Idols and the Occult

Have you ever heard a friend refer to someone as their idol? We generally translate that to mean someone who is greatly admired. Your friend does not fall to the ground and actually worship the person they admire. Perhaps you are familiar with the TV series “American Idol.” The word idol is used in a figurative way. We don’t have a problem with idolatry. Right?

Idolatry was a real problem in Old Testament times. Even in the New Testament we read how the apostles had to deal with the problem. Of course, it wasn’t the Christians with a Jewish background, it was all those pagans. See for yourself; idolatry is not mentioned in the gospel accounts. It is not an issue until the gospel started going into the Gentile world. Right?

Have you ever thought about idolatry? Have you ever wondered why God was sooooo firmly set against it?

Ultimately, it is a matter of truth and trust.

In the Ten Commandments God instructed the Israelites NOT to make idols, saying specifically that they should not make images that bore the likeness “of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” Heaven is literally, heavens, plural, and refers to the two heavens above the earth: sky and space. So, God’s instruction included idols bearing the image of humans, animals, plants, inanimate objects including celestial bodies in space. Add to that anything that man creates.

Think with me… If we made an idol, what would be the purpose? Isn’t it true that the idol only represents something believed to be real? In pagan religions idols represented a god or goddess believed to have power. For example, the Egyptian god Horus was generally depicted with a human body and a head of a hawk or falcon. This image/idol represented a god believed to provide protection over the Pharaoh. In truth, this god of protection was made up. So was the image representing it. So, whenever a Pharaoh turned to this god for help, he was turning to nothing. He was searching for help apart from the one true God and Creator of the universe.

The same could be said of all the gods of all pagan religions and mythologies.

God instructed his people NOT to use divination, NOT to consult mediums or witches or sorcerers, NOT to consult those who interpret omens or cast spells or call up the dead. (These practices are referred to as the occult.) He told His people that He would speak to them through prophets (Deuteronomy 18:10-15).

In the New Testament we are told that God spoke to people in various ways in the past, but has now spoken to mankind in His Son, Jesus, who is the “exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:1-4). Listen to Him!

It is God’s intention for every Christian to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). His purpose is not so people will bow and worship the likeness, but that people will be drawn to Jesus and listen to Him.

You’ll need to decide what to do with your jewelry and key rings with crosses, doves and the sign of the fish. You’ll have to decide whether to ornament your yard or Christmas tree with images of God and Jesus. Just don’t pass these things off as mere symbols. Remember the Israelites at Mount Sinai; the golden calf was supposed to symbolize the God of Heaven! However, it was an image, forbidden then and now!

Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

—1 John 5:21

Mark Stinnett

June 25, 2023

One in 2,268,498,381

My wife and I married in 1981. According to published statistics, and assuming that the world’s population was equally divided between male and female, I passed up 2,268,498,380 other women. Granted, many were too young for me to marry, others too old, or already married. Nevertheless, I passed on millions of eligible young women. Once I made marriage vows to my wife, all other women became ineligible.

What if I had not picked the right gal?

If you look at it that way, picking the right mate for marriage is like playing the lottery, and the odds are not in your favor.

Did you know that the Bible says far more about your responsibility in marriage than about dating and choosing a mate?

Here’s the point. Whenever you choose someone to marry, you also choose to NOT marry millions of others. You choose ONE path to the exclusion of all other paths. You close the door on all other marriage partner options.

Some young people wring their hands wondering the identity of Mr. Right or Miss Right as if God has preselected one among the many millions for that ideal match made in heaven. Yet, God does not tease us by playing hide and seek with His will. Young people will do well to pray for wisdom and use biblical guidance with common sense when choosing a mate. After choosing, there are responsibilities given in scripture for husbands and wives. That is God’s will! His will is for you is to honor your vows and embrace your responsibilities in marriage.

To choose one educational institution after high school is to reject hundreds of others. A career path is a big choice and to choose one career is to reject dozens of others at that time. To choose to buy one house is to reject all the other houses on the market. To choose one car is to reject all the other cars that are available.

If God wants you to choose one specific career path, how does He make His will known to you? There’s nothing concrete in Scripture. Do you expect to see the answer swirling about in a faint wisp of cirrus clouds? Do you just feel it? How do you really KNOW!?

God’s will for you is not a laser-focused choice of spouse, education, career, house, car or any other material thing that you might think about. If it is, then what is God’s will for dinner?! Rather, God’s will for you is to revere Him, choose allegiance to Jesus, walk in righteousness, and genuinely care for others. Those things are written in Scripture. So, that gives you freedom (and confidence) in choosing a mate, career path, house, car, dinner, etc.

The great men and women of faith in the Bible did not have a divinely chiseled out path to walk. Rather, they walked in faith seldom knowing the future, except that God had made promises. In addition, they did not look back and question their choices, but kept their eyes focused on God’s revealed will and His promises.

Young people often concern themselves with the many potential closed doors. Listen to this…

Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:10

That is a way of saying, “Don’t long for the good ‘ol days.” So, how much more foolish is it to long for the choices you never made?! Every choice closes some doors of opportunity. So...

Choose. Live for God. That’s His will.


Mark Stinnett

June 18, 2023

The Proud, The Lowly and The Blessed

In the course of a conversation with his boss, my friend was asked about his loyalty to our school Superintendent. My friend then asked a clarifying question, “Are you asking me if I would lie for the Superintendent?”

Regardless of how the question was asked, my friend recognized that loyalty to the established hierarchy had been elevated above morality. He looked for another job.

When you think about my friend’s conversation with his new boss, the question was not really about loyalty, but about control. The boss was trying to discover if he could control my friend.

Throughout the ages mankind has attempted to take control. Men and women have coveted positions of authority. Lacking authority many have turned to strength or the use of money.

If you don’t have authority or strength or money, beauty and charm may work. For others, intellect is a sure bet. Just think about the use of statistics. After gathering all kinds of information it is processed and analyzed and then used to predict future outcomes. Decisions are no longer based on chance or ‘gut feelings’ but statistical probabilities...and statistics don’t lie!

Mankind is interested in anything that will give him greater control over his circumstances, and that includes control over people. Those who prize control often exploit weaknesses in people, loopholes in legal code, and even popular opinion in order to manipulate others.

Solomon wrote about all this…

Pride goes before destruction, 

   and a haughty spirit before a fall.

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor 

   than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

 —Proverbs 16:18-19

The one who thinks he can take control of his life is naïve. He is full of pride.

So, is the proverb a natural truth, like gravity? Is it the case that those with a haughty spirit will fall because that is God’s design, just like gravity is God’s design? Or is it more the case that the prideful person will eventually fall as a result of divine judgment?

Both views are relevant. There are cases in which the prideful person is destroyed as a matter of how things work in this world. Yet, it is also true that ultimately God will condemn those who are full of pride regardless of their experience on earth.

Those with a lowly spirit are compared to those who “divide the spoil” (or plunder). This refers to those who overpower and take material wealth through immoral activity.

Solomon said it is better to reside with the humble. The idea is that it is better to choose righteousness and be content with poverty, than to obtain wealth immorally.

So, why would a person turn to immoral activity to obtain wealth? Isn’t it a matter of faith? Either they do not believe God can/will fill their needs or they do not think God will fill their needs to their satisfaction. Lacking faith, they pridefully take control of life’s circumstances! Yet, God opposes the proud. (James 4:6)

Finally, Solomon does not just denounce pride, he points to the way of life:

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, 

   and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. 

 —Proverbs 16:20

The Lord’s way provides real confidence in life. The blessed will walk by faith, not by sight.

Mark Stinnett

June 11, 2023

What Are Your Plans?

She shook my hand, and, almost stammering, finally said, “I really wanted to complement you on today’s sermon...I just don’t want you to get a big head.” She grew up learning the danger of pride. She was being careful to guard against putting a stumbling block in front of me by tempting me with pride.

I jokingly assured her that I would not take what she said seriously. (We laughed.)

I accept heartfelt compliments and take them seriously because I have walked in those shoes. What I mean is that I have listened to teachers and preachers who have opened God’s word to my mind in such a meaningful and exciting way that I have expressed my thanks with personal compliments.

Even so, that particular Sunday has stuck with me. The problem of pride is very real, and my older friend understood. She also understood how much more problematic pride is for youth. Lacking the breadth of knowledge and wisdom gained only with passing time, young people, especially those in their teens and twenties , but even in their thirties, can easily fall into pride.

I sometimes cringe when I hear graduating seniors speak of their immediate and future plans. They tell of all the things they will be and do. Some talk about post-graduation education, others, employment. Some talk about why they will engage in their next endeavor, a stepping stone to something greater, job security, a sizeable income, great service to others, etc.

I suppose it is not surprising that I have never heard a young person say that he/she aspires to be righteous or to be godly. The reason? That doesn’t seem to be a lofty goal in life.

Loftiness. That’s the real problem. Whenever a person lifts himself up he is in trouble. Several related words appear in the book of Proverbs: pride, arrogance, haughtiness, boasting. Each has something to do with elevating oneself. Listen to Solomon’s wisdom:

Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

—Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)

One’s pride will bring him low,

But he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. 

 —Proverbs 29:23 (ESV)

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, are sin.

—Proverbs 21:4 (ESV)

Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of your body” (Luke 11:34). That seems to be what Solomon meant, only he was specifically focused on haughty eyes. So, he called them “the lamp of the wicked.” Notice that pride and haughtiness are not merely things that are not recommended or unwise, they are sin.

Do you want to talk about your plans? Great!

Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring. 

 —Proverbs 27:1

Talk about your plans. Just remember, you do not know if you will wake up tomorrow. Humbly tell people, “This is what I am planning to do.” Do not boast in the uncertainty of tomorrow.

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, 

but a fool is reckless and careless. 

 —Proverbs 14:16

Turn away from boastful words. It is a fool who is reckless and careless in what he says. Do not sin by prideful boasting.

Mark Stinnett

June 4, 2023