It's Giving...Idol.Sample

## DAY 1: IDOLATRY DEFINED. [IMAGE CONTENT] MTC (My two cents): Let me start by saying that I wrote this plan for myself, and anyone who finds themselves drawn away by the things of this world. It's easy to be distracted, enticed, and low-key to 'worship' other things and people, but what I lost was TIME. Precious time with the One who created me. I decided to take accountability and make some changes. So let's start at the beginning... ## What Is Idolatry? Merriam-Webster defines idolatry as the worship of a physical object as a god. Hebrew translation: tᵊrāp̄îm; a kind of idol, object of reverence, and means of divination, household shrine, giving empty oracles. Greek translation: eidōlolatria); the worship of false gods, idolatry, the formal sacrificial feasts held in honor of false gods, worship of Mammon (wealth, treasure, riches opposed to God) MTC: Right now, these definitions sound extreme and if you love God, YOU WOULD NEVER worship SOMEONE or SOMETHING other than Him. But stick around for the details…idolatry isn’t always “in your face.” It’s actually a very subtle thing we’re ALL guilty of. ## How Does It Affect My Relationship with God? Idols build walls between us and God, and they can affect our relationships with other people. If we’re not careful we can fall into the trap of temporarily relying on or depending on them, but in reality, it or they begin to take God’s place...PERMANENTLY. —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 AMP MTC: If someone or something comes between you and the One who created you, then you can expect to feel some heat. No pun intended. ## Why Does It Even Matter? God CREATED us for a relationship WITH HIM. Whatever we value more than God, whatever motivates our thoughts and actions, can easily become an idol. These idols dull our spiritual ears and harden our hearts toward God. We become distant and no longer recognize His voice or even see His warnings. He loves us and cares for us, knowing full well there is an enemy (Satan) out there trying to destroy us. He wants to protect us from what sin has done, which has left us with troubles here on earth. God is holy. This world is not. MTC: Imagine birthing, raising, and providing for your kids their entire lives. Now imagine that they never spoke to you, or only called or came by on holidays. They never thanked you or even acknowledged your existence. To make it worse, they find every reason and excuse NOT to spend time with you. They prefer talking to everyone else about their problems, except you, and when you have the answer to their problem, they’re on their phone. Now imagine GOD creating us IN HIS IMAGE and feeling that way. Yikes . ## What Does the Bible Say? As believers, our source is God’s Word. Period. Read (Romans 1:28-31) and (1 Peter 1:15-19) in the amplified version. MTC: God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to accept the punishment we deserved for every sin. Sin entered the world through our human disobedience after God gave us the freedom to choose Him or reject Him. We can never achieve holiness or be reconciled to God ON OUR OWN. We need a Savior, and His blood that was shed for our mistakes washes us clean, gives us a fresh start, and makes us holy. We no longer have to feel condemned or ashamed of our past, because that’s not who we are anymore. That’s kind of a big deal. Over the next several days, we'll discuss some of the idols that can affect our relationship with God.