The truth is sometimes difficult to face. The truth is that you can tell who or what a person loves by simply opening their day planner and their checkbook. That was a revelation to me. I was preparing a Sunday message when the Holy Spirit dropped this thought into my heart and I was almost afraid to look. Your time and your money are the primary resources you are entrusted with in life. Before I continue I will tell you that I wasn't "pleasantly" surprised when I opened both of them. It was a wake up call for me especially as a minister of the Gospel. The "MESSAGE" is ALWAYS first to the "MESSENGER". I was humbled and thankful and ready to face the truth. I had a few idols (not one) in my life and heart.

When God spoke to the Israelites he warned them about worshipping other "Gods" (plural). When a person is trying to satisfy that emptiness within their heart that belongs to God alone they will often not turn to just "one" idol but "many". They will try drugs AND alcohol AND sex AND shopping (ouch! oh me! oh my!) AND education. The interesting thing is that money is not a sin. Shopping is not a sin. Alcohol isn't even a sin. It is the love of money and the excesses that are the trap. It is having great admiration and affection for these things and making God second place or third place or no place at all. It is being consumed with the "things" and "gifts" of God and not being interested in the giver of these gifts. Idol worship is alive and well in 2012. We really have nothing on the Israelites. Their hearts were captured time and time by other gods. It is a very present danger today.

God's Word says something interesting in Psalms "Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them. they have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear.

We BECOME like who or what we WORSHIP and have affection for and admire. If you admire and adore someone you will want to wear your hair like they wear their hair .you will want to sing like they sing you will begin to imitate that individual whom you adore.

And the idols we have are "dead" and of no value. The Israelites carved idols. They gave them eyes. They gave them ears. These idols of wood were dead wood and could not hear. I do not want to have eyes but not see and ears but not be able to hear the voice of God. I do not want to BE dead wood.

There are some modern and common idols that we have in our homes. One of them could be the television. People spend countless hours sitting in front of the television. They often are taking the time they should be worshipping God and spending time with him and watching television instead. Have you ever even one time in your life thought of going up to your t.v. and putting your arms around it and telling it you love it! You say, "that is crazy". I agree. But the truth is that t.v. can be an idol we love. It can be what we desire. It is truly heart breaking because Dr. Phil isn't your answer. What kind of cereal Michael Jackson ate isn't relevant.

God has clearly said that he will have NO other gods before him.

How often we cancel our time to meet with God because of some other priority?
How often do we cancel some other priority to meet with God instead? Hmmm.

There are plenty of times I have cancelled God to do other things .put aside Bible study time failed to attend church. What if I were to tell the next person who called that "I will not be going to Starbucks today. I am canceling our date to spend time with God?"

Saying we love God and that he is our first love does not make it the truth.

The Bible tells us to "give the devil no place"

Sometimes I think we read it incorrectly "give God no place"

Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

This verse says that we can't have two masters. I can't love two. I can only love one. And the truth is that IF I love money or entertainment or alcohol or anything or anyone above God I will grow to resent God and hate him. This is the truth of God's Word.

Isaiah 29:13
The Lord says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

This verse is powerful. This is a matter of the heart! What is the passion of my heart! What or WHO makes my heart skip a beat? The mention of his name should bring me joy and blessing. My desire should burn for my God...my King.

Worship of God makes you sweet. It changes you. It changes your heart. It keeps you from being affected and infected by the things of this world that are corruptible these THINGS will corrupt and go away and they will also corrupt and turn your heart away.

I am asking God to change my heart. I am asking God to burn in me. In I Kings the servants of Baal learned that their God could not help them. He could do NOTHING!

I will share my closing thoughts.

IF you do not bow to God to love and worship him .you will not receive help from God. You can choose to reject him.
IF YOU DO bow to other things and other gods ..you will not receive help from them because they are powerless.
That means that you are ON YOUR OWN and helpless. So I would ask you a couple of sobering questions. Can you heal cancer should the doctor give you or a loved one a bad report? Can you save your marriage that is troubled? Can you get out of that financial trouble? Probably not.

There is only one God! There is only one King! There is only one who can rescue and save! I choose the living God!

I love you Father!

Your devoted daughter,

Pam