IDOLS IN OUR LIVES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JUNE 28, 2023.

SUBJECT : IDOLS IN OUR LIVES!

Memory verse: "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that causes them stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be enquired of at all by them?” (Ezekiel 14 vs 3.)

READ: Job 31 vs 24 vs 28:

31:24: If I have made gold my hope. Or said to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; 

31:25: If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much; 

31:26: If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, 

31:27: So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; 31:28: This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgement, For I would have denied God who is above.

INTIMATION:

An idol is an object of worship (most times made in stone or wood), an object of love, admiration, or honor in an extreme degree. In our first imagination of an idol we think of an idol as statues of wood or stone, but in reality an idol is anything natural that is given sacred value and power. The statues of object were not evil in themselves, but people gave them credit for what only God could do, such as provide good weather, crops, children, happiness etc.  

If your answer to any of the following questions is anything or anyone other than God, you may need to check out who or what you are worshiping: 

• Who created me?
• Whom do I ultimately trust?
• Whom do I look to for ultimate truth?
• Whom do I look to for security and happiness? 
• Who is in charge of my future?

The answers to the above listed questions, and also the following questions will be of immense help to discern the ideal life expected of a believer; Is there anything you feel you cannot live without? Is there any priority greater than God? Do you have a dream you would sacrifice everything to realize? Does God take first place in your life? Do you worship God or idols of your own making?

Worshiping of an idol is regarded as idolatry. Idolatry is the greatest sin against God because it is rejection of God Himself. And worshiping or regarding or trusting in anything rather than God violates the very first commandment of God—“You shall no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20 vs 3). And Jesus reemphasized this Commandment in Matthew 4 vs 10, “Worship the LORD your God, and only Him shall you serve.” 

When you have any other gods, rather than the only true God, you cannot be His own, and no matter how faithfully you keep other nine commandments you can’t please Him, hence He made this the first commandment. Today we can allow many things to become gods to us. Money, fame, work, pleasure or problem can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security. 

In the passage we read today, Job affirmed that depending on wealth for happiness is idolatry and denies our Father in heaven. Jesus’ authority is established over all of creation so we dare not treat any created object or earthly resource as more important than He is. When we spend more time on ourselves than on serving Christ, we treat ourselves (His creation) as being more important than our Creator. When we regard our finances, rather than our faith in Christ, as the basis for security, we give higher status to an earthly resource than we do to God. 

Our dependence on what God has given us, like money and possessions, is an acceptance of our society's obsession with such things as a necessary evil or "the way it works" in the modern world. Although, every society in every age has valued the power and prestige that money brings, but true believers must purge themselves of the deep-seated desire for such things as more power, prestige, and possessions. They must also put their absolute trust in God, and use the resources given to them for service to Him and humanity.

Idolatry begins when people reject what they know about God. Instead of looking to Him as Creator and Sustainer of life, they see themselves as the center of the universe. They soon invent “gods” that are convenient projections of their own selfish ideas. These God’s may be wooden figures, or they may also be goals or things we pursue, such as money, power, or possessions. They may even be misrepresentations of God Himself— making God in our image, instead of the reverse.

No normal person sets out with the intention of worshiping these things. But by the amount of time we devote to them, they can grow into gods that ultimately control our thoughts, emotions, and energies. Letting God hold the central place in our lives keeps these things from turning into gods. As societies change, they often throw out norms and values no longer considered necessary or acceptable. Believers must be careful not to allow society’s example if it discards God’s Word. When society does that, only godlessness and evil remain. 

When one idolizes something in his heart, he cannot give his full commitment to God. The heart is considered the core of a person’s intellect and spirit. Because all people have someone or something as the object of their heart’s devotion, they have the potential for idolatry within them. God wants to recapture the hearts of His people. We must never let anything captivate our allegiance or imagination in such a way that it replaces or weakens our devotion to God.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are God, the only God I know and serve. In You I live, and move and have my being. Whatever will take my attention and trust away from You let me not live to see it. Whatever is capable of taking the first place in my life instead of You, O Lord, may it never come to me. in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!