4th Sunday of Lent
Humanity is in the grip of an evil power, and we are helpless to free ourselves from bondage to that power by our own strength. The only one who can deliver us from it is Jesus Christ.
Ray Stedman from Spiritual Warfare (pg.41)
The power of evil is stronger than we are but not stronger than God. In fact, Scripture reminds us that God is greater than any power in the world. Unfortunately, all too often, we try to overcome evil by our own strength. We will always fail.
Read 1 John 5:21
Little children, guard yourselves from idols. NASB
Anything that takes God's place in our hearts is an idol. We comfort ourselves by saying that our "idols" are not really like the golden calf of the Old Testament. We don’t really worship them, right? We need money and social status, job security and houses, designer clothes and the acceptable car. Yet, the truth is ANYTHING that we allow to mean more to us than God is our idol. ANYTHING!
Consider this!
- What idols do I worship?
- How do I plan to "guard" my heart from these idols?
- Am I willing to place Jesus Christ at the center of my life?
Lord ~ I go along without thought to idols, thinking my gestures of love and service in Your name are enough. When I place time in the Living Word last in the day, when I place my desires ahead of another's needs, when I spend Your offering on tokens that will not bring me joy, when I take credit for the goodness and success that comes my way ~ I place my idols BEFORE You. Forgive my shallow, selfish ways. Guard my heart from the evil one. Guard me from myself. Amen. ~dho
All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author
Copyright 2009 by Donna Oswalt
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