Zeal

I wish I could take you all to church with me every Sunday, mainly because I feel the need to share with all of you everything our pastor said. The Lord has a mighty way of speaking through Pastor Gregg, and I always want to share it with everyone.

We've been going through Exodus the past few months, and I never thought I could learn so much from that book. I've read it too many times to count, but it has never been this real, this relevant to me. When I realized that this Sunday's sermon was going to be on the 10 Commandments, I was a little dissapointed. I've memorized them backwards and forwards, I even know a clever song..... sing along with me!

Number one, we've just begun, God should be first in your life!
Number two, the idol rule, those graven images aren't nice!
Number three, God's name should be never spoken in jest
Number four, the Sabbath's for our worship and our rest
Number five, we all should strive to honor father and mother
Number six, don't get your kicks from killing one another
Number seven, life is heaven when you're true to your mate
Number eight, don't steal or break these rules for goodness sake!
Number nine, don't be the kind that goes around telling lies
Number ten, don't covet when you see your neighbors house or wife
That's the list that God insists
We stay away from these sins
That is why we memorize Commandments 1 through 10!

Thank you for indulging me for that moment. (Angels Aware, anyone?!?). This week we focused mainly on commandments 1-4. The one that really stuck out to me though was commandment 2- the idols. Now, granted, I don't have an "idol" problem, as far as statues go. (I do, however, have a horrible addiction to American Idol. That is indeed a problem). But I've never worshipped any statues or anything. So as far as I was concerned, this commandment didn't apply to me. WRONG. It does.

Pastor Gregg told us about 4 idols that we often struggle with.

1. Environment- Yes, we need to be good stewards of our earth. We need to take care of it. But Pastor Gregg reminded us that alot of people you hear on tv or whatever talk alot about how much they love and respect Mother Earth....but nothing is ever mentioned of loving and respecting our Father God. We need to love and respect HIM.
2. Our Own Strength- We absolutely cannot do it on our own. The verse says "I can do all things, THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME". (Philippians 4:13)-It doesn't stop on "I can do all things". We have to stop relying on ourselves and remember that He empowers us to do ALL things.
3. Others-Be who God made you to be.... be YOU for HIM- don't be you for others, don't change who you are for others. This one really hit me. I have often felt that I needed to change so that others will like me...... I try so hard to please others. Be who you are and do it for HIM.
4. Success- this is another big one. I heard a few "amen"'s in the conregation that morning. This was such a cool concept..... If we have an idol of success, then most the time the result is that we a) work at our play b) worship our work and c) play at our worship. Hit home for anyone?!

Another interesting thing he mentioned: alot of us have seen that Youtube video where Oprah is saying that what turned her off to Christianity was the phrase in Exodus 20:5- where in speaking of idols, God says that He is a "jealous God". Apparently, Oprah was very upset by this. When I initially watched this video... I was shouting "He is jealous FOR you, not OF you! He wants your time, respect, fear, and your heart!!!". Pastor Gregg said it like this..... Our jealousy of people/things is based in insecurity. His jealousy is based in security. HE KNOWS WHO HE IS. He just wants us to recognize it. He is jealous for you. This was my favorite part: the Hebrew word used here for jealous is the same word as zealous. He is ZEALOUS for us!

Maybe we oughta be a bit more zealous for Him........