Paganistic Superstitions!

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trust in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver and there is no breath in it.” (Habakkuk 2:18, 19 NIV)

Mention of idols and their worthlessness has been made before regarding the foolishness of men who trust in man-made objects as part of their religious beliefs. Paganism has always entreated people to believe in images and other objects made by the hands of men and in our time–made by machines for mass productions. The mass production is to make sure those promoting the value of the object make money, but the “thing” itself has no value and can do nothing on its own.

When we pray to “things” rather than to our Holy God, who is unseen by the visible eye, but lives in the hearts of every Believer, we negate faith in our Holy God–giving precedence to the “things” we can either hold in our hands, or gaze upon with our eyes. The statutes carved out of stone have no life in them; the beads and baubles strung upon review mirrors have no life in them; the images of Jesus and Mary have no life in them–they are artist’s perceptions of what Jesus and Mary “could have looked like” but no one knows for sure since there was no replication equipment available during the times in which they lived.

This is not an indictment against religious organizations who promote the use of things as part of their worship service--it is an acknowledgment that the things have no power–or value–and therefore should not take the place of having a relationship with God--who created the substance of all the things made. The real problem with the use of things is that people demonstrate a lack of faith in God without their use. God has come to the assistance of those who seek Him out of sincerity and He has used those “living, breathing beings” as messengers to speak to people, but He has never used anything that did not have life within it to do anything.

Now, some may argue that He used a desert full of dry bones to demonstrate His power and He did–not while they were dead and had no life, but He gave the dry bones life and He never told anyone to worship them, anymore than He told anyone to worship a thing. If we remember The Word–we would know that an entire family was destroyed because they had “hidden the detestable thing” in their tent–an idol used by the enemy to worship and God has said, we should worship “no graven image” or object. That is very clear. But because some insist on giving things power, their paganistic beliefs have led to all sorts of superstitions regarding things–broken mirrors, walking on cracks on a sidewalk, spilled salt, chicken bones, and ladders. I’m sure there are others, but these are things that come to mind. Notice–none of these things have ever had life in them or breathed on their own.

The very next verse of scripture in Habakkuk tells that the Lord is in His Holy Temple–one that we could not see for it resides in heaven, but through Jesus and the work on the cross–we are the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells–living and breathing in us.

We should not be afraid of “things” representing good or evil since they have no life, cannot breathe on their own, and they have no power to do anything. So–all the devil worshipers can worship their things and images, but those who profess belief in God should not be concerned about the images having any power because they have none. The real power of God lies within every heart of every person whose faith is in Him, not things!

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Is The God You Serve An Idol?

“For great is The Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but The Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are His sanctuary.” (Psalm 96:4-6 NIV).

When I read this again, I was reminded of all those naysayers–the ones who choose not to believe The God of heaven, who protest loudly and always insist that He is just a god like the others.

Let’s examine the other gods for a moment–the gods made by hands–symbolizing all manner of things that mere mortal at one time, could not explain. The gods that man created by carving images in wood, out of wood and in stone and out of stone–the gods who could not have been created by the hands of man, if God had not created the substance from which they were (and are) made. There images of sun gods, moon gods, rain gods, fertility gods, seed gods, water gods, death gods, heroic gods, jealousy gods, strength gods, intellectual gods, all kinds of gods and yet not one of them has ever created anything from nothing.

When man could not understand the function of a volcano, they threw in virgins to appease a god who they thought was angry with them. People sacrificed children upon burning altars to appease gods they didn’t understand, but thought they had some power–never realizing that true power–only comes from the God of Heaven as Elijah demonstrated with the prophets of Baal.

Even the god of this world–was created by the God of heaven–and the only power he has over anything is the evil that lurks in the hearts of men–those thoughts that people have and will not control–when the enemy speaks to their hearts, he influences what they do. This is the reason for all the senseless violence in the world today–the god of this world and his ability to influence the evil that already resides in man.

And to perpetuate the nonsense–we have people creating images that represent evil–worshipping those images that have no power to do anything but lie dormant–unless the hands of a mortal moves them.

Are we worshipping idols, yet today? Are we creating or using images made by the hands of man and giving the images more authority in our lives than the Living God?

Do we not understand that the God we serve–cannot be manipulated, moved, carted or sent anywhere for any reason because He is omnipresent–everywhere at the same time whether people believe Him or not?

Do we not understand that the God we serve–does not need us–we need Him? He created us–we did not create Him as some attempt to persuade. He is not a figment of our imaginations and His Word–though written by men, inspired by Him, is just as true today as it was hundreds of years ago.

The God of Heaven is yet speaking to people who are willing to hear and obey, but the problem is that many do not hear Him when He speaks because they have not read His Word–to even know His voice. If we don’t know what He has said, we won’t know what He is saying–because He never changes.

So now, think about it! True worship of God is done in the Spirit and those without the Spirit of God guiding them cannot worship God in the beauty of holiness. We don’t need images, or symbols, or anything else man-made to worship God or to communicate with Him. After all, when did any of those things–create who He is?  Is the God You Serve an Idol or the Living God who desires nothing more from us, than the praise of our lips–giving adoration and obeying His Word?

No Power But Holy Spirit!

“Tell us, you idols, what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable.” (Isaiah 41:22-24 NIV)

Symbols, images, statues–all carved from wood or crystals or stones–which of them has the power to do anything on their own–without the manipulation of hands attached to man/woman/child? Do they speak to remind of the past? Do they foretell the future? Do they heal the sick? Do they move mountains or other obstacles?

Since neither stone, wood, or crystals have no power of their own, why do we give them credit for having any? What makes us fear images created by the hands of man in paints or sculptures? Whatever is made or contrived by manipulation “any substance” is powerless and those who think they have any power have been deceived. Things can not do anything without the help of hands attached to a person. Even with mass production, someone has to control the machinery, turn on the power or at least set the controls so the power is turned on or off.

With all of the stupidity–totally foolish machinations being erected by those who are only interested in mocking God and stirring strife within the minds of people–why are we in such an uproar? What power does a satanic temple have over those who know God and are empowered by Holy Spirit? Do we really need to fear wood, stones, or paint, or crystals? There is no power in those things, but there resides in the heart of every Believer–the power of Holy Spirit to combat the works of evil. Instead of sounding alarms of fear, it’s time to place our faith on the altar of the One who can and will do all things well because of His love for us.

Very simply put–we ignore stupidity and pray for repentance for those who act out of ignorance--and we know they are ignorant or they would not involve themselves in such foolishness. We ignore the media reports and not give them any place in our hearts or thoughts. If we truly believe that God is yet in control–we have nothing to fear from the enemy, but they have everything to fear from the wrath of an angry God–who created all things.

Don’t allow the symbols or symbolism to ignite fear or trepidation into your hearts! Remember how God used symbols and symbolism as a means to warn people who were guilty of sin. The snake–the cursed reptile who used to stand upright, now crawls on his belly on the ground–prey to all mankind who fear him. The horns attached to a head–which keep the one to whom they are attached from thinking clearly or they would know the horns torn from another animal gives them no power and puts them on the same level as the animal from which they took the horns. Red–though meant to instill fear–should ignite gratitude in the heart of the Believer since it is a reminder of the blood shed on the cross for us. Shapes and images are merely marks made by those who are bored and have nothing better to do–than to be used by the enemy as a trick to create fearfulness. NONE OF THESE THINGS HAVE ANY POWER OF THEMSELVES!

However, in the spirit realm–there are two reigning spirits–Satan–the prince of the air and god of this world–who influences weak minds of those who rebel against God and Holy Spirit–the living spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ–who resides in us and keeps us focused on doing what is right–abhorring evil, and turning away from it.

I don’t know about you, but I have the mind of Christ, desire only to please God, and know that Holy Spirit reminds me of those things that occurred in the past that I might learn from them and reveals future events that I might prepare for them. What do the stones, wood, crystals and paint do? Absolutely nothing!