WesleyGospel Ministries

Some Christians believe that you should only listen to CCM, hymns, and worship music; and that all rock music is either carnal or inspired by evil spirits under the influence of drugs. Good Fight Ministries leans in this direction, but I still agree with their general sentiment that wholesale acceptance of songs that are just plain worldly in lyrical content is ridiculous. I personally don’t think that all secular songs are unredeemable, but your personal knowledge of and commitment to Biblical holiness should come in primary. Do the lyrics contradict or agree with the Ten Commandments? This should be a good starting point for judging songs and their spiritual influence. –J.B.

If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.
–James 4:15 (NIV)–

Are you down in the dumps right now, because your circumstances have changed? You didn’t want things to go the way they have, but they did go that way. And now you’re thinking, How in the world am I going to get out of this? Every great artist, every great inventor, every great innovator, always has their greatest breakthrough when they’re at their lowest point. You know that? There are many examples of this, too many examples to count. If you look into their lives, their biographies, you’ll find that it’s in the crucible, the hardest spot. John Bunyan, when he was in Bedford Prison, he was writing, separated from his wife and kids, but writing and eventually has prophetic dreams and writes Pilgrim’s Progress, which has lasted about 350 years as a devotional classic, probably saving untold numbers of souls from eternal damnation. Martin Luther finally got the Bible translated for regular non-clergy people to read for the first time in over a thousand years, but he was in hiding, on lockdown, and often harassed by evil spirits.

There’s lots of things like that in history; and probably in your own personal history. Your greatest accomplishments, if you have any, were likely born out of the fire of adversity and affliction: it’s at those moments, those low points, that you start thinking, and developing perspectives, that you never would’ve, if your situation had remained the same all the time. High quality songs, books, and films often come out of the heart of the distressed artist. And even with all of this: earth is just a temporary pilgrimage. From Point A to Point B. You’re either on your way to Hell or you’re on your way to Heaven. You’re either with Jesus or you’re not! Think about this next time you have adversity in any of the following areas: finances, family, friends, physical and mental health. If things are going bad in any of these areas, or some other category, think about this. All suffering is temporary so long as you’re walking with Jesus. You have more than the whole world! Because Jesus Christ abides in you! Do you spend time in communion with God? You’ll know his indwelling more if you do. Communion with God the Holy Spirit, the triune God. So now you’re understanding that the Christian’s life is just a journey, a going from Point A to Point B. Hopefully you’re on your way to Heaven with Jesus. If you’re a parent I hope you’re teaching the Bible and catechism to all your kids. This is why we’re here. Hopefully you’re on your way to Heaven, getting ready to live in the city where Jesus is king. Walking now with his Holy Spirit and his holy angels. Hopefully, you have the proper perspective about everything that’s going on around you. Hopefully you understand that the devil and his angels are after you as well, to try to attack you at different periods, especially at your low points.

With the stalwart military heart of a strong soldier in the thick of battle, you press and push forward, you press onward. You don’t give up! You keep on pushing, you overcome temptation! You put all those things behind you, and walk on a trail covered with the blood of God’s Son. You bathe yourself with the blood of Jesus by faith and walk around with your sins forgiven. You’re washed in the blood of Jesus. You’re clean now! Keep on going towards Heaven, keep on RUNNING, sprinting towards Heaven, jogging, taking breaks and picking up where you left off, and running, running, running towards Heaven! The years creep on, the decades pass. You get weaker, you feel sorrow. You get discouraged at times, but only considering these things temporary, to the point of losing your breath in a run, and so you get up and you keep on running some more. Finally, as you reach the point where you might think, This is something that I’ve wanted to do all my life. Consider this. If according to James 4:15, whether you really need to feel this out, if God wills for you to do this or that, or this or that. Don’t fall into the trap of being misguided by self-will. Got some personal ambitions and goals? Well, just try to make sure that everything you do is in obedience to God and his clarion call.

Just believe that Jesus is real, they said
You don’t have to change your ways
Just believe that he died and rose again
You don’t have to seek God’s face, because of

God’s love, God’s love, God’s love
Don’t talk about sin, or repentance, or faith
God’s love, God’s love, God’s love
Don’t say death, Hell, or Judgment Day
God’s love, God’s love, God’s love

Preach against the holy, call them legalists
Cry out “salvation’s not by works!”
Every time you look at porn
Just tell yourself your future sins are forgiven, ’cause of

Truth is fallen in the street.
–Isaiah 59:14 (KJV)–

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God.
–Romans 3:25 (KJV)–

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God.
–Romans 8:16 (KJV)–

Did not our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way,
and while he opened to us the Scriptures?
–Luke 24:32 (KJV)–

Holding faith, and a good conscience;
which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.
–1 Timothy 1:19 (KJV)–

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. –John Wesley, Journal for May 24, 1738

W. Kostlevy, ed. Historical Dictionary of the Holiness Movement (Rowman, 2025).

John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Beacon Hill Press, 1966).

—. Calvinism Calmly Considered (Schmul, 2001).

—. Wesleyana (Allegheny Publications, 1979).

Adam Clarke, Christian Theology (Schmul, 1990).

Charles Finney, Lectures to Professing Christians (J. S. Taylor, 1837).

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Christian Publications, 1993).

Dr. Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity (Zondervan, 1994).

Dr. Harald Lindström, Wesley and Sanctification (Zondervan, 1998).

Dr. Kenneth J. Collins, Wesley on Salvation (Zondervan, 1989).

In a dream, a preacher was riding in a car in the passenger’s seat of a popular female Christian podcaster. At one point he said, “I like you,” and then she got out of the car and ran away to be faithful to her husband (see Gen. 39). After reflecting on this dream for a week or so, I now believe that this is the popular pastor often being interviewed by her now. –J.B.

As we sit around watching days go by
Afraid to ask the questions ’cause the answers we might find
COMFORT BREEDS CONTENTMENT
Confrontation fosters resentment and slowly we grow cold
As we watch ourselves implode

YOUR CYNICISM IS NOT A SIGN OF INTELLIGENCE
DENY THE SPIRIT, A CRIME OF NEGLIGENCE
Pushing back what has been given
Come to terms with the way we’re living

Observing the light’s dying glow
As we watch ourselves implode

Mocking what we don’t understand
Biting off the giving hand
Our poorest questions answered in fact
Never think of offering back

WE MUST BE SCARED OF CONTEMPLATION
Our will to search, lost in isolation
Work!
And so it goes
And so we go
And so it goes along and so we move along

Cut the nose
Spite the face
On this road without a trace
Without a trace

–Stretch Arm Strong, “Kill the Light”–

—

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
–Psalm 62:5 (ESV)–

Be still, and know that I am God.
–Psalm 46:10 (ESV)–

Be not rash with your mouth,
nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God,
for God is in heaven and you are on earth.
Therefore let your words be few.
–Ecclesiastes 5:2 (ESV)–

Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.”
–Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)–

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.
And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?”
–Matthew 26:40 (ESV)–

Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
–Hebrews 3:15 (ESV)–

Seek the Lord while he may be found.
–Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)–

—

St. Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection (Image Books, 1964), chs. 27-42.

St. Athanasius, The Life of Antony (Paulist Press, 1979).

Savinien Louismet, Mysticism: True and False (Burns & Oates, 1918), chs. 8-9.

—. Divine Contemplation for All (Burns & Oates, 1921).

Augustin Poulain, The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1910).

Richard J. Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, ch. 14: “Contemplative Prayer.” (HarperCollins, 1992).

—. Streams of Living Water, ch. 2: “The Contemplative Tradition: Discovering the Prayer-Filled Life.” (HarperCollins, 1998).

Thomas C. Oden, Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology (HarperCollins, 2009).

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Christian Publications, 1948).

Robert Tuttle, Mysticism in the Wesleyan Tradition (Zondervan, 1989).

The Cloud of Unknowing (Paulist Press, 1981).

Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God (Whitaker House, 1982).

Thomas Dubay, Fire Within (Ignatius Press, 1989).