Clinging to Worthless Idols

Currently we are walking through the book of Jonah during our Sunday morning worship services with the focus of "God's heart fro the lost". Last week we looked at chapter 2. One of the key verses from this chapter that speaks of God's heart for he lost is verse 8;

Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.

Not only do we turn away from God's love for us, we also turn away from His grace and mercy for us. Likewise, when we cling to worthless idols we turn our love and attention away from God. In addition to this, we turn our love and attention from others that surround us.

What does it mean to "cling" to something? It does not simply mean that we turn our attention to it, it means that we choose to continually remain close and attached to this object. And, what is a "worthless idol"? It is any object of worship that is of little or no value. See, we all have "worthless idols" in our lives that we need to be free of. This passage does not speak to those worthless idols that have caught our attention, tempted us in some way, or even those worthless idols that we have worshiped from time to time. This passage speaks specifically about those worthless idols in our lives that have become so important to us that we have begun to cling to them, we have made the choice time after time to remain close to them and to remain attached to them.

And we have a choice - each and every one of us - to be free of these worthless idols. We have been given this choice - this opportunity - to be free of these worthless idols through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and through the power of His Holy Spirit - Christ's gift to us.

God's heart for the lost is a heart of salvation, a heart of redemption, a heart of forgiveness, a heart of compassion, and a heart of love. God's heart for you is crying out that you would be free from the worthless idols that have kept to prisoner for far too long.

Won't you do away with these worthless idols in your life and turn to The One who died to give you a new life and a new way to live? Won't you today cling to Jesus Christ?

Thoughts on Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5 

1 Be followers [who imitate] God, therefore, as dearly loved children [who are led by the Spirit of God and are closely related to God] ² and live a life of love [and affection], just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us [in life and death] as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity [such as lust and wrong motives, or of greed [and coveting of the things that do not belong to you], because these are improper for God’s holy people [who are called to stand out as saints among the culture you live in]. 

⁴ Nor should there be obscenity [in actions], foolish talk [such as gossip and slander] or coarse joking [about matters that do not please our Holy God], these things are out of place, but rather give thanksgiving to The Lord. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure [or unclean—in thought or life] or greedy person [who covets and lusts after things in this world] —such a man is an idolater —has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

I want to receive the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. I want to receive all that God has in store for me. I want to receive all that Jesus is preparing for me. Likewise, I want a lot of things in this world; money is tempting, power and prestige sure sound good to me. However I will not inherit any of this if I do not do away with the desires in this life and the idols of this world. 

This leaves me with a choice. I can cling to the desires that come in this world —sex, money, power —I can continue to lust after the things in our culture, valuing them above my commitment to God. Or I can pass up on the idols of this world, completely focusing and committing to God —in doing this I am looking to the inheritance of the Kingdom of God and to all that God has in store for me.  

See, we will all receive an inheritance —we can demand our inheritance now or we can wait for the one that Our Heavenly Father has in store for us.