Embracing Each Day: Dethroning Idols, Recognizing God

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Today as a Divine Gift

Embrace each day as a new beginning, a gift from God, and an opportunity to find Him in every moment. The rising sun is a reminder of His presence and the awe it inspired in ancient times. Let go of yesterday and embrace today with gratitude and awareness of God's presence. [00:42]

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally recognize and appreciate God's presence in the ordinary moments of your day today?

Day 2: Spiritual Truths in Creation

The creation narrative in Genesis is not about literal days but spiritual truths. God creates habitats in the first three days and fills them with inhabitants on the fourth day. This teaches us about God's order and purpose in creation, emphasizing the distinction between Creator and creation. [01:42]

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you see God's order and purpose in the world around you, and how does this influence your understanding of His role in your life?

Day 3: Creator vs. Creation

The ancient world often worshiped celestial bodies, but Genesis reminds us that they are creations, not gods. The distinction between Creator and creation is crucial, as humanity's problem is worshiping creation rather than the Creator. This truth calls us to recognize God's unmatched power and understanding. [05:17]

"To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains." (Isaiah 40:18-19, ESV)

Reflection: What are some things in your life that you might be tempted to place above God, and how can you realign your focus to worship the Creator instead of the creation?

Day 4: Dethroning Modern Idols

Modern idols like money, reputation, and family can take God's place in our hearts. Eli's story warns us of the dangers of idolatry, as he failed to confront his family's sins. Idolatry is a worldview mistake, as creation cannot fulfill us. We are called to dethrone our idols and recognize God's presence. [08:28]

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols." (1 John 5:21, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one modern idol in your life that competes for your attention and devotion. What steps can you take today to dethrone this idol and prioritize God?

Day 5: Declaring God's Presence

Declare "God is here" throughout your day, choosing Him over idols like reputation, security, and pleasure. In joy or difficulty, God is present. Let this simple declaration guide your day, reminding you of God's presence and power in every moment. [10:26]

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (Psalm 145:18, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate the declaration "God is here" into your daily routine to remind yourself of His constant presence and power?

Sermon Summary

Embrace today as a gift from God, a new beginning where we can find Him in every moment and place. As the sun rises, dispelling darkness, we are reminded of the awe it inspired in ancient times and how it should continue to amaze us. Today, we explore the concept of our "idolatry quotient" through the lens of Genesis, particularly the fourth day of creation. The early days of Genesis are not about literal timeframes but are literary images that convey spiritual truths. In the first three days, God creates habitats: time, weather, and agriculture. On the fourth day, He fills these spaces with inhabitants, creating the sun, moon, and stars to govern day and night.

The ancient world often ascribed divine status to celestial bodies, but Genesis emphasizes the distinction between Creator and creation. The sun, moon, and stars are not gods but creations of the one true God. This distinction is crucial, as Paul reminds us in Romans that humanity's problem is exchanging the truth of God for lies, worshiping creation rather than the Creator. Isaiah 40 beautifully illustrates God's unmatched power and understanding, promising strength to the weary and hope to those who trust in Him.

Today, we are invited to let go of our idols. While we may not worship celestial bodies, modern idols like money, reputation, and family can take God's place in our hearts. Eli's story in the Bible warns us of the dangers of idolatry, as he failed to confront his family's sins. Idolatry is a worldview mistake, as creation cannot fulfill us. Instead, we are called to dethrone our idols and recognize God's presence in every moment. Whether in joy or difficulty, God is here. Let us declare, "God is here," throughout our day, choosing Him over idols like reputation, security, and pleasure. Today, God is here.

Key Takeaways

1. Embrace each day as a new beginning, a gift from God, and an opportunity to find Him in every moment. The rising sun is a reminder of His presence and the awe it inspired in ancient times. Let go of yesterday and embrace today with gratitude and awareness of God's presence. [00:42]
2. The creation narrative in Genesis is not about literal days but spiritual truths. God creates habitats in the first three days and fills them with inhabitants on the fourth day. This teaches us about God's order and purpose in creation, emphasizing the distinction between Creator and creation. [01:42]
3. The ancient world often worshiped celestial bodies, but Genesis reminds us that they are creations, not gods. The distinction between Creator and creation is crucial, as humanity's problem is worshiping creation rather than the Creator. This truth calls us to recognize God's unmatched power and understanding. [05:17]
4. Modern idols like money, reputation, and family can take God's place in our hearts. Eli's story warns us of the dangers of idolatry, as he failed to confront his family's sins. Idolatry is a worldview mistake, as creation cannot fulfill us. We are called to dethrone our idols and recognize God's presence. [08:28]
5. Declare "God is here" throughout your day, choosing Him over idols like reputation, security, and pleasure. In joy or difficulty, God is present. Let this simple declaration guide your day, reminding you of God's presence and power in every moment. [10:26]
** [10:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - Embrace Today as a Gift
[01:24] - Understanding Idolatry Quotient
[01:42] - Genesis and Spiritual Truths
[02:18] - Creation of Habitats
[02:45] - Filling the Habitats
[03:02] - Creation of Celestial Bodies
[03:50] - Creator vs. Creation
[04:51] - Ancient Worship of Celestial Bodies
[05:17] - Distinction Between Creator and Creation
[06:25] - Humanity's Worship Problem
[07:15] - God's Promise of Strength
[07:58] - Modern Idols
[08:45] - Eli's Story and Idolatry
[09:42] - Declaring God's Presence
[10:44] - End of Teaching, Beginning of Your Day with God

Sermon Clips

Embrace this day because it is God's gift to you, lift up your heart and we'll learn together how to find God in all places and all times, and we can do that right now today really easily for me because the sun has just come up and is the gift of another day. [00:00:42]

What happens in those early days of Genesis people sometimes wonder are they were they like 24-hour literal days were they long eons of time and most folks who study Genesis would say is actually neither one that they were more like literary images they were like panels or paintings that would sketch out primary themes so they're teaching us literal spiritual theological reality. [00:01:42]

God is forming the universe so that we can live in it so the first day separates light from Darkness he invents time then the second day he separates the sky from the earth below and he invents weather then rain can come on the third day separates the dry land from the lakes and oceans and plants can begin to come up and so he's inventing agriculture. [00:02:18]

God made two great lights the greater light to govern today and the Lesser light to govern their night he also made the Stars God set them in the Vault of the sky to give light to the Earth to govern the day and night and to separate light from darkness and God saw that it was good and there was evening and there was mourning the fourth day. [00:03:22]

The basic distinction that needs to be made that runs through everything is the distinction between the Creator and creation and so the son of the moon and the stars don't even get up to show up until the fourth day what the writer of Genesis is doing is quite literally putting them in their place. [00:05:17]

Paul says in the Book of Romans that the problem with humanity is that we exchange the truth for a lie and worshiped the creation created things rather than the Creator so you have these fabulous statements in for example Isaiah chapter 40 is a wonderful chapter where God says to whom will you compare me or who is my equal says the Holy One. [00:06:25]

He gives strength to the weary that's you today and increases power for the week that's me today even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall but they that wait that hope that trust in the Lord shall renew their strengths they shall Mount up on wings like eagles or someday maybe you can't do that but then Isaiah says they shall run and not go away. [00:07:15]

The invitation today is let go of your Idol, Calvin said that the human heart is an idol Factory now we might consider ourselves quite superior to the ancient because we don't worship wooden statues like we think of them doing we know for the most part worship the Sun or the moon or the Stars but there are other Idols that we worship. [00:08:28]

There's a character in The Bible Eli and he had two sons that uh were very Wicked that sexually assaulted women at the Tabernacle at the holy place that exploited religion for money and uh although Eli chides them a little bit he is not willing to take the actions that needed to be taken to confront his family with truth it's possible for my family to become an idol. [00:08:45]

The problem with idolatry is that that little Idol that I wrap my heart around does not work so instead today Dethrone the idol no Idols today and you might just try saying this sentence all through the day God is here today God is here as I look at the sun coming over the hill as I look up at the sky as I see the stars and the moon I remember somebody created those goddess here. [00:09:42]

When something good happens, when I hear the sound of the birds singing, when I see the face of a friend, when I taste food and I remember there's lots of people that don't have anything to eat today God is here God is here when it's difficult when somebody in my office or neighbors are quarreling and that sound assaults me or somebody throws trash out of a car and I see that or I get a bill that I didn't want or bad news God is here God is here God is here just that simple today. [00:10:26]

Instead of devoting my life to an Idols I dethroned them today reputation not today people pleasing not today security and safety not today pleasure lust not today today God is here God is here God is here. [00:10:44]

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