Casting Aside Our Idols

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 21         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.  In the event you sign up to receive the weekly emails (see info at bottom) and then sometime in the future stop getting the emails, please remember you can go to the BLOGSITE and read each posting each week.  Then let me know (my email address below), and I will work to correct the problem.

Michael moves from talking about the “failure of our idols” to now looking at “casting them aside.”  And right off he addresses one of the most ridiculous beliefs too many Christians have…

CASTING ASIDE OUR IDOLS

excerpt from pages 54-57 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 50-53 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

Unfortunately many today have more faith in Satan’s ability to deceive than in God’s ability to hear and act…

The problem many of us have with faith is that if our experience does not immediately follow our request, then we believe God has not really heard us…the power of prayer is not in how it is said or in the person who utters it; the power of prayer rests wholly in the One who hears it.  And it is the Father in heaven who has commanded us to beseech Him for one reason, that He might hear and answer.

We have made petitioning God much too difficult…Prayer is simple; it is telling God what we want and presenting ourselves to God as no better or worse than we really are.  The power in prayer is that God Himself hears you!  That you may not feel He hears you means nothing…

…the same is true of the idols that we give God.  They may remain in our being, but remember that God has accepted them and will take them away as He sees fit.

…One should realize that he simply was not created with the ability to carry all his concerns, and nothing he has trusted so far has come to his aid.

…Do any of us really have the right to possess even one of the idols that have been mentioned?  Can those who fight so hard to gain the privilege to be homosexual, have abortions, produce pornography, gain large settlements, divorce, and so on really say in all honesty that these rights have brought joy and serenity?...

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

How is it that so many who battle the defeat of idols are the ones who so often we hear talking about the “victory” Satan has gotten in their life…or the dreaded fear that he is sure to gain a victory sometime, somewhere, some way.  The defeated foe, the dethroned “god of this world” (little “g” !!!) has so much influence and power in so many Christians.  When Truth tells us simply: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

So many can’t even pray feeling like God is hearing their prayers.  I love Michael’s statement that “the power of prayer is not in how it is said or in the person who utters it; the power of prayer rests wholly in the One who hears it.  And it is the Father in heaven who has commanded us to beseech Him for one reason, that He might hear and answer.”  WELL, AMEN !

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, let me encourage you to contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

If you desire to get a weekly email of this blog, look to the top right hand side of the web page, enter your email address in the box under “Follow,” then click on SUBMIT.  You will receive a “confirmation email,” and when you click on the link and “confirm,” you will receive all new posts via email.

NOTICE:  another blog on Michael Wells’ book, My Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  You can access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                               936-559-5696

The Failure of Our Idols

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 20

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

I think the best thing about today’s writing is the simple truth that “God will not allow His children to worship idols, and therefore withholds His peace from those who do.”  That’s the first sentence in this section of the book…amen!

In the midst of these 6 pages of the book are some of the most profound statements those in various bondages could ever hear and receive.  May we read with the spiritual eyes God has given His children, hear God speak to us with the spiritual ears we have, and understand with the mind of Christ we have…and move to the Promised Land Michael mentions in the closing paragraph.

THE FAILURE OF OUR IDOLS

excerpt from pages 49-54 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 44-49 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

God will not allow His children to worship idols, and therefore withholds His peace from those who do.

Israel came out of the bondage of Egypt by fixing her attention on the one true God.  Why is it that the trip took Israel so long to complete?  ...They refused to do away with the idols they had trusted during their captivity.  We, too, had idols trusted during our captivity; however, when God through the grace of the Lord Jesus brought us out of darkness into His light, he wanted us to leave the idols behind…

…How is it that we can turn from the living God, who gave His only Son to purchase us, to the things of the past that bound us without mercy?  …Why do we hold on to the very things that can never give us life?  …

…When God notices that one of His children is utilizing the idols of the past, the loving Father will discipline with hopes that His child might be redeemed and turn away from the cursed thing….

…It is quite easy to recognize those who are in this process, for their lives are characterized by constant frustration as a result of their faithful old idols failing them….

…What idols do you run to when under stress and pressure?  …We all have them, and, as believers, we are in the process of laying them aside….

…Are you tired of trusting false gods?  Are you willing to give up all but the Lord Jesus Christ?  If you are, then you are ready to enter into the Promised Land, the place of real rest, that domain where God is all in all.  There you can find an end to the frustration, anxiety, distrust, dismay, and depression that so often accompany unbelief!  If you are ready to cast aside the idols of the past, the way to do that is incredibly simple.

(“casting aside our idols” comes next week!)

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Don’t you just love those tv programs that are “continued next week” with someone hanging onto a cliff…or, waiting to hear exactly what they have been searching for?  Of course, worse still, is the “hanging,” but this was the “season finale”!  The good news is “casting aside” IS just one week away!

If you have one of the books, you find the driving force behind homosexuality: acceptance.  Wow!  And Michael calls it an idol.  Of course, Michael addresses other idols in this section…

You will also find testimonies from those who found out ALL the idols they had trusted in a given situation ended up failing.  But, listen to these beautiful words: “(I am) grateful for the situation, because it revealed to (me) all the things (I) was trusting in other than God.” 

God alone must receive our full trust.  “The wilderness experience is not a joyful experience for any of God’s children.”  Amen.

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                               936-559-5696

The Variety of Idols

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 19

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Michael continues his introduction and exposing of “idols” in an unbelieving believer’s life…don’t miss the point Michael makes that idols are the tools of unbelieving believers!  But, also, don’t miss the other points Michael makes.  And, in the fourth paragraph, Michael gives a good list of 15 idols (which I intentionally left out) …get in touch with ALMI and purchase one of these books if you don’t have one.  My writings are meant to encourage that!  We had members donate the funds necessary to give one to every member in our church!!!  It’s that important!

THE VARIETY OF IDOLS

excerpt from pages 47-49 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 42-44 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

…There are normally two elements comprising any hurt; the first is pain and the second is rejection…

…there is only one thing readily available to purge both pain and rejection, quite popular because it normally costs nothing monetarily, and we are assured covertly from all sides that it will indeed heal us of our hurt.  That one thing is sex…

There are easily recognizable idols that are very ugly and repulsive, which come from the evil side of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  There are, however, idols that do not appear to be all that bad at first glance.  These are in many ways more wily because they are easily excused or accepted, or are harmless or even beneficial when not used as substitutes for God.  Included in this list are…  A particular thing may be an idol for one person but not the next, depending on whether or not it is used to meet inner needs.

(and then Michael lists in the next paragraph some “Grade A idols sought after by many in the church as respectable”) …idol of ministry…idol of theology... idol of position, vocation, or travel.  Not content to be mere Christians, they must have something that sets them apart from the masses…idol of religion…

As you can see, we traffic in a variety of idols, some ugly, some acceptable, and some appearing to be very beautiful.  We have only mentioned a few; many more are easily discerned by observing what the unbelieving believer runs to when under pressure.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

I found Michael pointing out the two elements comprising any hurt to be very helpful in understanding what folks are really going through…so often the issues they complain about are just peripheral, surface issues, and if we are not careful we miss the real issue that needs to be dealt with.

And now we are also “armed” with knowing that idols are a real issue.  But, Michael has given us some real territory that must be covered: unbelief.  What is it that this Christian is not believing God about?

If there is one thing that I have mentioned over and over (can’t tell you how many times…hundreds!) since meeting Michael and Betty in Colorado Springs almost 15 years ago: “unbelieving believers.”  It is the worst “disease” I have ever diagnosed among the Christians has brought across my path.  Why is it?

Michael gives us the answer, solution, the proverbial “secret” before we finish the book.  See you next post.

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                               936-559-5696

The Development of Idols

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 18

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Even around the church it is common to hear folks talk of a “coping mechanism.”  We continue to let the world dictate to us the terms we use in everyday communication.  Or, we let them counterfeit the Bible’s terms to where the meaning has no significance as it did in the days the Bible was written.  Any student of Scripture could give many examples of this.

In these pages from SIW, Michael gives us some bold statements that ought to get our attention…

THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDOLS

excerpt from pages 43-47 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 38-42 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

A coping mechanism is quite simply the world’s term for an idol.  An idol is anything, other than Christ, which one runs to when under pressure. 

…The enemy is not ignorant of our personal history, and he uses it to develop a temptation that is perfectly suited to us, luring with something that he knows will attract us.

…However, there is one major problem with renewing a love affair with idols of our past.  God will not allow any idol to meet a Christian’s needs!...Christians who are using idols with which to cope are easy to recognize, for they manifest such symptoms as apprehension, uncertainty, dismay, distress, and depression.  None of these will accompany the man of faith.

…God has called us to journey into the Promised Land, but we have hidden the idols of the past so that just in case God doesn’t help us (according to our timetables and own ways), we have them to trust.  The majority of Christians start the journey into the life of peace, rest, and victory with a suitcase full of the idols of the past – those things that we trusted before we came to know Christ.  “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:8).

It has been said that there are only four types of people in the world.  The first says, “I, not Christ!”  This group includes such people as Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, and atheists.  The second says, “I and Christ!”  These will let Christ be fire insurance to keep them out of hell, but will take care of everything else themselves.  The third type says, “Christ and I!”  These are the most miserable Christians, for they want Christ to be their Lord, and yet if He does not act according to their plan when they think He should, out come the idols.  The fourth kind says, “Christ, not I!”  Having learned the secret of dependence upon and trust in Christ alone, they enter into God’s rest and cast all their anxiety upon Him.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

It is interesting that in many of my most recent readings I have seen different authors give their definition of an “idol.”  It’s like idols just won’t go away!  We have just finished an excellent study of Jonah and evangelism.  There the author has his definition.  I am reading a book on repentance…there the author has his definition.  Goodness gracious…when are Christians going to get rid of all the idols?!?

Well, thank you Michael for giving us an excellent definition, an alarming realization, a powerful warning, and then 5 guideposts along “the journey of life,” before bringing us to the eye-opening truth in Jonah 2:8.  All of which ought to be a word from God to encourage, exhort, and embolden us to take the leap into the life of “Christ, not I.” 

What will it take for God to get us to “depend upon and trust in Christ alone,” and “enter into God’s rest, casting all our anxiety upon Him”?

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                               936-559-5696

The Idolatry of Unbelief

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 17

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that multitudes can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.  In the event you sign up to receive the weekly emails (see info at bottom) and then sometime in the future stop getting the emails, please remember you can go to the BLOGSITE and read each posting each week.  Then let me know (my email address below), and I will work to correct the problem.

On page 42 of my older book (1998 printing), Michael quickly draws all the former pages to a head: boom!  2 paragraphs that grip us in such a way (as has been testified by almost everyone I know who has read the book) that we CANNOT put the book down until we are finished reading it entirely!  Read on to get these two paragraphs, and my comments below…

THE IDOLATRY OF UNBELIEF

excerpt from pages 42-43 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 37-38 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

If there was one thing you could receive from the reading of this book, what would you want it to be?  What is it that you need?  I imagine that your answer would have some of the following integrated into it: love and the desire to have that deep loneliness you often feel satisfied with the joy of being loved and accepted, and you would also like some measure of security and assurance.  All of our deepest needs are spiritual needs which God, and God alone, can meet.  If, however, you are an unbelieving believer, then you have not been able to look to God to meet your deepest needs.

Where have you looked to have these needs met?  How are you coping with the world around you?  What do you do in the midst of the severest defeat?  To whom or what are you turning when under extreme pressure?  Where do you find comfort?  How do you exist in a world where God is relevant only for the future (to keep you out of hell)?  How do you live among a humanity that seems to be pitted against your every move?

Let us now examine the development of some coping mechanisms.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Probing thoughts, and probing questions…all of which poke at us like a piercing spiritual scapel (“a small straight knife with a thin sharp blade used in surgery and dissection”) and open us up to deep personal introspection.  And Michael has set the stage for the coming discovery and unfolding of our failed efforts to “cope” in a prelude to God’s magnificent answers to any question or problem we have in life.  The next 100+ pages of this book are so full of LIFE that it is impossible to lay it aside.

But before we read on…has Michael gotten your attention with the questions?  Did he strike a nerve with any one in particular?  And if you might be found to be an “unbelieving believer,” can you honestly admit that you do realize to some extent that your “deepest needs are spiritual needs which God, and God alone, can meet”?

AND…can you honestly admit that “if…you are an unbelieving believer, then you have not been able to look to God to meet your deepest needs”?  This is a staggering truth for far too many Christians.

Now, think about it for just a moment…”not been able to look to God to meet your deepest needs.”  Whoa!  What does this say about what someone has done since becoming a Believer (or, and unbelieving believer)?  What does it say about Christian teaching, discipleship, and counseling?  What does it say about the state of Christians and churches in America, or the world?  Is this speaking of just 1 or 2 Christians…1 or 2 churches, or 1,000’s?

Back to you and I…the big question is this:  What are we going to do about it?  Will we read on and finish the book?  Will we seek the Lord to get free from the bondage we are in?  TIME WILL TELL.

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                               936-559-5696