American Idols

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." -Matthew 10:37, 38
 
We live in a culture today where our idols define us. We may call ourselves a Christian nation, but more so than that, we love the freedoms that we have because of it. There is nothing wrong with living a free life, but without God in it, or at the center of it, our lives will be lacking something great.

I find it interesting that Jesus, when talking about the importance of loving others, goes from talking about loving others to saying, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." That's a pretty strong statement. I could see some households getting stirred up over that one. But do you know what? It refers to the power of idols in our lives.

Whenever we make something greater in our minds than God, whenever we love something more, care more about what others think, care more about what others do, that person or thing begins to sit on the throne of our heart, where God should be. We do it all the time, even with little things that get in the way. "I can't believe what he/she said about me!" we might say. It could even be ourselves we love more. But anytime other people's words define us that are not in agreement with what God says about us, we are letting that person become an idol to us.

Family is often the primary place we receive and establish our identities. If family isn't present to help with this process and point us toward God as our source for identity, or the effect of the family has been primarily negative, we'll go elsewhere to try and answer these questions: "Who am I, and what am I meant for?" Often the world has a myriad of answers that may not line up with what God says about us. Many of those answers through people we might look up to in music, in hollywood, and in business. But are these people where we should find our identity & purpose in life? Are they correct in what they say (through their example) we should be?

Jesus says in the same passage, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." -Matthew 10:37, 38

Do someone else's thoughts define you? I pray that instead we be overcome by the loving power of God, and that he would sit on the throne of our hearts, telling us who we truly are in Him

Our Security & Confidence in God

"I know that you, God, are on the side of victims, that you care for the rights of the poor. And I know that the righteous personally thank you, that good people are secure in your presence."  Psalm 140:12-13 

Where do we get our security or our confidence from?  It's often easy to find both our identity and security in other people and things.  How do we know we've misplaced our sense of being, and our sense of belonging?  We'll often feel as though our core value lies outside ourselves, or that another is more valuable than we are.

There are so many cases of misplaced identity and devotion.  Just take a look at the Israelites. They had the answer, and they continued to follow false idols and gods.  Why did they do it?  They struggled with the age-old problem we've always had - do we let God be in control?  Or do we try to take the control back from Him?  (Which never really works out anyway...)

When you think of security, as in home security or a bank account, it means that the "boundaries" or "walls" are fortified.  There is no confusion about who is in or who is out.  Only the right people or things should be there.  Threats to security or safety remain outside the walls.  When we are secure, we know who is in, and who is out.  When God is at the center of our lives, there is no question about our own identity.  

"The Fear-of-God builds up confidence, and makes a world safe for your children." -Proverbs 14:26

Do you find your confidence, security, and identity in the One who made you?  Pray today that you might be even more dependent on Him to fulfill every need - in identity, in security, and most of all - in your own destiny. 

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,  comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say." 2 Thess 2:16-17

Our One True God

"But the LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath." -Jeremiah 10:10

From the time Israel was released from bondage to Egypt until the time of Jesus, the Israelites struggled with idolatry.  Even though they had been given a set of instructions by Moses (the 10 Commandments), they still rebelled against the guidelines God gave them and set out to live the way they wanted.  As such, they began to worship idols, starting with the golden calf, when Moses was on Mt. Sinai getting these instructions from God.  (Exodus 32)

We humans have always had the same nature, trying to fill the voids in our lives where God should be.  But, the fact of the matter is, God is our only hope.  He is our only TRUE God. And He loves us more than anyone or anything ever could in our entire lives. 

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  -John 3:16

Too often, we can find ourselves in a similar situation that Israel did.  If we’re not worshipping the one true God, we’re worshipping something.  We were designed for worship!

Is God the only true God in your life?  Ask Him today if there are any idols in your life that may need to be put aside.  Our lives function best when He becomes our one and only God.