Week of 2/15/26 + Men's Breakfast
Dear Church Family,
Praise God for Snow! May your chores and travels be blessed in the midst of it all!
I have received quite a response to the message from this last week on idolatry. My heart is humble and thankful that God's Word has brought such concern and desire to worship Jesus Christ 'in Spirit and in Truth', with 'all your heart, soul, and mind'. Two things I want to make sure you grasp that are very important as you continue to apply the message.
1) God alone is worthy of your worship - so we do take it very seriously when we see our life wrapped up in something that comes before him. Faith calls us to lay down what WE THINK is worthy and trust God to order our lives and lead us as he sees fit, whether it leads to reward or sacrifice.
2) Freedom from idolatry is a joyful thing! Yes, it will likely be painful at first! We have to lay something down and let God decide whether it's gone from our lives forever or whether he will repurpose it for himself, but ultimately it will be for our joy to enjoy things as he designed them to be! Trust Him for that.
I read a quote this morning from the early church father Aquinas of Hippo that I thought was another great summation of the thought of idolatry... "worshipping what should be used, and using what should be worshipped."
May Jesus lead us as people enjoying all that he is and has made to the utmost!
There is a men's breakfast this Saturday(2/21) at 8am, come for food and fellowship centered on Jesus!
Also, we had our potlunch this last week with the Conklins, no potlunch this Sunday.
Home Enjoyment
Read 1 John 5:20-21, and 1 John 2:15-17.
As you read through the 1 John 2 passage would you put John's warnings in the category of material or immaterial?
We usually don't bow down to things the same way the ancient peoples did, but how is our worship of them both physical and spiritual?
If someone told you Jesus was just trying to take away all the fun and it's not possible to put him first in everything, what would you tell them?
What parallels do you see in Ephesians 5:1-12 and 1 John 5:21 (And any other parts of 1 John)?
We looked at 2 questions and a statement to discern idols...
1) Am I willing to sin to get it? - How is this a good litmus test of whether you are pursuing something for God's glory or your own?
2) Are you relying on something besides God for success, direction or blessing in your life? What are some examples of what this has looked like in your life?
3) If only I had _________, I would be happy. OR If I don't have _______ I can't be happy. How does that statement help reveal where our heart is inclined to find happiness? Do you think God wants us to ever be happy with things he has made? What is the difference between enjoying what he has made and it becoming an idol in our lives?
Paul talks about 'Putting Off and Putting On' in Ephesians 4:17-24 and 25-32 gives examples.
What does it look like for you to put off (confess and remove) a specific idol and how would the Lord replace it in your life (put on)? What does that look like daily? Or weekly?
Is there something in your life that you feel is impossibly difficult to sort out how it has become an idol and what to do about it? I would ask you to find time to pray and ask the Lord to help you identify and be willing to remove any aspect of worshipping or finding identity apart from him and prepare you to trust him completely.
He is worthy of your love and obedience and you ignore his call at great cost to your soul.
Read Matthew 6:19-21.
May our Lord and Savior increasingly have our hearts until the day we see his nail-pierced hands and rejoice with him forever!
In Christ,
Pastor Phillip
Praise God for Snow! May your chores and travels be blessed in the midst of it all!
I have received quite a response to the message from this last week on idolatry. My heart is humble and thankful that God's Word has brought such concern and desire to worship Jesus Christ 'in Spirit and in Truth', with 'all your heart, soul, and mind'. Two things I want to make sure you grasp that are very important as you continue to apply the message.
1) God alone is worthy of your worship - so we do take it very seriously when we see our life wrapped up in something that comes before him. Faith calls us to lay down what WE THINK is worthy and trust God to order our lives and lead us as he sees fit, whether it leads to reward or sacrifice.
2) Freedom from idolatry is a joyful thing! Yes, it will likely be painful at first! We have to lay something down and let God decide whether it's gone from our lives forever or whether he will repurpose it for himself, but ultimately it will be for our joy to enjoy things as he designed them to be! Trust Him for that.
I read a quote this morning from the early church father Aquinas of Hippo that I thought was another great summation of the thought of idolatry... "worshipping what should be used, and using what should be worshipped."
May Jesus lead us as people enjoying all that he is and has made to the utmost!
There is a men's breakfast this Saturday(2/21) at 8am, come for food and fellowship centered on Jesus!
Also, we had our potlunch this last week with the Conklins, no potlunch this Sunday.
Home Enjoyment
Read 1 John 5:20-21, and 1 John 2:15-17.
As you read through the 1 John 2 passage would you put John's warnings in the category of material or immaterial?
We usually don't bow down to things the same way the ancient peoples did, but how is our worship of them both physical and spiritual?
If someone told you Jesus was just trying to take away all the fun and it's not possible to put him first in everything, what would you tell them?
What parallels do you see in Ephesians 5:1-12 and 1 John 5:21 (And any other parts of 1 John)?
We looked at 2 questions and a statement to discern idols...
1) Am I willing to sin to get it? - How is this a good litmus test of whether you are pursuing something for God's glory or your own?
2) Are you relying on something besides God for success, direction or blessing in your life? What are some examples of what this has looked like in your life?
3) If only I had _________, I would be happy. OR If I don't have _______ I can't be happy. How does that statement help reveal where our heart is inclined to find happiness? Do you think God wants us to ever be happy with things he has made? What is the difference between enjoying what he has made and it becoming an idol in our lives?
Paul talks about 'Putting Off and Putting On' in Ephesians 4:17-24 and 25-32 gives examples.
What does it look like for you to put off (confess and remove) a specific idol and how would the Lord replace it in your life (put on)? What does that look like daily? Or weekly?
Is there something in your life that you feel is impossibly difficult to sort out how it has become an idol and what to do about it? I would ask you to find time to pray and ask the Lord to help you identify and be willing to remove any aspect of worshipping or finding identity apart from him and prepare you to trust him completely.
He is worthy of your love and obedience and you ignore his call at great cost to your soul.
Read Matthew 6:19-21.
May our Lord and Savior increasingly have our hearts until the day we see his nail-pierced hands and rejoice with him forever!
In Christ,
Pastor Phillip
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