Choose ye this day whom you will serve

Idols require less faith. They also can seem to be more "here and now."

If I bow to the idol of materialism, I have an immediate "reward." The problem is, the rewards don't last...

 

There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3 : 10-12

Man has no ability to do good or to please God, unless and until God regenerates his heart and calls him to Himself!! All men are lost until this occurs! God's grace is irrisistable and when He touches a heart calling to a person they become interested in knowing Him and the the faith received from Him they repent and begin a life time search to know Him better every day!
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! 2 Cor 4 :6
The touch of God on a life never fails to bring that person to Christ and if a person truly loves Christ and passes the tests given in 1 John they came to know Him in this manner!

 

How about these verses?

32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

33 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so they do unto this day.

--II Kings 17 (KJV)

So, whom did they choose to serve? The LORD that these verses say they feared, or some other gods?

Care to 'splain that for us??

 

Your verses explain it. They feared the Lord but did as they pleased, refusing to obey Him.

 

BTW, HAPPY FATHERS DAY all you fellas! God bless you specially!raise:

 

What kind of "fear of the LORD" produces idolatry?

 

Without looking up the specific scriptures I will state that there were many times when the Israelites promised to serve only the Lord of heaven and earth and to follow Him but then went right on and followed their own way and worshipped idols. Many times, over and over this occured!
Psalm 106 : 43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

 

True, but these verses don't say that they "said" that they would fear the LORD, it says that they feared the LORD.

 

Just trust me. Its in there, but its time for my nap! LOL I'll look up the verses later! God bless!
Read Joshua 24, especially the last part.

 

And they were His chosen people too.

 

It's like thanking GOD for the roof over your head but deep inside being afraid to be laid off of your job. Many of us in this day and time fear GOD but still cling a bit to the world.

 

Why does one man choose to feed his family and another one does not?
Why does one woman choose to stay loyal to her husband and another does not?
Why does one child choose to obey their parents and another does not.
On and on and on we go and where we stop no one knows.:laugh:

I will tell you why but you will not have it.

The creature was made subject to vanity (He was made to

have a choice to do evil if he wanted), but not willingly,

(wasn't God's will that he do evil), but by reason of Him

who subjected the same in Hope. (He also could choose to

do good).

This was how God Himself created man making man responsible for what he sowed, to the flesh "death", to the Spirit "life".

Now, this represents how all men were created.

 

And who do you think I am a Calvinist?

Also my response was a complete answer to your question but I knew and told you that you would not accept it. Calvinist never do.

Seems to me if you could answer the three questions above you would have your answer.

 

ktn4eg

The people of the ancient new east considered gods to be "local" gods. That is, they inhabited a certain geographic area. When the Hebrews came into the new area, (the promised land of what is now Israel) they tried to please both the God of Israel who brought them out of Eygpt with great signs and wonders, and the so-called gods of the new land they inhabited. They also continued to worship some of the "gods" they worshipped in Eygpt. Very few, apparently, understood the concept of one creator God. They were just trying to cover all their bases.

peace to youraise:

 

Like the song writer said, by and by when the morning comes and all the saints of GOD will be gathered in home. We'll understand it better by and by.

 

I think Paul said it better than I ever could,

[15] For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
[16] If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
[17] Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
[18] For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
[19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
[20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
[21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

I think most if not all men want to do right but there is something within them that makes them do wrong. It is not I but sin that's within me.

Flip used to say, "the devil made me do it".