Exodus 20:2-5 says:
'I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord
your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any
other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the
entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth
generations of those who reject me.'"
Who or what reigns in your life? Who is your allegiance to and what is your top priority? What does all your heart, mind, and soul invest in on a daily basis? Where your time and money are, there is your heart also.
In Exodus, God lists off the Ten Commandments for His people to follow. He states that we are to have no other god or idol before HIM. This not only implies any other religion's god(s), prophet, or spokesperson, but also any form of idol we create in our own lives. The "other god" part is easy. You know if you are bowing down and worshiping the Hindu or Buddhist gods, or any other religion's head spiritual figure. But what about idols? These tend to be a bit more deceptive and under the radar. We as humans create idols in our lives everyday. Your idol can be MONEY. Is all your motivation in your life centered around getting the job that pays the most money or has the highest salary? Do you hog your money and only use it to benefit yourself by buying yourself things or entertaining yourself through your social life? Or perhaps your idol is MATERIAL POSSESSIONS and you always must have the latest form of technology or brand name shoes or jeans no matter what the cost. You idol can be your JOB. Do you spend endless hours at your job and bring your work home with you and work all night? Does your entire life revolve around your job? People that are naturally motivated and driven individuals are prime subjects for letting their job or career slowly take over their lives. Perhaps it's none of those things. Perhaps your idol is another individual or RELATIONSHIP. God gives us people in our lives as blessings and gifts, but at no point should that other person ever become more important than your relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you turn to that person first before going to God in prayer? Do you spend more time hanging out with that one person than you do spending quality time with God? What about your FAMILY? It's hard to think that something so good could turn into an idol, but it can. Do you worship your spouse and children over your own Heavenly Father?
In Exodus, God lists off the Ten Commandments for His people to follow. He states that we are to have no other god or idol before HIM. This not only implies any other religion's god(s), prophet, or spokesperson, but also any form of idol we create in our own lives. The "other god" part is easy. You know if you are bowing down and worshiping the Hindu or Buddhist gods, or any other religion's head spiritual figure. But what about idols? These tend to be a bit more deceptive and under the radar. We as humans create idols in our lives everyday. Your idol can be MONEY. Is all your motivation in your life centered around getting the job that pays the most money or has the highest salary? Do you hog your money and only use it to benefit yourself by buying yourself things or entertaining yourself through your social life? Or perhaps your idol is MATERIAL POSSESSIONS and you always must have the latest form of technology or brand name shoes or jeans no matter what the cost. You idol can be your JOB. Do you spend endless hours at your job and bring your work home with you and work all night? Does your entire life revolve around your job? People that are naturally motivated and driven individuals are prime subjects for letting their job or career slowly take over their lives. Perhaps it's none of those things. Perhaps your idol is another individual or RELATIONSHIP. God gives us people in our lives as blessings and gifts, but at no point should that other person ever become more important than your relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you turn to that person first before going to God in prayer? Do you spend more time hanging out with that one person than you do spending quality time with God? What about your FAMILY? It's hard to think that something so good could turn into an idol, but it can. Do you worship your spouse and children over your own Heavenly Father?
All of these things can turn into a 'god' or 'idol' in your life. It becomes so central in your life that it starts to take over all your thoughts, actions, and words. All of your time and money go into the thing or person that becomes your idol. These things - money, material possessions, job, relationships, family - are not bad or sinful in and of themselves. It's only when they are perverted and raised to a level of importance equal to or greater than God himself. There should only be ONE reigning authority and figurehead in your life, and that is the Creator of this world, your Heavenly maker, who loves and cares for you more than anyone else. God should be in control of your life, not your money, materials possessions, job, relationships, or family.
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