Many events in our lives mark us for either good or bad. Oftentimes, whenever God does something amazing in our lives we want to remember it and cherish it. The problem comes in when it is misused by us. When God brings an event into your life let it be what it was intended to be but don't make an idol out of the memory. Some people don't ever want to move on from the memory to the new challenges God has for us. For example, when I was a teenager God did some miraculous things in my life at Zephyr Baptist Encampment near Corpus Christi, Texas. For a long time, I believed that God could only move at that encampment in amazing ways. I didn't want to be anywhere else but that encampment. I didn't think God could move in my life in the way he moved in my life at Camp while at home. I made an idol out that place somewhat unintentionally. Finally God delivered me from that feeling to where I knew God was active everywhere and not just at Zephyr.
In II Kings 18:4 we see that Hezekiah has become king of Israel and sets about to reform the country from its evil ways of seeking gods and not seeking the Lord. He goes about destroying the shrines and figures that the people had worshiped instead of worshiping God. He ultimately destroys the bronze snake that Moses had made for the people of Israel to look at to overcome the plague of snakes in the wilderness that God had sent. This story in Numbers 21:4-9 describes a scene where the Israelites had turned their back on God and he sent a plague of snakes to reprimand and discipline them. They were instructed to look up to the bronze snake that Moses had made to be healed. That was an event in time where the people experienced the punishment of God for worshiping idols and yet they made an idol out the item he used to deliver them.
We make idols in our lives of events and things that really add up to our disobedience of a Holy God. Is there an idol in your life such as a person, a relationship, an event that may at the time have been God sent but now has distracted you from Him. If so, then do what Hezekiah did and destroy it.
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Great short read with plenty of insights for trying to turn around a declining church. The premise of the need for gospel witness from the pulpit, biblical expositional preaching, and prayer is crucial to understanding revival movements....
An interesting portrayal of Abraham and the three monotheistic religions that include him in their traditions. I found the book lacked some depth in the area of Christianity in terms of conservative views. I understand the author probabl...
- Jeff Dowdy
- Jeff Dowdy is the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Swannanoa, NC. He graduated from Houston Baptist University with a B.S. in Christianity and Speech Communications. He also earned his Masters of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2002. In December 2008, He earned his Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Administration from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has been married for 14 years to Melody and has two children. He likes to play golf and race triathlons.
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