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PSALM 135:15-18

"THE DANGER OF FALSE CONCEPTS"

Intro: "Everyone should believe in something." it doesn't matter what you believe, just
       so you are sincere. The children of Israel worshipped the golden calf and burned
       incense to it. Young men today worship a steel mustang & burn gas."

I. "THE IDOLS OF THE HEATHEN ARE VAIN."
        A. Every man has a god.
                1. That man who says "I do not believe in God."
                        a. Worshipping the god of his own intellect.
                2. A man's god is that master principle that governs his life. That
                   controlling force or idea.
                        a. Thus a man can say "I believe in God and in Jesus Christ" yet
                           worship other gods.
                                1. "Thou shall have no other gods before me."
        B. An idol is an object of worship.
                1. You may believe in God, but what is it you worship.
                        a. Boat, car, home - new church? business?
        C. The idols are vain.
                1. They cannot speak, see, hear, thus help you.

II. OBSERVATIONS OF THIS PSALM
        A. When a man makes a god he makes it like himself, thus he in reality is
           worshipping himself.
                1. So is the man who lives for his own pleasure
                2. When in high school I saw a car for sale.
                3. So is the man who seeks power.
        B. When a man makes it less than himself.
                1. "They have mouths, but they cannot speak."
        C. A man becomes like his god. Vs 18.
                1. It does matter what you believe, who you worship.
                        a. If your god is false, you have become false.
                        b. If your god is phony, you have become a phony.
                        c. If your god can't see, you have become blind.
                        d. If your god can't hear, you have become deaf.
                        e. Dumb gods - dumb followers
                2. To worship idols is degrading, and deteriorating

III. I JOHN 3:2.
        A. When God remakes a man, He makes him more than he was.
                1. I was a sinner, hopelessly bound & blind, deaf & dumb.
                2. He forgave me, He set me free, & opened my eyes & ears & loosed my
                   tongue to praise Him.
                3. "I was once a child of hell but now beloved I am a son of God."
        B. A man becomes like his God. "We shall be like Him."
                1. The Spirit of God is working in our lives to conform us into the image
                   of Christ."
                2. "Until we come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of
                   the fullness of Christ."
                3. But, we with open face beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed.
                4. How does it operate?
                        a. John's final warning in 1st epistle-"beware of idols."
                        b. Submit your life daily and fully to be mastered by Jesus Christ.
                        c. Worship God & obey His word. Who is your God?  With older
                           people you don't need to ask, just observe.