HOW TO AVOID IDOLATRY

Today people rarely commit idolatry by worshipping before some statue. Idolatry is serving the seen.

We must deny ourselves. Denying ourselves means denying what you want to do to do What God wants to do.

All desires (lusts) aren’t good desires. Some of these desires/lusts are hurtful and even destructive ().

Hard times are coming and we need a bank account in heaven that will carry us through these hard times ().

America is the only country where you can accept Jesus Christ without having to give up anything. In other countries people are giving us many things in order to accept Christianity. It’s very dangerous to bring the gospel to some of these places. Many Christians are like Balaam, they are being bribed to please themselves (). Many false doctrines are readily accepted among many American Christians because we are, by and large, a country which prides ourself in being able to please ourselves.

Ask God, “Is there anything in my life that is keeping me from doing your will, or that is more important in my life than obeying your commandments and doing your will, take it away from me.” If anything is more important than servicing God or finding time to serve God, then you are an idolater.

Vain glory of life. We have a desire to be seen by others as successful. What is success? Success should be building the kingdom and seeking after righteousness and not the vain glory of life (obtaining things). It’s the vanity of life (success) that drives us to do things and be in bondage to things that have nothing to do with the kingdom ().

What is true prosperity or success in the kingdom ()? The “good things” of the kingdom is clearly not physical because the rich do not have any access to them (). In this passage, the rich man was not rich towards God. You can be rich in the things of the world but poor in the things of God. Which “things” do we want in abundance? Some of us feel that we are at a disadvantage, but the poor is given to be rich in faith. Which is better, faith or wealth? If you had a choice between being rich in faith or being wealthy, which would you choose? I think we would all admit that Jesus was rich in faith. However, the bible tells us that he was by and laarge poor. By His own admission He had no place to lay His head.

It’s very possible that God is offering some of us “true” riches, but we are rejecting them because we want vain riches.

Do you suppose that the same temptation the Devil tempted Jesus with (the kingdoms of this earth) he is still tempting men with today? Do you suppose that the Devil is still offering to give us things in this world in exchange for our worship? It’s obvious to the Devil that being in possession of “things” makes it difficult to serve God, or else he would not have offered it to Jesus.

We are impressed by the “glory” of this world, but the Bible calls it vain!