"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).
My prayer is that a stench will rise as we begin to identify and burn to ash the idols that line the halls of our hearts. Maybe it's just a personal thing, but I feel like relationships are one of the trickiest areas of idolatry to locate and dethrone. Because I am in the thick of the battle with you all and, just as with any other area we examine, have no authority to speak over you with this issue, I want to direct us to the words of scripture for conviction and instruction over the next three weeks.
During each of the next three weeks, I will provide some suggested Bible passages to read and meditate on. My hope is that the Spirit will move in your heart as you take the time and make the effort to come before Him with open hands. That's it! I can't offer you a 5-step program to get rid of your idols. But I can point you (and me) to the Word of God and pray that HE will begin to spotlight relationships in your life that have taken HIS throne. And I can pray that HE will direct you where you need to go next in the process of removing that idol from your life.
My hope is that we will be an encouragement to each other in this month, actively sharing what God is revealing to us and where He is directing us to go in the removal of our idols. Please don't be timid...God may use your words to encourage/challenge someone else!
FAITHdare #6:
1) Spend disciplined time with God this week, meditating on scripture and praying that He will reveal to you relationships in your life that have become a barrier to deeper relationship with Him. If you want, use the scripture passages listed below to guide your time.
2) As God convicts you, respond with obedience!
3) As God leads you, please share what He is doing in your life with the rest of us...your words might be just what God wants someone else to read!
Suggested scripture passages:
Luke 9:57-62
2 Samuel 11-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 3:31-34
1 Samuel 1
John 4:1-26
Luke 14:15-24
Luke 9:57-62
2 Samuel 11-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 3:31-34
1 Samuel 1
John 4:1-26
Luke 14:15-24
Abigail, Oh how I was hoping to see you today, not that I worship you in any way or anything :), but I was so hoping to see you. I must share something with you all. The good Lord has revealed to me a mayor idol in my life, and I have given it up. I feel so dump some times because I had wrestle with God for so long about it because I though it was going to be so hard, but it has been great! I relay on him everyday, it is hard at times but he quickly reminds me that it is just a thing, and that I should only depend on Him. By the way we were watching the movie The Ten Commandments the other night, and the kids were laughing at the Egyptians praying to the statues and worshiping them, oh! what a slap in the face that was, because that was me, even though I wasn't bowing to this thing, I knew that it took enough of my time that it was worship. Justin always tells me, if you can't give it up it is an idol. And he is right, because I was making all kinds of excuses not to give it up.
ReplyDeleteI will be in much prayer this week, I know that this will be a hard week not only for me, but for a lot of my dear friends, so please join me in prayer for them as well. God is good, always.
Monica
Monica, I wish I could have seen you too! I hope the "get-together" was a blessing, though! I will definitely be praying for you and your friends this week! I think idols are hard for all of us...
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