Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Jessa Anderson singing … Idols … poignantly singing of how we must turn our attention away from anything in this life - i.e., idols - which take our attention off of our relationship with Christ.
Perhaps an idol?
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Highlight Verse[s]: Nehemiah 2:18 [NLT] ... 10 They [God’s people] have returned to the sins of their ancestors. They have refused to listen to me and are worshiping other gods. Israel and Judah have both broken the covenant I made with their ancestors.
… Jeremiah’s warning about the dangers of falling prey to idols. A warning we should heed today!!
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Highlight Passage [context]: Jeremiah 11:9-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru the Prophet, Jeremiah, warns his people about return to idols.
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Reference Passage : … Exodus 20:3-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s #1 COMMAND ... to have no other God’s before Him !!!
Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] ... 5 Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in ALL you do, and He will show you which path to take.
… God, thru Solomon, exhorts us to avoid putting our trust in our own ways (i.e., our idols) and trusting completely in God.
Reference Passage : … Jonah 2:8 [NLT] … 8 Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
… God makes it clear, thru Jonah, that worshipping idols is turning our back on God’s love.
Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
… Jesus made it clear that the ones who obey His commands (i.e., His word) are the ones who really love Him. … DO WE?
Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 10:13-14 [NLT] … 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure. … 14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.
… Paul recognized that earthly/worldly idols are tempting but the temptations can be avoided by allowing God to lead us away from our idols.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mike Wittmer, uses a picture (see photo) of a common, modern-day, idol which can draw our attention away from trusting God. … The ODB author wrote: Sam checks his retirement account twice each day. [see photo] He saved for thirty years, and with the boost of a rising stock market, finally has enough to retire. As long as stocks don’t plunge. This fear keeps Sam worrying about his balance.
There are so many potential idols in our lives, such as the stock market, which can misdirect our trust away from God (see Scriptures above). Maybe it’s political ideas. Perhaps P0RN. Maybe even compulsive exercise. But whatever it is, as Jessa Anderson sings in the linked song, we must turn our trust away from ourselves or worldly influences - away from modern-day idols - and surrender our hearts to follow the Lord.
What is drawing our trust and love away from Jesus’s demand for obedience to His word [see John 14:21]? I’m dealing with that conviction today. How about you?
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for reminding me to focus on Your ways and to stay away from the idols of this life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to place our trust/focus on Christ, avoiding the idols of today. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>
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