We spoke of consecration: ridding ourselves of direct sin
–both inward and outward. He has called us deeper. See Joshua chapter 3 again.
But how do we really
get rid of those sins when they keep coming back up…and WHY do they keep coming
back up? Could it be that they are more than just an “act”…could it be that
they are an actual stronghold that we have set up either consciously or
subconsciously? Could it be that these sins are not just mere sins… but rather
the manifestations of an idol dwelling in our being? Could it be that these
sins that feel like habits came from a deeper root…that actually CAN be gotten
rid of- completely?
The answer is- yes…the hardest part is……we already knew
that… sort of
Our youth pastor Daniel Larimore spoke of idols
recently…listen to his message “Idols: The Heart of Every Issue” before we begin to look deeper into this
idea as it applies to us the women of Blessed Hope Halifax.
As I pondered the idea of an idol… I circled the concept many
times. What IF an idol got placed on the shelf of my heart not by my hands but
by my heart itself…sitting like one of those old dolls I never unwrapped
because it was a collector and now it serves to only collect dust. Jeremiah tells
us we can’t know what our heart is up to…and we understand we must fully rely
on the Lord to keep it under control. What if, in my bleak past where
sanctification was only just a start …something was allowed a presence? What if
an idol sits neglected- yet still taking up residency…leaving me…”half
consecrated” if you will. So now, through the dust I wade…asking God “please
make us holy, please make me holy. We want to see your wonders. Part the sea
for us just like you did for the Israelites. Not to us, not for us, but for Your
Name”…
You know when we pray that- He comes… He ALWAYS COMES…
Hosea 6:1-3 “..He will come like the rain..”
I began my search with a word study. Because if I’m going to
kick out the idols, I need to know what they look like. And this developed into our Tuesday night
lesson for the week.
Idolatry – excessive
devotion
Excessive-
surplus of something or intemperance
Intemperance- lack of moderation
or…. Habitual
** Wait? Idolatry= Habitual… an idol
is a habit?
Idol – a false god, an object of
passionate devotion, an image
Image- a likeness or imitation of a person or a thing, a
picture of an object formed by a device, mental picture or conception
** Hold up Mr. Webster… your word definitions are
painting a picture of idols that doesn’t look like a bronze
little Buddha.
Habit-a settled or regular
tendency or practice, esp. one that is hard to give up (more depth on the
habitual concept later)
First
let’s focus on this part---
---or
something heavy…. A burden.
Have you ever noticed…that we STAY burdened a lot. As women, we just
are.We are burdened and then we worry over the burden. And WHERE does this
reside? In our minds.
“Oops I gossiped AGAIN”… “Oh my temper!” … “Where did that come from?”…
over and over again we mess up and are burdened by our mess up. AND the burdens pile burden upon burden…
The to-do list is too long, the to-do list has things we don’t know how
to do, the to-do list needs more funds, is this the RIGHT to-do list, did I
leave something off the to-do list, the to-do list has things that require
another set of hands, where is that
other set of hands?
“Did I do that right, can I do this right, did I say that right will this work out, when, what, where, why, how, who…stop thinking that, stop thinking that, stop worrying, rest, abide, trust…”
we preach to ourselves and quote our
Scriptures-
“Phil 4-be anxious for nothing!! Col 3-set your mind on Christ!! Ps 46- Cease striving and know I am God!! I believe this…why won’t it go away!”
we pray… until another day has
come and gone… and a new itinerary is on the table. And the burdensome cycle
starts all over again.
Could we be practicing idolatry in our thought life…in our everyday
routine?
Could we be practicing a form of idolatry in the way we choose to pray
even?
Is idolatry seeping over into our practices and routines so that we
aren’t even aware that it is there?
Read Isaiah 46 the whole thing.
Now look…
46 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts,
and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the
weary beast.
2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the
burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
Any effort we make to carry our burdens…. WILL grow weak… AND WILL
go into captivity. We are being held hostage by some of our burdens…. And they
are idols! Even things we don’t want!
We take our little burden
(idol-habit)..hoist it up onto the beast.. our brain working to solve the issue
(even with Scripture!)..and go walking down the road. And the beast fails, and
we are captive yet again to what feels like failure.
Burden- load, care, responsibility,
something oppressive
Worry – to shake and mangle with the teeth, anxious, upset
Our idols
ARE the burdens and our idols CREATE other burdens. Our burdens cause worry…and
worry is mangling us… right into slavery.
Our burdens
are too heavy to carry…. Mangled we have no strength even if we try.
Isaiah 46….
Look again
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
4 even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
4 even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
He
carries the whole thing… the whole caravan…the idol, the burden, the worry… and
He saves it!
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
you who are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay
you who are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay
HE hold you.
HE holds your sin. HE holds the to-do list. HE holds the question.
HE
IDENTIFIES the idol. HE takes down the idol. HE carries the idol away. HE
carries us out of captivity. HE makes us righteous.
HE MAKES US RIGHTEOUS…and complete
…..but…we
already knew that right.
So. Where’s
the action.
Read
Galatians 2:20 and Matthew 11:28-29 and Isaiah 46:12-13
Deny – to declare untrue, to refuse to
recognize or acknowledge, to reject as false
…. Deny your
rights to your thoughts, deny your rights to your heart, to your
wants to your needs, to your rights to your hopes, your plans, your capabilities.
Deny your
ability to solve anything. Deny your ability to be right… to stand before Him
..righteous...
Because you
cannot.
Deny yourself.
Fast- to abstain.
…. Fast from
the physical representations of the burden. Fast from the “band aids” you put
on the burden. Fast from the conceptual products of the burden.
Fast and
pray.
WAIT.
While HE
removes the idol.
Galatians
2:20, Luke 9:23-25, Matthew 11:28-30, Ephesians 2:4-10, Exodus 14:14, Psalm
46:10, Joshua 3:5, Phil. 1:6
Curious how
we would come to this….when a month ago the Lord laid on my heart to do “A Call
to Die” as our Fall study… it is a 40 day fast.
Our Savior
and Friend is at work
KOKO ladies!
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