I got a new book. I love books and I love it when a book gets my attention. I wish I had time to sit down and read it this morning for I would have been reading all day. And it is the perfect day to sit back and read - the rain has started falling lightly and it is cool out. Perfect reading day.
Kyle Idleman, the author of Not A Fan, has written a new book and it came out yesterday. I forgot to tell hubby I needed gas in the van last night so as he took it to the gas station this morning, I started skimming through the introduction part of the new book, gods at war. Yes, it grabbed me from the get go. Kyle Idelman shared a story about a conversation he had with his daughter about the Ten Commandments. I don't want to spoil the start of the book, but let's just say one of the questions and what I believe his book is going to built on is found in Exodus 20.
Exodus 20:3-6 “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Idols. Idolatry. We don't do things like that nowadays, do we? I mean, we don't bow down to statues or hold something created above everything and everyone, do we?
Yeah, we do. Guess what the first 'idol' I thought of when I read the introduction in the book. Yes, it is an idol - but most of us don't consider it an idol.
Philippians 3:19 "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things."
Because I battle so much with my weight, the first 'god' I thought of was food. When I think of nothing but food, I put food before God. It becomes my idol. When will I get my next meal? Food. We can definitely make it an idol. Or what about the things we drink? Or the places we go? Or even things we do.
Anything we put before honoring God is an idol. For some of you reading this you will 'sniff' at this thought and just move on. I know that. But the thought has now been planted within your brain, like it or not. If you 'worship the ground' your spouse walks on, you put your spouse above God. If you have your focus on how much money you can make or spending it, money becomes your God. Anything you put before God is your idol. I know, you have heard this before in Sunday messages.
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
We think we pretty much keep the Ten Commandments, but until you break it down, you realize quickly that you have broken at least one or more. The one parents get their kids on the most is 'Honor your father and your mother". As much as I try to keep the commandments, I find I often fail - not intentionally, but sometimes I manage to slip up in one thing or another. How are you holding up with all these? In case you are wondering, here is the complete Ten Commandments.
Exodus 20 - New International Version (NIV)
The Ten Commandments
20 And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
The first five commandments are honoring God; the last five commandments teach us how to live. How many are you faithfully keeping? Do you need to re-evaluate your thoughts and your behavior? It's interesting how people take these literally, and yet, still do them.
For example - you shall not murder. If you get so angry with someone that you actually HATE them and wish they were dead, that is the same as you murdering them. If you pick up something from someone without permission and walk away with it, it is stealing. Even if it is your child, your spouse, or your employer. If you copy a CD or DVD and give it away - you are stealing from the copyright. If you tell a 'little white lie' about something - it is still a lie. If you see someone with a new toy or a new car, and you really, really, want it - you are coveting it.
Wow - does that not nail you on a couple things? I know it does me. I need to think about how I can change what I do or think or act and work to bring those in line with what the Word of the Lord says. I'm guilty of breaking some of the Ten Commandments and I am sure you are as well. I'm working on my plan of action to correct myself; what are you doing?
Take some time and process - and set your action plan in place. God does not allow any one or any thing to be honored above Him. I want His blessings, not His curses. What about you? Think about it.
Blessings!
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