Petra vs Stryper

[Dan]

Info on what? The president's secret income? I've never gone to the site and watched the video. I was proposing the idea that all the websites I hear commercials for like the biblical money code, Obama's secret income, or whatever else all have a number at the end of their address (moneycode12, secretincome4, etc.), and are perhaps run by the same entity. I thought of the biblical money code because MountainMan brought up no secrets hidden in scripture, and the commercial for it always makes me laugh. That's at least where my brain goes when people start talking about hidden stuff in the bible.

I can't find anything on the code or any video, got a link?

[gman]

It's http://www.moneycode12.com, which redirect here: https://w3.newsmax.com/LP/Finance/ULT/U ... DE=15AB8-1
It sounds nutty every time I hear the commercial for it, but I say that I've got better things to do with my time than to watch the video or browse the site and try to sort out if it is in fact a nutty view of scripture, or if it's really just common sense investing stuff that isn't all that hidden. I'm all for someone else giving it a whirl though.

[Jonathan]

It's http://www.moneycode12.com, which redirect here: https://w3.newsmax.com/LP/Finance/ULT/U ... DE=15AB8-1
It sounds nutty every time I hear the commercial for it, but I say that I've got better things to do with my time than to watch the video or browse the site and try to sort out if it is in fact a nutty view of scripture, or if it's really just common sense investing stuff that isn't all that hidden. I'm all for someone else giving it a whirl though.

The unique URLs are for ad tracking on different channels...websites, radio stations, programs, etc.

But yeah, "Weird Trick," eh. No wonder he's a former pastor.

[Dan]

It's http://www.moneycode12.com, which redirect here: https://w3.newsmax.com/LP/Finance/ULT/U ... DE=15AB8-1
It sounds nutty every time I hear the commercial for it, but I say that I've got better things to do with my time than to watch the video or browse the site and try to sort out if it is in fact a nutty view of scripture, or if it's really just common sense investing stuff that isn't all that hidden. I'm all for someone else giving it a whirl though.

Oh ok, yeah I have seen sites like this that have crazy claims. Seem to remember one about some device that can power your house from water. All these sites try to stop you closing the page by offering you a document on the product rather than the video presentation.

[Mountain Man]

I'm not convinced that there are any secrets locked away in the text for which we currently lack the key.

Hi. My name is Sean Hyman. I'm a former pastor and now a successful Wallstreet investor. I'd like to tell you about a proven secret investing strategy hidden within the pages of scripture. It's called the Biblical Money Code. I'm making the secret available free for a limited time. Just go to my website: moneycode12.com.

Because we know that what God really wants for believers is that we accumulate untold riches. Name it and claim it, baby! Don't just tell God that you want a BMW, tell him the color you want!

(For the record, I'm being sarcastic.)

[musicwithharry]

I guess I got a little confused based on the title of the thread and some of the direction that the thread has taken. Not that it is bad at all; I love reading what others in the family feel and think.

With regard to Petra vs. Stryper, I am not sure that there can be any kind of comparison in most cases. They are opposite ends of the spectrum. The one thing that does unite them (and us) is that we are all part of the holy family of God and fall every day and by God's grace, mercy and the gift of His son, Jesus, we are saved.

Reading the initial parts from MS book, I am glad to hear that a Christian has the strength to say those things. It is nice to know that others, especially those in the spotlight like that, fall too. Of course, the secular media will tear it apart and say that he is a hypocrite because he was a "Christian" but sinned, but they don not get it.

The idea of religion itself I think is a way to compartmentalize the belief in Christ into something that is more tangible for others to see, hold on to, etc... The real thing is the personal relationship with Christ. We need to hold on to Him and His teachings in our lives and share THAT with others. We tell them about what God has done in our lives and how He filled the voids in our lives with His love, peace, etc...

I believe in the idea of church as well, but church ought to be a verb and not always a noun. It should not really matter (weather permitting, of course) where we are assembled to praise God. What matters is that we praise God and hold each other up in His name, as part of the family. I could care less about if I were in a field with an acoustic guitar or in a 2.5 million dollar building with the latest sound and music gear. What matters is that I praise Him and fellowship with other brothers and sisters in the faith. We need to bring it back to that for sure, because we are getting lost in the material aspects of it all.

With regard to comparing Petra's and Stryper's music, I do not think that we can. They are two completely different styles of music. I love Petra; they are my favorite band but I also love much heavier music. That is where Stryper came in for a time with me. Then I found Bloodgood, Messiah Prophet, Whitecross, and others. I still listen to Stryper every now and then but for me, they were too much like the metal that I did not really like. I never got into Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and that type of rock. I wanted more melodic and structured music.

Petra could write a great ballad, especially when Greg sang them (with exception of In the Likeness of You - I cry when I hear that). Petra could also rock and have that layered sound that I like (keys, multiple guitars (at least on the albums), big vocals and power. Stryper was kind of boring for me with only guitars in the band (with the exception of sparse keyboard parts). They could get heavy but I was never really excited by them the way I was with Petra.

Listening to Petra got me into other great bands like Whiteheart, Liaison, Michael W. Smith, and so many others.

I believe that God called these bands to different parts of the ministry for different listeners to come to Christ. I think that Stryper was more "famous" because of their uniqueness in their music and message, and delivery at concerts. Heavy metal? Christian Metal? What a gimmick - at least that is what the secular world thought. They brought lots of people to Christ; lots of people who were on the other side of the tracks.

For me, the heavier, the better, most of the time. Petra still has a place there though in my life because they could do most of what I was looking for musically. I also like bands like Winger (In the heart of the Young), Europe (Out of This World), Stratovarius (almost anything in their discography), Sonata Arctica (the same), Nightwish (most of their stuff). But being as though I've played in almost every type of band, I also like George Benson, Kool & the Gang, Commodores, Lara Fabian, Journey, soft piano music and as a major influence musically for me, Yanni.

The one thing I will say is that I praise God for both groups Petra and Stryper because of their message of hope and salvation through Christ. God can use anything to His glory and sometimes we do not even realize it until after

Grace,
Harry

[Mountain Man]

Whatever happened behind the scenes, Stryper still did some good. I have a friend who used to run a Christian book store many, many years ago, and one day a kid wandered in off the street and mockingly asked, "So, you got any heavy metal?" never expecting that the answer was yes. My friend directed him to a shelf where a Stryper LP was prominently displayed, and the kid took one look at it, said, "No way!" and bought it (probably so he could make fun of it). He came back a few days later and said he had become a Christian, joined a church, and wanted to buy some more records as a witnessing tool to his friends.

If people can live like hell and still win people to Christ then that's just more proof what a powerful message we've been entrusted with.

[brent]

"If I were to name the top 10 times I’ve been “screwed” in the music business, I would say 9 of those 10 were from people in the Christian industry. Most weren’t intentionally screwing me—they just weren’t responsible business people and instead relied too much on God to provide, without taking responsibility for their own actions.
Some of the worst situations I’ve been in have occurred because Christian promoters, record execs, or managers relied too heavily on the term “just pray about it,” at the same time neglecting what God calls us to be—good stewards."

THANK YOU MIKE! Business and Ministry for God are two different things. You can represent God in your business, but you cannot make God your business. It will flop and when it does, people looking in will get the wrong idea about God.

[Mountain Man]

I know where he's coming from. My last two jobs were with Christian organizations -- one was a Christian television station and the other was a church -- and both jerked me around pretty good. My last job at the church unexpectedly laid me off one day without warning. I literally had no idea my job was on the line until they called me into a meeting one morning and told me to go pack my stuff because my position had been eliminated. Then the guy giving me the boot had the gall to say that he still considered me a friend (a real friend would have given me advanced notice, and he had been planning to can me for several weeks if not months). I recently found a new job, and my wife's first question was, "It's not a Christian organization, is it?" When I told her it wasn't, she sighed with relief and said, "Good!"

[brent]

Satan will always treat you like you would expect him to, to your face and behind your back. Christian business people doing business for Jesus, not so much.

From Russ Taff's "Inside Look"

He had such good intentions
High finance dreams
Gonna build the kingdom
Doing his gospel thing
Now he's learning to talk
A real good game
He knows all the right cliches
But good intentions don't get his quota inside
When did it start to change?
Compromise for the dollar's sake?

Chorus:
Have you really taken an inside look?
Are you hearing what your actions say?
Have you really taken an inside look?
Do you think that God would do it that way?

Now he sits behind a big oak desk
And he's talking on the phone
Spinning wheels, making deals
Just see how far he's come
He says he hasn't really changed
It's all for the sake of the dream
Just doing what he has to do
The end justifies the means
Cause when push comes to shove
You better look out for number one

Repeat Chorus

Oh Lord, don't let us waste our lives
Trying to build self-serving dreams
Religious schemes
And Lord, don't let us fool ourselves
Hiding what we really mean
Honesty
Lord, help us see integrity