Tag Archives: idolatry

Idolatry of the Heart & Mind

2 Mar

One of the ongoing missions of Pam Sheppard Ministries is to lead our clients out of the captivity of Satan and into the freedom of Christ. A prevalent reason for their spiritual woes is idolatry, often having manifested in them worshiping fallen angels posing as Jesus without them knowing it. They often cause this by asking Jesus to come into their heart or prior involvement in religion or the occult.

Yet there is another form of idolatry, a deeper one that is essentially a heart issue that arose out of original sin. This is inner worship of something. Let me break this down on two fronts: 1) How sin and fall from grace led to man practicing idolatry and 2) How idolatry is often practiced today with whatever one wants.

First off, look at the scriptures and you will see God’s original intent for His beloved creation, man, was to have a special relationship with God and that one of the main components of this love was worship. Adam and Eve got to enjoy an incredibly blessed and privileged existence because they were constantly near God both in a physical and spiritual sense. When one is close to God and worships Him, one feels a Godly joy and peace within. Too many times have I seen worship misunderstood as a physical act wherein the person may feel some fleshly emotion but not the Godly, spiritual sense of satisfaction and joy that God brings.

Adam and Eve’s disobeying of the Lord God opened the door to sin taking a foothold inside of man. It led to a corruption of the soul and a separation from God that was passed down to every single human being conceived after them except for Jesus Christ. In Old Testament times, the Lord God began a mission to overcome sin by leading a lineage of people who would eventually pave the way for Christ to be born. We read of the saints of old who were Godly men and women who worshiped the true God.

Yet due to man having sinned, there were many people who were led astray into deceit because ultimately man still felt a deep sense of needing to worship something to draw close to God. A byproduct of sin allowing man to become aware of evil was that man started to worship false gods. This is the first form of idolatry we read about in history and it became commonplace, resulting in events like golden calves and other gods being worshiped across different cultures.

Idolatry continued throughout the ages in various forms up until the modern day. The plight we see with regards to idolatry today is twofold: 1) outer worship of false gods, most commonly through churches claiming to be Christian and 2) inner worship and love of something that is not God, whether it be self, an activity, money, etc.

Think of the path the common man takes today. One is born with a dead spirit. Their first priority should be to want God and become alive spiritually. But due to being separated from God they are blinded to the idea of seeking Him.

Instead, their life becomes a mission to have a good career, find a mate, have a family, find something they are passionate about and dedicate their lives to it, so on and so forth. While these things and others have their place, the problem arises when they become the top priority in one’s life and seen as the meaning of it. They aren’t.

The meaning of life is to be reconciled to the Lord God and serve Him so that He may be pleased with you. The idolatry of things that are not God come because man has an innate need to worship and love. So because the person is ignorant to the idea that they should seek God, they find something else to replace Him and make that their god instead.

Perhaps the god we see most in the world today is self, with the common man motivated by self pleasure. The past few hundred years especially have seen things like philosophy and science pump man’s ego to the point where he believes he is his own master. You choose your own path in life and do whatever you want so long as it is in the context of completing the broader mission you have set out for yourself. People do this because they do not understand what it is to worship God in spirit and truth.

I’ll speak plainly: it is better to have one’s spirit reborn in Christ and live what would be considered an unremarkable or meager life than it is to accomplish all of one’s goals, dreams, attaining all of their physical desires, only for them to die with a dead spirit which never got to experience the love of God. Their spirit was dead and empty without them even realizing it because all they focused on was flesh.

What most people do not realize is that by serving the Lord God in spirit and truth, you also benefit from it. You experience joy. You experience love. You experience devotion to a perfect Being Who loves you unconditionally and fills your soul and spirit with a peace, happiness and assurance that is IMPOSSIBLE to get from ANYTHING in the world.

Love of self or fleshly desires has led to a myriad of issues that our clients have found themselves in counseling for. There are people who made a god out of things of the world and have experienced some form of psychological damage. For myself, I was mostly my own god before being born again and this led to arrogance, anger, emptiness and coldheartedness. Yet God forgave me for my wrongful ways and has graciously redeemed me, giving my life purpose in Him.

So I ask you: who do you love? What do you love? What is being put first in your life? Do you seek God? All I illustrate is that there are millions of people caught up in a wave of self-worship unaware that a second flood is coming which they will be blindsided by because all they could think about was their flesh. Seek God, for He has a life for His people full of mystery, wonder, meaning and love that transcends anything the world offers.

Do you wish to understand more about idolatry and how it has negatively affected the church today? Have you made idols out of things that have distracted you from seeking the Lord God? Learn more about the subject by purchasing Pastor Pamela Sheppard’s book, “The New Idolatry” here: https://shoptly.com/i/yiz or http://lulu.com/spotlight/pam_s911.

Alternatively, if you seek to be free of false idolatry that has manifested in your life give PSM a call at 888-818-1117 or email deliverancecounseling@yahoo.com.

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E-book Excerpts: The New Idolatry

24 Nov

Written by Pastor Pam Sheppard of Pam Sheppard Ministry

The New Idolatry:  Charismatic Witchcraft, Deliverance and Other. Counterfeits.  (Pg 95-96)

 

What are the plagues?

The worst plague is a curse of spiritual blindness caused by delusion and demonic deception. The worst of the worst is to be duped into believing that you are going to heaven, and to die and find yourself in hell for eternity. For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world yet loses his soul? (Matthew 16:25) The fact that countless people have been indoctrinated into the “I accepted Jesus”   practice—also known as the “make a decision for Christ gospel, “ the worst abomination of them all.

For this form of idolatry distorts the word of God to such an extent, than I am willing to estimate that 85% of churchgoers believe that they are saved, and they are not. Counterfeit spiritual births at the altars of God are the absolute worst plague, the fruit of idolatry. This horrendous sign is pervasive throughout the organized church worldwide—a wide gaping hole for demonic infestation and other horrendous plagues to enter with ease.

So it follows that plagues that can destroy the soul are actually worse than those that debilitate the body only. Sickness and disease are certainly among the plagues, but there are several others. In our times, there are plagues that were not around in other generations: HIV/AIDS, crack, violence like drive by shootings, missing children, the domestic violence cycle and so many more.

Addiction of any kind is a plague primarily due to the dysfunction within the human will. As previously addressed, besides the mind and the emotions, the soul also consists of the will. Whenever the human will is in any kind of bondage, a plague is in operation which follows that the soul is seriously damaged.

Click here for a copy of  The New Idolatry or click on the book cover below.

If you have any questions, please contact Pam Sheppard Ministry at 1-888-818-1117 or email rescueonfb@icloud.com.

 

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What’s Wrong With ‘Holidays’ Anyways?

14 Feb

Easter, Halloween, Christmas, VALENTINE’S DAY…

When we hear the word HOLIDAY, we all get a big smile across our faces.  Generally speaking, holidays mean that someone somewhere is getting some time off.  From work, from school…its generally a day to sit back, relax, not follow your normal schedule or routine.  Holidays are also times when we take off to ‘celebrate’ something or someone.

The definition of holiday is ‘a religious festival’ or ‘a day of recreation.’

The term ‘holiday’ was derived from the holy days mentioned in the scriptures.  The holy days were festivals ordained BY GOD that the Israelites were to celebrate.  The original holidays in the scriptures ALL centered around ONE GOD and He is known by many names:  Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai.

In Judaism, observance of these festivals/holy days/holidays were required by the Torah, (or the Old Testament).

But in the New Testament, any religious/obligatory observance of these festivals were nullified by the presence of Jesus Christ.

One of the tricks of the enemy is to keep people bound to religious traditions that no longer are of no effect or consequence.  Just like today’s churches tell people that in order to used of God, one must wear clergy, go through elaborate ceremonies and receive accreditation from man, this was also done and instituted in the Old Testament.  And what many today do not realize is that none of the pomp and circumstance we see in many ordination, affirmation and consecration services are NO LONGER necessary!

One of the ways the enemy has succeeded in getting the ‘laity,’ for lack of a better word, to comply with and, thus, worship other gods is in the observance of holidays.  Most of the present-day holidays we recognize today are pagan in nature.  These holidays were substituted in place of the original holy day festivals by the Roman Catholic church.

So I know, you say…’So?  What’ wrong with celebrating holidays?  So what if they are pagan in nature?’

Glad you asked!

What’s wrong with professing CHRISTIANS celebrating holidays that have been proven to be pagan in nature is that observing (pagan) holidays is a direct violation of scripture.  A command by God that says ‘Ye shall have NO OTHER gods before me…’

God vehemently forbids His People to commit idolatry.  And when those who say they are saved ignore instruction and take on the customs and practices of those who are not saved, they are committing idolatry.

Now, I know.  A lot of us don’t get the big deal about idolatry.  I do believe this is because if they are a part of the institutionalized church system, they have ALREADY become desensitized to idolatry.  They commit idolatry EVERY WEEK when they attend services.  Every time they have a pastor’s anniversary service or celebrate 1st lady’s week, they are committing idolatry.  Every time they ‘honor’ their pastor, they are committing idolatry.

So it comes real easy for professing Christians to commit more idolatry by celebrating ‘holidays,’ such as Valentine’s Day, or Easter, or Christmas.

They have had much practice all year long!

THIS HAS BEEN THE TRAP OF THE ENEMY!  To get people into the church system and desensitize them to idolatry.

 I just want you to think on this for a minute.

Whenever a ‘holiday’ is approaching upon us, I want you to notice ‘the atmosphere.’  About a day or two before Valentine’s Day, single folks start getting all depressed because they don’t have someone in their lives.  Couples or married folks are arguing over what to do for ‘Valentine’s Day.’  Talking of spending money they DON’T have, to celebrate a pagan god that promotes lust and greed.  Think about it…

Flesh starts riling up right before V Day.  A LOT of people are getting laid tonight.  That is no accident.  The SPIRIT behind Valentine’s Day is one of LUST.  So YES…if you are observing Valentine’s Day-married or single-expect an attack of lust to come your way.

For Christmas, about late November, folks start getting depressed.  They call it winter blues.  Some over lost loved ones.  Some over financial woes, that they cannot do what they want for Christmas.  The weeks up until Christmas are some of the most harried, frantic, stressful seasons of the year.  Folks are crowding the malls, the stores, Walmarts, anywhere…buying gifts they cannot afford.  Shipping services and the postal service are backed up for weeks.  Folks are antsy and nervous about their gifts getting to their intended parties in time for ‘Christmas.’

Folks are also the most hypocritical this time of year.  The same folks that go to work on Wall Street every day and step over a homeless guy without even acknowledging him will get all philanthropic and giving in December and decide to give to the homeless…ONE TIME that year!  As if the homeless only need help ONE TIME per year!

I want you to observe the SPIRIT that is in the air today…and right before your next so-called holiday.  I can promise you:  it is one that is NOT OF GOD.

WHY?

Because another god is being worshipped.  And when you worship other gods, there is no peace, no fruit, no love, nothing.

You just wasted your money, got in trouble and invited demons into your life.

Think about it….

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