Here is the question? If everything you held dear was stripped away and you had nothing but Christ would He be enough for you?
If the things upon which you base your life were suddenly taken away (money, family, marriage, possessions) would God be sufficient for you in your heart?
If the success you crave, the relationship you long for never came, would you fall into despair because your idol was no longer there?
This is the theme of the book I am reading: Counterfeit Gods and it is one of the most challenging books I have read in a long time.
In my mind I know that God is the only one who will never desert you, always be there, tell you he is waiting for you at the end of time but loves you now.
To find security in Him is true success.
But as I think about this I feel scared. What about my career? What about my money? Yes, those idols siren-call from the centre of my heart. I have let them become other gods which I have before Yahweh.
As Jesus said in revelations: 3:17
For you say, ' I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. ' You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Because of our materialistic, secular, godless and greedy society we say God can wait, I'll work longer, I'll strive more, I'll just do one little dishonest thing because it won't matter.
Actually, scratch that. Because of our materialistic, secular hypocritical and greedy hearts we say God can wait, I've got more important things to do.
Oh, the despair.
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24)
In some countries the bushman catch monkeys by laying out a jar with a narrow mouth. They put a yam in it and retreat to a safe distance to watch. A monkey smells the yam, and puts his hand in the jar. As he does the bushman shows himself and the monkey panics, forgetting to let go of the yam.
He struggles and screams and is then whacked over the head and dies. All because he wouldnt let go of his yam.
Are you any different? Am I?
Christ says anyone who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. I get this now.
Unless we understand He is everything we need (in terms of ultimate meaning and provision) we won't get to enjoy Him as He wants to be enjoyed. We will experience a divided heart. We need to give up every sin that hinders and so easily entangles.
Let go of your yam.
If we don't we will put our hand to the plough and look back. We will want to bury our father (or whatever other idol we have hidden in our luggage).
Do not be fooled. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The farmer has to leave the seed in the ground to grow.
We must plant ourselves in God.
The irony is I have already been down this road. I have made certain things idols in my life before and nearly lost my life because of it. Yes, I actually wished I was dead five years ago because of a failed marriage in which I had invested most of my value.
When that went, so did I.
I would not wish the painful struggle back to normality on anyone.
The story of the bible is also the story of God divesting people of any worship focus but Him.
We are so stubborn.
Let go of your yam before its too late.
This is to me (physician heal thyself!) and to you.
I yam wot I yam;I was a profound cynical atheist until I saw aliens float me out of my body,in my bed and that not only terrified me but alerted me to many previously unthought of things not the least of which was that I had a soul,that they were interested in;I have been 'oiling' that rusty spiritual connection ever since.
Not sure whether you're serious or not but even as a Christian I had trouble really believing in spiritual things until I had a rather nasty experience with something that must have come from the spiritual realm. For most of my xstn life I was not a seeker after particular experiences (falling down and all that sort of stuff) and I am still not but I am well aware that there are things going on that most of us still don't believe!
I am deadly serious,when it comes to spiritual things;why wouldn't I be?Demons and sinister aliens who specialize in soul tampering are as real as the nose on your face and as equally hard to see;look up my"christ-light" experience,on this site,and perhaps look at the other most horrid untoward spiritual experiences I have recorded,on this site and then,perhaps,we shall talk more;spiritual people have Much to teach us;religious people SCARE me;Paul schroeder
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