At the conclusion of his letter {I John 5:18-21),John writes:We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep onsinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does nottouch him.We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power ofthe evil one.And we know that the Son of God has come and has given usunderstanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who istrue, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children,keep yourselves from idols.What's the key to keeping ourselves from idols?

Counterfeit GodsComfortEveryone lives for something and if that something isn't the "living and true God" (1 Thes 1:9),it will be a false god-an idol. An idol is anything more important to you than God.Therefore,you can turn even very good things into idols. You can turn a good thing like family, success,acceptance, money, your plans, etc. into a Godthing-into something you worship and place atthe center of your life.That is precisely what sin is-building your life and basing your meaning on anything (even agood thing) more than God.One of our typical (and often-overlooked) weak spots? Comfort.

ApprovalEveryone lives for something and if that something isn't the "living and true God" (1 Thes 1:9),it will be a false god-an idol. An idol is anything more important to you than God. Therefore,you can turn even very good things into idols. You can turn a good thing like family, success,acceptance, money, your plans, etc. into a God thing-into something you worship and place atthe center of your life.That is precisely what sin is-building your life and basing your meaning on anything (even agood thing) more than God. One of our typical (and often-overlooked) weak spots? Approval.

Everyone lives for something and if that something isn't the "living and true God" (1 Thes 1:9),it will be a false god-an idol. An idol is anything more important to you than God. Therefore,you can turn even very good things into idols. You can turn a good thing like family, success,acceptance, money, your plans, etc. into a God thing-into something you worship and place atthe center of your life.That is precisely what sin is-building your life and basing your meaning on anything (even agood thing) more than God. One of our typical (and often-overlooked) weak spots? Control.

To maintain houses filled with idols, so many live lives of unprecedented busyness. We havemore indulgent time than any generation that has ever come before us. It takes us less time tocook, clean, travel and communicate. Ours is an age of absolute convenience. We can savemore time accomplishing the basic tasks of life than any generation before us, and yet we constantly complain as if we had less time than any of them! Luke 12:15-21 (ESV) 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (ESV) 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. Matthew 14:22-23 (ESV) 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, Mark 1:35 (ESV) 35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 6:30-32 (ESV) 30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Luke 4:42 (ESV) 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, Luke 5:16 (ESV) 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Luke 6:12 (ESV) 12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 (ESV) 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 (ESV) 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV) 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Counterfeit Gods - in April-June of 2012, Jason Hardin this adult Bible class on idolatry in the 21st century. Rooted in 1 Thessalonians 1:9 - "you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God," this practical study sounds the warning of 1 John 5:21 in our modern context - "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Exodus 2:1-11 (ESV) 1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” 11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 1 Timothy 6:5-8 (ESV) 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. Hebrews 13:5 (ESV) 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Psalm 101:1-4 (ESV) 1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. 2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; 3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Luke 8:7 (ESV) 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. Luke 8:14-15 (ESV) 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV) 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Daniel 3:1-30 (ESV) 1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.