It saddens me, it is the only and best way that I can describe it, and it may cause me to stop viewing some of the video channels that I have been subscribed to for a very long time.
Occasionally it is of course necessary, but remaining in the continuous seat of exposing the evils of the world, a world that has always been wicked, does little to glorify the name of the Most High, it does little to teach one how to worship and praise His Holy name, and when these twenty minute long videos, presented by men of God called by God leave only the last minute or two dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, I become saddened.
It grieves my spirit my friends.
It is an easy style of preaching that is guaranteed to draw nearly constantly an ever-growing crowd, ones that desire to see what the wicked are doing, how they have been deceived by our adversary, how they live with no fear of God, save for some when they are in front of the public, in view of those they themselves profess to be like.
Twenty minutes of describing, in much detail and with many images, how wickedly the wicked are behaving, usually two minutes at the most on how to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, or the reason to.
I would react quite differently to these videos if I knew for sure that the intended audience was the lost, those we who have been born again have been sent to search for, but they are not who they are meant for, it is those who profess Christ as Lord that the content producers desire to reach. And for some reason many who have been crucified with Christ in these days want to show and see what the wicked are doing, even to the loss of praising His Holy name, to the loss of twenty minutes of praise, worship and adoration, of lifting up the name of the Almighty above the heavens.
But it draws the viewers in, and at the same time scratches those itchy ears.
It is quite easy to see how the hearts of many could grow cold if all they feast on is how wickedly the wicked are behaving.
It is much easier, and more welcoming, to watch what the wicked are doing than to look in the mirror, it is more reassuring to ourselves to feel incredulous towards those that are performing evil deeds than to search ones own heart and with David say, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” (Psalm 139:23)
If great caution is not adhered to one will find themselves the Pharisee instead of the one at the wall who said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
Watching what the wicked are doing does little to glorify the Living God in one’s own life, but it is much more interesting to the viewer.
Teaching them how to look intently at their own lives, to prove the assurance of their salvation by their words and actions for the glory of the Living God, showing them through the Scriptures how to worship Him in all humility, revealing to the viewer the longsuffering of the Lord towards them personally does not draw the crowd these days my friends.
Evil does, the deeds of the wicked do.
Watching what will happen to the wicked while shedding no tears for them, while offering up no fervent prayers to the Lord on their behalf will avail them nothing. But it will keep the viewers returning, the like button will be pressed, the Patreon coffers will grow.
And sadly, these God-fearing men will continue to veer off the path of glorifying the Most High while still believing they have been in His service.
You may call it warning if you like, but warnings with only a few moments of lifting up the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is nothing less than a subtle trap.
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” (Psalms 37:1-2)
