Uganda IBS 13 - Do we have Idols?

1 Kings 18:38
"Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again."
In the book of 1 Kings, Elijah the prophet of God stands against the prophets of Baal, an Idol. In this section Israel has put an Idol before the one true God. God uses Elijah to bring the hearts of His people back unto Him. Before I get to the big lesson of this scripture, which is Idols. I want to point out first another important message in the scripture. Elijah stood alone before the people of Israel and the 450 prophets of Baal. They all made him out to be a bad person and a trouble maker in the land. The world will always be against God's  people, the world makes good look bad and bad look good. Still we must follow Elijahs example. and not give in to the majority's opinion and stand for what we know is right.
Israel chose to follow an Idol therefore sinning against God. Elijah proves to them that there is only one true God in a sort of contest with the prophets of Baal. Obviously Baal never answers the false prophets because Baal is a wooden statue. The one true God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob does answer to His servant Elijah. With quite the show, I'll just say with a bunch of fire that literally licked up Elijah's entire water soaked sacrifice. Our God is amazing and nothing is impossible for Him. Elijah knew this and had steadfast faith in His God. The point is, that just like Gods chosen people, Israel. We too can become distracted by false Idols and false prophets. Though they may not always be wooden statues or a group of people singing hocus pocus. It could be something that we see or use everyday like money. Or even people you consider your friends thinking "oh they just have different philosophical idea's". But this isn't philosophy or money brings happiness type deal. This is real life and that thing or those people, expose the delicate pure minds of Christians to poisonous toxins that will kill them. So we must consider our everyday habits. Are they compromising God's statutes? Have we discernment with the people we allow ourselves to listen to? Our their ideas stumbling our faith? Let's guard what is entrusted to us by allowing God to be our shield. In applying this message I will keep from playing any secular music for the rest of the day.

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