Idols

Did I tell ya'll that I am leading Breaking Free at our church? Well, I am. And we just started this past Sunday. This is literally the 4th or 5th time that I have done this study and God is already showing me things I need to Break Free from....maybe things I need to break free from, STILL.....

Well - today's lesson was on Jotham who was one of the kings of Judah. Jotham was a good king and followed God's ways. However, he neglected to tear down the high places, there fore the people of Judah remained corrupt. The high places were where the people would go and worship their idols. They would go there and make sacrifices to them.

That got me to thinking about idols. Not many of us would say that we have idols, would we? Because really - not many of us are going out and offering sacrifices to other gods, are we?
BUT -- we often do make sacrifices to things that we aren't even aware are idols in our lives.
All kinds of things - -even good things -- can be idols in our lives. Money, things, friends, husbands, kids.....all can be idols. Because an idol is anything that we allow to become more important in our lives than God.

Can't have quiet time with God because you are always driving kids to this activity and that activity......maybe your kids have become an idol in your life.
Can't make it to church because of the million and one other places you need to be.....maybe those things are an idol in your life.
Don't want to give up "partying" because it might make people look at you differently? Maybe "partying" is your idol.
Gotta make more money, so you can buy more things? Maybe "things" are the idols in your life.

Anything that causes us to take our focus off the Lord and HIS ways -- can be an idol in our lives.

SO -- I did some praying this morning. I asked God to show me the idols in my life. See, I so long to become who God wants me to be. I so long to break free from the things that are holding me captive so that I can grow closer to HIM. So, I asked the question.

Lord, show me the idols in my life. I will sit and wait here and listen for you.

And you know what? The Lord, He was faithful to reply. He gave me a list of idols that I need to lay down on his alter. (DERN!!! - I was hoping I didn't have any idols...)

So, I prayed some more.

Lord, I lay this on your alter. Lord, I lay this person on your alter. Lord , I lay this on your alter..... and so on and so forth, except I was calling them by name.

And it was hard! I cried. I really felt the pressure of giving them over to HIM.
But also -- I so wanted to do it! DO I think that I have laid them down for the last time?
Probably not.

I am quite certain that I will have to lay them down again. Some of them, I might have to lay down over and over -- day by day or even minute by minute until I am victorious.

And I will be you know? I will -- WITH GOD'S HELP be victorious. I will break free from these things that are keeping me captive and I cannot wait!

What about you? Do you have idols to lay down before him? Start Breaking Free today!

In HIM -