The Normal Christian Life: A Journey Through Romans
Saturday, February 11, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, forgive me for any idol that I have in my life right now. I do not want to be focused on anything else but you. Help me to remove that thing from my thoughts. I don’t want to make that a master any more. I repent of my sin and I turn to you. I ask that you would help me to live in your righteousness. Keep me away from the things that distract me from your purposes in me. I ask this in Jesus’ name. . . Amen.
God’s Word Today—Romans 1:21-23
21 “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
The Bible says to resist the devil and he will flee. The reason why so many people are in bondage to sin and idolatry is because they haven’t learned to flee the enemy. The devil, contrary to popular thought, cannot do anything he pleases. When Jesus’ said “it is finished” – he destroyed the works of the devil. He essentially bound him, like a dog on a chain. The dog still can move, except that his movement is limited to the bounds of the chain. If we are to resist the devil, we can’t go within the devil’s domain. We must keep away from him. If we don’t, he will take hold of us and will not let go. Whatever we do today, we are to stay away from the devil’s domain. When this happens, we will live in the victory God provides.
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
Read 1 John 5:21. What does this verse say?
Why did John choose to conclude his letter with these words?
How does one “keep away from idols"?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
The best indicator of our “idol” is what we spend the most time thinking about; for our thoughts reveal the overflow of what’s going on in our hearts. If we examine what we think about, it will show the area we’re most likely tempted to build and idol. What do you think about most during the day? What is a way you can keep that thing from becoming an idol?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
How does one get rid of idols?
Is there an idol you need to get rid of?
Take time today to confess your sin to God and ask for His forgiveness. When you do this, we will help you to smash the idols consuming you.
Thoughts
C.S. Lewis once said in his book, The Great Divorce, “Everything is good when it looks to (God) and bad when it turns from Him. And the higher and mightier it is in the natural order, the more demoniac it will be if it rebels.” God created a world that is good. When sin entered the world through man’s sin, the things which were once good were forever tainted with sin. The corruption of sin was so severe that everything changed. It wasn’t as if God failed to make things right, it was because humanity chose to make idols of themselves. What once was good, turned evil and became immersed in sin.
All of us have struggled at one point or another with idols. We have allowed things to get in the way of our worship of God. The best indicator of this is the fact that all of us are going to die. Death is the result of sin, and sin is the result of idolatry. If we’ve all sinned, then we all need a Savior. Jesus came into this world, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross to bear the weight of our own sin. He took upon Himself all of our worthless idols and threw them into the pit of hell. When we chose to surrender our lives to God, He take our idols away from us. I doesn’t mean that the enemy will not try to reintroduce those idols once again. He will. It does mean that the Holy Spirit will give us the grace and power to resist the devil and overcome each idol as it is presented. God’s victory is for all who put their trust in Him and obey His commands.
This Week’s Memory Verse:
And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes. Romans 1:23