A World of Shadows
Our world is a world of shadows.
We live in a period of spiritual skepticism. Skepticism is the doctrine of philosophy. It is a universal doubt denying the certainty of knowledge respecting both God and His word. People from many cultures and religions believe in a life that extends beyond this world. Most are not sure what it is, where it is, and how to achieve it. This doubt, this lack of knowledge lead to many forms of idol worship.
Various religious systems, some old and some new, have persuaded men to define their passions with mythologies, theologies, chance, fate, the cosmos, karma, the supernatural, divinations, stone edifices, magic, witchcraft, sorcery, and mystical healing.
Others call on Hindu wonder-workers, enchanters, star gazers and palm readers, so the list is long and varied. This is the world outside of Christianity, a world that has made a pact with demons. This world has now infected the Christian community.
So many assume that attending church will save them. But churches have changed, and so have the people who attend them. God's word is going through a transformation, or a form of mutation. Non Biblicial opinions seem to dominate the landscape. Christian doctrines having been blended with various forms of pagan worship. Conflicting powers are taught as coming from one source.
Voodoo, blended with the teaching of the Gospel, is practised in some Catholic dominated island nations. White witches, black witches, this form of religious hypocrisy is practiced throughout the United Stated, some even claiming the title of christian.
So what has the Gospel message to do with the following? Snake handling, wild dancing, bar room music and incoherant babbling practiced before God's altar. Are these the things God requires of us? Those who attend these rituals believe that supernatural power enters into them. But what are they? Lovers of the flesh, giving worship to false gods, as some may even have been possessed by evil spirits.
Christian worship is to pay honor, give reverence, respect, and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. To humble oneself before God. These are the things that are to be laid before our Lord. The English word for worship means, "worthship." It is the state of worth, or worthiness, and refers to the excellency of Jesus character and His dignity.
When Christians give worship to the God of the Bible, it involves an acknowledgement of Jesus' perfections.
Worship may be done in private, or in public.
1. Private worship should be given with the highest degree of veneration, consideration, and meekness. Christians should worship with a degree of awe, and excitement concerning the power and glory that surrounds the Almighty. Self-abasement and repentance are required. Followers of Christ need to have great expectations concerning the fulfillment of God's promises. In order to worship our Creator, we need to follow the instructions found in Scripture.
2. In a public forum, the works of Jesus Christ should always be the number one topic of conversation. So many Christians object to the public acknowledgement of their Saviour. The most common of savings is, "I don't talk about God or politics in public."
That's a good platform on which to go to hell. Public worship with friend's and family, in a church, home, or public setting is a requirement. Unashamed about the things of God. Unashamed and united as one body, is a strength coming from the Holy Spirit.
1. Jesus promised His presence in all public gatherings, Matt.18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
2. Christ attended public worship. Luke 4:15, "He taught in their synagogues." He taught in the public squares, in private homes, and where sinners gathered.
3. Jesus prayed with His disciples. Luke 9:28, "He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray."
4. Luke 11:1, "One of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples."
5. Acts 1:23-24, Joseph and Matthias, prayed.
6. Acts 6:4, the apostles called many before them, and said, "We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."
Christian worship has been founded upon example, and upon precept. Christ as the Head, sanctioned prayer and worship, therefore as members in the body of Christ, it is our duty to pray and to worship our Saviour any where and any time.
We are commanded to teach and to preach the Gospel message always. This cannot be done in silence, so we are to gather ourselves together, in the church, in the streets, in public forums to teach and to glorify God.
Two forms of Idolatry developed centuries ago.
1. False gods were worshiped by means of images, sacrifices, and ceremonies.
2. The worship of the true God was being done thought images. This is NOT how God requires us to worship Him. It is by faith, faith in Him, faith in His promises, and faith in those He intrusted His Holy Word to.
The worship of mountains, springs, trees, and stones. In these things are supposed to be the habitation of gods. Certain carvings, the sun, moon and rivers, these representing to the pagan culture, a source of life. Rom.1:25, "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator."
The idols on men, made with the hands of men, in image of man. Images having no moral character. In extreme cases the followers of these cults will sacrificed children to their idols. Drugs. drunkenness and orgies accompanied by babbling, prostitution, fabricated healings, frantic dancing and people being cast to the ground, all in the name of Jesus Christ.
The word idolatry occurs only once in the K.J.V.
1 Sam.15:23, "Rebellion = (bitterness) is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." However a number of Hebrew words can be rendered, "Idol."
Words that give the idea of loathing, contempt, dread, emptiness, nothingness. These are, "an object of horror," or, "terror," something hideous, an idol and the worship of it. Furthermore when the title, "el," god is given to idols, it becomes a cause of grief, a shame to those who practice it.
The Jewish people were the sole worshippers of the One True God, Jehovah. While in captivity, they began to worship the gods of Egypt. Moses destroyed the myth behind the Egyptian gods, by smiting the symbols that represented them. Moses accomplished this with the plagues pronounced upon Pharaoh, the people and the land.
In spite of the miracles witnessed by the Jews, they insisted on having some visible shape or form in their ceremonies to which they could pay honor.
Aaron, the brother of Moses, convinced the people to make a golden calf. This was to symbolize the reproductive power of nature with which they had become familiar in Egypt. For this crime against God, three thousand died.
The commandments of God forbid any person to make, or to bow down = (to worship) any image. There is no exception.
1. What did the people of the world worship before Abraham and Moses? Answer, "false gods, idols."
2. Did Abraham's father worshipped false gods? Answer, "Yes."
Because this type of thinking pervails today, we have a tendency and a desire to honor THINGS. We want images that can go before us, and live among us.
Because our Lord, is everywhere in power, and nowhere in appearance, many people find Him hard to understand. Therefore false gods favor human passions, requiring no morals.
Pagan rituals consist of lavish ceremonies are governed by hidden mysteries, signs, and wonders.
But in truth, man has changed God's truth into a lie. Corrupt priests, pastors and teachers, are the slaves and disciples of Satan. They teaching the doctrines of devils, participate in, and authorize false worship.
Sorcerers, enchanters, raising questions that elude any mathematical demonstration. What is the origin of the universe, where and when did man come from? What is man's destiny? Chance, fate, what does the future hold for us?
Many in the intellectial and scientific fields claim that the Bible explains by default. Default, because no analytic, experimental, or mathematics tests can be applied to the words of Scripture, nor to the mysterious world from which it comes. This is a lie.
Biologist, with their powerful electronic microscopes, look into the smallest of parts. D.N.A. so complicted that charting it took years; this with the aid and use of super computers. What are the mathematical odds of the D.N.A. coming together as it did? No known number can be applied to that question. Why? Because the number is infinite.
God is its designer, its architect, its master builder, its engineer. Chance is not even a consideration. If I were to show someone car, and said that it came together by itself, they would think I was a crack pot. Now multiply that by 10 to the fortieth power. Living organisms being so much more complex. Yet we hear the voices of unbelievers claim life came about by chance, yet in comparison, they claim a car can't. Hyprocrites.
Man searchs the universe for alian life forms. We listen for sounds that come from deep space.
Yet when God, who is a spirit, came down, took on the form of a man, talked face to face with men, walked among us, gave us a glimpse of heaven, showed many signs and wonders, healed the sick, the lame, raised the dead, and finally authorer a book called the Bible, what do we do? we deny Him. Yet we continue to search for alien life forms, denying the one that came to us. "Oh foolish man thou art."
Educated men, athiest, having one degrees heaped upon another. Yet they fail to answer the following.
1. How a thing cannot be, and be at the same time.
2. How can nothing produce something?
3. How can non-intelligence produce intelligence? Great questions.
Athiest ask, what is the origin of evil? If God has no evil in Him, He cannot create evil, so what is its' origin? Pagan thought apply the idea of good and evil, two principles equal, opposite, and co-eternal. They teach the concept that good and evil hold the world in balance and imposes upon man a law of merciless compensation.
Light may be the opposite of darkness, heaven is the opposite of hell, but Satan is NOT the opposite of God. Jesus is the Creator of all, including the Devil.
All things, both good and evil, work for the glory of God. Lucifer through his free will, choose to oppose His Maker. Satan has no power, none, except that which God allows him. God declared all things from the beginning, and His declarations stands.
The ancient Jews recognized there was only One True God. When obedient, they benefitted by God's hand. When not, they suffered. One would think by studying history, we would come to understand these things.
America now lives in its own land of shadows, God's word has fallen under the shadow of materialism, entertainment, sex, porn, and an uncaring complicity. Our children are no longer acquainted with the Scriptures, absorbed in self and the many other worldly distractions.
Athletes and Hollywood stars today are referred to as icons, god's in the highest sense. "What is an icon?" An icon is a religious image, something that is honored, glorified or worshipped.
Memorabilia from them is treasured and desired, more so than the saving grace of the Jesus Christ. Christian children know more about playstations, and other computer games then they know about the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Parents send their children to public schools where the mention of God will get your child expelled. Children have a free rein to view any T.V. program they wish. Programs that elevate theft, sex and murder. Public T.V. promoting the theory of evolution to the position of FACT.
When enough concerning materialism, worlderly imagery, dialog and propaganda enter into a persons mind, their slide downward will be quick and without hope.
Satan has fined tuned idol worship to an art form. The works of the religious community is now self-glorification. Camouflaged so it no longer is considered idolatry.
Idolatry can be divided into two categories. The first is metaphorical, the second is proper.
1. Metaphorical idolatry is the love of personal wealth, honor, looks, and physical pleasure: therefore, personal pleasure and physical passions, are the things sought after. These things are made superior, and put before God's will. In so doing, that person has made a god of themselves, having become a slave to their sensual lusts.
2. Proper idolatry is to glorify and honor someone, or something other then the Lord God. Some glorify and honor themselves, becoming worshippers of self.
To others, God is said to dwell in some relic, a statue, edifice, a light, a rabbit foot, etc. To worship them may become a form of entertainment, a ceremonial ritual, or a false admiration of God through some false idea of His character, or being.
They justify that worship, but deny the idolatry of it, saying these things are subordinate to the worship they give God. This is but a vain and futile attempt to hide what is in their heart, for their words are trifling and actions blasphemous.
Gathering together in order to glorify the Lord, confessing His name before the world, and giving thanks in all things. The teaching of His word, our personal and public prayer life, the breaking of bread in remembrance of Him, and His work of salvation that has been laid before our feet.
These are God's great gift to the human race. Nothing fancy, no frills, nothing attached. The invitation of God's mercies are published to the just and unjust, the ignorant and educated, the life givers, and the murderous.
When two or more are gathered together in His name, His Holy Spirit infuses them with God's power and glory. We are taken into fellowship with Him, strengthened, and given knowledge with understanding. He prepares the way, so that each and every devout Christian can have a clear, unrestricted path to success in His work of saving grace.
The young and old; black, red, yellow, white, Hispanic, Polish, Italian, Indian, the rich and poor; blue collar, white, any and all meeting on common ground as sinners before the Lord. Equally dependent upon Him, and equally asking for mercy. Our pride should give way to humility.
In this we raise the hope and the spirit of the poor, the sick, and those who are weak emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Christians showing the spirit of charity to friends and neighbors. Blessed is he who walks in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com