Idol Factories… part 5

So far… not so good!!!

1. Idols have no real existence

2. Idolatry is a work of the flesh

3. Idols are at the core of an Unbeliever’s life

4. Idols are impotent to help

5. Idols rule us, master us, enslave us

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:19-24

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. John 8:34

6. Idols deceive us

But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. Psalm 115:4-8

"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.' "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices! "'When any Israelite or any alien living in Israel separates himself from me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer him myself. Ezekiel 14:3-7

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

7. Idols are energized by demons

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20

and the MAIN Thing is Still the MAIN Thing…

8. Idols rob us of knowing God

When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Psalm 106:7

So…

Flee Idolatry

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:14

Be Discerning (alert)

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

Idolatry & the BIBLE

Specifically in the Bible we find that Idolatry is a HUGE theme, consider what God’s Word says about Idol.

From the belly of the great fish Jonah prays…

Jonah 2:8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

 1. Idols Rule Us

Exodus 20:1-3 And God spoke all these words: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.
Isaiah 2:8-9 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled-- do not forgive them.

Matthew 6:19-24 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

John 8:34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

2. Idols Deceive Us

Psalm 119:8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

Ezekiel 14:3-7 "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.' "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices! "'When any Israelite or any alien living in Israel separates himself from me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer him myself.

3. Idols Entrap Us

1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1 John 5:21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

4. Idols Are Impotent

Jeremiah 10:5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good."

There’s more to come...

Made in America, Revelaed in our Hearts

Idol Factories… part 3

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

So okay Idols, they come in tangible and intangible forms. I’ve mentioned 4 key areas so far, which were

1. Riches (Materialism)

2. Relationship Idols
3. Religious idols
4. Pride (the worship of SELF), which by the way is often (like the other idols mentioned) seen as a “good” thing in our culture

The fifth area of idolatry in America is physical comfort.  The way to follow Christ is…

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me

Self denial is not just about denying Self to deny Self, it is the denial of Self for something Greater, and that is Jesus Christ.  I deny my Old Life in order for the New Life in Christ to be manifested.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Philippians 3:18-19

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:4-11

for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 1 Thessalonians 1:9

Idolatry is a HUGE theme in the Scriptures and God has much to say about these idols that we face at every turn in life

1. Idols have no real existence

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 1 Corinthians 8:4

But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. Psalm 115:4-8

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. Psalm 135:15-18

Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Daniel 5:23

2. Idolatry is a work of the flesh

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions Galatians 5:20

 3. Idols are at the core of an Unbeliever’s life

for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 1 Thessalonians 1:9
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. Galatians 4:8

These Infested Idols

Idol Factories… part 2
 

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

 Last time I mentioned the idols of:

1. Riches and

2. Relationships

 
Here’s a few more to consider, remembering that we wrestle not against Flesh & Blood!

3. The third type of idolatry are Religious idols

But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame. Isaiah 42:17

"Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Habakkuk 2:18

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Psalms 96:5

Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. Isaiah 2:8

They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. Psalms 106:36-38

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:21-25
4. The fourth area of idolatry that I have found non-believers fall prey to is pride (SELF).  In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 

In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. Psalms 10:4

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?' Obadiah 1:3

"Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas." But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. Ezekiel 28:2

for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 1 Thessalonians 1:9

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. Ezekiel 28:13-17

Idolatry... Alive & Destructive

Idol Factories… part 1

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good." Jeremiah 10:5

As we begin 2012… let us make a conscious effort to keep ourselves from idols.  Idols, you say?  Yes idols.  This is John’s advice to believers in the 1^st century.

 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

 

“To summarize, idols will inevitably involve self-centerness, self-inflation, and self-deception.  Idolatry begins with the counterfeiting of God, because only with a counterfeit of God can people remain the center of their lives and loyalties, autonomous architects of their futures.  Something within creation will then be idolatrously inflated to fill the God-shaped hole in the individual's world.  But a counterfeit is a lie, not the real thing.  It must present itself through self-deception, often with images suggesting that the idol will fulfill promises for the good life.”  (Guinness & Seel 1992, 33)

Idolatry in America is a way of life and it competes with the One who is Life.  I think is we take a moment to reflect we will discover that as followers of Christ there are distractions, detours and disasters that we must avoid as we fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus.  Idolatry is a “HUGE” theme in the Scriptures, and we’re not just talking about golden idols, though gold is always an idol.  Consider with me over these next few blogs about the dangers and influence that idols can have in our life.  There are at least 5 (many more I’m sure) recurring areas of idolatry, here are the first 2.

1. The first idol that is common among nonbelievers in America is riches.  We live in a society that promotes the concept that "He who dies with the most toys, wins."  When in reality, "He who dies with the most toys, wins nothing."   

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:21-24
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:19-24

2. The second area of idolatry deals with  the relational idols that keep people from coming to Christ.  These include, but are not limited to…

(1) issues of power that seeks to control other people

(2) issues of pleasing other people, which becomes a fear of man

(3) issues of victimization, in which the idolater escapes responsibility, because it's always someone else's fault.

So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:26-28

But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame. Isaiah 42:17

 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. Psalms 106:36-38
"Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Habakkuk 2:18

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Psalms 96:5

Christmas in the Christian

God Has Spoken… WORD! part 6

And Get a Load of this… John says

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Ever since the Fall (Genesis 3) God has been progressively revealing Himself to man.  Consider God’s presence in the  Tabernacle ( Ex 25-28; Num 1:50; 2:17; 11:24-25)

"For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory. Exodus 29:42-43

But God wasn’t finished yet… He then demonstrated His Presence in the Temple (1 Chron 22-29)

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 Chronicles 7:1

But God wasn’t finished yet… He then demonstrated His Presencein The Incarnation ( 1 Jn 4:2; Rom 1:3; 8:3; 2 Cor 8:9; Gal 4:4; Phil 2:5-11; *1 Tim 3:16; Heb 2:14; Titus 2:13)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling (Greek: Tabernacled) among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

 
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13:16-17
But God wasn’t finished yet… He then demonstrated His Presence in The Body of Christ, In “us”

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

and in you…

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Corinthians 6:19

The Great Mystery (secret) now revealed Jesus living His Life in and through you, the follower of Christ!

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
Oswald Chambers writes:

“God Evident in the Flesh. If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, "Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ " ( Luke 2:49  ). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.

Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19  ), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.

Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to "

So there it is Christmas in the Christian.  Well we are way beyond the accounts of the shepherds & Wisemen… we are at the heart of the Gospel. 

Christ in You is Christianity.  Live out who you are in Christ.

There once was an Indian brave that was walking down the trail when he discovered an eagles egg had fallen out of it's nest. He looked up and saw that the nest was too high for him to return the egg. So he placed the egg in a nearby prairie chicken nest.
When the egg hatched, the little eagle thought he was a prairie chicken. Prairie chickens stay on the ground and eat only worms and grubs. So, as the eagle grew, he ate nothing but worms and grubs and walked around with the other prairie chickens.
One day, he looked up in the sky and saw some eagles soaring high above. He asked one of the prairie chickens, "How can they fly up there while we are down here eating worms and grubs?"
The prairie chicken answered, "They are the eagles, they can do that but we must stay down here. We are prairie chickens and that is what we do."

So, the eagle spent the rest of his life flying very little and eating worms and grubs just because he was told that was all he could do.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31

The Light Invites!!!

God Has Spoken… WORD! part 5

We’ve been looking at how John has described Jesus… The WORD!

Until we come to know Him personally we only know of him.

Recently I read the story of an encounter that the famous playwrite, Arthur Miller has years ago.  Arthur Miller was sitting alone in a bar, was approached by a well-tailored, slightly tidy fellow who addressed him thus:

"'Aren't you Arthur Miller?'
"'Why, yes, I am.'
"'Don't you remember me?'
"'Well... your face seems familiar.
"'Why, Art, I'm your old buddy Sam! We went to high school together! We went out on double dates!'
"'I'm afraid I - '
"'I guess you can see I've done all right. Department stores. What do you do, Art?'
"'Well, I.... write.'
"'Whaddya write?'
"'Plays, mostly.'
"'Ever get any produced?'

"'Yes, some.'
"'Would I know any?'
"'Well... perhaps you've heard of Death of a Salesman?'

"Sam's jaw dropped; his face went white. For a moment he was speechless.

Then he cried out, 'Why, you're ARTHUR MILLER!'"

When we come to know Jesus, not just know about Him, we are likely to say… You’re Jesus Christ! So Christmas has come and gone … and the True Light has Come… and the Light Invites!  Listen further to what John records.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13

Notice How Not To Connect With God (V13)

1. Not By Human Descent (Man’s Relationships: family, marriage, nationality)
2. Not By Human Desire (Man’s Desire: sincerity, efforts, benevolence)
3. Not By Human Design (Man’s Religion: church, rules, morality)

And please notice How to Connect with God (which really is how God connects with us) 1. Believe in Jesus Christ  &  2. Receive Jesus Christ

it is as simple as A, B, C

A – Admit your Need – sin

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23

B – Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

C – Correct (Repent) & Commit your life to His Rule (not man’s rules)

"The world is happy to let Jesus Christ be a baby in a manger, but not willing to let Him be the sovereign King and Lord that He is, yet that is the central truth of the Christmas story: the Child of Christmas is God." -John F. MacArthur, Jr.