Following religion instead of God

 The Holy Bible warns about phony religions, fake prophets, and false gods popping up and leading Christians away from the truth.  Too often and in too many places, it has been considered politically or socially correct to allow these counterfeit religions (who offer only dead prophets, bogus idols, and false teachings from the devil/satan) to speak freely and loudly.  This comes from an evil place to try  to convert people to a religion founded on lies or hate.  Let it be clear that any religion that teaches sacrificing babies, raping women and children, burning property, or killing anyone who disagrees with their hateful message is not from God. God is love, but  we are also warned He is jealous and can become angry with nations when His people are deceived into pulling away from Him.  Only satan/devil and his demons/minions push hate, lawlessness, violence, evil, and phony religions.  Satan wishes to trap many people in Hell.  Whereas, God does not want people to go there.

But there were also false prophets among the people, 

just as there will be false teachers among you. 

They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, 

even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them

bringing swift destruction on themselves.

- 2 Peter 2:1 (NIV)

The truth is there is one loving God which is our Father in Heaven.  He gave His son Jesus Christ to die and absolve those that believe from sin.  God did this to provide a path to Heaven for any of mankind who whould believe and faithfully follow.  He also sent the Holy Spirit after Christ to lead and guide faithful believers to more closely know Him, feel His love for them, and show them His will.   Jesus emphasized God's love when He pointed out that God should be first in Christians' life per the Ten Commandments, then love and respect for other people and follow related laws was the way  to show they are part of that loveing God's plan.  Jesus, the prophets from the Bible, and the apostles warn Christians that false gods, fake prophets and phony religions will come to try to lead them away to following false gods.  Do not let that happen by staying faithful in prayer, reading the Bible, and attending a church that teaches the full gospel truth of the Bible.

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. 

Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

- Deuteronomy 13:4 (NIV)

Our God Will We Serve and Obey

It is time for Christians to renew their covenant with God to worship Him only and follow His laws.  No idols of money, flesh, or other earthly things.  Serving God by doing His will, studying His word, looking heavenward, and helping His church to succeed.  Hear His voice by reading the Bible, praying, and waiting expectantly for His direction.  For those who remain: loyal to God, reverence Him, follow His commandments, trust in God, praise and worship Him, thank God for His blessings, and truly love Him  -- He will be loyal to them  

"And the people said ... The Lord our God will we serve,

and his voice will we obey." - Joshua 24:24 (KJV) 

Remember God is loving and forgiving, but He expects to be number one in your life.  Do not forsake God to follow after people or seek for things.  God expects you to learn and share His word through from the Holy Bible.  Do not try to fool God by rituals or religious practice over service to Him, He knows your true heart.  To be sure you stay in His service, always check any thing others say to you  ot that you are feeling against what God teaches in the Bible.  If you need clarification, pray for it - even if you have to do so more than once to hear from God.

 

You Shall Have No Other Gods, Love the Lord Your God

The ten commandments, also known as God's laws, are found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.  Some say these commandments no longer apply as they are Old Testament, which contained the old Jewish law that Jesus Christ of the New Testament set us free from.  Actually, Christ's sacrifice does not cancel God's commandments.  They are NOT irrelevant because of old English text either, there are  many new translations that make them easier to understand.  God's laws are such important guidelines for man that many of our current laws are based upon the commandments.  However, Christ's sacrifice did bring you salvation from your sins.  This salvation released you from all the assorted man-created behavior-based religious regulations that promise salvation by individual acts instead of through a relationship with Jesus.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 

and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. -

 Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)

When Jesus was asked which of the commandments were the greatest, He did not say they did not matter.  Instead He summarized them into two key instructions.  The  first and most important is to love God, which is covered in first 4 commandments.  The second key is a natural result of the first, which is to love and respect others.  If you love and respect others, you will have no problem following the last 6 commandments regarding people and their property.

1. Thou (You) shalt (Shall/Will/Can) have no other gods before me.
2. Thou (You) shalt (Shall/Will/Can) not make unto thee any graven image (Idols)
3. Thou (You) shalt (Shall/Will/Can) not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Are you following the most important commandment?  Do you unknowingly have other Gods or idols in your life?  Do you spend more time watching and listening to  celebrities (athletes, entertainers, politicians) than you do communing with God?  Do you seek materials things (automobile, clothes, equipment, hobbies, jewelry, money, technology) instead of learning about Jesus by studying your Bible?  Do you spend more time on your professional growth (bonuses, career, overtime. promotions, etc.) and personal health (cosmetics, gym, diet, exercise) than you do in Church, Gods' service, and devotional time?  These things are not bad, afterall God wants to bless you.  They only become your idols if you put them before God.  Make sure God is always first in your life!

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Modern Technology and God

As a Christian, you know you are not supposed to worship idols; you are only supposed to worship God.  So you do not bow down to statues made of stone or wood.  But are there other false idols you maybe worshiping without realizing it?  As an example or idolization without awareness, let us take a look at technology.

Smart mobile phones are so much a part of modern life that they are taken for granted or thought extremely necessary.  How many hours do you spend on your phone each day?  How many minutes an hours are you talking to someone nearby, texting instead of talking, or updating social media?  Do you spend hours playing games or watching videos on your small screen?  Must you look up every new term you hear, check for the latest gossip, or find the fastest route via your phone's handy apps or internet connection?  Are you one of those individuals who look at your phone more than the faces of people?  Are you idolizing your phone?  Do you spend as much time with God, reading your Bible God, or sharing your faith as you do on your phone?  If you answer the last question NO, then perhaps you are treating you phone as a modern idol.

"Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: 

I am the LORD your God." - Leviticus 19:4 (KJV)

Wait, using a Bible app on your phone during church should count as God points verses idol points, right?  What about getting daily devotionals and scriptures to your phone via email or text?  Maybe.  It depends, are you following the sermon notes or doing your own thing?  Are you attempting to memorize any of those daily scriptures?  Are you searching for help to answer a fellow Christian's question or for your own edification?  Is any of it helping to grow your relationship with God? Again, check your purpose and time spent.  Is the time on the phone for God and does that study time outweigh the the "entertainment" time?  If no, then most likely the phone is your priority, not God.

Speaking of points, does other "entertainment" technology take more of you time than attending Church, studying your Bible, praying and building a relationship with God?  Entertainment technologies may include i-pod, i-pad, computer, gaming consoles, handheld games, IVA/IPA (voice-controlled intelligent personal or virtual assistant", social networks, television, and etc.   How many hours do you spend on entertainment devices each day? Are your always aiming to get more points, badges, and follows than spending time with God?  Has your entertaining device  become an idol for you?   

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, 

nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God," - Exodus 20:3&5 (KJV)

Wait just a minute!  You use YouVersion, BibleGateway, and other Bible-based search sites and Christian blogs on your computer or i-pad.  You order religious books, t-shirts, and more from Amazon and assorted Christian outlets.  You watch Christian sermons, panels, and music programs on your TV and listen to them on your ipod.  You ask Alexa or Echo to look-up scripture verses.  You post Bible scriptures, religious memes, and Christian videos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, plus other social media sites.  Should not those count as God points instead of idol points too?  Maybe.  Again, it should depend on how often you use them in your study of God's Word, building a relationship with God, and sharing your faith with others.  Therefore, check your purpose and your time spent being entertained verses personal edification.   If the device is used more for entertainment time than edification, then most likely the devices are your priority over God.

Plug into God first!  God wants you to put him first in your life.  Your spouse, family, and church come after God.  A relationship with God should be foremost and fellowship with others next.  Fun and other things may come after that, as long as those things do not interfere with you growing in God's will.

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