at the right price. Buy Flywheel from Amazon.

4.     To Save A Life

After his best friend takes his own life, Jake Taylor (RANDY WAYNE) is torn between becoming the basketball ball star his dad wants him to be and becoming a life saver by ensuring that no other student take their own life. He is for the latter and finds a man of God who wants to help him achieve that. He became a Christian and seemed to be doing well with the church. Then his past life starts to haunt him. He learns that his girlfriend is pregnant. All his relationships (with his parents, girlfriend, as well as the church) start to deteriorate. Nonetheless, there’s hope for the future, because if God be for us, who can be against us? Buy To Save a Life now!

5.     The Freedom Writers

It’s always said and believed that “Behind every successful man there is a woman supporting him.” Well, is it true for the ladies too? I mean, can we say that, “Behind every successful woman there is a man supporting him?” The Freedom Writers movie has the answer. In the film, a woman is divided between becoming a good teacher to troubled high school students and becoming a good wife to her husband.  The man appeared supportive initially, but as she made remarkable gains at school, her marriage paid for it dearly. The good news came when she changed history because for the first time in history many of her class students made it to graduation.  You surely will enjoy this movie. Get Freedom Writers!

6.     In The Blink of An Eye

This movie is about the rapture of the Church of God. It starts with a police officer and his friend saving a kidnapped lady. The lady’s boyfriend offers them an all-expense-paid cruise trip on a ship. The two officers with their wives together with the lady and her boyfriend set off for their trip. The officer’s wife, his colleague and his wife, are all born-again Christians, but he is not. On the ship he receives series of visions in which his wife, his friend, and his friend’s wife get raptured but he is left behind. He finally became born again and tried to save his boss but there isn't much time for the real rapture to occur. Buy this movie from Amazon!

7.     Letters to God

If you were a postman where would you send letters that have been addressed to God? That’s the kind of problem that one postman had to deal with in this amazing movie. The film tells the story of a little boy who despite having been stricken with a severe cancer, still had such an amazingly strong faith in God. He would write letters about anything; his feelings, family, friends, and even about his sickness, and would address them to God. Then he will hand it over to the postman when he comes. Did God reply his letters? The movie has the full story. Get it from Amazon!

7 Reasons Why It is Good to Marry

Yesterday was Francis and Bridget’s wedding. When are you having yours?

In a world where you have a wedding that cost about twenty million dollars ($20m) end in 72 days, it quite make a lot of sense to have a lot of people dreading marriage and turning a deaf ear when the topic is brought up. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ wedding reportedly cost $20 million. This amount included $2 million Lorraine Schwartz engagement ring, Kim’s wedding dress costing about $20,000 and a $50,000 wedding day facelift for Kim Kardashian.  If these were not enough, Huffington Post reported that the venue for the wedding costs approximately $30 million.

Despite all these spending on the wedding, Kris and Kim called it quit in just 72 days after the nuptials. News of their divorce got world talking. Well, not just talking but people have begun questioning the integrity of one of the best gifts of God to mankind – marriage. People are rethinking their marriage decisions and finding alternatives. Here’s a question for you all: Is marriage worth the investment it requires in today’s world?

Mr. & Mrs. Francis Dunyoh (3/12/2011)

There’s no doubt that people are loosing faith in the institution of marriage and considering other alternatives. The recent increase in lesbianism, bisexuality and all homosexual activities in societies across the globe is evidence of the fact that people are loosing faith in the union of marriage. But there’s hope, a lot of it for that matter. In this article I share with you seven (7) reasons why I think it is good to marry. You are invited to share your thoughts, comments and feedback via the comment box at the end of the article.

In no particular order, the following are some reasons why it is good to marry:

How Loosing Your Job Can Be a Great Blessing – Brandy's Story

“Getting fired from my job was the best thing,” says Author and Spoken Word artist, Brandy Rankins (a.k.a BrandyWine). In this post, I share with you the full discussion which transpired between BrandyWine and I on LinkedIn on November 12, 2011. It’s my prayer that you will find hope, inspiration and encouragement from the story of a woman of God who at some point in life felt all hope was lost, but God intervened and gave her “hope and a future” as promised in Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV.

Brandy’s story followed when I posted the statement below:

“This evening I felt really depressed, and as I began to pray the Lord gave me this scripture: "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." - Matthew 24:13. So I want to ask, what have you been enduring as a Christian?”

Brandy's reponse to the above statement is as quoted below:

Brandy Rankins

"Love and needed this scripture! As a Christian I've endured A LOT! My hope, belief, and confession is that the most challenging trials are behind me. I've endured some great hardships such as becoming a widow at the tender age of 21. I was devastated by the loss and since I was new to the church, I left God because of my confusion and pain. "Why would you let this happen to me Lord?" I thought daily. From there I went into the world drinking, smoking, and clubbing heavily trying to do everything to fill a GOD SIZE VOID. I found out the hard way only God could fill that.

I returned to the church and began to sit under God and allowed Him to minister to my pain. What I LOVE and remember about my time away from God is that He was still with me. He continued to PROVIDE, and look out for me, even though I left Him. He was and is so Faithful. Seven years later, I was blessed to remarry a wonderful man but then my mother and best friend passed with lung cancer. We literally had to raise the money to bury my mom in three days because she didn't have any life insurance. We held two carwashes, sold hot dogs, and went through the community with signs that read "Please Help Us Bury Our Mom." 

A Closer Look at Christian Hip-hop and Christian Rap Music

We recently posted an article on what the Bible says about hip pop and secular music. As I read through that post, it impressed on me the need to take a look at Christian hip pop (a.k.a Christian pop or holy pop), and Christian rap music. So let’s get into it; let’s take a closer look at Christian hip pop and Christian rap music.

Personally I find Christian rap and Christian hip pop to be cool. While secular hip pop fills your mind with sex, women, drugs, crime etc., Christian rappers preach the Word of God through their music. Fans of secular artists raising their hands in excitement as they watch their artists perform is a form of worship to satan (the lord of most secular artists).  On the other hand, fans of Christian artists/rappers raise their hands in support of the Christian message that the Christian artist/rapper is presenting. This gives glory to God because His name is being honoured. 

The issue with secular music or secular hip pop is not the rhythm of the songs but rather the words/lyrics of the songs and the obscenities found therein. Rhythm is like language. There are thousands of languages in the world. As far as I know, it is accepted for each clan or tribe to praise God in their language. You may look at it this way; God created sex but does that mean he supports pornography?

How To Stay Pure Until Marriage...Yes, It's Possible!

A decision stay pure until marriage includes abstaining from sex and also abstaining from anything that has the tendency of preventing you from living up to your promise of purity. What this means is that, you must do away with friends who will not help you in your commitment to purity.

Also, entertainment resources such as music, movies, games and all entertainment materials with the propensity to make you fall into sexual acts of any kind must surely be neglected. For example, I would not recommend songs by Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady gaga and their like, to anybody who is serious about staying pure until marriage. Most of the songs of these artists are full of sex lyrics and complemented by videos packed with countless sex scenes, mind control objects and symbolism.

God’s Word is clear on this, “For this is the will of God, [for] your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;  that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,  not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God” – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5.

Elsewhere in the scriptures God asked, “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.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14b-16 NKJV.
To be able hold tight to our commitment to purity, we must avoid all persons and anything that is not aimed at helping us stay pure until marriage in honour of God, our family, our future spouse and ourselves.

The Complete Purity Guide For All Christians

When people talk about purity, they mostly refer to sexuality purity. Of course, sexual purity constitutes a large portion of the purity journey. However, Christian purity extends far beyond just sexual purity. One may not see the big picture if he/she is outside the purity box. But as soon as you decide to stay pure until marriage, you will realize that such commitment really goes beyond abstaining from sex. In this post, we will look at what purity is, and what it encompasses.
 

What is Purity?

Purity, also referred to as Christian purity, is a Christian virtue that requires believers to make commitment or promise to abstain from sex until marriage. As mentioned earlier, abstaining from sex is a principal component of purity. However upon taking that decision, it becomes evident to the individual that to be successful in abstaining from sex, he/she must abstain from anything else that would lead him/her to fall prey to sex.

Purity is an honorable virtue. It is honorable because it brings honor to God, your family, your future spouse, and yourself. Consider the following scriptures in relation to the honor that a commitment to purity brings to God, your family, your future spouse and yourself, in that order:

“For this is the will of God, [for] your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality” – 1 Thessalonians 4:3 NKJV

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise” – Ephesians 6:1-2 KJV.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” – Proverbs 31:10 KJV.

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30 NKJV.

Of all the purity scriptures listed above, my favorite is Proverbs 31. It helps us to understand that although a commitment to stay sexually pure until marriage brings honor to God (1 Thess. 4:3), your family (Eph. 6:1-2), and your future spouse (Proverbs 31:10), the greatest honor comes to you. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” – Proverbs 31:30.

What is a Purity Ring?

Purity Rings are rings worn by people as an outward sign or symbol to show their inward commitment to stay sexually pure until marriage in honor of God, their family, their future spouse and most significantly to bring honor to themselves.

Most purity rings have purity scriptures engraved on them. They serve as reminders and daily puts the individual in remembrance of his/her commitment to purity. Most purity rings are for girls, but there are also purity rings for guys. A purity ring is worn on the ring finger on the left hand. The idea behind this choice of finger is that, the ring is to be worn until marriage and it symbolizes marriage to God. Purity rings are replaced by the wedding ring when the individual finally gets married. The joyful task of most girls who wear purity rings is to give it to their husbands on their wedding day. Isn’t that beautiful?

Why We Must Stay Sexually Pure Until Marriage

The Crocodile likes water, but not when the water is boiling. Sex, like fire, can be very good and also very destructive; depending on how it is used. During cold weathers fire is kept in a home to keep it warm. Taking the fire out of its place and placing it somewhere else in the home could spark up a great fire which could burn the entire house into ashes.

Similarly, sex outside marriage (or premarital sex) is equally dangerous. Pre-marital sex is simply sex taken out of its place – marriage. It has the same effect as fire taken out of its place. The Bible has a better view on this, it said, “For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread…” – Proverbs 6:26. If by a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread, then I believe the opposite is also true: by a means of whorish man, a woman is brought to a piece of bread. Stories of beautiful and reputable women been ‘used and dumped’ by treacherous men, are common in our societies today.

Who is a whorish woman? She is any woman (girl or lady) who is not your wife. Other Bible versions translated the ‘whorish woman’ as ‘strange woman’. Elsewhere in the Proverbs book of the Bible, we see the strange woman and what she can do:

“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee… To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.” –­ Proverbs 2:11, 16-19 (KJV).

Usually when people hear the word whorish, the first thought that comes to mind is a prostitute, right? Well it should be noted that any woman who have sex with another man other than their husband is a whorish woman. In this context the closest whorish woman to you could be your girlfriend if sex is involved in the relationship. Sex should never be the foundation of the relationship.

Dear ladies, if sex is what your man needs to stay with you, then I can assure 100% that he will still leave even if you give it to him. I am not making up any new theories about this, it is a fact. What makes you different from the ‘other girls’ if he can get from you what he got from them? Here’s the real gist: why should he marry you if he is freely enjoying the privileges of a married man from you?

A decision to stay sexually pure until marriage will make men respect you, and when you finally meet the right man for you, he will love you like never before. I once overheard two guys talking and one said to the other “Do you think I am going to marry one of these ‘club girls?’” I was saddened as I thought about whose daughter in the world is being referred as a ‘club girl’ by these young men? Then the guy continued, “Come on, I will go to the Church and find a better wife.” That statement really struck me. Mercy for the ladies at Church, may God give you eyes to see this young man for who he really is when he finally arrives at your Church.

Dear gentlemen, we will be doing ourselves much good if we stay sexually pure until marriage. The Word of God is clear;

“For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the[his] precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.” – Proverbs 6:26-29.

The phrase ‘his neighbour’s wife’ in the above scripture is not only referring to the wife of another man, it encompasses all ‘will be’ wives.

Dating is preparation for marriage. For a fact, not all relationships lead to marriage between the two partners. However, the person you date eventually becomes another person’s wife or husband. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s be honest here; do you find it okay that somebody somewhere should be having sex with and fondling the woman or man that will soon become your wife or husband?

Sex is to be preserved for marriage. God made it that way for a reason. And come to think of it, it is for our own good. We will be doing ourselves much good if we say no to sex and live a sexually pure life until marriage. 


Share this post if you know someone who needs to read it.


More on purity? Read the following posts:
The Complete Purity Guide For All Christians
How to Stay Sexually Pure Until Marriage
How To Overcome Sexual Temptations
The Purity Code: A Sexual Code of Conduct

Why Christians Should Not Listen To Secular Music

This post is in two parts. The first part looks at why Christians should not listen to secular music, and the second part provides some advice on how to stop listening to secular music. Prior to this article, we wrote a number of articles on hip pop and secular music. We started by telling the truth about Sasha Fierce: why Sasha is fierce, then we wrote about the deceptions in Jay z’s ‘Forever Young’ song lyrics. It did not end there; we also have a post on what the Bible says about hip pop and secular music, and another about Katy Perry selling her soul to the devil. Feel free to leave your comment on all the above mentioned articles. Meanwhile let’s get into the purpose of this article.

1.      1. Why Christians should not listen to secular music

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” – 1 Peter 2:9.

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 forever.  – 1 John 2:15-17.

One sad truth in Christendom is the fact that many Christians do not recognize their identity in Christ. Being a Christian goes a lot more beyond being called a Christian. “Being a Christian is a work of a moment but living a Christian is a work of a lifetime,” Billy Graham observed.

Every Christian has a unique story to tell. However, in the midst of each story is a loving God who gave up is life as ransom for our sins. Different things and different circumstances had over the years led many to Jesus Christ. Every believer reading this post has been delivered from bondage of some sort. The Lord Jesus had met each of us at different points of our lives. Some have been delivered from drugs, others from excessive partying, clubbing and sexual promiscuity. And many others have been delivered from worldly lusts: the lust for money, the lust for material possessions, and greediness.

But when we become born again by the blood of the Lamb, we become new creatures (2 Corinthians 2:17), we become the sons and daughters of God (John 1:12), but most significant, we become a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and peculiar people. The attributes and identities of believers have been made evident by the apostle Peter (See 1 Peter 2:9). There is a reason why God gives the believer all this attributes. It is so that we can “show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light” – 1 Peter 2:9b.

What does it mean to show forth the praises of God? I believe it means doing away with worldly lifestyle; secular music, secular movies and anything that do not glorify our Heavenly Father who loved us and sent His Son to die to save us. The scripture says “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” – (Galatians 2:20). Being in Christ means we are no more of the world. We have been delivered from the darkness and are now nigh to the marvelous light of God in Christ. This is why every Christian must grow to a point in their life where they can boldly say NO to secular music and all the profanity and deception that go with it.

2.     2. How to Stop Listening to Secular Music

The lesson in Galatians 2:20 is that Christ lives in us. Every believer must always be conscious of the fact that Christ lives in us. Whenever you are tempted to sing or play a secular music, pause and ask yourself, “Will Jesus listen to this song I am listening to? Will He dance to this song I am dancing to? I have found this questioning approach to be an effective way to stop or quit listening to hip and secular music.

Alternatively Christians can stop listening to secular music by listening to more godly music. I used to really love hip pop,  R & B and rap music. Now I am in Christ and I still enjoy these genres but I do it this time to edify myself and to praise the LORD my God. I no more listen to those secular artistes singing and rapping about sex, money, drugs and girls. Instead I listen to Christian rap music, Contemporary gospel and gospel reggae. It is the same rhythm but with edifying and uplifting lyrics. Just take a look at the music video below and you will understand what I am talking about. The song is by Lecrae(a Christian rapper). If you like the song then click here to buy it from Amazon mp3. Watch and leave your comments. God bless you!

True Story: Did Katy Perry Sold Her Soul To The Devil?

In her book ‘He Came To Set The Captives Free’, Rebecca Brown talked about how some music stars, movie stars and other celebrities sell their soul to the devil (satan) for money and fame. In  the book Elaine, an ex-satan worshipper and top bride of satan who is now in Christ, told a sad story of how as a high priestess of satan, she would go to recording studios and add satanic blessings to CD albums of artists who have sold their soul to the devil. The book also brings to light the fact that demons sometimes participate in the composition of songs and in some cases actually sing portions of the songs of these artists.

Sadly, many people do not believe stories like these. This is however no surprise because the Bible had said:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

                                                          ­­­– 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

Born to evangelical ministers, Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (that’s her real name, but now known as Katy Perry) had a good Christian upbringing. Katy Perry’s parents, like all good parents, wanted the best for their child. They did their best to bring her up in the fear of the LORD. It is often said that you could force the horse to the river but you can’t force it to drink the water. As much as Katy Perry’s parents wanted the best for her, they also did their best not to seem like their forcing their belief and ideas on her.

Although Jesus loved the world and gave his life for it (John 3:16), He would not force people to believe in Him. We all have our will and conscience. Katy Perry’s parents desired the best for her but things turned out differently when she willingly walked away from the love of God. She turned her back on Jesus. 

Katy Perry told Cosmopolitan that she left Christianity when she felt sex shouldn’t wait until marriage. “I was like, I don’t know if I can hold that promise because this guy at camp is really cute,” she said. “Today, Katy Perry is married to former sex addict Russell Brand and dances around a Candyland gameboard dressed like Bettie Page shooting whipped cream out of her tits. Millions of little girls love her,” Joseph Allen of Taki Mag observed.

Update: Perry and Brand's marriage had hit the rocks. Russell Brand filed for divorce in December 2011 and final divorce papers were recently filed. Brand is believed to have refused spousal support from his soon to be ex-wife. "The British comedian refused to pursue 50 percent of Perry's estimated $40 million fortune to which he was legally entitled," The ChristianPost reported.

As mentioned earlier, Katy Perry had a good Christian upbringing. Her parents were ministers of the gospel, and she claimed she was not allowed to use the word ‘lucky’ because it’s like lucifer. What’s more? She even started her music career with a gospel album. Her first album was signed to Christian music label Red Hill and she sang and performed as Katy Hudson. But like all other stars and celebrities believed to have sold their soul to the devil, Katy Perry ended up walking away from the grace and love of Christ  in pursuit of fame.

What the Bible Says About Hip Hop and Secular Music

What does the Bible say about Hip-hop? Is there a scripture in the Bible that talks about  Hip-hop? Does God approve listening to Hip-hop music/songs? Are these questions your questions? If yes, then I have some good news for you. These questions flag the hearts of curious brothers and sisters who are torn between the desire to please God by always doing His will, and their avid love for Hip-hop, R&B and other secular music.

Well, the Bible does talk about Hip-hop, R&B and other worldly music genres which are collectively known as secular music. I wrote an earlier article in which I dealt with how Satanism is being portrayed in metal music and by metal bands. A chunk of my readers who happened to be avid metal lovers, popularly known as “metalheads” or “headbangers”, found that article very disturbing. One of my readers suggested that I do a work on Hip-hop music as well. He stressed that there’s a lot of Satanism and satanic symbolism in Hip-hop than metal music. This article is not purposed to prove which music genre contains more Satanism; rather it is to take a Christian stance and tell people what the Word of God has to say on Hip-hop, R&B and other worldly music.

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Decoded: The Deceptions in Jay-z's 'Forever Young' Song Lyrics

“The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”” – Genesis 3:1 NLT. Compare the statement in bold above with the one below:

"Do you really want to live forever?" – Jay-z.

The serpent described in Genesis 3:1 above is satan himself. See Revelation 12:9 below:

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (KJV).

"Pastor Justin Cox - Passion4Christ Movement"

Oftentimes when people use the word really, they either have a second thought or doubt the existing fact of the matter. Satan was fully aware of the instruction God gave to Adam and Eve about not eating the forbidden fruit. Nevertheless he went to the woman (Eve) and asked, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Eve had no idea who she was contending with just as most Christians today have no idea who we contending with when we listen to the rebellious songs of the world’s artists.

[Related post: The Truth About Sasha Fierce; Why Sasha Is 'Fierce'?]

Like satan, Jay-z is fully aware of Jesus’ promise of eternal life for His followers (John 3:16, Col 1:27, Romans 8:1), but he still went ahead to ask, “Do you really want to live forever?” The same approach satan used to separate man from God. What followed satan’s question was deception. Here’s the full story from the New King James Version of the Bible:

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”

– Genesis 3:1-7.

The Truth About Beyonce Becoming Sasha Fierce

Have you ever wondered who Sasha Fierce really is? Or why is Sasha ‘fierce?’ In her own words Beyoncé said, “I have someone else that takes over when it’s time for me to work and when I’m on stage, this alter ego that I’ve created that kind of protects me and who I really am.” By this statement, Beyoncé was talking about her onstage personality – Sasha Fierce. I have a question here; who is Sasha Fierce? And why is Sasha ‘fierce?’ The answers to these two questions are what this post will attempt to reveal.

For clarity and ease of understanding I would like us to take it one after the other. Let’s begin with Sasha. The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian origin and means “Guardian of mankind” and it is mostly not used as a formal name but as a diminutive of Alexander and Alexandra. Sasha is used by both males and females and it is predominantly used for males in Germany where it is spelled ‘Sascha.’ Wikipedia stated that in the United States, Sasha is used exclusively for girls. It is therefore no surprise that Beyoncé has taken the name up and using it. President Barack Obama’s youngest daughter is also called Sasha and there is another female musician in the U.S.A. who goes by the name Sasha. I think Sasha is such a popular name in the United States perhaps because of its meaning.

The word ‘fierce’ on the other hand is defined by the Essential English Dictionary as something or somebody “marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid, ruthless, violently agitated and turbulent”

So if the name Sasha means “guardian of mankind” then why is Sasha ‘fierce?’ The image below offers some suggestions.

From the above photo, it is evident that Beyoncé in her simplicity looks very cheerful and not fierce, but Sasha is ‘fierce.’ What makes Sasha Fierce so fierce is the strong eye make-up and adornment of her hair. Someone might say, “Well that’s fashion!” I beg to say that such make-up and hair adornment is more than just fashion. Sasha Fierce’s shades-like heavy eye make-up represents the eye of Horus, and together with the hair adornment has been an age long ritual of witchcraft.

Truth or Heresy: Does God Want You To Be Rich?

There is a debate going on in the Church as to whether God wants us (Christians) to be rich or not. The issue had even gone farther lately as some Christians have started calling names and tagging preachers as false prophets and their churches heretic just because they preach what the accusing Christians call “prosperity gospel.” The aim of this article is to try to look at the issue from a scriptural perspective. Does God want you to be rich? What do you think? And what does the Bible say about your being rich? Let’s get into it! 

The Elders of Faith Were Rich

Abraham is seen as the father of faith. He gained that reputation through the faith he professed in God all the days of his life. In essence, God promised to make him the father of many nations. Those nations are now the many Christian churches who are following the example of Abraham, by professing the Abrahamic faith in the Almighty God. God blessed Abraham and he was a very great man in his day. Perhaps he could have been among the world’s richest men if Forbes.com were around then.

The Prayer of a Certain Rich Man

Have you ever been in a difficult and undesirable situation which you wish you hadn’t? Experience they say is the best teacher. However, it is not always refreshing to learn through experience. Learning through experience means learning the hard way, this as we all know is not something invigorating to do. At least, most of us had learned a lesson or two the hard way. We have learned from our mistakes, we have learned from our past experiences and past relationships with people. It should be stressed that, to some of us, most of what we know now are things we have learned the hard way.

While learning the hard way can be very beneficial, sometimes it can lead to deteriorating effects which are usually irrecoverable. For example, a young lady experimenting with sex may end up acquiring HIV/AIDS or Chlamydia which are incurable sexually transmitted diseases. The bottom-line is that the young lady may eventually learn her lesson the hard way, but she also may have already suffered an irrecoverable damage (i.e. her contraction of the STDs).

Often times when we go through difficult times we don’t only from our experience but we also become advisors and saviors for others, warning and advising them to learn from our lesson and experience, and not go through similar difficulties.

Well, it happened that a certain rich man found himself in an irrecoverably hard situation and having learned his lesson the hard way, he desired and prayed that NO ONE should be made to go through the same pain he went through and probably is still going through right now. Here’s the rich man’s prayer: 

“Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” – Luke 16:27-28

The preceding scriptures to the above give a detailed report about the suffering of the rich man which led to his prayer. Read the full report below:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

-         Luke 16:19-26