FLEE IDOLATRY

By Lahry Sibley
1 Cor 10:14Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away
from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or
venerating anything more than God).
To me, that covers the whole spectrum of ungodliness, immorality,
debauchery and unrighteousness. Run from every form of idolatry. RUN
FROM IT!!! Do you sense the danger in idolatry like I do? The Bible is
explicitly clear from cover to cover, GOD HATES IDOLATRY!!!

Idolatry is the loving or venerating anything more than God. So how do you
know if you have an idol(s) in your heart? Paul said “Examine yourselves”.
We take a look at the heart, an honest look. You know, we turn off the ipod,
the tv, the radio, and every other distraction, and in the silence and quiet we
examine ourselves. We compare how we live, to what the Bible teaches.

Here’s a really good indicator. We all have our responsibilities for

maintaining the physical life. We have jobs and chores and errands and all
kinds of things that must be done. Aside from that, in your “free time”, what
do you do? How do you spend that time? We are stewards of the time we
have and we WILL GIVE ACCOUNT to God for how we spend our time,
especially our “down time”. Do you know that we manage to find time for
what we really want to do, and we will isolate all other priorities to make
time for what we really want to do? Who or what do you spend that time
with?

If a person spends 20 minutes per/wk watching TV, would you say that
person worships TV. Would you say they had an idolatrous relationship with
TV? Nah. I wouldn’t either. If a person spends 20 minutes per/wk with God,
would you say that person worships God? Well?

Romans 12:9 [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is
evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but
hold fast to that which is good.
Is your love for God sincere? Or is it just a “form”, a superficial pretense?
Turn in horror, avoid by flight all idolatry and ungodliness. Run for your life!
Flee from all forms of wickedness, unrighteousness, ungodliness, immorality
and idolatry. RUN!!!! Live your life in such a way that others have nothing to
find even suspicion of unrighteousness in your life.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto
death.

For all unrighteousness is SIN!!! To know to do good and not do it is sin. And
every individual has a personal responsibility to guard their vessel, to live
separate in this world. Separate from what? All idolatry, ungodliness, and
unrighteousness. The blood of Jesus cleanses us. But we MUST make choices
to avoid persons, places, and things that would stain our clean heart. Read
Psalm 1 and you will have little doubt about what to do.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but
he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one
toucheth him not.

How is it, pray tell, how is it possible for a person to claim they are born
again and yet admittedly continue in sin? The Apostle says that those who
are truly born again of God SIN NOT! What’s wrong with this picture? Can
you see the inconsistency? Both opinions cannot be right since they oppose
one another. I’ll take the Word of God for eternal life, please. Will you?

Do you love God? Do you really love God? Here’s the Biblical test….

John 14: 15If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My
commands.
There it is. Crystal clear, plain as day. “Well, brother Lahry, I keep the
commandments and I do all the things you’ve been writing about here”. Do
you now?

Well, here’s another acid test for you. In order to obey the commandments,
are we not required to keep all 10 and if we break one, it’s the same as
breaking them all? Of course this is true. I’m speaking to those who say they
are born again now, children of God……do you keep the 7 th day holy and rest
on that day? Now please don’t come back at me with all your rhetorical
arguments. I’ve heard them all. Just answer the question. Do you keep the
Sabbath on the 7th day each week as commanded by God. Yes or no, please.
And there’s your proof. If you answered yes, then that tells YOU that you
truly strive to keep God’s commandments expressing your unquestionable
love for Him in your obedience to all of His commandments, even the one
that His Word stresses and reminds us to “remember”. If you say you are a
Christian and yet you say no to the 4th commandment, you are simply a liar.
You say you love God, but reject His gift to you and your family. Worse yet,
your testimony to the unchurched people is that “Christians do not have to
obey God” unless it fits “your” lifestyle. That is your testimony. You will give
account to God for living this way. Have you ever thought about that before?

You are deceived. Oh I know that just cringes your pride. So what? You just
as well take a “Sharpie” and start marking out verses, phrases, paragraphs,
pages, chapters, and books of the Bible that you do not agree with. Because
that is what you are doing in your heart.

Your false sense of security is like trying to cross a lake in a boat made out
of window screen. It may take you to that eternal shore, but there you will
sink and perish. WAKE UP!!!! God is not mocked!!!

How dare you attempt to design God to fit your own image instead of
submitting to the Cross for DEATH to self and letting God mold you into the
image of Christ? Is Christ a sinner? It shall never be. So how is it you claim
to be “Christ like”, ie, a Christian, and yet your lifestyle does not mirror His
lifestyle in the least way? What’s wrong with this picture?

I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You’ve been lied too. The lie was so good that it
looked and sounded like truth. And so you believe it as truth. Maybe you are
getting “older” like me, and you’ve “believed this way all your life”. So what?
Pick up your Bible beloved, and read it prayerfully. Beg the Holy Spirit to
reveal it’s truth to you. Not a “word”. Not a phrase. Not a scripture verse,
but the whole counsel of God. Read it, every chance you get. Flood your soul
with truth and light. Wash your mind in the riches of His Word.

REPENT!!!! Or PERISH!!!! - Lahry