.........WHO OR WHAT.........

 

I WONDER WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT "AMERICAN IDOL"?  DOES HE SEE IT AS A HARMLESS TALENT COMPETITION OR DOES HE VIEW IT AS A DIRECT INSULT?  I ALSO WONDER WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT WELL KNOWN CELEBRITIES SUCH AS DONALD TRUMP?  HOW DOES GOD VIEW THE DONALDS SUCCESS?  WHAT ABOUT THE IMAGES OF POPULAR MUSICIANS?  OR THE LIFESTYLE OF CHARLIE SHEEN?  NO ONE HAS TOLD ME, BUT I FEEL SURE THAT GOD IS ANGRY.
  
I RECENTLY READ A BOOK CALLED "HAGAR".  THE STORY TOOK PLACE IN EARLY OLD TESTAMENT TIMES.  EVEN BACK THEN, PEOPLE KEPT AND CARRIED OBJECTS WITH THEM CALLED IDOLS.  THESE IDOLS TOOK THE PLACE OF THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.  PEOPLE CARRIED THEIR IDOLS WITH THEM EVERYWHERE THEY WENT.  THEY LOVED AND PRAISED THEIR IDOLS.  THEY BELIEVED IN THE POWERS OF THEIR EMPTY CHUNKS OF WOOD AND STONE.  MOST OF US HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF IDOL WORSHIP TOO.

SOME PEOPLE TODAY IDOLIZE THE MONEY IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS.  OTHERS IDOLIZE THEIR HOMES OR THEIR CARS.  SOME PEOPLE EVEN IDOLIZE THEIR REPUTATION OR POSITION IN LIFE.  IDOLS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.   AN IDOL CAN BE SHAPED IN THE FORM OF A GLASS BOTTLE, IN THE FORM OF A CD, A COMPUTER SCREEN OR EVEN IN THE SHAPE OF NEEDLE OR A MEDICINE BOTTLE.  ALOT OF US EVEN IDOLIZE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS!  WHO OR WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN GUILTY OF IDOLIZING?
I HAD MANY MANY IDOLS IN MY LIFE.  MY EARTHLY IDOLS BROUGHT ME NOTHING BUT HEARTACHE AND MISERY.  MY IDOLS LET ME DOWN BY REMAINING COLD AND SILENT.  THEY HAD NO POWER AND NO ANSWERS WHEN I NEEDED THEM THE MOST.  THE IDOLS OF THIS WORLD COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT BRING ME HAPPINESS.

GOD KNOWS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.  HE ALONE IS REAL AND POWERFUL.  HE TOLD US IN HIS WORD TO KEEP OURSELVES FROM IDOLS.  IN FACT, HIS VERY FIRST COMMANDMENT TOLD US "I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME."  HE DIDNT ASK US NICELY TO STAY AWAY FROM EMPTY IDOLS.  IT WAS HIS VERY FIRST COMMANDMENT!!!!  AS I SAID EARLIER, NO ONE HAS TOLD ME, BUT I AM TOTALLY CONVINCED THAT GOD IS ENRAGED. 

IT IS MY PRAYER TODAY THAT GOD FORGIVE ME FOR ALL THE IDOL WORSHIP THAT I HAVE EVER ALLOWED IN MY LIFE.  I KNOW THAT HE IS WORTHY OF MY WORSHIP AND PRAISE.  HE ALONE CAN PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.  THROUGH HIS LOVE AND MERCY I CAN ENJOY THIS DAY.  I THANK HIM FOR HIS WORD AND FOR HIS PROMISES.  HE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO EVERYTHING!!!!!!!

1 JOHN 5:21  LITTLE CHILDREN, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.  AMEN.