Last Sunday, I started a series on the Ten Commandments with the first commandment, "I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me." This coming Sunday, March 1st, I will bring the message on the second commandment, "You shall not make for yourself an idol......" In my thoughts this week, I'd like for us to consider the various idols that people have, in preparation for the upcoming sermon. The dictionary says that an idol is "an image of a god that is used for worship." Many people around the world worship idols made by their own hands. Stone idols that have ears but can not hear, eyes but can not see. Read Psalm 135:15-18!! It is interesting to note that in the Bible and in Christianity, an idol can also be "anything in your life that you put in first place over God." This is what I want you to consider. What are you giving more time and thought to than you give to God? Is it pleasure, or money, or your friends, or T.V. , or music and video games......what? This week consider how you can keep God in first place and then let these other things fall into second place. Some scriptures that might help are: Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Another scripture is Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures (possessions and things) on earth .....but store up treasures in heaven......for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
God gives us several words of warning: "I am the Lord; that is my Name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8
In Psalm 31:6, King David said, "I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord."
My prayer for all of us is that we will give God first place in our daily lives. A good way to start is to pray each morning,"Lord, I want you to be first in my life today. Whatever you want for my day today is what I want. Give me the strength to live with You, O Lord, as my leader. Amen"
Pastor Jack
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