On the way to work this morning I was thinking of some friends of mine. They have moved back from Papua New Guinea. My friends are both Catholic. I went and stayed at their place up north. And every morning when they awake they pray together. I was walking past their room one day and I noticed this craved wooden cross with a image of a man nailed to it.

On the way to work one morning all this came flooding back to me. The first thing that I thought was, why do they put our Lord nail to the cross. My Bible tells me that Jesus is a live. That He is risen! It also tells me that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.

Scripture also tells us God has stated that we shall have no graven image. In the desert God had made it quite clear to the Israelite that they weren't to make any images. Especially of Him.

Exodus 20:4 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:
Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Deuteronomy 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Deuteronomy 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make 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 waters beneath the earth:
Deuteronomy 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:15 and 16 is quite plain that the reason the Lord spoke to the people of Israel from out of the fire was so that they wouldn't make any images of God!.

So, do these include these crosses with a male figure on them? My bible tells me that God is a Spirit and that we should worship Him in the spirit. There is no scriptural references to any other way to worship God in the New Testament.

John 4:23 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.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

The bible also tells of false teachers and prophets that will try to mislead the elect of God.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
II Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
I John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

I was troubled as there are so many Christian who probably without realising they are praying before an image. Have they been mislead? Taught to pray before a man nailed to a crucifix or a statue of a saint? Or am I wrong? And it's ok to pray to a piece of wood, clay or stone! Maybe I am reading my bible wrong .
All I can do is pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus and ask that He opens my eyes or give me a personal revelation on this matter.

If you feel that I have no right in saying the above, please tell me and quote the scripture so that I can confess my error before God and ask your forgiveness.

I Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.