Artist bio

Blessings, I'm Darian Johnson (Juco Law), 30, recently married and soon to be a father! As a follower of the Lord Jesus, I believe that there is no higher purpose in life other than to proclaim the Gospel to expose people to the irresistible aroma of Christ with hopes of inspiring repentance and a living faith. I'm involved in multiple Bible studies with my home church and am currently co-hosting a class on apologetics based on a short-term course I developed to equip Christians with basic knowledge and principles on defending their faith. I feel we should always seek to be active in some form of ministry, no matter how small, and strive to engage the world, so I endeavor to make music that glorifies God and challenges non-Christians to think twice about their convictions. I am not afraid to face the enemy head-on; he has plagued me for the past decade with debilitating health problems that trigger anxiety and a fear of death that ultimately drove me from atheism to Christ, and now I believe I am being delivered. I know the enemy intimately, and am familiar with the war he is waging on mankind. If we have love, we must risk being hated. If we believe Christ saves, we will risk being attacked. For, those who put on the Lord Jesus know that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. I pray for the saints in this contest, for America, and for the church. God bless. Amen!

Title

E.t.h.e.r.

Medium/Genre

Hip-Hop / Rap

Artist Statement

As a warning concerning the enemy of mankind who constantly invades our hearts and minds to manipulate us, a Christian artist poetically challenges New Age spirituality by calling out things like yoga, sacred geometry, opening chakras/3rd eye, and witchcraft as being false teachings that produce an artificial awakening and are inadequate for eternal salvation. It is a bold but necessary criticism of seemingly harmless ideas that need to be addressed as these elements become increasingly popular in modern culture, for even the most beautiful fire will burn the one who started it without prejudice, because they are deceived, "having a form of godliness but deny its power" as the Bible says people would in the last days. This reprimand is spoken out of love, because the Lord says "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge".

The last portion of the song emphasizes the Lords sovereignty and credits God for the wisdom behind the lyrics by using His followers as instruments of His will. The glory belongs to Jesus alone. The church craves revival and the world needs repentance. Pauline sarcasm included. The Holy Spirit approves of this message.

Inspired, in part, by 2 Timothy 4:3-4
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

How it fits into contest

While there are a myriad of false religions, much of the global population now subscribes to some form of New Age thinking, to such an extent that six-in-ten Christians accept one or more of the four major New Age beliefs despite that they are contrary to biblical teaching (reincarnation, astrology, psychics, etc). Much of the allure of New Age belief revolves around the appeal to "secret knowledge" which is thought to be available to us in spirit and in conscience for those able to access it. Incidentally, this is quite literally the oldest trick in the book propagated by mankind's most ancient enemy who wages an unseen war against us each and every day in an attempt to rob us of all hope, meaning and value by casting doubt on God's existence while convincing us we ourselves are divine by nature. The sole purpose of this deception is our destruction, and in our rebellion against our Creator, we openly welcome counterfeit spirituality to avoid accountability to a transcendent authority. Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants God to be there when they get there. I aim to rebuke, teach, correct and encourage people to remember the Truth of Jesus Christ as the sole mediator and only Way to God. I pray to reach those with ears to hear, and I have faith they will, for His sheep hear His voice and listen.

Credits

Instrumental by Thundaa: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC95jaSQNPcxARNINU9f_pgg
Written/Directed/Edited by Juco Law: https://soundcloud.com/juco-law
Filmed by my lovely amazing beautiful wife: Shanti Johnson
Supporting Cast: Deejah Rios

How to Purchase this Artwork

Digital copy; this song is part of an album entitled "Slave", which is currently pending release in mid to late 2020. For updates and more info, subscribe/follow:
www.facebook.com/justjuco
www.soundcloud.com/juco-law

Transcript / Lyrics

Juco Law - E.t.h.e.r. Lyrics
(Intro)
Give me no glory. This is for the New Age. Don't lose composure over this, I apologize in advance, this ain't positive vibes only.

(Verse)
This--this is failure at it's best.
I said I'm no exception, I'm as guilty as it gets.
Sorry for the mess,
This vessel is too heavy to reach heaven with a stretch.
If drama's a brand and a product,
I finally understand why the devil wears Prada.
It's a different sick that gets this Christian bothered,
Yo' definition of "woke" is conflicted, you in pajamas.
I'm not one to dwell,
But I been on a crazy path,
So I contemplate the past
Like it's complicated math
In this geometric matrix...
Even "lies" can be sacred if you add a 3rd "i" to the equation.
I'm just saying that the truth can be debated,
But a fruit's the same shape regardless what we name it.
I'm not a vegan racist; a vegitacist?
Y'all just switched the label on the bacon and then label that awakened!
It's more than just the flavor,
One of us mistaken, I can taste it, let's see...
Ancient stardust that evolved into a waitress who used to be an ape but now she's smart? It's complicated... Ok.
Get rid of God, I don't wanna be created!
Get creative and persuade myself, "I am God"
And I'ma live forever on the basis
That my consciousness is raising
Through this convalescent maze
With my depression trynna chase me
Sitting cross-legged, all 7 chakras activated
Humming mantras, lighting sage and nothings changing.
Well, maybe If I rearrange my DNA then we can say I made it?
Now my bodies holographic, but I was already faded
'Cause we all feel fear
When the end is near
And we run to the one
'Cause we lost, ay.
Found God and forgot to take a picture,
it seemed sorta redundant being made in His image.
Ain't not metaphors left to describe the mood,
I'ma smile after walking a mile in messiahs shoes.
Exposing this occult cultures motives
Like I need to meet a quota
You can quote me, it's kosher, but don't sugar coait it.
Blow out your candles 'cause you don't know what you're channeling Susan,
I literally can't with you Susan.
I'm on the fence of offensive
but still I'm Zen enough to spin a cinder block on the pencil that penned that Gospel.
Flippin' through epistles, which apostle got the wisdom?
'Cause I tend to view the system like Picasso drew the picture:
Everything is sideways,
And I'm not saying that I'm always right, but I been right lately.
Hey, how's this... if Hades means pain,
If I didn't have love, then I wouldn't say a thing.
I'm a slave and He the king,
He's the truth He's the way,
I'm just doing everything I can to help you see the same.
Sanctify me
And this lyricism.
The Word became flesh, you can feel the rhythm.
Think it's me speaking now, but it isn't.
The Holy Spirit is in him,
This is ventriloquism.

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