Idols of the Heart

[jenniferonline]

An idol of the heart is something I worship and fashion on a throne in my heart and mind.  We all do this CONSTANTLY and are by nature SINFUL.  NO ONE IS GOOD, no NOT ONE.  Some famous dude said, "My heart is a perpetual factory of idols."

1 Sam 15:23-FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF WITCHCRAFT, AND STUBBORNNESS IS AS INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY...

So even STUBBORNESS is an idol of the heart?  I'm DOOMED without intervention and fight this daily.  Am I alone here?  (Can I get an AMEN?)

I sometimes GO FOR MORE THAN A DAY without praying or thoughtful acknowledgement and many times just out of forgetfulness.  It's not my responsibility to change my OWN heart or have any desire to do so because there is not ONE good bone in my carnal body or mind. I certainly AM ACCOUNTABLE, but the desire to CHANGE and do good comes from ABOVE.  My very FAITH is a gift.  I have no FAITH except that which is given to me.  If I want to change it is because it was planted there by HIM.  Anything good in me, is HIS doing.

The world believes we are supposed to be responsible for the good in our lives, set our own FATE, but how, when there is NO GOOD in us.  We were born to FALL and STUMBLE, because it is in our nature to have idols of the heart.  It is carnally unnatural to love the LORD GOD with all your heart, mind and soul because without the LORD GOD I can do NOTHING.

I have been raised to be self aware, self taught, self motivated, self this, self that, successful, never fail etc and this makes me want to SOB because I MOURN the idol in my heart that is dying.

Something i've had on my mind for a while.  Self righteousness really gets my goat and I've been stumbling on all of this for some time. 
The irony is that now I am self righteous about not being self righteous, so i just replace one idol at a time.

Fight the good fight,

Jen

[Beloved]

The famous dude was Calvin   (out of his own mouth)

beloved 

[jenniferonline]

I knew I should have said, "some famous dude (i won't name in this forum)". 

[Beloved]

Okay jennifer you just made me laugh out loud with the "some famous dude"....Thats not a a bad comenack...How about .... a not so famous dude who should not to be mentioned here on the forum....

Reading your post made me think about the famous line in Seargent YorK

If you do not who he was, he was a guy from here in Tennessee who found that "Old Time Religion". he became a Pacifist who joined the army in WWI and then became a national hero capturing a slew of germans.

The line goes, How did you do it....he said no problem I just  "gobbled gobbled" and they poked their heads up and I shot them off one by one ...like part of a turkey shoot.

Anyway, long way round a answer but that what Christ helps us to do...we do work off the idols one at a time , it isn't as easy as Sgt York made out...it is painful.

beloved

[OBrenda]

I sure get what your saying,

Like the question who has a bigger "ego/idol of the heart" a guy driving a luxury car or the one riding a bike?

Well it's very possible it's the one on the bike, if he thinks he's more holy & righteous cuz he's riding the bike.

It is so true, often we exchange one for another, and then another....

Still working on mine also my Sisters,
Brenda

[Robin]

Jen,

I think what you posted is beautiful. I waited 15 lonely years to hear others say what you said in your post. It's a miracle that our eyes have been opened to see this about ourselves and another miracle that we found this site so we can gather together and talk about it without people staring at us like we're speaking a foreign language.

Your post really touched my heart with gratitude tonight.

Thank you

[aqrinc]

Thanks Jen,

Your words are true and also pointing at me. This is a struggle that i have zero chance of winning on my own.
The thing i would not that i do, yet that which i do not i would. This is one Holy Mess that surely only God
through My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in me, Can and Is Fixing daily. It is so easy for me to slip into George
mode and the beast is just waiting poised and ready to take over. This is a very lonely and painful life we live
every second that we are seperated from Jesus Christ by the man of sin (me the Beast on my throne).
I treasure the time on this forum reading or posting or just contemplating The Grace Through Faith Given to
me and us all By God In Christ Jesus. Loving my neighbor was easy as long as he stayed on his side of the
fence; now loving my enemy, only In The Spirit.


Lord Thank You That Your Grace Is Sufficient For me and for us all.

Love my Family Here, George. 

[WhoAmI]

Anyone ever watch the Three Stooges?

They push a drawer in and another pops out! They push that drawer in and yet another pops out! Frustrating ain't it. 



Jeff

[Heidi]

Jen, you should be encouraged by your dilema....at least now your eyes have been opened to what an idol of the heart is.  Prior to reading BT you never gave it any thought?  God is working in my life as well, continuously, ongoing, without letting up....it is tiring and sometimes I feel like giving up.  But His grace is sufficient for me, besides I don't want to give up.....this fight gives meaning to my life!

I will pray for you my sister, hope you will pray for me as well.

[Patrick]

So even STUBBORNESS is an idol of the heart?
I'm DOOMED without intervention and fight this daily.  Am I alone here?  (Can I get an AMEN?)

That's how I see it.
Nope, not alone!
Amen! 

Anyone ever watch the Three Stooges?

They push a drawer in and another pops out! They push that drawer in and yet another pops out! Frustrating ain't it.   

Jeff

In my case, it starts with a lower drawer, I bend over to push it in, and an upper drawer hits me in the head. When I push the upper one in, a lower one hits me in the mid-section or the shin.

[jenniferonline]

::CORNY GROUP HUG::
I love this forum (most of the time).
Where else can I go and read a comparison of God given life struggles with the Three stooges and Seargent York.  LOL!!!

ALL- thank you for your kind words of encouragment

Prior to reading BT you never gave it any thought? 

.
Heidi,
Yes, I lost SLEEP over this, drank, drugged, hated myself and hated others.  I was raised on guilt (italiano roman catholic).  I believed that an idol of the heart was a god that I was solely responsible for dethroning and that my very being was UGLY because I didn't love God first.  I was TAUGHT this by the CHURCH!!  ---FOR A REASON, i see now.

After learning the truth, the truth of who I REALLY AM (created flawed ON PURPOSE), this truth ENVELOPED my being and the weight of that GUILT and the separation that I felt from GOD was REMOVED from my life...

I was shapen in iniquity and it is not in me to direct my own steps.  God gives me evil experiences to humble me and YET NOTHING can separate me (US) from HIS LOVE.

These are the scriptures that I am mindful of and use to reprogram my mind and heart, atleast today.

Again - thank you all for the encouragement.

"Getting REAL" daily,

Jen

[Marlene]

Hello: I have to share this with you all. I have a neighbor who I would say god gave me to help me get over some idols of my heart. Boy, this has been a tuff one. She is very hard to love. She calls me sometimes 4 times a day and talks and talks. I have alot of health problems and it can be quite difficult to think
Godly when I am not well. I have lived by her for about 17 years now. There has been times I wanted to change my phone number or move. One day she told me she was left when she was two by her father. Her mother was bitter and pretty mean with them. She is older then me , but I watch her still having struggles with her past. She married a blind man and was very good to him and he passed away. I know that God gave me her. One, to teach me patience and also to teach me not to judge and not to be selfish. There was a few times I just wanted her to leave me alone. She is having her hours cut at work and so fearful and just plain depressed. She is Catholic, I can tell you for one she does
not see what she is doing. It makes me sad for her cause she doesnt have that peace from God like we do. Well, I use to feel sorry for myself and that is a hard one to get over. By, the Grace of God  he enables me to tear down Idols of my heart and have patience with others who do not really know him. Yes, it has been painful but oh the victory we will have as he unseats us from our throne. What is so wonderful we have him showing us while others dont know him and his peace. When, I think like this and he shows me another Idol after the other I know there will be victory. Just stay in that race.She also, does kind things for us, and changes overnight. Just pray for me that I might be able to show her Gods Love.
Love To All
Marlene

[jenniferonline]

Marlene, I will certainly pray for you.  I'm a loner by nature and most people that are close to me know this.  I have one friend that basically knows the signs of when i've had enough of her jabber mouth....she talks 90 miles a minute..bless her heart.  It's all good conversation (never surface or insignificant chatter - but very deep).  Still draining.

I hope that you can atleast be honest about your health to her so maybe she can show her side of the friendship.  It's still a two way street.

Jen

[Marlene]

Hello Jen, Thanks for your prayers. Yes, she is well aware of my health problems. She also works for a hospsital as a nurses aide. It is definitely a strange friendship I have found myself in. My husband has been answering the phone and telling her if I am laying down. Some days I have headaches all day. I have fibromalgia , diabetes , high blood pressure and spine problems. Some days can really be rough on me. Also, I always have loved God. But, now learning the whole truth I can't hardly stand to not be reading his word. I am fighting for my disability cause I am no longer able to keep up the hetic schedule of work with my problems. I value your prayers. I love everyone on here.
In His Love
Marlene

[joyful1]

I was shapen in iniquity and it is not in me to direct my own steps.  God gives me evil experiences to humble me and YET NOTHING can separate me (US) from HIS LOVE.

Jen

great line, Jen...the whole matter in a nut-shell!
Joyce