Whatever we spend our time thinking about is what we are idolizing…
I was biking to work this morning and that phrase came into my mind…
I believe it was from the Lord…
For me it was an eye-opener…
Kind of like I’ve been in a “demon induced haze” with my mind so taken up with all sorts of things that I’ve never “stood back” and actually considered that what I think about is actually what I’m idolizing…
I’m kind of seeing things quite clearly this morning or what is early afternoon now (late afternoon when I finished the post) and I’m realizing that really I don’t have “a leg to stand on” when that statement is applied to my life…
I feel completely undone…
I have spent so much of my time – as I look back on my “christian life” – thinking about sin – how I will “get rid of it”, how I will avoid doing it, how I hope people around me don’t find out that I’m committing it, what people around me would think if they knew I was committing it, etc, etc, etc, – that I see that in that “obsession” I was actually idolizing sin…
What we focus on is what we become…
The battle has turned to the thought life…
I cannot win this battle – but I know that the Lord can…
He is establishing in me a desire to know Him and I believe that He will establish in me a desire to think about Him – He needs to fill my thoughts with Himself – left to myself I will “wallow around” in “anything else” like a pigsty – anything else no matter “good” it might seem – and sometimes downright ugly – but not Him…
When was the last time I asked the Lord how His day was?
When was the last time I asked the Lord how He was feeling about the things which were going on in the world?
When was the last time that I consulted the Lord about how He made decisions?
How He came up with His plans of action?
What it was that He really wanted “done” in the world at this point in time?
What was really on His Heart?
What was really on His Mind?
How He felt about what was “playing out” on planet earth at this point in time…
but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24 NASB)
We can boast about how little sin is left in our lives cos we’ve been spending all our time trying to eradicate it (which will puff us up) but at the end of the day the Lord wants us to boast about how we understand and know Him…
And note what He exercises on the earth: Lovingkindness, Justice and Righteousness – beautiful, balanced, perfect…
He is a God of Righteousness…
He is a God of Justice…
He is a God of Lovingkindness…
Lord, show me Yourself…
Show me Your Nature…
Show me Your Lovingkindness…
Show me Your Justice…
Show me Your Righteousness…
Let me know You…
Let me focus on You…
Let me know You as deeply as a human being is capable of knowing You, Let us, Your Church on earth at this point in time, know You as deeply as it is possible for a human being to know You…
I want to know You and I want to understand You…
I have been frustrated in the past not being able to understand others but I am excited that You want me to understand You…
You actually want me to be able to understand You and You are “understandable” – as I come towards You, Your “wall” doesn’t go up – You don’t have anything to hide and You will speak to me and I can know You, find out about You and what makes You “tick”…
This is exciting to me Lord…
I am “loving this” (to borrow someone else’s slogan 🙂 )…
Thank You Lord that Your Knowledge is better than life, Thank You that You are “knowable” and thank You that although my mind “wanders” You keep “bringing me back” with “no condemnation” and continue from where we “left off”…
Thank You that You are patient with me in Your pursuit of me and of my love – wanting my devotion to be to You alone…
Thank You Lord that You see my heart, my desire to be completely devoted to You and to no one else…
I don’t want to give any devotion to anyone else by thinking about them in any way, shape or form which idolizes them or anything else…
You know Lord that my career has been a source of idolization for me – trusting in my qualifications and wanting to ensure their “currentness” and “hold on” to what I’ve always known in terms of my job, etc – I give this to You Lord – I give my job to You and my qualifications and their “up-to-date-ness” and their “extension” – I give all this to You – I want to know You – I don’t want to know about Engineering – I want to know You – yes, I will know as much as You want me know about Engineering – but this is not my focus – You are…
I give this idolization to You Lord – the “holding on” to what I know – and not wanting to “let it go” – I want You to be Lord of my career – how I “earn a living” or not depending on how You lead me and what You want for my life…
You know that I was “struck” this morning with that one thought about my IPENZ Membership and needing to get this “renewed” and how it just “killed” the conversation and vision which I was having with You before that…
It really spoke to me about the affects of the natural on the supernatural…
I want to live in the supernatural – I do not want to live in the natural…
If You want me to live in the natural then I will live in the natural – if You are calling me to live in the supernatural then that is where I want to live…
I want to live in the supernatural where You are all I need…
I choose to live in the supernatural…
What does this mean?
I don’t know but just like Peter walked on water towards You – if You tell me to “walk on water” towards You then I will…
If You Speak to me and tell me to “forsake my nets and follow You” then I will…
I ask You Lord, “What would You have me to do?”…
What would You have me to do?
When I was in Manila You showed me in prayer one night that I was coming up to a crossroads where on one branch was natural provision or human provision and on the other branch was Supernatural Provision…
The picture then changed and You showed me the Holy Spirit pushing me uphill…
I was so glad because somehow You got me onto the Supernatural Provision “path” – I don’t know how – actually You’re just reminding me of a dream my wife had a few weeks maybe six weeks ago – where she saw us all “picked up” and “removed” from a situation in a “real rush” (we weren’t allowed to bring anything with us we had to leave it all behind) and when she remembered that she had forgotten the bank card as we were about to “leave” she was told, “you won’t be needing it”…
What does this mean Lord?
When will this happen?
We will be removed from a situation and You will provide – You will take control of our provision…
What does this mean?
I want to trust You Lord…
I trust You…
I choose to trust You – I feel the trust – it is flowing through me…
I trust You Lord, You will show me what I am to do – I trust You with every decision in my life…
I will not fight You…
Be Lord…
Be Lord…
Be Lord of my life…
I will not serve the idols which have ensnared my forefathers for generations and generations – I will not serve them because You have delivered me from them…
I will not serve any foreign god – I will serve You…
You will be my Provision, either through a job or without one, You will be my Provision…
You will be my Provision…
Hallelujah…
What is to happen is irrelevant – You will be my Provision…
And the Provision for my family as they follow You…
As they follow You they will be Protected by You and Provided for by You…
There is no safety outside Your Provision and no Protection outside of submission to You and Your Plan for their lives…
Keep them safe Lord, all of them, all of them in Your will, keep them safe and pull them through…
Keep them all safe in Your Will – let them know You, let them know You deeply in the Mighty Name of Jesus…
Let us know You, as a family let us know You – deeply… in the Mighty Name of Jesus…
Bring us, draw us, into Your Presence, to know You…
To know You…
I sense this – You are bringing unity in our family – I sense this – You are preparing us for something – there is a change coming – You are preparing us for something – Thank You Jesus…
Worship You Jesus, You are releasing us for a purpose – You are bringing us into alignment with Your will – work in us Lord and let us be ready…
Thank You Jesus…
Holy…
a house of prayer for the nations 
Comfort…
Wanting to be comfortable…
Wanting to be warm…
Wanting to be dry…
Wanting to eat…
Wanting to drink…
Wanting to breathe…
Wanting to sleep…
Wanting to wear nice clothes…
Wanting to look nice…
To have a nice hair cut…
To be comfortable…
To live in nice house…
To have nice things…
Not to have “falling apart” things…
Not to experience pain…
Not to experience sadness…
To “insulate” ourselves…
All these things if worshipped, if placed before the Lord, are idolatry…
We don’t actually have a “right” to any of these things as we serve the Lord…
He may call us to forsake any or all of these things in our walk with Him…
Some permanently, some partially or some for a certain length of time or intermittently…
We have no hold on any of the above…
They are in and of themselves “natural” human desires – possibly human needs in certain circumstances but if it’s our time to die nothing is a human need – but if these things are worshipped and we base our lives around these things – then they are an idol…
How do you feel when you read that list?
Does it convict you?
Do you think, “The Lord would never call me to give those things up?”…
If you do, then you’re guilty of idolatry…
All those things if not yielded will lead to idolatry…
If you look at your life and see what you have surrounded yourself with – what of the above list do you not have?
I’m guessing you’ll have all of the above list…
This is your condemnation…
This is my condemnation and anyone else who chooses comfort over Knowing God…
“Their god is their stomach”…
That speaks to me of choosing “the good things of life” over the Author of Life…
Job treasured His time with the Lord over his “needful food”…
Jeremiah endured time in a well where his physical fitness was hindered so much that when he got out he needed to be carried…
The Apostle John was thrown into a burning caldron of oil…
Jesus was suffocating as He hung on the cross…
And most likely naked…
We don’t have a “right” to anything but our Knowledge of God…
In this world – at this present point in time – we don’t have a “right” to anything but our Knowledge of God which is personal between us and Him and happens in our hearts…
In our spirits as we communicate with Him spirit to Spirit…
Even the Word of God – the scriptures – we do not have a right to – these can be taken from us…
But the personal relationship – where we speak to Him and He Speaks back to us in our hearts – this and this only can not be taken from us…
This is the only thing we can “hold on to” – the only thing…
Everything else will be stripped from us as we come into His Presence and come into His Image…
It was stripped off Him and He is our example, “that we should walk in His Steps”…
The Lord has been showing me that He is taking me seriously in this whole business of idolatry…
He’s testing me on it…
He’s allowing little areas of “rights” to be “taken away from me”…
He’s allowing other’s actions to “affect me” and He’s challenging me to “close my mouth” – and boy is it hard ( 🙂 ) – and just literally “take” those “rights” away from me…
It’s amazing to watch…
It hasn’t been that “enjoyable”… 😦
I had another “experience” today along those lines which wasn’t at all “enjoyable” you kind of feel “robbed” or “cheated” but you just know that the Lord is taking those things away from you and even though its not enjoyable you know He’s involved in that process and you will be better off without it…
Anything which we think we “deserve” or that is “ours” is actually not ours and we don’t deserve it…
It’s amazing how deep selfishness is embedded in our hearts – I speak for myself – in my heart…
The Lord is “ripping it out” – that’s what He’s doing – it is painful but it is necessary…
To serve others and to lift them up truly is the only place of safety…
Lord, establish this in my heart no matter what it means, in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen
Thank You Lord…
Thank You Father…
Thank You Jesus…
Thank You Holy Spirit…
I love You Lord and love You through the pain – it is not pleasant – be with me Lord and help me to forgive and help me to let go of my “so called” “rights” – I give them to You – take them all Lord – take them all and set me free – Thank You Jesus, Thank You Father, Thank You Holy Spirit – I forgive everyone who has “trampled all over me” and “abused me” and “taken me for granted” – I forgive them all Lord – help me not to do this to others – any of those things – in the Mighty Name of Jesus – Thank You Lord – the crushing is really starting to hurt now Lord – the crushing is necessary but it is really starting to hurt and bite – please protect me in it – and pull me out the other side in the Mighty Name of Jesus – I do not need anyone to feel sorry for me but I do need Your Comfort Lord and I ask You to provide it directly to me in the Mighty Name of Jesus – Your Comfort Lord, Your Comfort as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death in the Mighty Name of Jesus – Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord, Kill me Lord, Kill me Lord, Kill me Lord, Don’t have mercy on me – put me to death in the Mighty Name of Jesus so I can live with You, in You and for You in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Let the pain continue until I am completely delivered from selfishness and thus idolatry…
Thank You Jesus, let me speak to You Lord and not to men – or women – but to You alone…
I am tired Lord, I am so tired…
I feel like giving up but I will not give up in the sense that I will give up to You and let You continue Your work in me – I will not give up in the sense of going out there and doing anything else…
I’m just exhausted Lord – I don’t know where this has come from – well, I’ve got a fair idea – but I accept this and just say, “Your will be done” – You know what I’m going through and You know from where this has come – You know the source and You know that You have allowed this – I trust You with it Lord and just say, “Your will be done”…
You know that there was an influence in my life which has just left over this last week – You know this and You know the prayer that I prayed and then sensed that it had gone – You instigated this prayer – I’d been waiting for deliverance from this for quite some time and then You came through – Thank You Lord and I know now that there’s even more…
Thank You Lord that there’s even more – even in my “emptiness” You are going to “fill me”…
I just feel empty Lord and I pray for Your filling – You know that I’ve been surrendering to You – this whole things just feels “hard” – like biking into a strong head wind – and my energy is “sapped” but I wait on You (are the words which come to mind) – I wait on You to give me new strength – You know that through the week I just gave up – as I was biking home one night – I just didn’t have the energy anymore to continue on in all the things which I’d been putting my heart to…
But as I think about it now I see that that was necessary and believe that that “effort” which I was putting in was still my (old self) effort to make everything “work” and in “letting go” I feel a freedom that You Lord are “taking over” and everything You accomplish in me will be You and not me…
Thank You Lord, please complete this in me…
This death to striving…
Being “overstretched” is a good thing cos it shows me that I can’t achieve things and forces me to cry out to You and give up to You…
What has this got to do with idolatry Lord?
I suppose any effort we’re putting into anything which “stresses us out” and eventually takes the focus off You is idolatry…
I give this to You…
Thank You Lord for the freedom which You give…
Thank You for that deep knowing that we are right with You and are doing what You’re wanting us to be doing…
Thank You that that knowing is deeper than any other “forces” or “pressures” or “expectations” which come upon us…
We truly are kept in Your Peace, the Power of Your Peace…
I feel it now – Your Peace coming over me…
Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord…
Strip off me all the expectations which have been placed on me by others – set me free Lord to serve You and not others – not trying to meet others expectations on me because this is idolatry – if there is anyone, anywhere in the world Lord who has an expectation on me which I’ve “bought into” please release me from it right now and bring me to repentance, to repent for “buying into it”, cos in doing so I’m looking to them for my worship or for my praise or for my “reward” in “meeting” their expectation…
Even those which I place on myself – please release me cos that’s self worship – self expectation – I remember the day so many years ago when You told me, “I have no expectation on you” and that set me free – with my work, that really set me free and gave me confidence which I have to this day…
Thank You Lord…
You are an Awesome God and Your Name is the Lord – I stand free in the spirit from all expectations on my life – every single one of them – from every source in the Mighty Name of Jesus and I stand to receive Your Blessing on my life – the Blessing of Freedom and Success – and Prosperity in my heart and in everything which You set my hand to achieve for Your Glory – I am not talking about material possessions Lord but I would like to be out of debt – the debts which we have remaining which we are still paying off – I would still like to be out of debt – Thank You Lord – but I am talking about that Freedom of life where my heart is free to serve You with no condemnation – with no feeling of sinning against anyone – no selfishness – love does no harm to its neighbour therefore love is the fulfilment of the law – that kind of no condemnation – Thank You Lord, You know what I mean – set me free into that kind of way of living and give me freedom from false guilt about “meeting people’s needs” when You haven’t actually called me to do that…
Thank You Lord – set my agenda Lord and enable me to keep to it and not add anything which isn’t on Your Agenda for my life – Thank You Lord – I’ve really enjoyed this chat – I’ve been blessed by You to “get my thoughts out” to You – Thank You Lord – to You be the Glory great things You have done (as the song says – You remember that song Lord 🙂 )…
Thank You Lord…