Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Idols~ A Spiritual Article by Heather Young

Idols

When you hear the word “idol,” you might imagine a statue of some sort, with people bowing down to it.  Actually, anything can become an idol.  An idol doesn’t have to start out with something bad; it can start out being something good.  But a good thing that becomes a god-thing is a bad thing.

“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3

“You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves.”
Exodus 20:23

“You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.”
Exodus 23:24

            God made it clear that we are not supposed to worship anything other than Him.  Worshipping doesn’t necessarily mean bowing down to money, a person, a movie, or any other earthly object or being, but simply seeing it as higher than God.  Anger, fear, and the loss of a desire to live are three feelings you will most likely experience if you are deprived of your idol.  Your idol could be a person you’re trying to impress; you’re afraid that if you don’t live up to their standards, they will reject you.  Maybe your idol is possessions; you think that you just have to have the newest phone, latest clothes, or coolest car.  Whatever your idol is, you need to put it in its place under God and remember that He is the only person, place, or thing that can ever truly satisfy you and bring you true joy and love.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24

“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.”
1 Chronicles 16:25-26

            We did not create God; God created us.  He is more perfect than anything we can ever imagine or see.  Man-made items are not even close to what God has created.  Why would we want to worship things other than God? Because the grass always seems greener on the other side.  We shouldn’t try to fill our lives with figures we think will fill our lives with happiness.  God is the one and only true God, and we need to truly believe that with all of our heart.  Don’t seek approval of others around you.  Seek the approval of God, and He will use you to fulfill the wonderful plans he has for your life.  Idols do not even begin to compare with what God has to offer you.

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.”
1 John 5:21

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