Idols

What is an idol?

Online Dictionary:  an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.

Now mind you we don't necessarily have to get on our knees and bow down or kiss the feet of an idol.  To have an idol is to put a person or thing in front of God Himself.

Ezekiel 6:9 (NIV)  Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins.

An idol could be a famous celeberty,  a car, fashion, or anything made.  When we put it in our hearts and set it above God then it is sin.    Here is what one of the Ten Commandments say about having idols:

Exodus 20:3 (NIV)  "You shall have no other gods before me"

We are to have no other gods/idols before Him.  Have I ever had an idol?  I'm sure over the years, especially in my younger years.  I remember having posters on the wall of like Shawn Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and Andy Gibb just to name a few.  Boy that kind of gives my age away doesn't it.  Anyways if there weren't poster, then I had teen magazines.  I really didn't have a nice car and I wasn't always in fashion with style.  It's hard to be in fashion when you are a tom-boy. 

Those who hang on to idols will never have the grace that God gives us.  But he'll give all of us grace if we let go of the worthless idols and make Him the One and Only God.

Jonah 2:8 (NIV)  "Those who cling to worthless idols

forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

He is our Lord and there is no other above or beside Him.

Isaiah 45:5 (NIV)  He is our Lord and there is no other above or beside Him. 
I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,

So we are to keep ourselves from having any kind of idols. 

1 John 5:21 (NIV)  Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

No matter how old we are, because He created us, we are His children.  As for my idols now, don't have any, only God, my Lord, my King is my idol.  He is my God.