When Good Things Become An Idol - An "Idols" Series Sermon
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- Опубліковано 13 сер 2016
- This message is taught by Pastor Steve Bennetsen at the Alpine Church Layton campus.
Have you ever considered that even a good thing can become an idol? The reality is that a good thing can become a bad thing when it becomes the ultimate thing. The problem is that there is only one ultimate thing: God. When pursuing something good becomes a priority over pursuing the one who is good, we create an idol that can’t save us or help us, and that ultimately leads us on a path away from God.
Find discussion questions, related resources, and more for this message at www.PursueGOD.org/
Check out the kids version of this lesson:
www.pursuegod.org/the-grossest...
Check out the youth version of this lesson:
www.pursuegod.org/when-a-relat...
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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I was in a relationship for two years my fiancé and I were going to get married. she became my idol,I worshiped her put her on a pedestal in front of God; and God said you can’t live without her let me take her way and see what happens.And a five month since the break up I’ve been chasing after gods heart putting him first being obedient I’ve learned my lesson God bless everyone
Have a great day!
God Bless! Stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourselves! Wishing everyone the best! Jesus loves you! May the Holy Spirit guide you! 😇 💗🕊
The human heart is an idol factory within. Good quote from Calvin. Is this not something we all have experienced and may continue to. Idol of self we seek to gratify. This is why Jesus says start with denying yourself and become free in Christ. Anything you can attach to self by hyphenated can show how self orientated we can be. Self- gratification, self-doubt, and of course all the phobias of fear people can be plagued with. The guilt that leads sorrow, rather than repentance and life. We can all expand on this. Pleasure, gratification to battle anxiety, loneliness and just plain feelings of unworthiness of anyone or anything. All bogs the evil one likes to waylay us in. When we make to much of ourselves, we make little of God's place and salvation from the things that would and will plague us. We all get caught up in looking for remedies for making our lives a little better or relieve ourselves of pain spiritually, emotionally or physically, or even socially and relatively. And we can be snared in these excursions into addictions and habits we did not know would happen. But if Gods grace has its way in us, our failures after the flesh and mind can become our correctors by their false promises. If our sins chase us to God, just as our sins led Christ to the cross for us; bang! Victory in the grace and salvation in Christ. Idols of mind, our favorite ideas, ldols of power and prestige, position and class, of race, of family or tribe. Of entertainment and culture, of country or nation. When we become Christ's we become part of a new family, a spiritual "nation ", the living spiritual body of Christ. We all need to let Christ rule our hearts and know the peace, and the shalom of God, no substitutes will ever, ever do from the beginning of our lives till we depart to be with our Lord. May we not draw back in doubt to trust other things. That is playing in the trees back in Eden, our looking back to the earlier false comforts of our worldly Egypt, the city of carnal deception and delight, a return to the worldly troughs Christ and our Father in heaven wants out of. Thinking about God's better things helps me to edify myself in the faith. We are all counted sanctified if we continue by grace in the progress of sanctification in our lives. It displeases God when we draw back, get confused in direction, or get side tracked into self help outside of His will and way for us. Fall, get back up, get led astray and find the way back, stumble in the narrow way and it is wide enough to still accommodate us to heaven. We have a God that will not forsake us, so we need to praise God by accommodating ourselves to that eternal fact. He watches over us, and is for our salvation more than we are. He knows all that we have yet to know. Let us move forward in faith and hope in communion with the Holy Spirit. Grow in the wisdom of His Eternal Word. Von, you are, to me a true pastor. May God bless you in wisdom, love, and every need.
I went through the same thing!
@@GypsyInTheHood it seems it happens after awhile in a relationship I become attached.I love fast I love hard
Are you faithfully OBEYING Jesus?
Pinterest actually became an idol in my life. Saving pins of fashion, luxury vacations and home decor. Talk about coveting for enjoyment!
Rebuke all These. Seek God only.
Wow. What a great sermon on Idol Worship. I would like to share something with others out there. I did not grow up in a spiritual family. I was just born like everyone else. My older brother had left the family suddenly. In the middle of the night. It's like he just vanished. My brother was 17 years old. I was 13 years old in 1964. He left everything behind. He even left his 2 cars in the drive way. My mom and my younger sister and me and my dad were very concerned. For over a month we tried everything we could but with no answers. My brother at the time was like a Idol to me, And that Idol just vanished. I grew up in a Dysfunctional family. Now. Watch how god works. I went through a lot of physical and emotional pain in my life. Mainly because my father was not faithful to my mom. Plus he was a die hard alcoholic and abusive verbally and physically to the whole family. So, To add to the pain my dad did, Now my older brother just leaves the family. I thought he left because of my father. Anyway. Again like all the other times I would go through pain of any kind I would get angry and cry my eyes out. I was always asking myself this question. "Why am I here"? I never ask anyone to put me here. I ever remember thinking thoughts like "I am mad at my mom because she had me come into this world." When I was 23 years old I had just come back home from being honorably discharged from the Army. I moved back into the same room I grew up in. So. It was December 29th 1975. I became 25 years old. On October 10th my father called me up and said: Son. How would you like to visit your older brother Randy? I will never forget what I felt that day. My dad said I have some business to do in Las Vegas. My dad sold cars and had his own car lot. He said. We will stay at "The Flamingo" on November 3rd. Your brother and his wife will be waiting at the airport in Seattle, Washington. We will be spending a week at his house in Lake Stevens Washington. I immediately agreed. The first thing I did when I got to Seattle was get out of the car and play in the snow because I had never felt it before. It was a fantastic journey because the trip I took from Tampa, Fla would start my destiny with Jesus Christ. When I got to my brothers house I was amazed to see the 2 story house. We caught up on the past and why he left. He told me he had gotten a girl pregnant and rather than being responsible he ran away. He said..Larry. Will you forgive me for what I did? Right at that moment I said yes but, I told him how horrible my life was after that. Then he said..Larry, Did you know that when you forgive someone you also forget about the offensive as well? I said. Randy. I guess I don't understand what forgiveness really is? Anyway. My brother told me this. We have a extra car here. We have a extra room here. I can teach you how to refinish antique furniture. You can live with us rent free forever. After he showed me everything he said. You have 7 days to decide if you want everything I offered you. It was like winning the Lottery because after he said all of that he said I am going to give you $.500.00 for spending money. Then I said..Randy. Nothing in life is free. Why are you offering me all of this? Larry. Your correct. There is a catch. What is the catch? Larry. Would you spend 1 hour in church every Sunday for everything I offered you? I said.. No way. He said. Okay. You will be here 7 days. Please feel free to at least think about it. I said. Okay but I am not staying. Randy said. I understand. The church was very small but, The pastor Bob Meyer was very straight forward. He said. Larry. Could you please just spend one hour the day your going back home to Florida? I said. Yeah but I am still leaving. When Sunday came it was October 16th 1975. After church I went to my room and thought for hours. Larry, What do you have to lose? Why are you afraid? What are you scared of Larry? When I could not find the answers to those questions I went downstairs and told everyone I have decided to stay. Everyone was so happy to hear it. Larry. What on earth does this have to do with Idol worship? Everything?? Keep in mind that I did not accept Christ until July 4th 1976 America's 200th birthday. Keep in mind that I just went to church because I had to as to our agreement but, After after months of being exposed to reading the word of God. I never knew any of what was in the bible. On July 4th my pastor finally preached a sermon on what the Romans did to Christ. Up to this point I just looked at Christ as a special person like no one else. We were not at church for a hour that day. My pastor went into deep detail. After a little over an hour and Christ had been beaten what no longer looked human. I broke down. I had to go outside. I remember sitting on the porch. I could not stop crying. Bob the pastor came out and said. Larry. Christ was God in a mans body. "ALL HAVE COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD" (Romans 3:23). Larry. If you were the only person born he still would have gone through the torture just for you. Then I cried another 20 minutes. Larry. Would you like to come into the den. So. When I got there Bob said. Larry. Do you believe that you are a sinner? I did not want to answer. Larry. Have you ever lied? Yes. Okay. Have you ever stolen anything that was not yours? Yes. Then without going any further you have fallen short of Gods set standards of being like he is. Would you like to confess that your a sinner? Then he said something that hit me like a brick. Larry. "MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN" (Matthew 22:14). What does that mean? Many accept Christ into their life as a insurance policy thinking they will get to heaven. Larry. If you accept Christ he must become the most important thing in your life. "THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GOD'S BEFORE ME" (Exodus 20:3). Then I looked at him and I said Bob. Something makes to much sense about all of this stuff you have been preaching out of the bible. What do I need to do to be right with my creator? I confessed with my mouth that Jesus Christ was God and I believed with all of my heart that he shed his blood to atone for my sins and the sins of the whole world. After all of this, I did not feel different physically but, I knew something had happened to me that day. I could not put it into words. At the start this was about IDOLS right? If you think I have no battles with IDOLS you would be very wrong. You might be thinking this..Then you accepting Christ did not keep you from sinning? Correct. Sometimes I would justify sinning but, Ever since that day over 40 years ago I am sinning less and less. Why? "Because you realize how serious what God did by putting himself in a mans body and walked among us" (John 1:14). As far as IDOLS go. Put nothing on earth above your creator. If you have a hobby and you spend more time with the hobby than you do spending your time with Christ, You might want to keep an eye on where your heart really is. I hope this helps at least one person out there. May god bless you. Amen.
thankyou for sharing God be with you always
My God, you are a very beautiful person. I thank you for your service for not only being in the army but as a Christian as well. We are suppose to share our testimonies with others, like you did, so others may be saved in the process. You have inspired me to be a better Christian than what I was before. May God see fit to bless you and those you love according to his will.
It did. Thank you.
Why and who has this much time to write this. Seek help. I didn't read it but this says alot..
Thank you for the testimony brother.
God bless you ♡︎
Amen! We need to stop embracing the idols and the wisdoms of this world. Instead we need to be renewed in the presence of God.Thereon to display His greatness to entire world. Ultimately we can give Him the highest praises and glory.
Please pray for me to be able to stop idolizing people and relationships, human love. 🙏😭
Why not just REPENT ?
The best sermon I’ve watched on Idolatry thus far! Glory to Jesus.
Chase God and everything will chase you.
Perfection is the HOLINESS of God, He saids Be prefect for I am perfect
I have love and marriage on a pedestal so much that I don’t pursue it at all. I’m captive to this idea that I’m not worthy of it since I don’t have the American dream to offer anyone. I don’t have a family I would want to introduce anyone to and I don’t make the amount of money I feel is sufficient to marry or start a family. With sexual desire I’ve struggled with pornography and to rationalize not getting out of it to pursue marriage I consume news and “fear porn” disaster scenarios. It’s a spirit of fear and unbelief. I need a lot of prayer that I could escape this fatalistic mindset.
How are you doing lately?
@@alivewithchrist777 I can’t say much has changed, but I’m a little less fatalistic on a regular basis than I was before. I still have my bad days, but I’m trying.
@@BruceJC75 I struggle too with the fear porn & disaster scenarios, I have to know everything.I’m addicted to information, like I have to know when this stuff is going to get serious.I just realized this has become an idol in my life. I’ll be praying for you. I just wanted to encourage you by something that helped me the last few weeks. I’ve been asking God for Him to cause me to fall in love with Him again and help me , comfort me and fill these places that I keep trying to put idols in with His spirit, because I can’t do it by myself I need His spirit & power. Also fasting! Put down the phone or tv if you can for a few days & replace with prayer. I’ll be praying for you brother!
Same here. Continuously seeking the definitive news source.
This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. Thank you!
I made a bad decision today and realized My daughter is an Idol in my life. Please pray for me anyone/ everyone who reads this.😭
It is good the Holy Spirit convicted you I pray you repent and ask for forgiveness and that his wisdom will lead you back in loving the Lord fully . And yes repenting for outing our family member first before God ! He is a merciful savior. Praise God in Jesus Christ name
This sermon is very informative. I’am learning a lot. I personally have a lot of interests, but I don’t put them above God and Jesus. I am bodybuilder like your buddy you speak about and I have forty years of training under my belt. As important as bodybuilding is for me, I don’t put it above the God and Jesus. I am a new believer( 8 years) and a Messianic Jew and I have been reading the Bible pretty daily. And yes, I had missed some of daily devotion and reading, but I am still in this learning journey in Jesus. We can always be more in tune with ourselves and be more aware of idols. We have to keep ourselves in check. God Bless
We all need to listen to this sermon over and over.
Love cannot be an idol,its not the action of love but if you love a person more than God we then take part in idol worship(love of a thing)but not love itself
This couldn't have hit me any harder than right now!! I'm listening Lord
Glory to God thank you for this sermon.. I really didn’t know it got that bad with me I had to submit and fall to my knees and repent there is no other love like God and God is Love...
💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞😍God Bless you pastor Steve and your church and ministry. Amen All Glory to GOD
I love this teaching! 🙏🏾 🙌🏾❤️
Great series I thoroughly enjoyed the clarity in the teaching.
Excellent sermon.👍❤️
woooow i've been praying for guidance on idol worship, so the Lord led me to this video :)) Bless you mayn
Thank you 🙏🏼
Blessed to stumple upon you, Pastor. Eloquently orated, subsequently receptive....woe unto thee who reject truth; mostly excited for Christ's return.
To put someone or thing before God is a form of idol worship. In the Bible it doesn't say Jacob was worshipping Rachel more than God.
No but allegorically, if He put God first he probably wouldn’t have rushed in snd did his own thing, and appreciated what he had or got
Thank you! This really explained a lot to me. Great Preaching 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
thanks for the video
I feel like I heard the voice of God say “you trust in everything else to save you” and it seemed like that meant that I wouldn’t go to God to help my heart in the areas that it needed but would go to like people or things for those things. But does that mean that I have idols?
i had a serious approval idol smh.. my ex g/fs approval was an idol and her last words to me were “have a nice life”... i didnt know it was an idol until i had wasted significant time and energy on trying to please her.. obviously none of it worked so worship God only in spirit and in truth.. otherwise u will just waste your life
Behind the search for every idol lies the yearning for completion. To seek a special person or a thing to "add" to you to make yourself complete can only mean that you believe some form is missing, and by finding this, you will achieve completion in a form that you like. This is the purpose of an idol, that you will not look beyond it to the source of the belief that you are incomplete.
Amen.
Simply put, anything in your life you place in importance before God is an idol, that goes for love, material possessions, concern, if someone in your family is sick and you're worried, so worried that all you do is fret and show concern for their situation, that feeling becomes an idol, because you are placing your grief before God, instead pray my friends, and pray hard, and repent, repent your sins
God, family, country--- in this order.
Love God before all, before your children, before your partner, before your family, and remember, God watches how you live in private
In accordance with this whole message and jonah 2:8, 2 corinthians 6:14-18 I bind to hell for myself, my friends, my family, colleagues, neighbours, acquintances, opponents and the body of Christ to put idolatry above steadfast love, while I loosen myself of every unequal yoke and common share with those who put idolatry above steadfast love, in the name and blood of Jesus Christ, amen and hallelujah: "Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love."
Yes it's true
If it's not reflecting the love of God its lust not God's love
My brother was a Cheetos addict too. Long ago, I idolized a guy to the point of insanity. All my friends knew this but only one called me on it. She was annoyed by my idolatry. But she was correct!
Was Jacob Leah’s idol. She seek his love constantly more so than Gods. Her whole life was about pleasing him and being loved by him. Was Bathsheba David’s idol. He sined against God to have her and even committed murder? Am I getting it right?
thoughts on music in the brain?
Is it “Amazing Grace” or something from Black Sabbath?
Could be just an ear worm. The brain likes mathematical and rhythmic repetition. I’d say if you’re enjoying “It’s still rock & roll to me” that’s ok, but if all you’re doing day and night is tapping your feet to the song, try to change it up. Pick a worship song you like and try to get a different ear worm going. I’ve been trying to memorize Psalm 103 and the song “Bless the Lord Oh my soul” keeps playing in my head. I think it can be a good thing.
As teenagers my sister and I made a life size dummy and we performed a ritual to invoke the Spirit of ZoSo into it, it was really life like.
One night I noticed one of its hands move slightly so we kept our eyes on it and over a long time the hands would move just after dark, I put my ZoSo into my bedroom and it really began to limber up, the eyes would move and the arms flail about whenever we were alone.
I’ve kept ZoSo over the years and regard him as my special friend and confidant.
Eventually one night I heard a soft sigh and ZoSo whispered to me “I love you Lili”
I have moved him into my bed and sometimes I swear he’s nearly human, I talk to him but he rarely replies, now whenever I have a man stay overnight I put ZoSo into another room but I can feel the jealousy, he’ll always be my best friend.
People claim Jesus is their best friend so I guess it’s the same thing.
Repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He can save you call on him.
The world is complicated
it was talking about false gods or humans worshiped as gods like in egypt
Not so , come to reality , open your eyes , pray on it , seek God and read your Bible 🙏🕯️💜👑😇!!!
Yeah my grandson has been worshipping idols
When you find the right person they won't fail you because they want you to prosper and your spouse will want you to prosper. When you get a relationship like that the only way to find it is they have to have love for God and put God first and understand the true sacrifice that Jesus made it's poetic Justice. God comes first Jesus is our Savior and we are to follow to be christ-like so to live without sin and as you can see the TV is not anything good for a marriage or a family it has negative influence and they don't live within freedom. Life is not sitting on a sofa watching TV. It's living in Gods world and being Christ like.
Down bad
Just to correct history here a bit: Jacob did not steal Esau's Birthright, he bought it from Esau for a bowl of pottage, as Esau despised his Birthright. God said: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" - God despised Esau as he had despised his birthright and sold it for a bowl of pottage. Jacob wanted God's Blessings badly and he got it. Nowhere in the Bible did God tell Jacob off for getting the Birthright or the Blessing - on the contrary He acknowledged Jacob as the one having the birthright, and God blessed him in everything he did. Esau wanted to kill his brother Jacob, but God hindered him, as it states in the Bible that if a man's works are pleasing to The Lord He will make even his enemies lie at peace with him. That is what happened.
The name Jacob means "Supplanter" which means that Jacob "replaced" Esau, and it was God's will that Jacob should do so. When Jacob wrestled with the Angel of The Lord, he was renamed from Jacob to Israel - which means "Prince with God or Triumphant with God" - this is not a name for. a Deceiver, but for a Hero, one who loved God more than his own life. God hates deceivers and deception, and would not bless such actions. The only one who was deceived right from the start was Jacob. He was put on second place by his father, who should have known better. Jacob was double-crossed by his brother Esau, as he had no intention of giving the birthright to Jacob after selling it to him. Jacob was deceived more than twice over a space of 14+ years by his own uncle Leban.
Jacob was deceived by others, but he did not deceive anyone. When his mother told Jacob to pretend to be Esau, she took the curse of this deception onto herself, as Jacob protested against her advice, but she was his mother, and children in those days obeyed their parents. In the end Jacob was obedient to his mother, and God honoured it.
I have heard so many sermons on what a deceiver Jacob was, but all those who have that view have not done their homework right or read what God had to say about it all. We need to read the Bible for ourselves and not just look at commentaries from other people. If we do so, we can become like a photocopier, and every copy has less and less clarity.
The Nation Israel would not be in existence today, if it had been for Esau. Esau was a godless man.
The general sermon on idolatry is very good though, and I would agree with the main gist of it.
Good to see you bring in truth Tina! God bless
Just let me pose this idea, what if God doesn’t exist, just grant me that premise for the sake of this question.
Are idols bad, if there isn’t a God?
Such as the Idol of compassion for example, is it bad to “worship” it, if you like, If theirs no God?
Better be safe, than sorry. Hell is too long to be wrong.
With a loving compassionate God, compassion has no need to be an idol. Depending on God, recognizing and accepting that your source of compassion comes from the Lord, then you will experience more compassion in your heart than you could ever conjure on your own.
The pastor of the church I go is an idea
A god of his own house
Obsession with the cross can also be a form of idolatry.
Colossians 3:5-6
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, INORDINATE AFFECTION, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
"For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:"
Jacob did not steal the blessings or the birth right, Esau sold his birthright and his blessings for a bowl of lentil soup, but inorder for Jacob to get the blessings he had to pretend to be Esau, his mother new this.
the most discusting love idol of the age is misding: the dog!
Idolatry means you adore something or someone other than god like Jesus a cross or Jesus image or adore a image that's the meaning of idolatry god is the only thing that you should adore because if you adore other things other than god you lose your light god creaded all human with light
Symbols can be idols. The swastika the five pointed star the medical caduceus with the staff of hermes the rod of asclepious
Jesus also hates the sins we commit and if we are to love doesn't mean we are worshipping someone or something more than God. God cannot hate Love because Love is Good but he can Hate our sins and in Jacobs story it doesn't mention Jacob was an idolatrise. I go through the scriptures to find inspiration on who were fully committed to worshipping God and in all scriptures when idolatry or anything else such as whoredom etc is mentions so we can learn how we are to behave and not behave. As Jesus said don't just be a listener put it into practise also.
Yahweh hated Esau and loved Jacob.
The god of the US is the star spangled of heaven and the bald eagle of the earth...The US calls the graven images of the flag symbols...God calls the graven images of the flag idols...The god of Israel is the star remphan of heaven acts 7:43...Israel calls the star remphan of heaven, the star of David...The god of Mexico is the eagle and serpent of the earth...The god of Canada is the leaf of the maple tree of the earth...The god of Japan is the sun of heaven...The nation's idols are in the flags and the flags are high and lifted up on a flag pole, and those who lack spiritual knowledge in the word of God are serving idols...The idols of wood, and stone, were replaced with idols of fabric...Idolatry is through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem...When the king of Babylon the great played the anthem at the sound of music the Babylonians fell down on the ground and worship the statue of the golden image...Today, when the US plays the anthem at the sound of music the US citizens stand on their feet to sing ol glory to the star spangled of heaven...The pledge of allegiance to the flag and the mark of the beast of revelation, is spiritual and identical...To avoid idol worship, we must believe what God said in Ex.20:3-5...Nation's that exalt themselves to be great, God is going to bring them down to hell.
@19:10 this guy becomes a mind reader. Also he needs to learn how to breathe when preaching. He sounds like he is hyperventilating the whole time.
He made a few good points from the scripture but I couldn't take him serious enough to finish the whole video.
Blue eyed Jesus 😔 No thank you. Keep that because that's the only image and idol I've seen in church. You gave your son junk addictive food as if you didn't read the ingredients. 😔 I agree with idol worship being harmful and so is religion. Religion is the huge problem on earth in my opinion because it causes confusion.
I do agree that religion causes some problems and confusion. That is pretty self-evident as far as I can tell. But there are also positives in it. Now, I guess it mostly depends on how you react and act your beliefs out.
Have a great day!
God Bless! Stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourselves! Wishing everyone the best! Jesus loves you! May the Holy Spirit guide you! 😇 💗🕊
Idolatry is the worship of an idol, a statue as if it were the embodiment of god. The Hebrew authors considered mammon (wealth) and all other pagan gods to be idolatry. Nothing else is an idol.
U are so clueless , not reality pray on it and seek God and read your Bible 🙏🕯️💜😇🤯
@@deborahasley9264 🤔 quit trolling in ignorance.
An idol is anything you put before God, PERIOD
Your phone, food, entertainment, career, people, your kids, hobbies can even be an idol
@@alivewithchrist777 🌟 originally an idol was worshipping the statue of other gods. Then it was shamelessly re-edit to include man’s inequities for control 🌟
Things is not God.
Man is not God.
Creature is not God.
Men made things not God.
Satan is not God.
Idol is not God.
Waters is not God.
Big tree is not God.
Stone is not God.
River is not God.
Photo is not God.
Heaven is not God.
Earth is not God.
Moon is not God.
Sun and atars is not God.
God creation thing is not God.
Onely one God have ever forever.
Man cannot see , but we knew God, He from are his creation things.
A prayer, just kidding, really?Bye.