WHO IS YOUR GOD?

September 21st, 2023

SCRIPTURE: “Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 3 “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?” Ezekiel 14:1-3

Who or what is in control of your heart is your true God. Religious people can have God in their lives but not have God as God of their hearts. Who or what is the final authority in your heart, that is your god. Who do you seek to please, that is your god. Who do you aspire to follow, that is your god. Who has your highest allegiance, that is your true god. Who do you sacrifice for, that is your true god. Who has all of your time, that is your true god. What or who you give your very best efforts to, that is your god. The context of Ezekiel 14 is that religious people can have God in their lives and yet God is not God of their hearts. The challenge today is that we can be good church people and functionally not have God as God of our hearts. Who is the authority the final authority in your heart is your god.

Here is the bigger challenge, you may think I am speaking of things outside of you, but sometimes the God of your heart is you! Sometimes the idol God has to deal with is the Idol of you, because who is in authority of your heart is your god. God wants a knowledgeable people, yet we have these exalted areas in us that resist the knowledge of God.

Ezekiel also reminds us that idolatry is a heart problem. We’re not talking about you worshipping a tree. We’re not even talking about the worship of the dollar. We’re not talking about those outward manifestations of idolatry, but we want to bring this thing to the fact that the challenge is, that we can have an idolatry problem, that begins in the heart. At the end of the day you cannot blame anyone else if you have another God.

Prayer: Our God and our Father, we have set up, as it were, replacements of You, tangible and intangible objects of worship that have slowly drawn us away from You. We have said with our mouths that we love You, but our hearts are far away from You. We have worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Forgive us Lord. Speak to our hearts, for it is there where Your Spirit dwells. Convict us when we give Your worship, Your praise, Your love, Your glory to anything or anyone else. You said that You desire truth in the inward parts. Let Your truth be my desire, oh Lord, to walk in Your ways, being fully pleasing to You. In Jesus name I pray, amen!
By Pastor Wayne Cockrell
Taken from "The Battle with Idols in the Heart"