Idolatry and America (the "American Idol" and Deception)

Idolatry and America

America has come a long way from the America that existed just 80 years ago. In the late ‘40s, the seeds of America’s demise were already sown, but society as a whole was more morally upright than the America of today. Our culture has changed drastically from its Christian beginnings.

(Photo: "American Idol". Source.)

Idolatry in the form of entertainment, money, hobbies, etc. have always existed, but today idolatry has been glorified and treated as if it’s a worthy cause. American Idol, a popular TV show, was named in honor of America’s idolatrous nature. Advertisements promote movies and widgets in order to “get-rich-quick”; or “party with your friends”; or “make yourself happy through having more stuff”; or “entertain yourself with this high definition TV.”

The Elite (or the Illuminati) and their master (the Devil) have sought to entrap people into a world of entertainment, distractions, and diversions. Satan hates God and does not want people putting God first. If Satan can keep us happy watching TV, spending too much time on hobbies, or caught up into entertainment (including sports), then he can keep us from seeking and getting to know the God that created us.

DECEPTION IS A TOOL

(Photo: an '80s vintage Buick. Source.)

Deception is a powerful tool in the Devil’s arsenal. Deception is so powerful because it blends enough lies in with the truth to make a stronger lie. We will give a little scenario for you. If a used car salesman were to tell you that an old grey Buick in his lot was in top condition because it was only driven by an old lady who seldom drove, you would likely be skeptical. 

But, if the salesman presented you with a brand-new-looking car (a shiny Corvette) and said it was practically brand new and had only been driven briefly before being sold, you’d probably be more inclined to buy it than the first car. Say you bought it and found that the Corvette had major mechanical problems that would cost tons of money to repair. You do calculations and realize it would be cheaper to buy the same model of Corvette, brand new, from a Chevrolet dealership. The used car salesman was clearly lying to you but you went for it because the car looked so nice and had a lower price tag than a brand-new Corvette would have.

(Photo: A 2015 Z06 Corvette. Source.)

Deception works like that in other forms. A lie is packed among a bundle of truth in order to make it attractive. The lie that a person can do his (or her) own will and live according to his (or her) own pleasure, with God’s blessing on him (/ her), comes from a misunderstanding of who God is.

Prosperity teachers have said that God just wants us to be blessed with wealth and good health and to enjoy having a “good life.” This flies in the face of what Jesus Christ taught his followers throughout the Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). For instance, Jesus said…

Luke 14:33: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

For more clarity, Jesus Christ said in Mark 8…

Mark 8:34-38 

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Proverbs also speaks about this. Listen to Proverbs 30…

Proverbs 30:8-9 

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

(Photo: Decaying Money. Source.)

Notice verse 9 which says, “Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord?...”? If we have too much and we look to that wealth for happiness, we are then serving a false god. By serving a false god (mammon or money) we would be denying God.

Neither Jesus nor His disciples were wealthy. When they got money, they distributed it to the poor. Money is not something that can make us happy. Only God Himself can fulfill our needs when we look to Him in a personal relationship.

Jesus Christ also told his disciples and everyone listening…

Luke 16:13-15 

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

FALSE WORKS AND FALSE GRACE

The mega churches and copycat churches (that are much smaller) will often preach two types of messages: (A) “God will give you grace, so it’s okay to sin” (or a message that results in that same effect) or (B) “God expects you to work your way to Heaven” (or a message that makes you feel you have to earn God’s love). Both of these are false and contain many deceptions.

False grace (or hyper-grace) (A) makes church-goers feel comfortable with sin and that repenting from sin is “not necessary.” This is a very diabolical lie that comes right from Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44).

False grace is not true grace. God does not put a stamp of approval on sin. That is why He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross. Jesus suffered in agony and died for our sin (and rose from the grave) so that we could enter Heaven. Jesus did not suffer in agony and die so that we can live in a state summed up by: “I can live my life how I want.”

Ezekiel 33:13 

13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Mark 9:47-48

47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

[There are many other scriptures that show God does not want us to sin and do our own will. See Galatians 6:7-8, Romans 6:23, Romans 6:16, Romans 6:12, Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 5, Hebrews 3, Hebrews 10, Isaiah 59:2, Proverbs 28:13-14, etc.]

(Read Luke 16:13-15.)

On the other hand, false works (B) is a false teaching that one has to earn one’s salvation or keep it by doing a system of good works. These lies pertaining to working to salvation are found in all false religions. Buddhists and Muslims believe that they have to work their way to heaven. They hope their good works will outweigh their bad. Satan wants to keep Christians in bondage to false works (working to escape from Hell) or false grace (sinning and enjoying sin).

God has sent His precious Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can have eternal life and salvation through Jesus and have our sins cleansed away completely by His blood. God’s word teaches us…

Ephesians 2:8-9 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Galatians 3 and the rest of the book of Galatians tells us that: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” (see Galatians 3:11). We are not saved by works. We are saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ and not by anything we can do (see Titus 3:5-7).

False teachers are not coming in the future: they are here today and have been here for some time. Watch out…they look good on the outside, but…

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Jesus spoke of them to his followers…

Matthew 23:27: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”

The teachers of many churches (including some small “conservative” churches) are teaching things that please the ears, but they are not teaching the truth that is needed to be heard (they are not feeding the sheep what they need) (see Ezekiel 34). The false teachers want to please those who want “smooth things”…

Isaiah 30:10-11 

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 

11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

(Photo: the T.V. Is this the best thing
 to do with our time? Source.)

They want the truth about God to cease and they want deceits or deceptions instead because they sound more appealing to the ears. This is the deception that is making the way for the Antichrist (or beast).

The sin of idolatry is very powerful. If people serve idols they cannot serve God. We must decide who we will serve, whether we will serve Jesus Christ or ourselves. We cannot serve both.

Luke 16:13: "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

I encourage you to seek God with all of your heart, repent from sin, and make Him truly your Lord and God and Savior. "...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (see Joshua 24:15).

Would you like to find out how to Know God's Name Personally?

IF YOU ARE SEEKING TO KNOW GOD, please read this message.

1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

God loves us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and shed His precious blood to pay for all of these sins. (See John 3:16; and 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; and Romans 5:8-11.)

If you repent (turn away) from your sins (Acts 3:19), and believe and confess aloud that Christ has done this for you (Romans 10:9-10), and have made Him your Lord and Savior (again Romans 10:9-10) you are saved.

Now seek God with all your heart. Seek to know Him and you will (Jeremiah 29:13).

John 17:3: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

Jeremiah 29:13: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”