Do you have any false gods in your life? Would you know one if you did? It doesn’t have to be a golden calf to qualify as a false god. It could be almost anything— anything that stands between you and Christ. Rob gives you some examples so you can be on the lookout. Then it’s your calls at 800-525-7000.
Do you have any false gods in your life? Would you know one if you did? It doesn’t have to be a golden calf to qualify as a false god. It could be almost anything that stands between you and Christ. In today's Faith and Finance Rob West gives some examples, so you can be on the lookout.
Psalm 20 is one of my favorites. It begins with a blessing, and ends with a statement of faith. Here’s part of Psalm 20, starting at verse 6:
Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses…” Back in David’s day, chariots and horses were the most powerful military technologies available. If you had those, you could usually expect victory. But the psalm says there’s something even more powerful out there – the name of God. In spite of that, some people were still putting their faith in worldly things – like chariots and horses.
Anything you put your faith in other than “the Lord our God” is a false god. As Larry Burkett used to say, a false god is “anything that detours our commitment to God”. You probably won’t be trusting chariots and horses today, but here are a few false gods that you will recognize - along with some modern twists on Psalm 20.
Financial Security is a false god. Some trust in retirement plans, savings accounts, and investment income – but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Government provision can be another false god. Some trust in welfare programs, federal relief checks, or government handouts – but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Power is often worshiped as a false god. Some trust in status, reputation, and financial influence – but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Personal Autonomy is a very deceptive false god. Some trust in themselves alone, depending on their own financial goals and expertise – but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
The consequences of trusting in false gods are severe. God is not mocked, the Bible says, and he tells his people over and over not to worship any other gods.
We see the most glaring example of this in Exodus 32 as God meets with Moses on Mount Sinai. Verse 1 reads, “When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, ‘Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’”
Aaron goes along with their demand and crafts a golden calf, most likely representing a false Egyptian god. It didn’t take long for the people of Israel to lose their faith, turn away from the Lord, and begin worshiping idols.
The insult to the Lord continues in verses 4 through 6 which read, “They said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.’ And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
Now, Aaron may have intended that the sacrifices be made to the one true God, but the Israelites obviously didn’t think so, and God certainly wasn’t fooled. He tells Moses in verse 9, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them.”
Of course, Moses pleaded for the people of Israel and the Lord relented, although some 3,000 of the worst offenders were put to death by the Levites. Now, it’s easy to dismiss this biblical lesson, thinking we’d never worship something as ridiculous as a golden calf, but an idol can be anything.
It could be your dream house, that shiny new car in your driveway, or your 401k. All of these are potential idols that threaten to replace God in your life. They themselves are not evil, and possessing them is no sin — it’s only when we let them come between us and the Lord that they become a real problem.
Whatever you face today - whatever decisions you have to make - don’t make the mistake of turning to false gods for help. When you’re a believer in Christ, you have a much greater resource: the name of the Lord your God!
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If you are on Social Security Disability and are not supposed to have more than $2,000 in savings, what should you do with surplus income?
How do you access your Thrift Savings Plan and IRA accounts for Required Minimum Distributions if you are age 71, retired, and are living modestly on your Social Security income? (Rob referred the called to Certified Kingdom Advisors at faithfi.com).
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