Wednesday, May 28, 2014

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

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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 (5th printing, March 1998)
excerpt from pages 50-53 of SIW (14th 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 usthe 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!


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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

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