Selection from Approaching Hoofbeats

[AngelAmidala]

From: Approaching Hoofbeats
By: Billy Graham

We usually think of an idol as a religious figure carved out of wood or stone, perhaps in some primitive tribe, far removed from civilization.  But we have our "idols" today, because an idol is something that you worship in place of the living God.  Some people worship the idol of beauty or sexual pleasure.  Some people worship the idol of money and security - although I have observed that the more money some people have the more insecure they become.  Some people worship at the shrine of power, constantly scheming for ways they can dominate others.

...What is your idol?  What really, honestly, dominates your life?  What are your priorities, and what are the real (although perhaps hidden) motives in your everyday living?  Is Christ on the throne of your life, or is it self?  You don't have to practice voodoo or be a follower of a strange cult to have been deceived....Anything that entices you away from a wholehearted commitment to Christ is being used of Satan to deceive you.

 

[fieldmouse3]

Good one, AA! It's definitely made me do some thinking about my priorities.

 

[GraftMeIn]

Thanks for sharing this! It's something we should take to heart.

I very often take some time and look around my house, I look at all the things that I own. And I ask myself this...
Is there one thing, or anything that I hold in my possesion that I wouldn't be willing to give up if I was asked to? If I can find one thing that I'm not willing to give up, then I would consider myself in serious trouble.

So many times we have things from family members who are no longer with us, things we've gotten as gifts from others. We place too high a value on so many things we own. And the pure truth of the matter is that none of these things should hold any importance in our life. We need to be willing to give it all up in the blink of an eye, without question, If the Lord were to call us to get rid of everything and go somewhere else, and start all over again I we must be willing to do it.

If you can find one thing in your worldy possesion that you would not be willing to give up to serve the Lord, then you are in fact placing it above him. I pray that the Lord will always keep my eyes open to things such as these, and also the eyes of others.