Speaker: Pastor Nate Herrlin

Have I replaced God in any way?

CODY
JESSIE
CYRUS

Even GOOD THINGS
can become BAD THINGS
when they become RULING THINGS.

"The human heart is an idol factory that takes good things like a successful career, love, material possessions, even family, and turns them into ultimate things. Our hearts deify them as the center of our lives, because, we think, they can give us significance and security, safety and fulfillment, if we attain them."

-Timothy Keller, Center Church

Modern-Day Idols:

FOOD
SEX
MONEY
CONTROL
ACCEPTANCE
PLEASURE
SUCCESS
RESPECT

“Man looks to idols to calm his fears and produce desired benefits – to bring him happiness. To identify your idols, begin to look at the thoughts & imaginations that bring you happiness.”

“Idols of the Heart” p114

“Instead of fashioning idols out of wood or stone, we fashion them in our imagination – worshiping that which we believe will bring us happiness. We don’t carve a good spouse out of a piece of pine, but we worship the thought of the joy that one would bring us.

We don’t chisel out a facsimile of the successful man or woman, but we believe that’s where our joy can be found. We believe that our happiness is bound up in having our expectation fulfilled.

These beliefs function as gods just as surely as if we had carved them from wood or overlaid them with silver. Our thoughts and pictures of imagined happiness are valuable to us. We can’t imagine life without them.”

“Idols of the Heart” p116

Examples:

- In order to be truly happy, I must have a spouse who is godly, romantic, responsible, and a good communicator.

- In order to be truly happy, I must have obedient children who please me.

- In order to be truly happy, I must have a good job where I am respected and well paid.

- In order to be truly happy, I must be loved and appreciated by others.

- In order to be truly happy, I must feel safe from all calamity.

- In order to be truly happy, I must have enough money to live in comfort.

“Idols of the Heart” p117

“We can become more aware of the thoughts and desires that ensnare us by asking, What do I want and fear? Or to put a finer point on it, What do I want and fear more than I want to reflect God and grow in holiness?

What pleasure do you want so badly that you’re willing to sin in order to obtain it? What do you fear losing so much that you think nothing of sinning in order to hang on to it?"

“Idols of the Heart” p162

"Think back to the last time that you sinned. This is important because of the relationship between your functional gods (idols) and sinful behavior. Choose a sin that you habitually fall into, like anger, self-indulgence, or fear, for instance. Write this circumstance down.

With this circumstance in mind, ask God to help you answer the following questions. Try not to give one-word answers that don’t plumb the depth of your thoughts, desires, and fears. Each of these questions will help you to understand your idolatry, so don’t hurry through your answers. Instead, prayerfully ask God, the Heart Knower, to reveal your “functional gods” to you.

1.What did you want, desire, or wish for?
2.What did you fear? What were you worrying about?
3.What did you think you needed?
4.What were your strategies and intentions designed to accomplish?
5.What or whom were you trusting?
6.Whom were you trying to please? Whose opinion of you counted?
7.What were you loving? Hating?
8.What would have brought you the greatest pleasure, happiness, or delight? What would have brought you the greatest pain and misery?"

“Idols of the Heart” p163

My next step with God, THIS WEEK is to…

-- Use the diagnostic questions from my program notes the next time I catch myself choosing wrong instead of right.

-- Read Romans 8 for hope & help in the battle against my idols.

-- Participate in a home group for support in the battle.

-- Share my story (including my struggle) with someone on my Pi2 list.

-- Other: