Idols Of The Heart.

 Idolatry

Romans 1 tells us that Idolatry is exchanging the truth of God for a lie. Worshipping the creation instead of the Creator and Exchanging the glory of God for self. Anything that takes the place of God in your life is Idolatry. Idolatry begins when you lose sight of Christ. Running and searching for things that will never complete you.

Your Idols Will Be Broken!

Ezekiel 36:25 “ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean: I will cleanse you from all impurities and from all your idols”.

 Salvation through the Blood Of Jesus Christ brings you through a continual sanctification process. As the Lord prunes you, He will show us the idols of our hearts, expose their worthlessness and then break them! 

Testimony Time:

For about 11 years now, I have happily been a freelance makeup artist. I entered this craft by way of a chemical burn I had received from a hair product I had used just 3 weeks before my wedding. I had no idea how I was going to get rid of this burn. After going the madicencial route  by way of aloe vera to heal the burn, I was left with a very dark line under my left eye. I came across a youtube video advertising a cover up called “ Makeup Forever camouflage concealer”.

 I quickly purchased the concealer from a “Sephora” makeup counter. My first trip never turned into the last.I never was a makeup wearer but I fell in love with the polished finish the concealer gave my already flawless skin. As I excelled in skill, my like turned into love. It was subtle but later proved deadly. 

Money I should have been saving was going into this craft. Repeat impulse spending and uncontrollable urges to buy overcame me time and time again. I was high everytime I purchased something new and  low shortly thereafter, leaving me wanting. In 2016 God began to prepare me for the breaking of my idols. The Holy spirit began to comfort me through conviction on how much I was spending on makeup but also the time I was taking to apply it.

 It was spilling over into my arrival time for work-causing me continually to be late. Mind you, this was a Job God blessed me with to take care of my needs. The Holy spirit began instructing me to cut my time down. He let me know I was taking too long and it needed to stop!” I obeyed and started to scale back each time he prompted until eventually I had no more time to apply anything. He is so gracious and long-suffering and He worked with me because I was willing to work with Him.

God ultimately asked me to lay down my business and step away. I didn’t understand at the time but I obeyed. It hurt because I loved this thing and I had many opportunities to further my career, but I didn’t fight, I just obeyed. That was 4 years ago now and I thank God for it everyday. God had to show me myself in the mirror of His reflection. He had to put things in my life in order and decency-Everything in its proper place.

God completely has broken that idol. He has been enthroned in my heart ever since. God is faithful! He can do the same for you. Today, I urge you to ask the Lord to search your heart and expose any hidden idolatry that may have taken up residence. Repent! And God to remove it in Jesus name.

What Are Your Eyes Set Upon?

Matthew 6:21-23 “ for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also…”

God looks at the heart. He sees what your eyes are looking at. Christians can easily fall into Idolatry by turning the things of God into an idol. It may be memorizing scripture so you appear to look spiritual or focusing on your performance and conduct so you appear perfect. It can become an idol. Many Christians become so busy doing the things of God and forget who it’s really all for. Are you doing all things for His glory? What are your motives? Let your joy come from the finished work of Christ. Check your focus.

Nothing Can Compare

John 4:14 “But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”

When we run around searching for things to complete us, we are left high-and-dry. Our idols give us short-term satisfaction, only leading back to feeling empty. Much like the thrill of a new relationship after it’s run it course -we are left feeling worse than before. What is the first thing you turn to, to numb the pain? This is where you will find your idol. What better love, than one who died to have a relationship with you. “For he satisfies the thirty and fills the hungry with good things”-Psalms 107:9

You Become What You Worship!

“Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them.”

- Psalms 115:8

You become what you worship. Worship is very powerful, It alters your whole entire being. Worship consumes you.Those who spend their lives worshipping God, they are then filled with His spirit and those fruits will be evident in their lives. That is why those who practice voodoo [witchcraft]- become consumed and possessed with the spirit or deity they worship.

I remember as a teenager being asked “what celebrity was my idol?” Celebrities have the biggest influence over the masses and are practically worshipped everyday. They have such a presence in our lives, even impacting our style trends. Many want to act like their favorite celebs. Purchasing clothes, shoes and wearing hairstyles that don’t look good on them- for the sake of looking like their idol. Leaving many to feel they’re not good enough just the way they are.

  Don’t allow these temporary fulfillments to blind you to the truth of God's word. Idols don’t know your worth!  Christ died for you because He believed you were worth it!

God Is Jealous!

“for you shall not worship any other god; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His]— Exodus 34:14

God loves you so much that he wants all of you! God should come before everything. God takes idolatry so seriously, that in 1 Corinthians 5:11 He tells us to flee from associating with people who call themselves believers but are idolaters. Sadly idolatry separates us from God, replacing the source [GOD] for resources [idols].

A Call To Repentance

God Loves you! The longer we stay separated from God, The quicker we die spiritually. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”

Lets Pray,

Father in The Name of Jesus, I ask you to expose every form of Idolatry in my heart and life that has taken your place. Remove any person, place or thing that has my attention, love, admiration or devotion above you. Please forgive me Lord from taking my focus off of you and exchanging the truth of God for a lie. Cleanse me with the precious blood of Jesus Christ and create in me a clean heart and renew in me a right spirit. Help me to seek you earnestly, show me how to love you and show me how to find my fulfillment in you alone. Thank you for restoring me back into right relationship with you In Jesus Mighty Name

-Amen

---Sierra Cookson