My son loves TobyMac (Christian hip hop artists).  One of his favorite songs is called "Don't Lose Your Soul."  This is an awesome song and one of the verses he says "America no longer has stars, now we call them idols."  I find this an interesting statement, especially when I read in the Bible what God has to say about idols.

Psalms 78:56-59
"But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes.  Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow.  They angered Him with their high places; they aroused His jealousy with their idols.  when God heard them, He was angry; He rejected Israel completely."

Isaiah 44:9a
"All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless..."

Are you sitting there thinking this is irrelevant to you because you don't worship images of cows?
Before you dismiss this any further lets see what Merriam-Webster gives as the definition to "idol."
Main Entry: idol
Pronunciation: id-l
Function: noun
1 : an image worshipped as a god
2 : a greatly loved and admired person or thing

Look closely at definition number 2. a greatly loved and admired person or thing.  I have heard it said before that an idol is anything that we put above God.  Here is a list of America's idols: movie-stars, musicians, houses, money, their children, their jobs, cars and all material possessions, little league sporting events (remember an idol is anything you put above God - when you travel to a little league sporting event on Sunday you just put it above God), television etc.  This list could go on and on.  Our pastor once said to determine what your idol is, look in your check book.  Whatever gets more of your time and money than God is your idol. 

Let me Americanize Psalms 78-56-59- We continually ridicule and turn again God with our "tolerance" and "it's only wrong if you feel it's wrong" attitudes, we continually disobey God's commands in the His word, in fact we don't even know what most of His commands are because we don't read the Bible and we refuse to listen to preachers who preach the truth, instead we want to hear only 'feel good' messages. Our only loyalties are to ourselves and our only faith is in ourselves or the medication the Dr. prescribed us.  We have angered God with our love of money, sports, material possessions and all the other things we spend out time in money on.  He turned His back on Israel for these sins, what are we going to do if He turns His back on us?

Is. 44:9 says that the idols we worship are worthless.  The only investment that will yeild us eternal rewards is a committed, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.  Is it really worth it to gain the whole world and lose your soul? Who is your idol?

Staying the Narrow Path, have a blessed day. 

Well I really can't believe it has been so long since I blogged.  I want to do it more often, so everyone will check back often.  We went on family vacation though and had a great time at the beach, and I am behind on everything. 

Our church has just completed Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" study.  He talks in there about the crisis of belief.  Meaning that when God asks you to do something in obedience, it will boil down to do you trust Him enough to follow Him.  One of our friends experienced this first hand recently and sent out an email with the testimony.  With her permission and names changed, I am posting her testimony so that it will be an encouragement to others.

So Mark was laid off the first of March, it has now been 2 months since he had a job. He has been able to do work for friends here and there but nothing permanent. This past Thur, we had several bills due (which were already late, mortgage, 2 car payments, and daycare.) We have been faithfully tything this whole time without a second thought. Well on Thur, I just couldn't handle it anymore. With our savings down to $500 and my paycheck, we just didn't have enough. Mark said to write the checks and we'll figure it out. I couldn't write them, so he had to. So we go to bed that night, praying even more and more. I kept praying my favorite verse, Ps 56:3 "What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in you." When I went to work on Fri, I happened to check our online banking. We had received our income tax rebate THAT day. I went to the bathroom at work and cried and thanked God for providing. Mark kept telling me to be strong and we will be taken care, but I was getting to the point where I couldn't see straight anymore. I lost my focus on God. So I got myself back together and texted Mark the good news. He then tells me that he finally received his 1st unemployemnt check. I praised God again. THEN he says that he also received another check for doing some work that week through a friend (thank you!!).

God says we only have to have faith the size of a mustard seed and He will move mountains.

Keeping the faith and staying the narrow path have a good week (or month if it takes that long again).  Keep checking back - you never know what might be posted.