Sunday EVE

CJ Mahaney
-the infamous “Idol Factory” message

• Exodus 20:1-3
• Idolatry is the most discussed and seriously condemned sin in the Bible
• Romans 1:18
• Romans 21:25
• I Thessalonians 1:9
• I Corinthians 10:13-14
• Colossians 3:5
• New eyes will enable me to identify and destroy idols

1. Idolatry (definition): A substitute for God; anything/one I love or serve in place of God
1. Creation is treated as the Creator
2. The degree to which I want something elevates it to the level of “idol”--it may not start that way
3. Gifts of God are also potential idols--they’re not bad, but my desire for them can become sin
4. What do I want right now?
2. Discerning idolatry
1. Source: Within
2. James 1:14
3. Left to ourselves, we cannot discern the idols of the heart. We need the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts and scripture to inform us of the truth
4. To identify idols, we need:
1. Scripture
2. Holy Spirit
3. The Church
1. Though I may see sin in others, I can’t always see the sin in myself
2. I may be oblivious, but to others it may seem obvious
4. Pray that others would bring my idolatry to my attention and that I would be gracious about it (Why aren’t they doing that now? Am I preventing it somehow?)
3. Circumstances
1. Adversity reveals the desires of my heart
2. When I don’t get what I want, how do I react?
   
3. If what I have is taken away, how do I react?
4. When adversity happens, God is testing my heart
5. This test is often kicked to another level when meeting someone being tested in the same area, but by prosperity
6. I John 5:21
7. Who or what rules my behavior/motivation? (ooh, redeeming psychology here!)
8. Why haven’t I been having a consistent devotional time? ‘Cos I’m a workaholic? Is WORK my idol?
9. On the website is an article used in this message by David Powlison
4. The fruit of identifying idolatry:
1. Growth in godliness
2. Growth in gratefulness to God
3. Luke 7:47
5. How easily I forget emotions! I need to take hold of truthful experiences, not emotional ones