NOT EVEN ONE IDOL
Mankind is great at pointing fingers but when looking into mirrors
somehow things get really distorted. Some of the biggest lies told, are
before the mirrors of the soul.
In the short term, it's easier to believe the mirror's lie of "Thou art the fairest of them all!" in regard to our lives and righteousness, rather than truly examining ourselves to find out--based on God's mirror if we really do fair, so favorably. We would rather believe the mirrors of other men and ourselves, than hear God's opinion about the reflection of our innermost being.
Most of us would be surprised to find out that God doesn't see us exactly as we see ourselves. He beckons, He convicts, He speaks, but we tune out so much because it is uncomfortable to us--and those are the things that we want to keep untouched. We will say that is in the past, it is buried in the sea of forgetfulness. God does that, for sure; but if that thing continues to plague you in this present day, causing you guilt and condemnation; or you still struggle with that behavior or habit many years after "repentance" it is not in the sea of forgetfulness--it is still, the proverbial monkey on your back. That happens when we don't address things scripturally--according to the way that forgiveness [see Luke 17:1-5; Matthew 5:21-25,AMP] is outlined in the Word of God. Then, we end up stuck in our walk with God--and, in our relationships with others.
God ALWAYS deals with the heart--with the intent of man. In fact, He is more concerned with our hearts than our actions, because our hearts determine what we say and what we do. If our hearts are in the right place--transformed [Romans 12:2] and renewed (mind here refers to the "heart" as well as the mind/soul), then our bodies will follow. When the Spirit comes in to dwell in the believer, He makes a change once invited. The Spirit's Presence dictates change. We are metamorphosed from death to life, from wickedness to righteousness (counted righteous by His blood, not our works) and the more we grow and mature and allow our hearts to be changed by His power, the more like Him we become.
A whole heart seeks only God. A whole heart will not accept counterfeits--not one idol. We have been shaking our fingers at Israel and Judah for a long time, but we are no different. Just as the Word says of them--if there had not been a remnant they would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah, so it is with us, today. The signs are there for spiritual Israel, too. The same things that led natural Israel away from God are pulling us away from Him, often times without us even recognizing it. We are so consumed with having things and wanting more and more that we have created ministries of wealth, health and prosperity based on God's people being able to gain whatever they desire--for the asking. It is easy to arrive at that conclusion, simply by isolation of Scripture and not studying God's Word contextually--and, by choosing the word of man over the inspired Word of God, to believe His Word, just as it is. That's how satan can use the Word to deceive, too--he tried it with Jesus (and Eve.... he uses just a little of it to try and convince us that it is the voice of God, but any time you remove part of His message or add to it, it ceases to be God's Word. We can't twist and contort the Word of God to suit our tastes and still call it God's Word. It will cause us to stray every time.
It caused Israel and Judah to stray so far, until they thought that the God Who delivered them was made by their own hands--of wood, stubble, clay, or iron. God made man and all of those; how, then can man turn around and make his own God (out of them, the things He created) to worship??!!! The Word of God shows us how deception gets started and builds--in the heart of course, but before we become totally blind our hearts undergo a gradual but massive change. Wickedness and deception are never sudden. There is something about man's heart; when he becomes puffed up (filled with pride and haughty), greedy, begins to care only about himself, and is willing to oppress others for his own comfort, can see the poor, and neglect them while being full, and willing to justify these actions--often even claiming them to be righteous or for the good of those in need--it happened then, and it happens now. It was riddled throughout the Old Testament, Jesus warned about it in the New--even that the penalty is eternal damnation. The apostles taught against it, but we don't deal with it--at least not very much. For some reason, it's a touchy subject.
Idolatry comes in many forms. It is not simply statues and symbols or tangible things. Sometimes, our idols are ourselves--we worship ourselves so much that we think we should always have the best, never suffer, go without or experience hardship. Idolatry. The Word of God does not bear witness to this ideology, at all. It is a man-made theory, and it has permeated the church because it appeals to the carnal nature of man. That is why it is so popular.
It isn't popular to speak of self-sacrifice for others, or giving to the "least of these" in lieu of having what we want, or loving and forgiving those who persecute us "seventy times seven". That, however is the message of grace--that is exactly what Jesus came preaching and teaching. No wonder He was so revolutionary! For hundreds of years the religious people had been running things according to the letter of the Law--with a little (maybe a lot, actually!) of their own ideas and notions thrown in, to suit themselves--now here comes this Carpenter out of Nazareth upsetting everything. He was teaching people to believe God, rather than men. He was teaching them love and caring for them the way a real Rabbi should. He was showing them that it isn't about the outward appearance or the best seats in the synagogue or letting everyone know how much you pray (or how lofty your words sound when you do), or how much you fast, or give, or what you wear. None of that makes you holy--it is the heart that loves, even when mistreated, persecuted and hated that is truly a child of God. The rest of that--the outward stuff--just more idolatry.
It seems that, almost since man became aware of God he has sought something other than God to worship--every man has an innate desire to worship. Worship the true and living God, and serve Him by serving others. That is true righteousness.
"Hear [O Jerusalem] the word of the Lord, you rulers or judges of [another] Sodom! Give ear to the law and the teaching of our God, you people of [another] Gomorrah!
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me [unless they are the offering of the heart]? says the Lord. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts [without obedience]; and I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or of he-goats [without righteousness].
When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you that your [unholy feet] trample My courts?
Bring no more offerings of vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility); [your hollow offering of] incense is an abomination to Me; the New Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure--[it is] iniquity and profanation, even the solemn meeting.
Your New Moon festivals and your [hypocritical] appointed feasts My soul hates. They are an oppressive burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
And when you spread forth your hands [in prayer, imploring help], I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood!
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil,
Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool." [Isaiah 1:10-18, AMP]
In the short term, it's easier to believe the mirror's lie of "Thou art the fairest of them all!" in regard to our lives and righteousness, rather than truly examining ourselves to find out--based on God's mirror if we really do fair, so favorably. We would rather believe the mirrors of other men and ourselves, than hear God's opinion about the reflection of our innermost being.
Most of us would be surprised to find out that God doesn't see us exactly as we see ourselves. He beckons, He convicts, He speaks, but we tune out so much because it is uncomfortable to us--and those are the things that we want to keep untouched. We will say that is in the past, it is buried in the sea of forgetfulness. God does that, for sure; but if that thing continues to plague you in this present day, causing you guilt and condemnation; or you still struggle with that behavior or habit many years after "repentance" it is not in the sea of forgetfulness--it is still, the proverbial monkey on your back. That happens when we don't address things scripturally--according to the way that forgiveness [see Luke 17:1-5; Matthew 5:21-25,AMP] is outlined in the Word of God. Then, we end up stuck in our walk with God--and, in our relationships with others.
God ALWAYS deals with the heart--with the intent of man. In fact, He is more concerned with our hearts than our actions, because our hearts determine what we say and what we do. If our hearts are in the right place--transformed [Romans 12:2] and renewed (mind here refers to the "heart" as well as the mind/soul), then our bodies will follow. When the Spirit comes in to dwell in the believer, He makes a change once invited. The Spirit's Presence dictates change. We are metamorphosed from death to life, from wickedness to righteousness (counted righteous by His blood, not our works) and the more we grow and mature and allow our hearts to be changed by His power, the more like Him we become.
A whole heart seeks only God. A whole heart will not accept counterfeits--not one idol. We have been shaking our fingers at Israel and Judah for a long time, but we are no different. Just as the Word says of them--if there had not been a remnant they would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah, so it is with us, today. The signs are there for spiritual Israel, too. The same things that led natural Israel away from God are pulling us away from Him, often times without us even recognizing it. We are so consumed with having things and wanting more and more that we have created ministries of wealth, health and prosperity based on God's people being able to gain whatever they desire--for the asking. It is easy to arrive at that conclusion, simply by isolation of Scripture and not studying God's Word contextually--and, by choosing the word of man over the inspired Word of God, to believe His Word, just as it is. That's how satan can use the Word to deceive, too--he tried it with Jesus (and Eve.... he uses just a little of it to try and convince us that it is the voice of God, but any time you remove part of His message or add to it, it ceases to be God's Word. We can't twist and contort the Word of God to suit our tastes and still call it God's Word. It will cause us to stray every time.
It caused Israel and Judah to stray so far, until they thought that the God Who delivered them was made by their own hands--of wood, stubble, clay, or iron. God made man and all of those; how, then can man turn around and make his own God (out of them, the things He created) to worship??!!! The Word of God shows us how deception gets started and builds--in the heart of course, but before we become totally blind our hearts undergo a gradual but massive change. Wickedness and deception are never sudden. There is something about man's heart; when he becomes puffed up (filled with pride and haughty), greedy, begins to care only about himself, and is willing to oppress others for his own comfort, can see the poor, and neglect them while being full, and willing to justify these actions--often even claiming them to be righteous or for the good of those in need--it happened then, and it happens now. It was riddled throughout the Old Testament, Jesus warned about it in the New--even that the penalty is eternal damnation. The apostles taught against it, but we don't deal with it--at least not very much. For some reason, it's a touchy subject.
Idolatry comes in many forms. It is not simply statues and symbols or tangible things. Sometimes, our idols are ourselves--we worship ourselves so much that we think we should always have the best, never suffer, go without or experience hardship. Idolatry. The Word of God does not bear witness to this ideology, at all. It is a man-made theory, and it has permeated the church because it appeals to the carnal nature of man. That is why it is so popular.
It isn't popular to speak of self-sacrifice for others, or giving to the "least of these" in lieu of having what we want, or loving and forgiving those who persecute us "seventy times seven". That, however is the message of grace--that is exactly what Jesus came preaching and teaching. No wonder He was so revolutionary! For hundreds of years the religious people had been running things according to the letter of the Law--with a little (maybe a lot, actually!) of their own ideas and notions thrown in, to suit themselves--now here comes this Carpenter out of Nazareth upsetting everything. He was teaching people to believe God, rather than men. He was teaching them love and caring for them the way a real Rabbi should. He was showing them that it isn't about the outward appearance or the best seats in the synagogue or letting everyone know how much you pray (or how lofty your words sound when you do), or how much you fast, or give, or what you wear. None of that makes you holy--it is the heart that loves, even when mistreated, persecuted and hated that is truly a child of God. The rest of that--the outward stuff--just more idolatry.
It seems that, almost since man became aware of God he has sought something other than God to worship--every man has an innate desire to worship. Worship the true and living God, and serve Him by serving others. That is true righteousness.
"Hear [O Jerusalem] the word of the Lord, you rulers or judges of [another] Sodom! Give ear to the law and the teaching of our God, you people of [another] Gomorrah!
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me [unless they are the offering of the heart]? says the Lord. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts [without obedience]; and I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or of he-goats [without righteousness].
When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you that your [unholy feet] trample My courts?
Bring no more offerings of vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility); [your hollow offering of] incense is an abomination to Me; the New Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure--[it is] iniquity and profanation, even the solemn meeting.
Your New Moon festivals and your [hypocritical] appointed feasts My soul hates. They are an oppressive burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
And when you spread forth your hands [in prayer, imploring help], I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood!
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil,
Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool." [Isaiah 1:10-18, AMP]
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