Hello my dear friends! Today's Psalms of Discipleship is going to challenge each of us with a fresh perspective of worship . . . and false worship (or idolatry). It is a lesson that has struck me in the heart and caused me to think in a dimension where I seldom want to go: my motives. Do I worship God for Who He is or is my worship about manipulating Him to do my will? Do I share His glory with others, stealing from Him that which only belongs to Him?
Let me stop here. Each day we are given the choice: to put our trust and worship in idols or to give our trust and worship to God. May we all choose to worship Him and Him alone.
Learning to worship Jesus with the right motives,
Denny
Psalms of Discipleship—Principle #11
Life Principles For Those Who Choose To Follow Jesus And Live The Discipled Life
Key Scripture: I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD. Psalm 31:6
Core Value: Worship
Glory is a precious commodity. Jesus loves His glory and He never wants to share it with anyone else; including us. Years ago a news photographer captured an image of four men holding a statue of Buddha during a torrential rain. In the midst of a typhoon, this was the caption assigned to the picture: “Saving Buddha.” Ironic isn’t it? Their god needed saving. In most Western minds the idea of worshipping idols is relegated to some kind of man-made statue where worship is ascribed. Its much safer this way, knowing that for most of us, we would never stoop to the indignity of offering our worship to some lifeless statue. But before we pile on too quickly and cast our self-righteous stones at these idolaters, we need to honestly and thoughtfully ponder these questions:
• Is there anyone in my life who is more important to me than Jesus?
• Is there any possession I have that possesses me more than I possess it?
• Have I ever given praise and glory that belonged to the Lord to someone else?
Lets illustrate with some real-life possibilities: We are blessed with certain friendships, certain relationships, we deem as very special and important to us. There is nothing wrong with these . . . unless they become more important to us than our relationship with Jesus. If we have placed these special relationships under the Lordship of Jesus, they become even richer for us. If not, we are worshipping idols. Another illustration: Many of us have been blessed with a home we own and possessions that fill it, making our home a very special place to live. There is nothing wrong with owning a home and having nice furnishings. The wrong takes place when our material possessions begin to possess us to the point that they become more important to us than Jesus. If this occurs, we are worshipping idols. Finally, one other illustration: Some of us attend wonderful churches where God’s Word is preached and the musicians and choir rock! This is a good thing . . . unless . . . we put more attention on the man (or woman) standing in the pulpit, elevating him or her to Rock Star status, where the messenger becomes more important than the Message. Sometimes during a “worship” service we may even be moved to give a rousing applause to the soloist who gave us goose bumps and made us feel good inside. If our applause was directed to the Lord, it is worship. If our applause is given as “appreciation” for a song well done, we have redirected the glory that is due to the Lord and given it to someone who does not deserve it. We are worshipping idols. Make no mistake about it: there are times and places given to appreciate the gifts and talents of others. Surely, appreciation can be given later. It is my conviction that it is not during a gathering where Jesus must be the focal point of the worship service.
Please understand that many Christians who take the downward spiral towards false worship and idolatry rarely intend to wind up in this place. But it does happen. There is a slippery slope that will take us from worshippers of God to worshippers of idols. What can the disciple of Jesus do? We need to be rescued from ourselves and cry out for His grace to help us keep our worship fixed upon Him and Him alone. We must come to the point that idolatry is repulsive and makes us sick to our stomach. We must put our trust in the Lord. As the Psalmist cried out, “I hate those who regard vain idols, But I trust in the LORD.”
Principle #11 & Personal Application: The quality disciple hates the gross deception of idols and only desires to trust and worship the Lord.
Exactly, then, what is an idol?
• An idol is anything or anyone who gets more attention than we give to the Lord. The disciple needs to renew their trust in the Lord.
• An idol is the cheap version of a counterfeit god. Misguided worship occurs when we place more value on the temporal instead of the Eternal.
• An idol is the very thing that will keep us from fully trusting in the Lord. Worship of the One True God is the very thing that will keep us from falling into the snares of idolatry.
Reflect & Respond: Some Really Good Questions To Ponder…
Are there any subtle idols that have crept into my life?
How can my worship of God protect me from falling into idolatry?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there are many things and people who compete for my heart. Forgive me for the times when I prefer to exalt anyone or anything over You and give them worship. May my worship be given to You and to You only.
The Essential Core Values Of The Quality Disciple Are…
Grace—Worship—Bible Study—Prayer—Community—Service—Evangelism
Denny Bates & Something New Christian Publishers © 2011 All rights reserved.
www.dennybates.com
http://thequalitydisciple.blogspot.com/
Note: Looking for a way to enhance your devotional life in 2011? Allow me to suggest purchasing a copy of Psalms of Discipleship: Growing in Grace. You can order your copy for only $15.99 (a $4 savings!). If you would like to have a devotional book that also serves as a spiritual life journal as well as a unique 21 point Bible study and personal assessment on grace, follow this link to my website where you can download a FREE SAMPLE at,
http://www.dennybates.com/Home/PODGIG.html
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