The Savior never instructed anyone with this understanding: the idea of needing or using a physical object of any kind in worshipping Him. He in fact forbids such.
It simply does not matter what graven image, what physical idol is depicted – God will not be worshipped via any physical object. It’s only the religious who are not born again, who attempt such.
Those who have a personal relationship with the risen Savior need no physical reminder. He’s their hope, dwells in them by His Holy Spirit, the love of God, and they hear His voice (John 10; Romans 5:5; 8:9; 1 John 4:24, etc.).
There is no power in a cross – including the actual literal pieces of wood Jesus died upon 2,000 years ago, much less in some trinket you carry around like a good luck charm. Jesus told us that “ALL power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18).
Anyone can carry a physical good-luck-charm idol around. Most don’t want to die to self though as Jesus requires in order to follow Him (John 3:19-21). Jesus conquered death, sin, and Satan by dying, and we must also as we are “crucified with Christ” (Hebrews 2:14; Luke 9:23-24; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6).
Jesus Christ didn’t come die on a cross and rise again from the dead so that His people could remember Him by a little piece of wood, a good luck charm they carried. Such is condemned in Holy Scripture.
To say someone should carry around a physical object to remember Christ would be like saying one should wear a shirt with a picture of his dad on it while he’s away from his dad in order to remember his dad. Ludicrous. One might say “But Jesus died and He’s away for now…..” 1. Jesus never told you to carry a wooden cross around your neck or in your pocket to remember Him. 2. He told you to repent…… deny self and take up the cross to follow Him – and this begins with surrendering your life to Him, confessing you are a guilty sinner and receiving Christ as the LORD of your life (Luke 9:23-24; John 1:12; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:9-10, 13). 3. Jesus is alive – always has been and always will be. He rose from the dead after being buried for 3 days. He’s reigning as the Great Intercessor at the right hand of His Father in Heaven (Hebrews 7:24-26).
The love of God in Christ is shed abroad in the hearts of God’s people. They need no reminder of such because they are known of Him – born again into Christ the LORD.
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5
To those who truly know the risen Savior, their hearts are daily fueled by His Word, by His Holy Spirit in them and not any physical object, token, idol or icon (1 John 3:24).
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:9
Wow, hundreds of people liked “The Cross in my Pocket” poem and well over a 100 shared it!
This is clear proof that most people who claim to be Christians, have no clue of the original Gospel. They simply are not saved.
So we are now blessed because we carry a little piece of wood in our pockets and not because of the finished work of the nail-scarred risen Savior who died on the cross once, we buried, and raised again from the dead? Isn’t THAT the Gospel? (Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.) That cross was a one-time altar upon which the Son of God offered that one, final, perfect sacrifice. “It is finished” means the sin debt is “paid in full” by the only One who qualified to do such (John 19:30). The one perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on that cross on Calvary’s hill perfectly satisfied the claims of the Father’s justice to justify fallen men. He’s no longer on that cross beloved. He is risen from the dead, is seated at the right hand of His Father in Heaven, making intercession for us and dwells in the heart of each and every person who is His.
Wearing a cross around your neck or carrying a cross- shaped icon in your pocket or purse has nothing to do with following Jesus Christ. In fact it’s a violation of His Word.
If we need a piece of wood in our pocket to “remind” us of Christ who died on that cross, we need to be saved. “Ye must be born again” Jesus says. There is no Scripture or New Testament example of Jesus or His holy apostles or the earliest followers of Jesus using a physical object to supposedly “remember” Christ. If we are born of God we are new creatures in Christ, old things are passed away, and all things are of God (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). So, He has given us the miracle of regeneration and we are consumed with the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ (Romans 5:5).
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Philippians 3:3
There is no power in a piece of wood, even though Jesus died “once” on a wooden cross. The power is in Christ, not anything physical.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” 1 Peter 3:18
“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” Hebrews 7:27
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12
“For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:26
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10
Notice what Jesus says about “all power” and how it’s in HIM. He says nothing here or anywhere about carrying some physical object to remind you of Him. Such idolatry is only for those who do not know Him.
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18
There’s no power in a piece of wood, even if it’s in the shape of a cross. “ALL power” is in the risen Savior Himself – Christ the LORD.
When Jesus spoke through His apostle Paul of remembering Him, He spoke of the cross He “once” – “one time” died upon for our sins (1 Corinthians 11).
Carrying an icon is a cheap counterfeit of knowing the Lamb of God. The cross Jesus commanded we take up is not carrying a little icon in our pockets (Luke 9:23-24). The cross itself has no value. It was merely the altar upon which the Son of God died for the sins of the world. This would be like saying we need to get a tattoo with the name or image of a now dead relative as if their memory in our hearts and mind wasn’t enough, we need to put their image on our body to remind us. This is all idolatry friends which God forbids in the very first two commandments. Pagan Catholics wear scapulas as if they are good luck charms. But those who are truly born again worship the living LORD “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). Jesus says:

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24
Instead of having to be reminded of the cross as your hand goes into your pocket, memorize and meditate upon the many Scriptures of the cross of Christ and the one He commanded you to take up in following Him (Colossians 1:20; Galatians 2:20; Luke 9:23-24, etc.).
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” Exodus 20:3-5
It doesn’t matter how much you use mere human reasoning to justify this idolatry. God simply forbids being “worshipped” via idols. He will not be and anyone seeking to do such will be excluded from His eternal kingdom as an idolater (Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, etc.).
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:11-17
Conclusion:

Personally, I do not have any imagery at all but rather have chosen to worship the LORD “in spirit and in truth” according to Jesus’ directive which He makes an essential “MUST” (John 4:23-24). This means to worship Him out of our spirit and by His Spirit and according to His truth, which is His written Word. See John 4:23-24; 17:17.
God Himself etches the image of who He is upon the heart of those who are His and thoroughly pour over His Precepts, His words.
Every image or picture, painting of “Jesus” comes from mere sinful mankind who cannot possibly begin to depict the image of an infinite Almighty God. Jesus walked the earth for 3.5 years but we no longer know Him according to the flesh.
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” 2 Corinthians 5:16
Satan has so corrupted the image of the Son of God, his arch enemy. We can only trust God’s Word to inform and reveal to us who HE is. So we get every single iota of our image of God straight from His own mouth, His Word. That’s the way the LORD has chosen to reveal Himself and every other way will inevitably mislead and corrupt His holy image.
His words and pouring over them, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating upon and obeying them is how we are moved by and walk with Jesus and not some false image, painting done by a finite sinner.
Jesus tells us that the Scriptures are what He gave us to reveal Himself to us as we come to Him John 5:39.
“Search the scriptures … they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39
Jesus Teaching on the Cross | Making Peace with God
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Apostasy
Is Karma Biblical? [podcast]

The Karma Concept is a Diabolical Con Job and a counterfeit for God’s system of sowing and reaping: No disciple of Jesus should ever use the word/term “karma” unless exposing it for the lie that it is.
First off, the concept of karma is antichrist in that it teaches that people, sinners, can earn their own way into a better eternity by living good or kindly in this life. Lie.
The concept of karma is based on the lie that men will be reincarnated and that sinners, based on their own performance on earth in their first life, will be rewarded accordingly in their next life. Well the Bible teaches that mankind is hopelessly sinful and cannot forgive or save himself (Genesis 6:5,12; Isaiah 59:16; Jeremiah 17:9; Ezekiel 22:30; Romans 3:9-29; Galatians 2:21, etc.). The Word of God informs us that our next destination will be either Heaven or hell, not coming back to the earth for a new life or do-over. The Bible teaches us that “ALL have sinned” against our Maker and our eternal, irrevocable destination will be based on whether or not we receive or reject His gift of salvation granted solely on the basis of the perfect and precious blood of the Son of God who died on the cross and was raised again to take away our sins (Romans 3:21-25; 5:1-2; 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18, etc.).
The shed blood of Jesus Christ is the only payment that could have ever and did fully satisfy the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem fallen mankind back from sin.
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied (paid in full – “It is finished”): by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11
1 Peter 1
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:18-23
Karma is a lie.
David Taylor writes:
“Sowing and reaping: is always a true biblical principle, and for those who heap up judgement for themselves.”
“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Psalm 7:11
“The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.” Proverbs 3:33
“ALL men” have sinned against our Maker and are thereby guilty and separated from Him because He is “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 8:4).
“…they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one … 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:9-10, 23
God’s Word declares all men to be sinners, who have all broken His holy commandments, and who will reap eternal death which is irrevocable separation from God, if they die unforgiven by God through Christ (Romans 1-6, etc.).
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
How have we sinned against God? To begin with, we’ve all lied and the Bible says: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” We’ve all used the name of the LORD in vain – “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” We’ve all stolen something along the way – “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20).
In and of ourselves, outside of Christ, here’s what all men look like to God:
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
In short, karma denies our need for Christ and says we can earn or merit our own way into comfort and blessings without Jesus.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“Reincarnation is taught by true believers in Karma. Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul in a new body. Depending on the religion or the particular philosophy the soul can make an appearance as another person, animal or plant as it makes its way to an eventual escape from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.” owlcation
The Bible term and associated definition, truth, is sowing and reaping, and not karma.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8
In the Hindu and Buddhist religions, karma is the concept, the teaching that depending on how a person lives their life on earth determines how they will be reincarnated in their next life. It is the idea that how you live your life, this one, will determine the quality of life you will have after reincarnation. In these false religions there is no savior and so you are earning your own way to God and His blessings. False..
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Salvation is the gift of God purchased by the precious blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Karma is a false teaching. No born again believer should ever use this word unless they are exposing it for what it is.
Reincarnation is a lie and therefore so is karma because karma is the mythical, erroneous idea that the way you live this life will determine your plight in the next life. But the Bible says:
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27
Also, what do Satan’s heresies of purgatory and karma have in common? – They both promise a second chance. But the Bible says when we die our eternal destination is final – Heaven or hell.
Judgment immediately follows death, not a second chance.
Satan wants people to think they have a second chance and not to take this one and only life seriously. The Bible tells us that immediately upon death we are judged to go to Heaven or hell (Luke 16:19-31). When we die we will stand before our Maker to be judged for our one life in this one body on the earth (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15, etc.). There will be no second chance. We will not return as someone or something else.
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46
“And he (thief on the cross next to Jesus) said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
The way you live this life – in Christ or out of Christ – will determine your eternal destination, as in Heaven or hell.
“The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Proverbs 15:24
World religions teach that man earns his own way to God. God’s Word teaches that all men, born after Adam, are insolvently sinful (unable to pay the debt) and in need of the saving grace of God which is exclusively found in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ.
More Verses Biblically Disproving Reincarnation:
“But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 so man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.” Job 14:10-12
“For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” Psalm 78:39
“If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Job 14:14
“But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23
“When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” Job 16:22
“As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.” Job 7:9-10
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28-29
“Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish.” Job 8:12-13
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.” Proverbs 11:7
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1
Summation: When you die, you will be immediately in Heaven or hell – in bliss or blistering, burning fire.
Making Peace with God – Now, before it’s too late. Go here.
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Abiding
The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11
With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear.
“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6
David’s Prayer
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matthew 12:34
“A Clean Heart”
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalms 51:10-11
When we wisely join in fellowship, life with fellow truth seekers, such will assist the work of God who is quickening us to honestly admit, repent afresh and confess any sin God brings to light. Anyone else ever camped out on Psalms 51—the prayer of repentance and confession of the man after God’s own heart, David?
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Psalms 51:12-13
The New Testament believer is to ever examine himself to see whether or not he is in the faith.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
“If”
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ name, here and now if never before, I submit my life to You—to Your Lordship. From this moment forth I will serve You. Jesus You are the Master of my life from now on. I love You Jesus. Please use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Abiding
God is Ready to Forgive and Plenteous in Mercy [podcast]

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalms 86:5
God is…
- “good”
- “ready to forgive”
- “plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalms 86:15
Our LORD is…
- “a God full of compassion”
- “gracious”
- “longsuffering”
- “plenteous in mercy and truth”
“His Compassions Fail Not”
“Refusal to pray because of the guilt of your sins is like refusing to take you bath because you are dirty. Pray.” Augustine Mario
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23
Notice that the prophet Jeremiah could have hope, knowing that God is merciful. Wow. Read that passage again above.
OTHER than blasphemy of the Holy Ghost, what sin did you or anyone else commit that is unforgiveable? None! Go to the throne of His grace to obtain mercy and grace, receive these gifts, let it go, and press forward (Hebrews 4:14-16; Philippians 3:13-14; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:9, etc.). Divine Mercy by the Blood of the Lamb!
“Consideration of God’s mercies not only begets gratitude, but induces a large consecration to God of all we have and are. So that prayer, giving and consecration are all linked together inseparably.” EM Bounds
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