RTW February 7

The Idol In Me

“You must not have any other god but me.”
Exodus 20:3

 

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My Takeaways

Something Old

All boundaries are for my good… radical instructions.

Websters definition “the worship of idols is excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.”

An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God.

  • What is replacing God in my life?
  • Why do I see a replacement?
  • How do I destroy my idols?

Something New

My obedience guarantees the lavish love of God on a thousand generations. Isn’t this a command worth obeying? Exodus 20:6

Something to Do

Only have God before me.

 

 

 

 

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12 Comments

  1. Good morning everyone! Today’s reading in Wendy’s lesson really hit home with me. My key verses had to do with the Sabbath. 20:9 and 11 reminded me that even God rested. Rest is a difficult thing for me. I am always on the go. Some of it by choice and some of it unavoidable. The Lord keeps showing me that busy-ness is an idol for me. And yet it all needs to get done so how do I accomplish that and find the SABBATH that I need and God desires for me (The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath Mark 2:27). These questions Wendy posed are perfect and I’m going to dig in here. I know that I’ve always had a fear of being still – but it’s the place where I really can get to KNOW God. And He is loving and gracious that He meets and speaks to me even in the busy-ness – but how much sweeter when I do find time to rest in Him and soak!!??

    My busy-ness even has kept me from interacting here. I have been keeping up with reading but my mornings are full and busy and I don’t often take time to post because I need to get my workout in … hmmmm. But I want to interact more. I have so much to learn from you all and so much to share as well! So here I am – being accountable to God and to you!

    Have a great day everyone!

    1. Thank you for sharing your heart! I too struggle to be still and find it easier to be busy than to be still before God. I’ve been working on that this year and the growth I’ve seen when I am still has been really amazing! It’s worth the effort and work to be still and let God meet you. Keep fighting for it!!

    2. You definitely aren’t alone. God has been showing me that busy-ness is an idol for me as well. The work will never all be done, it’s ongoing busy work in my home and it keeps from time with God. I’m grateful that He is so gracious to meet us where we are and to open our eyes without condemnation. Keep up the comments, we need them 🙂

  2. All of Gods commands are a way of showing us that He is for us. Ex 20:20 “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of Him will keep you from sinning.” He wants us to stay safe and pure and in a place where he can bless and not punish. The laws all point us to the need of Jesus…which is God’s ultimate show of being for us.
    Rom 8:31-32 – “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”
    Sometimes all the laws and punishments can seem like God is harsh and against us and I was reminded afresh today that this isn’t His character…he is for us and longs to lavish us with His unfailing love (Ex 20:6).

    1. I also noted Ex 20:20 in today’s reading. This is so important! Fear of consequences may sometimes keep us from sinning but is often only a short-term motivator. Fear of God, in a healthy way, will motivate us from within and change our behavior in the long-term.

  3. Something To Do: Continue using questions related to the 10 Commandments in my quiet time as part of my confession time. They came from 2 books I have read on the 10 Commandments in the past couple of years. One by JI Packer and the other by Kevin DeYoung.

  4. Something Old
    The Ten Commandments …..solid and unchanging.

    Something New
    Exodus 20:21 really intrigued me as I read it this time. It seemed contrary. I always think of God as Light. In Him there is no darkness. And yet……“Moses entered into the deep darkness…..where God was.”

    “To enter this darkness is to enter into the mystery of God, to venture into the darkness of the unknown, to let go of the little lights that I want desperately to hold on to, and to know God more deeply in darkness, mystery and even near despair.” (The Attentive Life, p. 143-4)

    Those “little lights”……are they not my idols?

    This spoke to me as confirmation of the truth that it is often in our greatest heartache ….. when we move to a place of profound heaviness….that we most intimately meet God. And let go those idols.

    Something To Do
    Do not be afraid of even the darkness….if, in it, we are moving toward where God is.

  5. The struggle is real, during our confusing moments, uniting our hearts together as one with God’s heart builds strength and invokes His blessings.

    What is beautiful, His blessings ran from Hermon (south; the plush) to Zion (north; the dry dessert). Application; blessing descending from God and our worship ascending to our Heavenly Father!

    Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
    2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.
    3 It is like the dew of Hermon, running upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing—Life forevermore.

    My eldest brother was in a “very hard place” in his life, including a deep depression, I suggested to my younger brother, we need to go pray for him and to bring a small bottle of olive oil (not so small). In faith believing God would answer our prayers, we sat our brother on a chair, prayed our prayers, and poured the whole bottle of olive oil on his head. It ran down his head, and all over his body just like Aaron. To some this may sound silly but God preformed a miracle in his life beyond our expectations!!

    1. This is not silly…..this is precious and beautiful and a strong statement of how very sincerely and seriously you believe God’s Word and believe God! Blessings on you. I am praising Him for this in your lives……

      Thank you for sharing.

    2. Just beautiful. I have a picture in my mind of doing this to my own brother. I’ve prayed for him for years now.

      1. God’s Word is powerful, look how awesome Isaiah describes Him, those in all caps, He is our Fanther, as His child we are to come boldly to the throne of grace. When I pray, Faith believing and speaking His Word, “concerning the work of MY hands command ye ME.” We are not trying to boss God nor usurping our God given authority but praying the WORD is powerful!
        This was 1 of three miracles God preformed in my brothers life! I believe in the God of miracles!
        Isaiah 45:11
        – Thus saith the LORD, the HOLY ONE of Israel, and his MAKER, Ask ME of things to come concerning MY sons, and concerning the work of MY hands command ye ME.

        That is, if you want to know the truth, then come to the only source that can help you, that is the God of creation, and ask Him. Also, if you want to influence the events of heaven and earth, then come to the only One who can really make things happen, to the LORD and Holy One, and command Him. He is the only One who can do such things and so He is the One to whom you must go. If He will not do it, then it will not get done.

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