You Are What You Worship

 

Have you ever noticed the affect culture and trends have on our lives? Think about it. Almost every person I know owns and spends time on a smart phone, and things like movies, sports, clothing, and music have great influences over people. So, why are we so heavily influenced by the culture we live in? The fact is, in this day and age, everything around us is constantly clamoring for our undivided attention. The world is begging for our adoration. And all those distractions are rooted in idolatry and self when they get us to take our eyes off our heavenly Father and His great plan for our life. Whatever you’re consumed with, you’re going to reflect that in your life. In other words, we become what we worship. If you look up synonyms for worship in your thesaurus, you come across words like revere, adoration and idolize. Ask yourself these questions: “How much time do I spend flipping through magazines or Googling the latest celebrity gossip? How important is it that I fit in, look the part and am I successful? Do I measure my success based on the opinions of other people?” Now ask yourself this: “How much time do I spend reading the Word of God and allowing Him to speak to me? Do I respond to the things around me by first seeking God’s wisdom?” Our aim should be to approach earthly things with a heavenly mindset. But as we all know, this can be exceedingly difficult. When God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments, He started out the list by saying: “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourselves a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:3-4).

       [2 Timothy 3:16] How often have you been sitting in a worship assembly and listening to the ser­mon when suddenly a point that is being made from the Bible makes you wonder, “How did he know?” Something was said that really hit home. You are struggling with a temptation, a difficulty, or a Bible question and it was addressed as though the preach­er was talking to you! But the preacher had no way of knowing about it. That’s hap­pened to this writer both as a listener and as a preacher, repeatedly. That’s a demonstration of the power of God’s Word! The Bible, when preached, taught, or studied, has the ability to address the deep thoughts, struggles and guilt in an individ­ual’s heart, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and mar­row, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible will help us in our everyday lives. God’s word is not some antiquated book. What do I do about some conflict with another? How do I over­come a temptation in the workplace? Is there a way to put my priorities in order when life is chaotic and out of control? “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). The Bible has the ability to make us better people, a blessed people, a heaven bound people. “…as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue…” (2 Pe­ter 1:3). How God’s Word affects us, how­ever, is really up to us as hearers and doers (James 1:21-25). So don’t think too highly of the preacher if he says something that really helps or blame him if he says something that seems too direct, for the power is in God’s Word (1 Peter 4:10-11). If what you hear is appli­cable to your life, remember it is God speaking to you through His Word so that you may hear of the saving grace He offers through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 10:14-17), for he is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 2:9).