Pastor Ellen's Daily Devo -- Worshiping False Idols
Posted on March 25, 2010 with 0 comments
Revelation 13:4 "Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
When we are young and full of passion, we often get infatuated with musicians or screen stars. They have high visibility and our throbbing hearts get attached to their images (because they are looking pretty fine! and their music can really pluck our heart strings!). We may not know much about them personally, but we fall in love with them (in concept!)! Wherever they appear, as fans we scream or swoon at their sight, and we try to reach out to touch their clothes or see if they might reach out to us!
Jesus wants us to know that Satan and all his minions know just what appeals to our hearts. We can be extremely gullible, like teenagers who fawn over rock stars and movie stars. And we can fall prey to those who are good at wooing us with smooth lines and attractive facades. Somehow our infatuation with highly visible stars cover any blemishes or flaws they have. Like fanatical fans, we can practically worship our stars, not because they are so great but because it fills a need we have to worship someone or something.
As followers of Jesus, we know that our desire to worship can only truly be filled by worshiping Jesus. Our longing to put someone we adore on a pedestal is satisfied only when we lift up the name of Jesus. Sure, there are plenty of false gods running around in our lives, and we can spend lots of time and money trying to satisfy our hearts and souls on them. We may not get infatuated with music stars or movie stars, but the worship longing may affect us in our desire to be successful or wealthy or popular. Satan knows just exactly what we desire to worship in our lives (and it's usually not Jesus!) as flesh and blood creatures. We can chase after physical and emotional and even intellectual desires instead of what we were really created to do -- satisfy our spiritual longing in Jesus. So let's be wary of the false paths (and gods) Satan may try to lure us down -- the beast is not God! It may be our infatuation with a false hero or even worse, us (as the center of our universe)! Instead, let's give our hearts and souls to the one who is worthy of our worship and love forever, Jesus, our Lord and Savior!
Dear Jesus, I don't think I go gaga over any movie star or music legend. Yet sometimes I center my world around me instead of you, and I become my own hero! Teach me to worship you and you alone. All other worship is false. Please forgive me for worshiping other idols (like me!). In your name, Amen.
When we are young and full of passion, we often get infatuated with musicians or screen stars. They have high visibility and our throbbing hearts get attached to their images (because they are looking pretty fine! and their music can really pluck our heart strings!). We may not know much about them personally, but we fall in love with them (in concept!)! Wherever they appear, as fans we scream or swoon at their sight, and we try to reach out to touch their clothes or see if they might reach out to us!
Jesus wants us to know that Satan and all his minions know just what appeals to our hearts. We can be extremely gullible, like teenagers who fawn over rock stars and movie stars. And we can fall prey to those who are good at wooing us with smooth lines and attractive facades. Somehow our infatuation with highly visible stars cover any blemishes or flaws they have. Like fanatical fans, we can practically worship our stars, not because they are so great but because it fills a need we have to worship someone or something.
As followers of Jesus, we know that our desire to worship can only truly be filled by worshiping Jesus. Our longing to put someone we adore on a pedestal is satisfied only when we lift up the name of Jesus. Sure, there are plenty of false gods running around in our lives, and we can spend lots of time and money trying to satisfy our hearts and souls on them. We may not get infatuated with music stars or movie stars, but the worship longing may affect us in our desire to be successful or wealthy or popular. Satan knows just exactly what we desire to worship in our lives (and it's usually not Jesus!) as flesh and blood creatures. We can chase after physical and emotional and even intellectual desires instead of what we were really created to do -- satisfy our spiritual longing in Jesus. So let's be wary of the false paths (and gods) Satan may try to lure us down -- the beast is not God! It may be our infatuation with a false hero or even worse, us (as the center of our universe)! Instead, let's give our hearts and souls to the one who is worthy of our worship and love forever, Jesus, our Lord and Savior!
Dear Jesus, I don't think I go gaga over any movie star or music legend. Yet sometimes I center my world around me instead of you, and I become my own hero! Teach me to worship you and you alone. All other worship is false. Please forgive me for worshiping other idols (like me!). In your name, Amen.