Tear Down The Altars

A preacher was mocked at an American outdoor Gospel event when he told the people that they need to “Tear down their false gods and altars, repent of their sin, and turn to God while there is still time.” “We don’t have false gods here!” was shouted from the second row from stage. How desperately unaware people are to deny that there’s multiple gods in our culture!

Just because they aren’t a “sun god” or a “moon god,” people think it doesn’t apply to them. But our gods are far worse, and far more insidious than foreign gods.

“In the end people will be lovers of self rather than lovers of God.” This idol of self has led to the worst narcissism ever recorded in our history. Success is based on their “followers” as though they are god and they summon others to “follow them” and their greatness. They will lie, cheat, steal, and deceive to promote self.

We have the god of denialism. These are the folks that deny the existence of God and “Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow they die.” They live sexually promiscuous, they party hard, making the next experience the next fix. The desperately sad part is that they will party their way right into hell.

Comfort and materialism are big gods in America. “I will follow God but don’t ask me to get uncomfortable for Him, and I’m certainly not giving up my daily luxuries!” We have bubble wrapped ourselves into irrelevance. Fear controls more of us than faith.

The naturalists among us have adopted Pantheism as their god… (nature is God). “Hiking and boating is their church” but they never read the Word or repent of sins.

Polytheism (all faiths lead to God), is quickly growing in popularity as the one world religion takes root, fully endorsed by the UN at the multi-faith complex in Abu Dhabi. Hedonism (the god of pleasure), has Americans addicted to the “next fun thing.” We are easily entertained with games at the foot of the cross while Jesus is calling people to True Life.

Friends, there is to be only One altar in our lives, and that is to God Almighty. Upon it we are to make our lives a living sacrifice unto Him. Our prayers are to be like incense burned, rising up before Him a sweet fragrance. And our hardships when laid before Him are received with the tenderest love and returned to us in comfort and blessings. This is a Sacred Altar. Just one… for Him.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)