What kind of creature are you?

I am posting a portion of a comment that was sent to me by Jessie. You can read the complete comment on the post of January 28.
Jessie had sent me a copy of a message she sent to Ray Comfort, so she is talking to Ray here...

"We were listening to a speech of yours when you were talking about someone trying to sell their house and just weren't sure why it wasn't selling. You noticed an idol disguised as a lamp and you went back and told them about it. Once they got rid of the idol, their house sold instantly. (This job is very important as we've been married for 8 months and have no insurance whatsoever (thank the Lord nothing serious has happened)).

Well, I paused this point (we were listening to it together) and asked my husband to think about whether or not we had idols (or something else bad) in our home. Then we looked at the walls. Our room used to be our gaming room, and my boss would give me posters from work (I work at a video game store), and I would put them up on the wall to show that it was a game room. I was a horrible person for not even thinking about the content of the stuff I was putting on the wall (it was violent, demonic, and anything else horrible you could think of). Well, we took them all down, and threw them away. We're getting rid of anything we can think of that has any kind of ungodly message in it.

This was two days ago that we took it down.

I just got a call from my husband saying that he spent the morning in prayer about the job and then decided to check his voice mail. There was a call from the company (it's a huge corporation in Michigan called Dow) setting him up for his second interview on Tuesday! All he has to do is pass the interview and he will be into the company! Insurance (just $50 a month) for us will be instant, he'll get a big raise, and he'll have a 401k plan. :) The call was dated the morning after I took everything down."

I think Jessie raises a very good point that is often overlooked by many Christians today (and many who "claim" to be Christian). It has gotten me to start thinking at a deeper level about "what do I have that needs to leave?" At first glance, I see nothing that I would consider to be bad (in and of itself), but what does God see? That is the question that the Truth will expose (I think of the scene with Jack Nicholson where he says, "You can't handle the truth!") Can you or I, handle the truth that we may have something in our house, in our wallets (or purses if you are a girl) that is not honoring God? No, at first glance, I see nothing. But then God laid in on my heart that I was forgetting something. I have several huge plastic containers in my son's basement. Inside one of those containers is two framed pictures. I have had these for a very long time (does the 70's ring a bell with anyone?). I have the famous picture of Farrah Fawcett in her red swim suit. It was on posters everywhere when I was a teenager and I have that picture framed. Another picture is a famous picture that originally came out in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition back in the late 70's of Cheryl Tiegs in her white fishnet swimsuit. Of course that picture was framed too. I have not seen those pictures in a long time, but at the same time, they are not good pictures to keep. When I go over to my son's house to babysit today, those pictures are going to be thrown away! (thanks Jessie for your comments!)

Maybe you think there is nothing wrong with having those kinds of pictures in your house (I can think of at least two past commenter's on here who would probably argue that it is okay. One of them is a pastor who likes to create satanic filled comments on blogs, and the other one is a single man who also has a dark side to him), but anything that keeps us from being truly devoted followers of God can be considered an idol. Pictures like those, can and will create lust in the heart and mind of the viewer.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil 4:8

Pictures like these have no virtue in them, they are not pure, so if you have pictures on your walls or hidden away in a closet somewhere, you need to cast them aside and put them out with the trash.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor 5:17

Now we don't want to just think that all we have to do is throw away those "things" laying around the house that are idols. That is what we should do, I just want to take it one step further...

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:8

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, [even] a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise [men] shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent [men] shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Isaiah 29:13-15

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Isaiah 1:15-16

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit. Matthew 12:33

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

So while we have "things" that are bad for us, there might be a need to do a deeper search.
Within our minds and within our hearts.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 2 Corinthians 13:5

I have seen people who love to argue just for the sake of argument. They come on here or other sites and just try to pick fights (all in the name of love??)
Doing the right thing will usually cause problems with people who are of the world. The world wants you to look the other way at injustice and they want you to tolerate all people and causes. I refuse to do that. Jesus is love, most definitely! But he also overthrew the money changers in the temple, he also rebuked the pharisee's. I can just see what it would have been like had certain commenter's lived during the days Jesus walked on earth. They would probably tell Him, that He is not being loving enough to the sinners. That it is wrong for Him to tell them they need to change their ways.

If we are truly a new creature in Christ Jesus, then our hearts will do the right thing every time! We will not shirk our responsibilities to report that which is wrong. Some people think it is "shady" to do the right thing. And they call themself a Christian? I see warning signs in their comments that suggest they are not truly saved. I see other pastor's who are quick to be sarcastic (which is humor, usually filled with anger). I used to be like that too, back when I was a pastor and was not saved! We are to examine ourself to see that we are indeed in the faith. We need to clean out the junk in our minds, the lustful thoughts, the anger, the hatred, the covetousness. All of it needs to go. We are to strive for righteousness. To be right with God. To do the right thing! We are to clean out our hearts. Those things that we hold so dear and are not willing to let go of. We love our job, we love our car, we love our money. I was listening to Rick Warren last night on several videos. In each one he spent 95 percent of his time talking about himself. He says that God loves you for being you. He said it is in the Bible that God smiles when you are you. Really? It is in the Bible. He obviously has a Bible not written by God. We are wretched sinners and when we are being who we are, we are sinning. God does not smile at that! Warren goes on to say that the reason we are here is to make the world a better place. Really? What does God's Word really say?

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Rev 14:7

for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

We are here to give God glory and for His good pleasure. It is not by us just being us that He smiles. If you do not repent of your sins, you are still going to hell. Angels don't smile when you make a decision to come to Christ. No, Angels rejoice over a sinner who repents! That is when God gets the glory, not when you do good things for people. The glory goes to God when you become a new creature and have put off your old self. Just saying a sinner's prayer (show me where it says in the Bible that if you say the sinner's prayer, that you are saved! It's not there!)

Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; [therefore] I shall not slide.
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
For thy lovingkindness [is] before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
In whose hands [is] mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD. Psalm 26:1-12
What do you need to do today to change?
You must repent of your sins and put your faith and trust in Jesus alone to save you.
see what Jesus says about it here

Don't forget to submit your thoughts on the Synagogue of Satan in my previous post.