Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 19
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
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 (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 42-44 of SIW (14th 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
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