• Modern Day IDOL WORSHIP • How to Have a PURE HEART • EP 785 •

Words of Encouragement, Thursday, August 7, 2025

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In ancient times, idols often were created, after manifestations of demon spirits to a person's naked eye. That's right. People would actually see the demon manifest in a dream or in front of them, and afterwards make an image of it. It wasn't always birthed purely out of the someone's fantasy or imagination:

(Deuteronomy 32:17) "They sacrificed (to idols) to demons which were not God, gods they did not know, new gods who came newly, whom your fathers did not fear."

This is also verified in the New Testament:

(1 Corinthians 10:20) "Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice (to idols) they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons."

In addition to physical idols made of wood & stone, there are today, less perceivable, and more spiritual idols that begin in our hearts, and manifest outwardly. Accepting some foreign countries where idols made of wood and stone still exist, the idols that we have today tend to be more idols of the heart and mind.

Anything a person does that is contrary to the commandment of the Lord, is an idol. If God says NOT TO DO something, and we do it anyway, that is an idol to us. We just honored the thing we wanted to do, more than we honored God. It became our god for a moment, and superseded of a Creator God. This is idolatry. Likewise, If God says TO DO something, and we refuse to do it, that is also an idol to us. We are putting that thing we don't want to do, before God. Without realizing it we are breaking the first of the Ten Commandments:

(Exodus 20:3) "Thou shall have no other gods before Me."

An idol starts inwardly in the spirit, or heart of a person, and then moves outwardly to our actions:

(Ezekiel 14:3) "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?"

Remember that Jesus declared the things that we do outwardly begin in the heart. Our thoughts. Our words. Our actions.

(Matthew 15:19) "For out of the heart proceed evil THOUGHTS, murders, ADULTERIES, fornications, thefts, false witness, BLASPHEMIES."

God also declared, or rather, ask the question:

(Psalm 24:3-5) "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place? He who has clean hands and a PURE HEART, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

So then What is purity of heart? And how do we obtain it?

(Matthew 5:8) "Blessed are the PURE in HEART, For they shall see God."

(Jeremiah 17:9) "The HEART is deceitful above all things, and DESPERATELY WICKED; Who can know it?"

(Ezekiel 36:26) "I will give you a NEW HEART and put a NEW SPIRIT within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

(Malachi 3:3) "He will sit as a refiner and a PURIFIER of silver; He will PURIFY the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness."

(1 Timothy 1:5) "Now the purpose (end) of the commandment is Love from a PURE HEART, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith."

You see it it has to be more than just good behavior. What we do outwardly is extremely important in so many ways. There will be rewards according to our deeds, that is undeniable. But doing good things does not necessarily give us a pure heart. But if we have a pure heart, one that has been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, we will become that good person.

And more importantly, as we pursue righteousness, both inwardly and outwardly, we will discover our destiny. God did not make us just to be good. He could have had robots for that. But He made us to learn to Love Him the way He Loves us. Our destiny, (or reason for being created), is to be like Him. To Love Him. And to be Loved by Him.

(Matthew 22:37-40) "You WILL Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the FIRST and GREAT COMMANDMENT. And the second is like it: You will Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Thank you for watching!

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