In Pastor Paul's message on James 1:13-18 we are reminded that Christians fall into temptation because they fail to live carefully. We must always remember to live in such a way that temptation does not have an opportunity to have influence on our lives. Each of us needs to carefully consider the ways in which temptation might be entering our lives and do our best to eliminate them.
Pastor Paul speaks specifically about idolatry in his sermon. He emphasizes that we can idolize anything and everything. We can idolize material possessions, hobbies, sports, grades, people, etc. What is it in your life that is tempting you to idolize it? This week I want each of you to identify something in your life that you idolize or that you fear you might idolize if you are not careful. Then I want you to think of ways that you can keep yourself from idolizing whatever you have identified. I will start us with an example from my life.
For a long time I struggled with idolizing sports. For me, sports was about glorifying myself and my team. I have been fortunate in recent years to learn quite a bit about what God wants for us when it comes to sports. Understanding His perspective on sports has really helped me to keep from turning sports into a way of glorifying myself and/or my team. One thing I try to do to help me keep God's perspective on sports is to look back on a practice or game and ask myself, "Would God be proud of what we just did?" I know that He desires for us to do our very best. I know that He desires for us to be His ambassadors. When we do these things I am sure that He is proud. At times I still struggle with making sports an idol, but by the grace of God I am able to get myself back on the right track.
Remember, the idea here is to identify something in our lives that we idolize or that we fear we might begin to idolize if we are not careful. There is the assignment. Make sure you have this in by the time you go to bed Sunday November 30th, 2008.
38 comments:
for my is video games. because to day on sun. i found my self playing more than i needed to. so one way i found the best way to stop is to not play 4 hours a day. because it is going to be hard to stop at 4 hours. so that is my thing giant out
For me it is tv and computer...more specifically watching sports and email. Right now i actually just realized how stupid i can be sometimes with tv. this might sound weird coming from me but i love to watch football, it is like my favorite thing. it makes me mad to say this, but sometimes i really do put off bible reading because i 'have to watch this game'. pray for me as i work on this. also email, and anything else on the computer is sooo fun for me, and i want to learn to get this limited on my schedule. my youth pastor was just saying that you WILL make time for the things you love, and this is what i need to do.
Ya. I'm going to have to go with anything on the computer. Sometimes (actually a lot of the time) I'm on for a very long time and I need to limit the computer time. There are lots of other distractions out there that keep me from God. A lot of the time, I put off reading the Bible just because I don't feel like doing it. I really need to get back on reading the Bible. It would be great if you guys prayed for me too in this area. Thanks.
Something that I am going to have to be careful about not idolizing is, being involved with drama productions. I love the rush and involvement that being in Drama has. It would\is very easy for me to get caught up in it. The time commitment it takes makes it very easy to just forget to give God my time. I need to work on giving God the first and best part of my time (not the leftovers.)
well i totally agree with lucus... video games are a big one for me...if i get a good one, i play for hour. Its like the handout you passed out on monday, the average person watches like 4 hours a day of tv of stuff they dont even like. We could be using our time more wisely. The next thing for me is wacthing tv. i stay up late watching tv when i know i should be in bed.
The main thing that I tend to idolize is sports. I will usually start a season then get so involved in it that it takes up ALL of my time, then I end up not giving nearly enough time to God. After a while I usually realize that my time with God is shrinking, and then get back on track (or at least mostly on track), but by then I have already gone quite a while without giving God hardly any time out of my life. Also, just like Sam said, I need to work on giving God first priority over my time instead of just squeezing him in whenever I have nothing else to do.
~~Shrimps~~
This may sound weird but I spend to much time interacting with others. Such as phone, texting, im, and hanging out.I know that fellowship is good, but not when I put it before God. One way that has helped me with other things and this is my Accountability Partner. Who has really held me accountable. Befor i even go to the computer, I need to spend time with God. Not just to get on but be/ i truly want to spend time with him. I know it want happen just like "boom" but it will happen in His timing. I will pray for u and if you could please pray for me. Thanks so much!!! (I love that our school body isn't afraid to pray for eachother.) Addison Stewart
sometimes like most of you i idolize computers and tv, but most of the time i idolize the future,like i find that i spend so much time looking foward to the future which i am not sure if i will even have. i could be being productive instead of just thinking of what is to come. i would appreciate it if you would pray that i would want to read the bible way more than being on the computer. thanks Heidi
My thing is probably sports. My whole family is REALLY invovled in some sport. If i can i will play year round. A lot of times i give God the leftovers. Like I'll have practice till 10 at night and when i get home all i want to do is go to bed. So a lot of the time i would just skip devos and go to bed. I know I'm not suppose to do this. I'm working really hard at getting my quiet time in everyday. I also sometimes forget to do my sports Gods way. So now in basketball i'm trying to say "God, I'm shooting this free throw for you." And in other sports doing things like killing the ball for God.
I would say tv and computer are the things I idolize because I could be doing a lot better things with my time but I choose to sit down and find something on tv or get on the computer and play games or go on Facebook.
i would say the thing i idolize is mostly the computer. I am on the computer a lot when i could be doing other things like reading the bible and praying. I should spend more time with God.
I really idolize my ATV- it really seems like I spend a whole bunch of time on it, and I'm very proud of being able to have one.
Also my phone- I do spend a lot of time one it, probably too much, but I have gotten better about that. I'm glad that I don't have unlimited txting, otherwise I would probably be texting all of the time...
One thing that I wanted to say to everyone is this--- JUST LOOK AT HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND WITH THE OBJECT, AND COMPARE IT TO HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND WITH YOUR OWN FAMILY, OR FRIENDS, ETC.
Just try it... worked for me!
OK I really agree on everything everyone else said. I think that I idolize the computer and IM and email. I sometimes just go straight to the computer and don't even think about reading my bible and spending time with God. I have learned more to read my bible but I still need more help. So, I'll pray for you guys and could you pray for me to spend more time with God and less on the computer. (I like what Jack said.) Bye!!!!!!!!
For me probably computer. I used to spend alot of time on facebook and stuff like that.Probably a couple of hours each day. I mean the computer is good for talking to0 your friends and all but when its keeps u from spending less time with God its a problem. My computer crashed so that kinda of a blessing.
I agree with a of the comments. One thing I thing I idolize is the computer. I like getting emails talking to friends on im or even just play a game on the net. I will get mad when a family member is on when I want to get on. When I am on the computer it is like time doesn't even exist and I waste a lot of time that I could spend with God. I like what Anne wrote" ...I give God the leftovers" I would like to add on to that sometimes we don't give anything to God. I think I also idolize my friends like a she is such a godly person or she is so good at sports or even comparing how much better they are than another( which is not true because God made everyone in their own special way and we can't judge who is better). I think one way that I can try to get better at idolizing things is making the effort to spend more time with God.
Idolizing is something that can happen so easily before you even realize it. The two big things for me are the computer, and playing the piano. With the computer, I spend more time than I should on it. I continually need to ask God to help and make a mental list of what I need to get done and then I see that I shouldn’t be wasting this time. Then, when I am hurrying to get stuff done when I wasted time earlier, I want to blame it all on the computer, but actually, it’s my fault. The other thing I idolize is the Piano and the ability to play it. At festivals, I have to remind myself that it is for God’s glory not my own. I have to remember this when I get a compliment from somebody. I have to remember why I play, because it is for God’s Glory, and How I can play, because God game me the ability to do so. I’ve found that idolizing distorts your priorities, it distorts you outward view on things and most of the reason we idolize is because of a selfish reason inside me and you because sometimes we want to take the glory for ourselves and not give it to God. Another idolization thing is reputation. I can worry more about what people think of me than I should. I need to focus, act the best way I can with God helping me to live the way he wants me to, which is hard, and I shouldn’t overly care what other people thing about me. Everyone is different and is going to have different views about me negative or positive and I shouldn’t be worrying about that. Again, I and all of God’s creation could use prayer on this topic. God can help and I need to remember that.
my problem is all electronics i spend way to much time on everything that flashes in front of my face i will stay up late and watch sports or a movie and will space of of purposely put off the Bible and devotions it annoys because i will get into bed that night and i will know that i put it off i feel horible after it thank you holy spirit!!!!!!
another thing that i have a problem with is social status. i have always liked the people who were more populer than me and i wanted to be like them i am learning though that popularity isn't everything there is more to life than material things and worldly views
Seppy3
For me movies is a big idol. I can quote a ton of whole movies perfectly off the top of my head, but I can't remember the Bible verse this week. I can't remember a tiny group of verses that will actually mean something to me for the rest of my life, but I can quote an hour and a half to two hours of total mind-numbing waste.
My solution is this: Not to give up movies completely for the rest of my life, but everytime I start wanting to just sit around and watch movies, I need to ask myself,'Have I spent time with God today?' 'Have I grown at all in my walk with God today?' The truth is: most days I probably haven't. Like everyone I am human and need help and prayer. Please pray for me as I pray for all of you.
Later! :-)
for me it would be football, video games, and like almost every one in the entire class computer and tv. I should get out a lot more often. fixing is the hard part. when you do something so often for a long time it starts to becomes really hard to stop. one of the ways to lead you to stop is to find something more constructive to do with your time that you enjoy. you dont need to stop what your doing entirely just doent let it suck you in. one of the things that im trying to do to stop being on my computer for video games is im trying to find out how it works and if i would want to build computers later in life.
This may come as a shocker to you but for me the idol is ANYTHING with a screen that rots your brain. I am a major screen adict i spend most of my free time on something with a screen. I am trying to cut down the time to about 2 and a half hours a day( not on weekends though;-) ) I am actually ashamed of it but i need to stop. I need to spend more time meditating on the word of God and praying to him. PS: That felt really good to get that off of my chest.
;-)PEACE;-)
My big thing would have 2 b tv, sports, and video games. Tv is a problem 4 me because when i hav nothing 2 do i will sit down and watch tv. With sports my problem would be that when basketball season starts that is all i think about and it kinda takes over me and i will get nerveous witch i souldn't be because it is supposed to be fun. The video games i play do not always honer God but most do not anyway witch is not an excuse. Instead of doing all these things in my free time i should be reading God's Word.
for me i struggle with tv watching, but i think what is more of a problem for me is that i think to many things are boring. i feel like sometimes when i am watching tv i still am bored and i feel like i need to get up and do something that has a little action to it. i always want to go over to a friends house or go out and do something entertaining. i find my life being so filled with the business of entertainment that i start forgetting about God amidst the chaos of my life. i am often at a friends house or doing something late at night and then i forget to do my nightly devotions, which somedays might be the only time with God that i'll hav.
another thing that i think is a big struggle for me is general noise. i always have some kind of noise around me or i hav earbuds shoved in my ears. when i am doing my homework in my room i almost always am listening to music. it helps me stay focused, but not on God. that is my big problemo
my 2 biggest things would b spending 2 much time on my phone and spending a lot of time with friends. i know for one thing i could spend a lot more time with my family or/and God if i said no 2 some of the things with my friends and didnt spend so much time texting or calling people.also i tend to fill up my free time with those 2 things andn i know that i could b spending that time with my family or in Gods word. i will definitly be trying 2 spend more time with my family and spend more time with God.
For me it has always been video games and TV. Its tempting because our minds consider it fun and its hard to fight. A little of it isnt that bad but to much is bad for you and your mind.
For me its video games (sadly I play alot). One way that I have thought is to spend less time on them and set a limit for playing time. Also to do my homework first instead of doing it at night after I play video games. We should always put God before our material things in life.
everyones is REALLY good!!! but the main things would be sports and texting. Sports take up LOTS of times in my life!!! When i play sports sometimes i forget who i am playing for. But my mom and dad push me to remember that i play for God. What i do on the court or in the gym, its for God. Then theres texting just like addy said i text or i am emailing sometimes lots. But lately i havent been as much as i have in the past. sometimes i will text cuz i am bored, but wen i am bored that is when i should be spending time with God!! I am working very hard on that. One more thing, when i lay on the couch and watch tv or play a game i think of how much time i spent doing that when i could have been spending that time with Got. And my goal is to spend more time with MY GOD!!!!!!!!
One of the things i couldn't live without/i idolize is my cell phone. i use it every day, i text on it ALL the time. i guess i don't idolize it as much as i used to, but still. i try to not use it as much, but it is hard, cause when i get a text i have to reply, or else it seems like it taunts me until i do read it... i guess you could say i am addicted. i am still trying to not do it as much!!! so ya... see ya later!!!
i would agree with mr. earl. sports are a big thing for me, i luv them but i do sometimes think about how much time i spend loving sports more than God. One way i could stop myself from idolizing sports is to pray and remember why it is i'm even able to participate and who i'm playing for God has helped me a lot when i look for him in sports and he's always there so you never have an excuse for not asking guidence from him in anything for that matter
for me I really start to idolize music I listen to a song and then begin to try to learn it on guitar or drums. It wastes alot of my time because I usually forget how to play the song after awhile. Sometimes I have to use the computer to find out how to play the song which takes up more time and I then become comsumed with that and I really dont think about whether the song is God honoring or not. I also agree with Caleb on how you get so consumed with your idols you can remember a line from a movie or song or whatever but you cant remember the verse for the week. I think idols can become very time consuming and I really hope that whoever reads this would pray for me and pray that the Holy Spirit would use me in a different way than following my idols.Also pray that I would think about the songs that I am learning and think if there God honoring or not. thanks guys. seth k
well the thing i idolize which is like what everyone else has is the computer. i just feel like i have to check it every time to see whats new on facebook or if i got new emails. while i am still getting better on choosing how much time i have on the computer i also have found fun ways to be on the computer but be learning my verses or reading my bible chapters. with learning my verses i just type it out and keep typing until i have it memorized or for bible reading i will read the bible from the computer. i have found that these have helped but it would still be nice if i would spend personal time alone with God.
For me It's probably like putting my friends in front of everything else, because I HAVE to do something every weekend with my friends, I have to go see that movie, like all I care about is my friends, but I think I'm getting better at that because God has been really speaking to my heart lately about some stuff so I'm not as focused on my friends but I am still focused on them a lot but I really enjoy spending time with my family to.
for me I idolize a lot of video games. because when I play I find myself playing all day instead of playing just what I told myself I would play. So I try to avoid playing them and start reading a book instead of playing a video game.
for me its just about anything, but especially movies and books. I spend time reading and watching but even more time thinking about it. I also am really bad about putting things off. I do whatever even though i have that feeling that i need to do my quiet time. I have problems with doing prayer time because it's hard for me to just sit still and pray. Please pray for me. i never "feel like doing it" and Satan probably uses that a lot to get us to not be close to God. The more you are spending time with God reading His Word and just talking to Him about your problems and everything the easier it is to tell what is good and what's not. Also, sometimes with computer and tv and stuff like that its easy to say what Hunter said "a little is not THAT bad, but if you do too much it's bad." but we need to be careful that we dont try to do things that arent THAT bad. If you think like ok heres the line between right and wrong we think how close can i go to the line???? instead we should think how can i live in a way that will please God, and will what im about to do please Him?
I'll pray for you guys!!!:):):)
all right
sorry mr. earl for not geting this in but i hope i can still get credit
for me id idolize my hanging out with freinds. i mean i hate being home on saturday having nothing to do sept whatch tv cause that is not good for you
one other thing would be that i idolize sports because sometimes if its breaking the rules i would kill to have a basketball in my hand everywhere i go or even a football
I tend to itolize free time, thats because it's some of the few times I don't feel overwhelmed or stressed out. It's like a drug that relaxes you and seems to make everything thats hard in your life go away for awhile. This is a problem because it's hard for me to get anything productive done in that time without being a problem. And that is why it so easy to be too thankful for, and sometimes even itolize it.
my main thing is sports. i always end up wanting to watch it or play and it ends up being what i talk about most of the time also. i try to not watch so much but there is always a game that i want to watch even if it isnt important.
The thing that is "taking over" my life would be Facebook and the Twilight series...
I really like Facebook because it is a fun way to talk to your friends and it has some pretty cool stuff on it too, but it can start to become addicting... I enjoy finding new things on Facebook (something that no one else has yet) and post it on my profile, but I can see that I could possible find some things that are not honnoring my Lord Jesus Christ.
Accually, to be honest, I have found some things... I am ashamed to say that I have. But even though it was a complet accident, I still found them. So now I try to be EXTRA careful when I am serching for stuff.
Next is the Twilight series... UG! I really really love these books (and they are EXTREAMLY addicting!) but I kinda shift to whether it is okay or not.
The characters in them,Bella and Edward, love each other so much. And they have some times where they kiss very passionately, but they don't go too far, because Edward tries to make sure Bella is kept pure. But still... I'm don't think us Christains should even go to where we kiss like that.
I have seen alot of magazines where they totally lie about it! Although some of the things do make sense... I really like these books but they do start to drag me away from God. But I think that as long as I have the right heart, I can still read the books only if I keep God as my focus in life. :)
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