MAN-MADE GODS ARE A DISASTER - PART 1
SATURDAY 16 JULY 2022
Man-made gods are idols made by the hands of men. Sometimes they are crafted either from wood and stones or from silver and gold embellished with silver or golden embroidery or ornamentation in order to enhance their appearance, but they have no life in them. Unfortunately, trusting in idols and worshipping them are very offensive to almighty God because it's a satanic act or practice that opposes and functions wickedly against His will, based on the fact that people who engage in such worship hold false belief in the deceptive appearance or impression of their idols. So practising idolatry is all about entertaining a misled perception of a spiritual experience embedded in the realm of negative supernatural.

Reference: Acts 19:26 New International Version (NIV) "And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all."
Paul tirelessly preached the Word of God as he entered the synagogue. He spoke boldly there for three months, leading many to Christ as he persuasively shared about the kingdom of God with them. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the way. So Paul left them and took the disciples with him to where he had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, and for this reason, all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
God so honoured Paul with extraordinary miracles, that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. But while in Ephesus, Paul persuaded many to turn away from idol worship. However, a great disturbance or uproar arose because a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. So he called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: "You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty" (Acts 19:23-27 NIV).
By understanding the above Scripture, we can tell that Demetrius, the silversmith, was a creative professional and designer of silver shrines in the field of idol art and designs. Now what motivated his rioting wasn't the fact that idol worship was God-pleasing but because of his anticipated danger that his trade and profession would lose its good name and popularity. So he called his colleagues together, along with the workers in related trades, to instigate riot in Ephesus and cause an uproar in the whole city, as a way of deterring Pauline's mission of spreading the glorious gospel. But beloved be warned because God Himself says, "All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame" (Isaiah 44:9-11 NIV).
The principle of serving God in spirit and in truth is priceless. For instance, dwelling in God's Word and meditating on it daily will feed your spirit, mind and body with high quality nourishment and position you to experience God for real through miraculous encounters that are not man-made. I know this is obvious to most people and even to many Christians who profess the name of the Lord - yet stubbornly, most people, including some Christians are still stuck in the practice of idol worship behind the scenes.
Unquestionably, serving God faithfully is a highway that demands your real endurance in faith, as well as thorough, confident trust in Him. If you want to stay on the high performance of Christ's finished work, you must shun all manner of idol worship and make up your mind to run your life on high-octane fuel of God's grace, bearing in mind that the Bible says, 'Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God [which He has laid] stands [sure and unshaken despite attacks], bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord stand apart from wickedness and withdraw from wrongdoing"' (2 Timothy 2:19 AMP). Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!
Scripture Reading - Psalm 115:4; Isaiah 41:29; Jeremiah 16:9; Habakkuk 2:18.
Guided prayer: Gracious heavenly Father, I am called by your name and set apart for your glory, because I've been made your righteousness in Christ, and I'm sanctified by the Spirit. Therefore I affirm that I'm far from meaningless idol worship, acknowledging that serving you in spirit and truth is immensely conducive to my spiritual advancement and all-round prosperity. On purpose, my mind and spirit are yielded to the inspiration sourced from your Word, which is not only indispensably requisite to the brilliance of my inward being, but also prominently beneficial to my Christian faith, as the Word practitioner. Thank you for the spiritual understanding and upbringing I derive from serving you faithfully, as I grow in grace by enjoying your communion daily, with absorbed attention, in Jesus' Name, Amen!


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