Are idols yesterday’s news?
Have you ever read about idols such as monuments or rock, stone and wood in the Bible? Did you find yourself thinking those days were gone? Well, unfortunately we have them too. They may be harder to identify, but they’re there. Below are some of mine.
Money:
Do I use it for God or to please myself? Do I justify my purchases because I “deserve” this or that, because I’m utterly selfish and want what I want–no matter the “cost”?
“Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves” (Matt. 21:12).
For the sake of worldly gain, they lost sight of the Lord and defiled His temple and His people.
What about tithes and offerings? I’ve never really witnessed people giving offering in my life. Should I? God’s shown me clearly His truth through the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” (Mal. 3:8-10).
Tithes and offerings not being paid are listed as ways they were robbing God–in the same sentence, nonetheless. I’ve given an offering intentionally maybe twice in my life.
More info on this topic at: http://whiteestate.org/issues/egw-tithe.htm
Food:
Do I spend more time thinking and eating than I do loving my Lord and spending time with Him? Do I turn to a cup of coffee or a dessert for comfort, instead of my Savior?
“Intemperance has beclouded the faculties of many so that Satan has almost complete control of them” (EGW, The Great Controversy, 586).
It’s not a small deal. I’ve come to realize that the guilt I feel from overeating has been directed by Satan to focus on my body, when really the guilt is from God’s placement in my soul that I’m disrespecting His temple. I’ve replaced God with food.
Acceptance by the world:
I often finding myself wondering:
Why must I have the best makeup?
Why do I wear it at all?
Why do I straighten away my curls to perfection?
Why must I fill my home to look established?
Why must I have a nice car?
Why must I be a specific dress size?
Why must I agree with others’ views?
Why don’t I just say what I believe, even though it may be different?
Why?…..
All of this because I feel I must be like the world? When I make a “must” in my mind about anything, I set myself up to be enslaved by that very thing I desire. Maybe I shouldn’t have it. Maybe I don’t need it.
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
These are things I’ve discovered during the past couple days. How? I got tired of feeling spiritually dead and decided to read the Bible. Wow, what a thought…
Final thought for us all:
If I’m not taking the time to listen, how can I expect to hear God’s voice?
