The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  – 2 Corinthians 4:4

It is crazy to think of a time when I defended the entertainment industry.  I had just given my life to the Lord, and people tried to tell me that the t-shirts I wore of these rock bands that I loved were blatantly evil.  I remember my first concert.  I was in fourth grade and I was beyond excited.  Before the opening band came out, my dad lifted me up on his shoulders, the lights went out, and I felt this presence that was beyond powerful . . . it is like it tried to embrace me.  It ended up scaring me badly and I immediately asked my dad to set me down.  It took a few minutes for me to settle down, but by the time my favorite band came out, I was okay.  

I had honestly forgotten about that moment some 40 years ago . . . until I read this autobiography of a famous rock singer.  The guy spoke of learning to develop his vocals in church, yet the first time he went to a rock concert was the exact same band around the exact same time I went.  He spoke of a presence overwhelming him and he embraced it with his whole heart.  He literally called it being baptized in the fire of rock-n-roll.  He said he was never the same after that . . . he had to become a rock star for a living.

I couldn’t believe we experienced the same thing.  I was afraid of it and asked my dad to set me down.  He drank it all in.  We both wanted to be rock stars.  He got his wish and is still doing it to this day; I sit here more than grateful that I didn’t get what I thought I wanted.  

Fast forward about 10 years, slowly, very slowly, I began to reject the blatant evil that was injected into my heart and brain.  My rock star goal vanished the day I was playing a song with my band, and everyone was singing along, “I’m gonna getcha, Satan getcha.”  I thought “Adam, what are you doing? You don’t belong here anymore.”  

I still love to go on dates with my wife and see a band, a movie, a play, or a musical.  I always think they will be fairly tame.  Yet I can always spot something that seems was blatantly injected that goes against God and His Word.  I now call it “the price of admission.”  I’m starting to believe they must do something blatantly evil to get their books published, their music recorded, or their movies massively released in theaters.  There is a book called “He Came to Set the Captives Free” where a former witch describes exactly how it all worked.  

Back in the day, I would have read something like I just wrote and so quickly dismissed it.  I made fun of people who spoke like I just wrote.  I was so blind.  The verse I’m using tells me I was blind.

It takes so much less to convict me these days.  I’m super thankful because it can only mean that my heart is growing more and more in His likeness.  I look so forward to the day that my faith becomes sight.

Lord, I’m not condemning anyone here.  It is only by Your grace that my first concert scared the daylights out of me.  I think You knew the end from the beginning and as that atmosphere consumed so many, You wouldn’t let it consume me.  You said, “Oh no!  Adam is Mine.”  I can’t thank You enough.  It is only by Your mercy and grace that I care about You at all.  Thank You so much for the cross, Your blood, Your death, and Your resurrection that makes a life like mine possible.  You have blessed me more than any human should be blessed.  Open the eyes of so many who are blinded by the god of this age.  Amen.