I woke up earlier than usual on this particular Sunday afternoon. I worked nights in 1998 when I originally wrote this.
On Sundays, I tried to only sleep for a little while so I could go to bible study and also be able to sleep the next night. Well this particular day, I awoke with the words. "They are passing on the idols." What? God gave me a picture of the churches. All of them, every denomination and every belief system. I always asked myself ever since I was a kid why there were so many churches. My church claimed to have all truth...but God....I remember asking how do I truly know?
Unknown to me at that time was the path the Lord had laid out for me in the years to come. The scripture that comes to mind is found in Ezek. 14:3-5 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart because they are still enstranged from Me by their idols." I remember reading about the idolatry of the house of Israel and Judah both. From the setting up of the golden calf, to the King Jeroboam who it is written over and over again in the Kings how he caused Israel to sin. Throughout the history of this nation, there are numerous accounts of idolatry. When would they learn, I used to think. You'd think they'd figure it out by now. Until I read the above scripture. Praying Lord, please reveal to me the idols of my heart so that I won't fall into sin. Be careful what you ask for.......
Well this has been a real conviction for me for the past few months. As I've heard God say He is going to bring down our idols When we read this scripture in Ezekiel, it brings a scary thought to my mind. Are we passing on the idols of our hearts as we witness,,,are we sharing our church's point of view. or our personal point of view? Not that our point of view is necessarily wrong....but we all are human, and none of us know all truth....are we willing to give our point of view to the Lord and ask Him to cleanse us of those preconceived notions of what we think is right, and hear Him clearly.....It's scary......He will answer us if we pray He answers according to the idols of our hearts. Be it a new car......be it a new church building.....which is it for you all? Are you carrying some idols deep down. We read in Ezekiel 8:8-11 "Then He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall"; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door. And He said to me, "Go in and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there. So I went in and saw, and there every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed all around on the walls. And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel." Well this whole chapter talks about the idolatry of the house of Israel....It reveals to us the place where the priests stored these items. We have those items too. They are our idols we hide where no one can see. They are our belief system....Whether it be our hurts, unforgivenesses, or simply our point of view. God wants us to have His presence there and take out all those idols in our innermost parts so that we won't hear him according to those things but according to His pure and undefiled word. Something I have to think about on a daily basis....Am I asking out of the idols of my heart, or giving my life in His hands, as he answers my prayers and I hear His voice. May God bless you and lead you richly into your lives this week, and may we all grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord. May we all learn together to trust Him fully and completely in every area of our lives. Below is the poem God put on my heart that Sunday afternoon, when I was awoken.
THE IDOLS OF OUR HEARTS
We come together to worship and pray.
To edify and encourage one another by what we have to say.
We each have our doctrine and our point of view.
Those beliefs that we claim as right and true.
Whether Catholic, Protestant be the name affixed thereon.
We hold tight to our convictions so very long.
When we pray seeking to know all truth.
Do we ask with preconceived notions of our point of view?
OR do we put aside how we think it should be;
And trust God to lead us in His sovereignty.
Do we lay out our OUR agenda for His will?
OR listen as He says "my child simply be still".
Do we let go and trust God to show us the way?
Or ask according to the idols in our hearts as we pray.
When we witness to others of the Kingdom's good news;
Do we pass on the idol called "My point of view."
Or do we give the pure and undefiled WORD.
Trusting God to water and feed them by what they have heard.
Yes, too many times we've passed on our idols we hold tight.
Our traditions passed on to us, that felt so very right.
Wanting to help God in heaven save the world from sin;
Based on the doctrines and traditions of men.
Are you passing on an idol to your fellowman?
Are you sharing your doctrine and what you understand?
OR are you passing on to others the Word of God alone;
Being there to learn with them things that were unknown.
As we seek our father in heaven above;
May we learn in faith what it means to truly love.
May we not be in fear as we hear His voice;
May following Him solely be our only choice.
As He reveals to us the idols of our hearts;
Those preconceived notions in our innermost parts;
And as He in time starts to reveal;
The truth of His Word and His perfect will.
May we hear Him, and obey His Word.
Passing on from the Father what we all have heard.
Yes we come together to worship and pray.
Seeking His Kingdom and His perfect way.
Encouraging each other to hear His voice within;
As we all strive to live a life in oneness with Him.
© Copyright 1998 Sandra C. Johnson
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