Category: GraceHead counseling

05/31/09

Permalink 10:39:31 am, Categories: By Trent, GraceHead counseling, 771 words   English (US)

ANYTHING but the Lord ...

Celtic designI was recently asked this question: Are Fairies part of the occult, sorcery or witchcraft? What about Celtic Crosses, Celtic jewelry & other Celtic symbols? Are these things ok to have?

Here is what I wrote in reply:

It isn't beneficial to cling to worthless idols.

Jeremiah 2:5
This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

What the Bible calls an "idol" is anything (and I mean ANYTHING) that we run to for comfort in times of trouble and calamity BESIDES the Lord. We just aren't suited to cling to things that cannot help us. Anything other then the Lord are worthless at helping us in those times. We should always take the opportunity of trouble to cast our cares upon the Lord and run to Him for rescue, and to drop anything we were holding onto that isn't the things of God.

So, we don't need to be experts on what is or what is not sorcery, occult and witchcraft to get the idea that something is not of God. It isn't hard to figure out what is God and what is not, for there is none like Him. What is hard is to radically apply the principle of idolatry to our lives.

You see, the idols that I run to in times of trouble have not been fairies or jewelry or pretty designs. The idols that I have clung to in the past are intimidation, anger, bullying, charm, deception, lying, piety, pride, elitism, complaining, grumbling, unbelief, distrust, exclusiveness, insincerity, lust, and so-on. Some people go to recreational drugs, or other people to deep into self-righteousness and image building as a way to "keep up appearance" in times of trouble. Did you know that there are many people whose idols are higher education, and seminary training? Those things are inherently bad, but when you run to those things INSTEAD of God in times of trouble then you are on shaky ground ... even if you run to the Bible, or church.

There is a funny story in the Gospels of Jesus going on an mountain with a few close disciples. And on the mountain the disciples witnessed a marvelous event, where Jesus was found talking with Moses and Elijah. (Matthew 17 and Mark 9 and Luke 9.) Peter was there, and he was very impressed. The reason is because the Bible of their time was the Old Testament, and it had two parts: The Law (which was written by Moses) and the Prophets (which was written by God's prophets like Elijah.) So, seeing Jesus with those two, seemed like a fantastic sight to Peter, and he blurted out:

Luke 9:33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

Peter wanted three tabernacles. One for Moses. One for Elijah. One for Jesus. Do you think that was a good idea? Do you think that Moses and Elijah were worthy to be treated as idols? Or is the Lord the only one worthy? Well, God did not make us wait long for the answer to these questions ...

Luke 9:35-36 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.

Now, that settles it. Jesus is alone at the mountain ... and He should also be alone in the mountain of our heart. If Moses and Elijah were not worthy to be there, then what about all those things that we run to in times of trouble and calamity? If those two don't stand up next to Him, we should not put anything else on equal standing with the Lord ... not "fairies" and not "Celtic symbols" ... but more so those other things ... gossip, slander, anger, charm, flakiness, piety, hypocrisy, and even Christian devotion. We aren't meant to serve two masters. We each need to come to the place where we quit building tabernacles and shelters on our mountain except for the Lord. And we run only to Him.

Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and [fill in the blank]

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