Every one of the 6.8+ billion people on Earth WORSHIP & BOW DOWN to someone or some thing. Whether we realize it or not. Even an atheist, one who denies or disbelieves the existence of God, worships & bows down to some one or some thing. Maybe their god is them-bowing down & worshiping themselves & living for only themselves. That is worship. They praise themselves. They live to make their name known, not His.
Some worship the stars or the rain, instead of worshiping the Creator of them. Some bow down to golden statues & monks. Some bow down to their million dollar houses & cars & boats. Some worship their girlfriend, boyfriend, fiance, husband/wife, careers, flat screen tvs, etc. Others worship celebrities , sport teams & professional athletes. Some worship their children more than they worship God. Some worship “religious traditions & religious laws” more than they worship God Himself.
So…question is…WHY do we naturally gravitate towards WORSHIPING & BOWING DOWN? Because that is exactly how God created us. With the specific design to have the CRAVING & DESIRE to worship HIM with every breath we have & every skill/talent He has given us, to glorify Him.When we don’t fill that void with Him, we fill it with other things/people. But those things never completely satisfy our soul, leaving us empty.
Many Thai people, over 95%, worship & bow down to Buddha statues & even bow down & pray to monks.They say “to be Thai is to be Buddhist” Their culture & lifestyle & their identity is wrapped up in Buddhism. (which is interesting because Buddha never claimed to be God. He even mentioned in his teachings that he was NOT a god or THE God. He claimed that he only pointed to what he thought was the truth & enlightenment. He even mentioned Jesus in his teachings, saying that Jesus was the way of truth. Sadly most Buddhists are not taught this) They offer gifts of food, money, flowers, firecrackers, & many other things to appease it. This statue has eyes but cannot see. It has ears but cannot hear their prayers. It is a man-made object. We visited several Buddhist temples in Phuket, Thailand & it broke my heart to see the people so hungry for love & searching for truth, at the foot of a life-less god. Their prayers being received by an empty, hollow statue.
“They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell;they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.” Psalms 115:5-7
The Thai people have spirit houses on almost every corner by their house or business.The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits which could cause problems for the people if not appeased. So these people live in fear of them & constantly attempt to appease them. It may seem ridiculous to you to bow down to a marble or gold painted, man-made statue. But we bow down to other idols, such as money, even pets, & relationships, putting them before God. I am guilty of this. I have never bowed down to Buddha or offered gifts on a spirit house, but i have replaced God’s #1 spot in my heart & my life with men. I am just as guilty of worshiping an idol. ANYTHING/ANYONE who receives all of our praise, worship, affection, time, love & priority MORE than God is an idol. God deserves to be #1. He is the only Almighty all powerful King, the only One worthy of our praise & worship.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
Who or what do you bow down to & worship? We have a choice now here on Earth to bow down & worship Jesus Christ as LORD, with our free will. OR God’s Word says that one day we WILL bow down, no matter what. I choose to worship Him now. I do not have to work to appease any spirits or build spirit houses. The Holy Spirit lives in me & only God i will worship & appease is my Creator, who loves me & has a purpose & a plan for my life. Who hears my prayers & sees me. Who is alive & living in ME!
Please join me & pray for the people in Thailand, America, & around the world, who are empty & thirsty for a REAL God who hears their prayers & loves them. A REAL God who KNOWS them intimately & passionately grieves as He watches them day after day chase after false idols who cannot hear, see, or love them. These women i meet in the Red Light District who sell themselves & then go home & bow down to a statue that can not save them from their hurt & pain. Please pray that they will seek Him & for all of the women who we met these last few weeks & shared His love to…that they would KNOW it was God’s love that sent us to love on them, and that they would pursue Him with all of their heart & soul.We handed out red roses to many of them the other night, & shared that the rose was from Jesus, because He loved them so much!
“For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods” (Psalm 96:4).
“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom” (Psalm 145:3).
“I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” (2 Samuel 22:4).
“You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and
power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created
and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created
and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
