Acceptable American Idols

Reference: Joshua 24:14-15 (NLT) "So honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

Observation: "Serve the Lord alone". There are few idols of the wood or stone variety that we worship in our modern American society. We are too sophisticated for that!! The truth is, unfortunately, that we have found a lot of other idols to worship instead; socially acceptable idols. We worship money, material things, celebrity, sexual pleasure, even other peoples regard for us.

The challenge for us as Christians is to decide once and for all, will we abandon all of our idols and serve God wholeheartedly, serve Him alone. God will challenge us; "I am a jealous God. Don't mix your worship. Choose me or choose the idols of this world, but not both!"

Unfortunately, too many modern Christians live a divided life. Their spiritual life is given over to God but their daily life choices are a struggle between honoring Him and looking to other things, idols, to meet their needs.

We need to get free--totally free of the idols that control us. God demands nothing less.

Application/Confession: I find myself pressed towards trusting money to meet my needs instead of God. I know that because of how much I worry about it. I find it hard, at times, to believe that if I give up the pursuit of pleasure that God will supply all of my needs in that area. I want to serve God "wholeheartedly" and Him only. I want to be free from any idolatry.

PRAYER: Lord, convict me when I stray and give me the grace to give up every idol and trust only you.