Facebook: Jen Souza
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=732816969
For those unfamiliar with the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUwjNBjqR-c
A workaholic father maintains a superficial relationship with his son.
His son seeks a deeper relationship with him, but grins and bears it when it doesn’t happen.
He grows up modeling his father’s self-absorbed life-style and becomes increasingly self-absorbed as an adult.
As a result, the boy becomes a man that maintains a superficial relationship with his father. The father looks back in remorse realizing that he is responsible for his son’s distance and his own loneliness.
The moral of the story for parents: If you want a deeper relationship with your children when they are adults, you must invest by spending time with them while they are young. You are always teaching with your actions. They are modeling your every move. Consider carefully now what you want them to model.
Thirty-six years have past since that song was written.
There has been a slight mentality shift since then concerning relationships between parents and their adult children.
Many people these days seem to feel relieved when their children grow up and move out.
It seems they can’t wait to have more time for themselves---that they don’t really like or enjoy being with their children.
Fifteen years or so ago the average traditional desire was to have two children; a boy and a girl. Nowadays, however, it is not uncommon for people, even young women, to not want any children at all---or maybe just one, they say casually as if they were choosing an hors d'oeuvre off a tray. Children are too much work seems to be general consensus.
These sentiments are opposite those of the Father’s heart. This nation’s spiritual sickness has become even more severe. This is all evidence of a people growing more distant from God---which always results in idol worship.
God designed (and He still designs) human beings for worship.
If a person does not worship God, the soul will bow down to the idol(s) of personal choice to please the self. Idol worship is self-worship in disguise.
In ancient times those who did not know and worship God made idols of stone or metal to worship.
They looked to these idols for favor, power, victory, happiness, health, peace, and prosperity. In modern times, people now consider that belief primitive and foolish. They consider themselves too intelligent, educated, and enlightened to believe and behave in such a silly way.
Such pride however, blinds many to the truth that idol worship starts in the heart, and idols do not necessarily have to be concrete and visible.
There are 3 main idols that can rob God of his rightful place in our hearts: money, pleasure, and honor.
There is nothing inherently evil about these things, but because of our sinful human nature, our hearts can easily exalt any of them above God.
This is breaking the first commandment: you shall have no other gods before me. Any of these things can absorb our time, thoughts, energy, and motivation more than our heavenly Father.
Before we realize it has happened, it is possible to be depending on and serving any of these things, looking to them for needs and fulfillment.
We must constantly, vigorously seek the Holy Spirit’s aid to properly treat our hearts and keep us free from idol worship---which always leads to slavery and misery.
Money: Money is not evil. The love of money is a root of evil.
1 Timothy 6:10 (New International Version)
10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
You must make a conscious decision. Whom will you serve?
Matthew 6:24 (New International Version)
24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Money is linked to what it can buy for us.
Many in our society worship objects of metal that drive us from point A to B.
Many worship the wooden structures that serve as our dwellings.
Many slave to make them beautiful inside and out.
Many slave away decorating and grooming the property surrounding them. Many worship the fabrics and designs used to cover our bodies.
Many worship the latest gadgets that optimize their personal enjoyment and convenience. Many worship the places money can take us to visit.
Once again, having any of these things is not a sin, but our desires for them can lead us into the temptation of love of money.
We must learn to think, as the apostle Paul says: as those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:30-32 (New International Version)
Pleasure:
In modern times, options within these categories have been multiplying at an increasingly rapid pace: food/drink, sex, career/education, family, friends, entertainment, and leisure activities.
Money and pleasure are linked since many sources of it can be bought with money, but many pleasures are free.
Pleasure in and of itself is not a sin, the love of pleasure is. This is self-indulgence.
Luke 8:14 (New International Version)
14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
Titus 3:3 (New International Version)
3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Pleasure is a beautiful gift of God. Once again God has given us many pleasures that are free.
Most importantly, in His great love, He has given us his Word- His very Son, Jesus. He has given us his Spirit.
They help us to enjoy pleasure in a godly way, with joy, thanksgiving, satisfaction, contentment, and moderation.
In this way we are protected from becoming pleasure slaves (again).
Those of the world are enslaved by many sinful pleasures which will not be fully addressed here. The world also enjoys making celebrities and forms of entertainment objects of worship.
Here are the 3 A’s: actors, artists, and athletes.
Here are the 3 M’s: movies, music, and media.
Posters are plastered and stats are studied.
DVD’s are downloaded and melodies memorized.
These are the subject of much attention and fans take great pleasure in them.
There is nothing wrong with godly entertainment and leisure activities, but ask yourself the following questions.
Are they getting in the way of my prayer life?
Do I have more time for them than I do for Scripture study and meditation?
Do I choose them over being with and/or serving my family and the family of God?
Do I spend more time on them than in sharing the gospel?
Do I have to see that show or movie—or could I just as easily not see it?
Must I attend that concert/game, or would I simply like to (and I’m ok with it if I don’t go)?
Can I put down the remote, remove the IPOD, shut off the DVD player, go more than 24 hours without playing a video game or checking face book, log off the computer if someone wants to talk to me? Yes, these are tough but important questions.
It may seem strange to some that career/education, family, and friends have a place on the above list.
These are the “harder to detect pleasure idols”.
The priorities of time for God, nuclear family (household members), church family, unbelieving friends and relatives, and career/education requires a delicate balance that only Christ in us can maintain in a God-glorifying way.
Men and women should not worship and be slaves to their careers.
They should of course be hard-working, dedicated, and punctual.
Students should not worship and be slaves to their education.
They should of course be attentive and diligent.
Parents should not worship and be slaves to their children.
They should of course nurture, provide for, discipline, and instruct them in the way of the Lord.
Children should not worship and be slaves to their parents.
They do, however need to learn to obey and honor them. Spouses should not worship each other or be each others’ slaves.
They should, however, serve one another in love and respect.
Family is a wonderful gift from God, but it is not be worshiped.
It should not be an excuse for not having time for God or Jesus’ Church.
The Church must learn to be a family, rather than a series of activities, programs, and worship services.
Worship of the nuclear family (one or more household members) together with other types of idolatry is robbing people’s time with God (individual time for prayer, study of and meditation on Scripture).
It is also robbing time to be spent with church family---time for corporate prayer, Scripture study/meditation, worship, mutual edification, and deeper relationships. Apostolic teaching says we are to do good to all people as we have opportunity, especially to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Galatians 6:9-11 (New International Version)
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
In many cases, believers are severely limiting those opportunities.
May God have mercy on us and give us sensitive hearts to be transformed by the Holy Spirit into Jesus’ image.
Acts 10:38 (New International Version)
38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
God is with us. He has anointed us with the Holy Spirit, so let us go around doing good and healing all who are under the power of the devil. Let us love one another as Jesus loves us.
John 13:35 (New International Version)
35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
This is crucial. It is how unbelievers will recognize that we are his disciples---if we love one another. This must be visible.
It is important to ask others, especially the Holy Spirit to show us if we are indeed doing this as individuals.
Am I doing good and loving all, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ?
Is this noticeable to everyone around me? Don’t answer for yourself.
Others will give you more accurate feedback.
The Holy Spirit will always give an even better evaluation, but just in case you can’t hear Him clearly yet, check with others, preferably those filled with the Spirit, but once again, you should not answer for yourself.
Let your brothers and sisters help you with your specks and blind spots.
Don’t be prideful (and stop saying what specks and blind spots?).
Honor:
It is good to honor others—recognizing God’s Spirit working in them. It is not honorable to seek one’s own honor. For any honor received the glory should be directed back to God. He is the one who has moved and empowered us. We should not steal the honor and glory due to Him alone.
Romans 12:10 (New International Version)
10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Proverbs 25:27 (New International Version)
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.
1 Corinthians 4:7 (New International Version)
7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Philippians 2:13 (New International Version)
13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Honor has many definitions. The type of honor mentioned here is high public esteem, attention, recognition, respect and fame. Jesus vigorously criticized the Pharisees and teachers of the law for their honor lust:
Matthew 23:5-7 (New International Version)
5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
The idol of honor always causes an ugly downfall:
1 Samuel 15:30 (New International Version)
30 Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God."
1 Samuel 31:4-6 (New International Version)
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.
Jesus repeatedly warned against doing things to receive human honor. This sin can become a brutal slave master:
Matthew 6:1-3 (New International Version)
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
In the apostolic church, Ananias and Sapphira, a husband and wife, sought human honor and lied to the apostles about their gift. It is the story of another nasty downfall:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%205&version=NIV
Notice how the ungodly do their acts of righteousness and reward others for their acts of righteousness and accomplishments.
There has to be a public announcement, an award of some kind, a title, a degree, a plaque, a trophy, a news article, or a press release.
We should not imitate this eagerness for recognition nor exaltation of human accomplishment without any mention of the One who is truly worthy of honor.
Instead we should seek the praise that comes from God alone, and exalt His name by acknowledging His presence and hand in anything that is praiseworthy.
44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God[d]?-John 5
We should desire to hear these words from our Lord only:
Matthew 25:23 (New International Version)
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Hosana! Save me! Save us! Save us, Lord! Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil of idol worship. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil of idol worship. Teach me to worship you, and you alone in Spirit and truth. Teach us to worship you, and you alone in Spirit and truth.
Psalm 24:3-6 (New International Version)
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [a]
Selah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGbkeWkA64&feature=related
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