Do you have idols in your life? Did you know that people can be idols in your life? In this message, Pastor Jamie Nunnally shares a warning and a remedy concerning our relationships.
An idol is anything or anyone we allow to take the place of God in our lives, anything or anyone we worship, anything or anyone that you serve. We must choose who we will serve: your default will be to serve the idols passed along to you by your family and by your culture. We get rid of idols in three steps: recognize, repent and replace.
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple.”
NLT – you must by comparison hate everyone else. AMP – must have “relative disregard for them.” TPT – put aside every other relationship.
All of these relationships—romantic love, your family and your own life—are gifts from God. But remember, good gifts make bad gods.
Romantic Love:
Genesis 29:14-35
Leah stopped looking to Jacob for her self-worth and began to praise the God.
You are not going to find your peace or purpose in a romantic relationship – another person is not qualified to give you the love you were created to receive.
Family:
You know family has become an idol when a family member holds the key to your happiness.
Genesis 22:1-14
The greater the gift, the more potential is has to be an idol. The more we fear losing something, the more likely we are to worship it. Here’s the problem: A child or spouse will buckle under the pressure your need.
Yourself:
God came to save you, and part of that is saving you from yourself.
Philippians 2:3-5“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
We think serving ourselves will make us happy, but serving others is the true pathway to happiness. We are called to be Christ-centered, not self-centered.
Are there any people in your life that are idols?