Cast Out Every Idol

[Daily Devotional]

Cast Out Every Idol 

     Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matt.
4:10.  

     "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3). . . . It is not
alone in denying the existence of God or in bowing down to idols of wood and
stone that this first commandment is broken. By many who profess to be
followers of Christ, its principles are infringed, but the Lord of heaven
does not acknowledge those as His children who are cherishing in their
hearts anything that takes the place which God alone should hold. With many
the gratification of appetite holds sway, while with others dress and love
of the world are given the first place in the heart. . . .  

     God has given us many things in this life upon which to bestow our
affections, but when we carry to excess that which in itself is lawful we
become idolaters. . . . Anything that separates our affections from God and
lessens our interest in eternal things is an idol. Those who use the
precious time given them by God--time that has been purchased at an infinite
cost--in embellishing their homes for display, in following the fashions and
customs of the world, are not only robbing their own souls of spiritual
food, but are failing to give God His due. The time thus spent in the
gratification of selfish desires might be employed in obtaining a knowledge
of the Word of God, in cultivating our talents, that we might render
intelligent service to our Creator. . . . God will not share a divided
heart. If the world absorbs our attention, He cannot reign supreme. If this
diminishes our devotion for God, it is idolatry in His eyes....  

     "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth" (John 4:24). When our hearts are tuned to praise our Maker,
not only in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs but also in our lives, we
shall live in communion with Heaven. . . . There will be gratitude in the
heart and in the home, in private as well as in public devotion. This
constitutes the true worship of God.  

>From That I May Know Him - Page 322