CAN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS BECOME OUR IDOLS?

SOME Years ago, in the heat of my battle with negative thoughts, God revealed something to me.

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” NOW BEAR WITH ME HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND KEEP LISTENING

HERE IS ANOTHER VERSE TO CONSIDER, BUT NOT THE FOCUS OF OUR TIME TOGETHER TONIGHT. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” NOW PUT THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND FOR NOW

Negative thoughts become our idols when:

We believe them more than we believe God and His Truth We continually think about, ponder, and entertain them instead of thinking about, pondering, and entertaining God and His Truth.

We act out our life by adjusting our behaviors towards others or ourselves according to our negative thoughts.

We act out by choosing behaviors to fuel them (make them stronger) and affirm them (prove and confirm they are true to us)

One definition of worship in the dictionary is “showing devotion to”.  We “show devotion to” something by setting ourselves apart for it.

By believing, constantly thinking about, and acting out our negative thoughts we are worshiping them and not God.  We find ourselves in the middle of idol worship without even realizing it.

In John 5:5–6“One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”” We are told the story of a man who had suffered with a deep-seated and lingering disorder for 38 years. IM SURE HE HAD BEEN THINKING ONLY ABOUT HIMSELF! (LOUDLY) WOULDNT YOU?  IS THIS LIFE ALL ABOUT US? IF IT IS, THEN YOU WILL HAVE A VERY SHALLOW OUTLOOK ON GOD, AND HIS CHILDREN. HIS CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATED HIS FOCUS ON HIMSELF

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” WHAT IS HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS? ILL MAKE IT SIMPLE FOR YOU TO COMPREHEND! OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND HIS WORD!

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE YOURSELVES AN IDOL? OR LOOK TO GOD FOR HIS APPROVAL AND DIRECTION IN OUR LIVES? LET ME SHARE SOMETHING ELSE WITH YOU.(THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER) Philippians 4:8–9 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

THE APOSTLE PAUL URGED BELIEVERS TO FOCUS ON GODS GOOD GIFTS SO THAT, EVEN DURING SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION, THEIR LIVES WOULD be EXEMPLARY AND THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS WOULD BE FILLED WITH PEACE

EVERYTHING PAUL TAUGHT THEM BY WORD OR EXAMPLE ABOUT THE KIND OF LIFE GOD DESIRES. IS THIS LIFE REALLY ABOUT YOU, OR GOD?

We must ask ourselves the same question.

2 John 4“ I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.”

We, too, are to live in [the] Truth.   Our RECOVERY depends on it. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME, WE WILL DISMISS YOU UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE WILL RETURN TO OUR NUTS AND BOLTS VIDEO. 1). WAS THERE A TIME IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU MADE YOURSELF AN IDOL? WHAT WAS THE END RESULT?

2). WHAT IS THE NATURAL RESULT OF MAKING YOURSELF AN IDOL? 3). WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL BENEFIT OF NOT MAKING YOURSELF AN IDOL?