What Are Your Idols | tmgministries

By Makayla Thompson

Q; What is an IDOL?

A: An idol is something you love more than God. If something is an idol in your life you will find yourself putting that specific thing before God. You would spend more time with the idol rather than God. An idol is something you value too much. We must be careful overvaluing certain things in our life because if we do God can take that thing away. Idols are temporary, God is not.

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity[b] of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
- Vanity
  - Hebrew term: hebel, translated into vanity or vain. This refers concretely to a “mist,” “vapor,” or “mere breath.” Mist and vapor vanish quickly and mere breath is a waste. Vanity is dangerous, It appears five times in this verse and in 29 other verses in the total of 11 books in Ecclesiastes.

2. How Can I Tell if Something in My Life is an Idol?

A: You can tell if something is an idol if your actions show that it is more important to you than God. It could be more essential in your everyday life than spending time with God. You could value your idol more than you value God or an active relationship with Him.

Scripture

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
- Avoid idols at all costs. Keep yourself away from them in fact. An idol is not just a statue. It can be anything.

Commonly Idolized:

SIN, a person, social media, a celebrity, romantic interests, children, husband/wife, false doctrine, academics, ideas, the phone, yourself, video games, etc.

Please note: caring about these things is not wrong but caring about them more than God is wrong.

3. Put God First By Seeking His Guidance

When we consistently seek God’s guidance, we let God know that we value his favor and opinion in our lives. It shows that we are not recklessly living for the world. We must value God’s opinion always, in fact it is crucial. We can get into deep danger if we ignore the word of God. So, we must “ask and we shall receive” (Matthew 7:7). Ask His will, and always favor His will over yours because He knows things you do not know. You can ask Him before making certain actions or you can ask him about certain situations and what you should do. As a result, if it is in His will to give you the answer He will. God speaks through scripture, spiritual hymns, signs, “coincidences,” sermons, psalms, other people, prophets, mentors, nature, etc. God speaks through anything he wishes to speak through. Whatever way He may speak, trust me you will know it’s Him. Seek his guidance in all things and value, listen, and obey it over all. Amen.

Scripture

Proverbs 3:3-7 “3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”
Mark 6:4-6 “But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.”

Reflect

Q: What are your idols? Q: How can you put God FIRST in your life? Q: Will you?

Scriptures About: God’s Will > My Will

Psalm 119:104 “104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”

John 16:12-13 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Key- Proverbs 16:2-3 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

Proverbs 3:3 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Psalm 31:3-5 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.