Christian Living

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What are our Baals? What are our "little deities?" What things, ideas, thoughts, actions, emotions, dreams and desires do we allow into and harbor secretly in our hearts? And are these things in God's PERFECT Will for our lives?

I have been pondering this question since reading about Elijah and Ahab again recently. Ahab was, quite simply, wishy-washy. He was, as Adrian Rogers would say, a "mini man." He allowed Jezebel to set the spiritual tone for the nation. He allowed her to rule by defaulting his own God-given lordship to appease her pagan beliefs. Ahab, in fact, "did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him."(1 Kings 16:33)

A little known fact about Ahab is that he actually worshipped God!!! All the names of his children signified praise of God. His marriage to Jezebel caused spiritual chaos to the nation because he also worshipped his wife's god, Baal. And... we all know that, "No one can serve two masters." (Mat. 6:24). Ahab lost himself totally when he set up an altar in a temple he built for Baal. His concerns were petty and harmful to his people. By building temples to idols in order to pacify Jezebel, Ahab led the whole nation into sin!

When we think of Baals or idols, we probably think of little, hand-carved, wooden objects in the form of animals or people. There are other Baals that God wants us to examine. God wants us to be aware of the Baals that we don't recognize as false; like popular ideals and moralism, liberal ideas or some of the political stances of the times. They seem harmless on the surface---just politically correct and humanistic language. The worst "sin" today is NOT having an open mind!Right?

Scrape away the very thin veneer of those ideas and we will NOT find God or His Word, but a slimy, sly enemy grinning from ear to ear. He thinks that he has won by cleverly tricking even the most intellectual among us into believing his lies. And what is probably the most fun for him is the couching of those lies in political correctness and humanitarianistic endeavors (without God at the center, of course). We "do good" because it's the politically correct thing to do, or worse, because we will be recognized for it, not because Jesus said, "This is my command: Love each other." (Jn.15:17)

On the other hand, there is a new breed of musicians spewing out a virulant strain of pus-infested death music, with accompanying videos. Our eyes and ears are actually assaulted with first amendment rights lyrics and videos that frankly, would frighten anyone who is not already numbed by the television black hole. Many young people have told me, that, for example, Emminem's music, especially with all of his controversy, is representative of real life today. They believe that it is "JUST music" and that it has no real significance in THEIR lives, (but they seem to know every single sickening or pornographic gesture or word). What they fail to see and maybe even hear is that the enemy is promoting HIS X-rated brand of music in a message of hate, despair, hopelessness and chaos. Marshall Mathers is just his most recent willing vessel.

Since our "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17), it is imperative that what we allow into our heads and hearts, via our ears or eyes, is what God would approve of. When we continually allow negative input to penetrate the heart, it becomes part of who we are. These ideas are simply propaganda couched in a familiar and comfortable language which finally becomes our own---who we are.

Here is an example: I was discussing 50 Cent (an urban, African American, hip-hop celebrity), with a young white male from the North Country a few weeks ago. I asked the young man how his life related to the anger and hatred and raw sexuality that this singer exhibits. The young man answered that at first he didn't get what "Fitty Cent" was talking about at all. After listening to it repeatedly he began to "feel his pain!!" This singer was shot several times--did he mean THAT pain????!! This young man now feels that he understands urban angst and bitterness while he lives in a remote mountain country-side village!

Please do NOT misunderstand. I am most certainly NOT promoting division of the different races. I actually believe that we should be united in Christ! I AM saying that this young man now believes that the anger of oppression and racial tension and hatred and prejudice is a part of who HE is! He has allowed that message into his heart (and now he has some serious repercussions of his consequential acting-out-in-school behaviors).

I always tell my own son "Garbage in, Garbage out!" And...ain't that the TRUTH! What we allow in, most certainly will, at some point in time, seep or come rushing out.

What does this have to do with Baals? Everything! What is part of us is what we value and often worship. What we allow to penetrate the heart that God has given us, WILL eventually rule us. So...it is VERY important to examine what we value above all else. Is it God and His Word or does the enemy have his sticky little hooves all over our unprotected hearts??? Will we allow the enemy in to set up his little deity shop or will we protect ourselves with the armor that God has provided for us?

One of my favorite Proverbs is Proverbs 4:23. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

AMEN and AMEN!



c4/19/2006 M. LaPointe

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