Idolatry

No other Idols

Idolatry is the focus or worship of idols. What is an idol?

An idol is an image. This image can be a picture, a statue, a person, or graven carving. An idol has no value in Truth. God says it is good for no thing, it is vain, and it has no value. It creates terror without itself. It is based on demons, not the One True Living God.  Do you pray in front of saint statues? Do you think of sexual things, and is that the focus of your  attention.  What does God's Commandment say? 

An idol can be worshiped by keeping it in mind as the center of your focus, keeping it in your heart as an anchor for your identity, keeping it in your body and soul as the purpose for your existence. You cannot have a give and take relationship with an idol, for it only takes. Demons are behind every idol.  Demons can only destroy you, and will bring you to destruction. Only the One True Living God can set you free from demons and idol worship.  Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.   For more detail on idolatry, see God's Laws, Commandment I, or Commandment II

Idolatry is depending on any person, any image, any habit, or any thing more than you depend upon the Lord God Almighty to bring you pleasure and identity confirmation. Drugs and Alcohol can be an idol for idolatry.  See the Power Point on Drugs and Alcohol. 

The Lord God says, They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols, or demons to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come. Lev 17:7

" 'Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God." " 'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God. " Lev 19:4; 26:1

" 'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. Lev 26:27-30

watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars-all the heavenly array-do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. . Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deut 4:15-19,23-24

What God did to those who turned away from Him and worshiped an idol.

Remember this and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD . At Horeb you aroused the LORD's wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you. When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. The LORD gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the LORD proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.

At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Then the LORD told me, "Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves."
And the LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they."

So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you. So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.

Then once again I fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the LORD's sight and so provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD , for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the LORD listened to me. And the LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain. Deut 9:7-29

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?" …

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD , come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD , the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' " The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day."

The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD ; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin-but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made. Deut 9:7-29; Exodus 32:1- 35

And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made. Deut 9:7-29; Exodus 32:1- 35

A plague is any contagious or epidemic disease that is deadly. 

Do you have AIDS? Aids is a contagious and epidemic disease that is deadly. Aids is a plague infecting the entire world. Because it is a virus, scientifically it is incurable. However, there IS an Eternal Cure. You can find rest in the Lord Jesus Christ right now, where you are.

I have come that you might have life more abundantly. Come to me and I will give you rest. I have the Words of Eternal Life. Give of living water. Eternal life with the Holy Spirit. 

I want to stop perverting the right ways of the Lord, show me HOW, PRAY

Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.  Jude 1:7

If this is so… how is there any hope for me? I will be totally crushed!  If God is set against me, and turning me perverted since I reject Him, how can I ever turn to Him?                 By His provision, by the way He made for you to come to Him. By His Only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what God says to you, Come to Me, I have loved you with an Everlasting LoveRepent and cast your troubles on Me so I may give you Eternal Life .

The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God has prepared a place for all those who place their trust in Him.  The only catch is that you have to surrender all of your sorrow, inabilities, sins, gifts, hearts desires, thoughts and allegiances to God Alone.

"Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol-a thing detestable to the LORD , the work of the craftsman's hands-and sets it up in secret." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" Deut 27:15

They made Him jealous with their foreign gods and angered Him with their detestable idols. They made Me jealous by what is no god and angered Me with their worthless idols. Deut 32:16,21

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1Cor 6:9,10

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. Exodus 32:6, 1Cor 10:7,14

Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 1Cor 10:19-22 (-- Of course not, we will incur God's Judgement and Wrath instead.) so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. 1Cor 11:34

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Gal 5:16-26

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. … (This does not mean to kill people who do these things, but to not do these things yourself.) But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, … Col 3:5,6,8,9

Instead - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, … It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Col 3:15-17,23

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead--Jesus, Who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1Thess 1:9,10

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

The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. … But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Rev 9:20-21; Rev 21:8

For those who take God as their Father, and obey Him out of love and gratitude for His Son Jesus Christ, and by His Holy Spirit, this will occur:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Rev 21:1-7

Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Rev 22:12-15 - Wash your robes in Christ's Atoning Blood, and be cleansed from within. Be filled with the Holy Spirit, and Live an eternal life  in God's Righteousness!!

Are you immoral? Do you pay attention to statues, pictures, shrines, rituals, and other things more than a vibrant and healthy interaction with the Living and All-loving God? If you do not turn away from the direction you are headed, This Will happen to you -

Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what His Hands have done, He will tear them down and never build them up again. Ps 28:5  For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Ps 96:5

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

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord . Ps 31:6
They angered Him with their high places; they aroused His jealousy with their idols. Ps 78:58

The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. Rev 9:20,21 ; the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Rev 9:20-21; Rev 21:8

Repent - God has made a way for you to turn away, on His Power and abilities!! No longer are you alone in the struggle!! --- Bring it to God to handle!!

If you think, "I trust in my church, my parents, other people more than what the Bible has to say.  I know the Bible is God's Word, but I am afraid of what people will think of me."  Then God says,

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
Ps 146:3 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Ps 40:4

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Ps 84:12 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Ps 118:8
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. Prov 29:25 

Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?  Isaiah 2:22

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.        
"But
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD , whose confidence is in Him. Jer 17:5;Jer 17:7

Now what will you do?  Trust God or Man?  The Word of God, or death?        

Bring me to Prayer or Repent or Sinful life or  Righteous Life.

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