"The True God and Idols"

PSALMS 135

  As I was saying, if we have anything that stands between us and God, then that thing is an idol! Some people think idols are just statues or relics that they can pray to or try and worship; but an idol can be anything that comes between us and the true and living God. Maybe something that you love a little too much; maybe even something you work to achieve; maybe even a service you might count a little too much on for blessing you; because as James proclaims, our blessings come directly from God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift! This might be a touchy subject, but it is one that should cause us to inspect the things we hold near and dear, discovering whether or not anything we cherish is more important to us than our love for God. I actually heard a message about that yesterday, which was about when Jesus said, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26) It really was not about hating anyone, but was about loving Jesus more than anything or anyone else! Jesus went on to talk about counting the cost, as in, making a determined effort to prioritize everything in your life, making sure that your love for the Lord is at the top of your list. Do you remember what He finished this little conversation with? He talked about "salt". That's right: after speaking about hating all, counting the cost, and forsaking all that you have, He mentions salt, saying, "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill: but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Luke 14:34-35) What is that property salt has that we like? It makes things taste better! How is that anything that is connected to our love for the Lord? You know, if you put salt on your food, you really are expecting it to taste better...

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)