When You Make Idols, You End Up Like Them

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Building My Life on Values That Last

When You Make Idols, You End Up Like Them By Rick Warren — Nov 21, 2015 “Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.” (Psalm 115:8 GW) I mentioned in yesterday’s devotional that everyone trusts in something. We can even make good things — like our marriages, our families, or even our ministries in the church — into idols. But trusting in things other than God can have devastating effects upon our lives. If we think who we’re with or what we do will make us totally fulfilled, we’re setting ourselves up for deep disappointment. The Bible reminds us of this in Jeremiah when he says, “Those who make idols are disillusioned” (Jeremiah 10:14 GNT). But we do it all the time with our careers, relationships, and bank accounts. We act as if those created things give us meaning in life. And when we do that, we’re just setting ourselves up for failure. The Bible says, “The poor, deluded fool … trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask: ‘Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?’” (Isaiah 44:20 NLT, second edition) Oh, yes, those idols are lies. Sadly, idols don’t just stop after they’ve disappointed us though. Eventually, they enslave us, too. The Bible says, “Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them” (Psalm 115:8 GW). Whatever you value the most in life, you’re going to become like. If you value money, you’ll eventually become a materialist. If you value pleasure, you’ll become a hedonist. If you value works, you’ll become a pragmatist. If you value above all else Jesus Christ, you’ll become a Christian. So if putting something else first in our lives warps us, why do we do it? We want a god we can control. We want to be able to manage him. If we make money our god, we feel as if we can control it. If we make other people our gods, we set out to control them. It makes us feel better. But we can’t control God. He says, “Don’t reduce me. Don’t try to fit me into your lifestyle. Don’t try to control me.” PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over How have you seen other people set up idols in their lives that eventually dominated them? How can even healthy things become idols in our lives? What do you need to let go of your control of so that it is not an idol in your life? Our Gift: The Purpose of Christmas Hardcover Book Would you like to experience a deep and meaningful Christmas? In his book called, The Purpose Of Christmas, Pastor Rick Warren shows you how Christmas is designed to meet your three deepest needs and how receiving God’s three Christmas gifts to you this year will transform your life forever. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Building My Life on Values That Last teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: Choosing My Standards Message 2: ​​​​​Accepting Responsibility Message 3: ​​​​​Developing Trust Message 4: ​​​​Developing Self-Control Message 5: ​​The Balanced Life Message 6: ​Showing Respect Message 7: Offering Forgiveness Message 8: Maintaining Moral Purity Message 9: Showing Fairness PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe