My sister-in-law, Laurie, says she doesn't think there is anything pretty or cute about our dog and I tend to agree. But Liney does think she looks cute.
Anyways, Roxy seemed to get all jealous when I simply started to pet our neighbor's beagle that the lady in the white shoes (above) picked up at the animal rescue center. You know how it started out ...tails wagging, tongues flapping in the wind, then a lip is curling, teeth are showing, the growls begin, then biting is going on in the air as they try fangs into fur. Of course we pulled Roxy back in time so no doggie got its feelings hurt and our neighbor is fortunately still our friend today. But did you know that God is a jealous God? Yup!
It reminds me of a time not too long ago, seeing that woman in Oprah's audience ask her one day, "What about Jesus?" and Oprah insisted that Jesus "can't possibly be the only way" With her panel, Betty Eadie, Sophy Burnham and Dannion Brinkley, Oprah said that, "One of the biggest mistakes humans make is to believe that there is only one way. Actually, there are many diverse paths leading to what you call God." Yet, the Bible plainly refutes Oprah, teaching us clearly that there's ONLY one Way to salvation and eternal life together with God in heaven and it's through God's sinless Son, the Person of Jesus Christ. But Oprah went on to tell the whole world how she had been raised Baptist and heard that God was a jealous God, and she said to herself "Oh come on, get over it." She told us that one of the most important books she's ever read was by Eric Butterworht (a New Age Unity leader) titled: Discover the Power Within You and in it the author clearly said, "Jesus did not come to teach us how divine He was, but to teach that divinity was within us." How false! Hey, let's wake up to the danger!
Guru Oprah fails to understand the truth and how God's jealousy is unselfishly protective and totally unlike man's inverted kind of jealousy. No, God is never jealous due to His own narcissism, or some pathetic lust or control desire. He is free from that junk. He never gets possessive like we do, or jealous like my dog Roxy might appear to get when I simply pet another dog, or like a human would. He isn't ever manipulative or small-minded. He is big-hearted and jealous when we hurt ourselves through idolatry—He wants what is best for each one of us instead and hates to see us get ripped off through bad choices. He knows that we each can find our fulfillment and highest good in worshipping Him alone. May I ask you: What is your master passion? What do you love the most? Who or what do you worship?
Idols; Got One, Some or None?
My beloved, flee from idolatry. —1 Corinthians 10:14
You were designed to worship the Lord alone—no one else.
Sideways-worship used to be pretty easy to recognize back in the day. In fact paying homage to idols like Molech, Ashteroth, and the Baals used to be vogue too. If you were living out on that windswept sandy terrain of Israel's wilderness during Old Testament times, you would be able to detect the worship of idols in a heartbeat—you know, all that spinning, hopping and dancing around like crazy people used to do before solid statutes of fury creatures and stuff. At least that's how it played-out in front the golden bovine and a ticked off Charlton Heston in that Cecil B. De Mille's flick about Moses and God's Top Ten List.
My dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. —Paul, 1 Corinthians 10:14
Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord— or have we become slaves to them? H.W. Robinson
You shall have no other gods before Me. —Exodus 20:3
On Oprah Winfry’s show, 55% of the women she surveyed said they would commit adultery for one million dollars.
Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord— or have we become slaves to them? H.W. Robinson
You shall have no other gods before Me. —Exodus 20:3
On Oprah Winfry’s show, 55% of the women she surveyed said they would commit adultery for one million dollars.
Misguided adoration is a sad thing—it's a total waste, and this kind of activity stinks to high heaven. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, the worship of dumb idols was totally rampant and perverse in society (like it is today, only it's performed a little different). It was done out in the open too. Paul basically told them to ditch those man-made religious statues, but he didn't want to leave them with nothing left to worship. He pointed them to Christ, because when you think about it… everyone will worship something or someone, and the Lord is the only One worthy of our worship.
