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WATCHING OUT FOR IDOLS IN
MARRIAGE
Introduction:
A. Every heart is a worshipping
heart.
1. God made our hearts to
worship.
2. The question is "who or what are
we worshipping?"
B. True worshippers (John
4:23-24).
I. WHAT IS THE HEART OF
MAN?
A. It is man's control center for
living.
B. It involves our thoughts,
intentions, beliefs, desires and attitudes.
C. Prov. 23:7a; Matthew
13:15.
II. WHAT IS
WORSHIP?
A. Worship is an all-consuming
preoccupation.
B. What we worship we
will:
1. Adore.
2. Sacrifice for.
3. Focus on.
4. Seek after.
5. Submit to.
6. Place our hope in.
7. Serve/give to.
8. Speak about.
9. Look to for peace, joy and
happiness.
10. Spend great amounts of thought,
time and energy on.
III. WHAT IS AN
IDOL?
A. When we make something other than
God our primary focus and goal, we are engaged in idol
worship.
1. If we feel we MUST have something
other than God alone, we will not live our lives for God
alone.
2. God wants our hearts to belong
fully to Him. (Josh. 24:23; Ps. 119:1-2).
B. God HATES idol
worship.
1. Exodus 20:2-6.
2. 1 John 5:21.
C. What people may worship other
than or in addition to God:
1. Personal security.
2. Material things.
3. Knowledge.
4. Control.
5. Themselves.
6. Good health.
7. Other gods of the
cults.
8. Another person.
9. A god of their own
making.
10.
Pleasure/comfort/ease.
11. Pain-free/trouble-free
life.
12. Accomplishments.
13. Fair or good
treatment.
14. The good opinion/approval of
others.
15.
Significance/success/impact.
16. Physical appearance.
17. A desired circumstance (good
marriage, good children, financial stability, etc.).
18. Ambition.
IV. FOUR WAYS THAT GOD
REVEALS OUR IDOLS TO US.
A. The Word and the Spirit. (Heb.
4:12; 1 Cor. 6:19).
B. God may frustrate our idols by
withholding them, or He may allow us to have our idols and
experience their futility and frustration. (Ps.
106:13-15).
C. God may give us a living example
of true worship to convict us. (e.g. Elijah, 1 Kings
18:26,36).
D. God may administer loving
discipline. (Heb. 12:5-11).
V. FALSE REFUGES IN
MARRIAGE.
A. Food.
B. Sleep.
C. Drugs.
D. Travel.
E. Sports.
F. Music.
G. Reading.
H. Television.
I. Another person (man or
woman).
J. Alcohol.
K. Sex/pornography.
L.
Fantasies/imaginations.
M. Shopping/spending
money.
N. Fleeing (leaving/going for
drives).
O. Busyness at work, church,
hobbies.
VI. SOME WRONG DESIRES IN OUR MARRIAGES.
(Jam. 1:14-15).
A. That my spouse will please me by
responding to me the way I want them to.
B. That my spouse will please me
with their looks, desires, talents, abilities,accomplishments
outside the home.
C. That my spouse would treat me
with respect.
D. That my spouse would allow me to
do what I really want with my time.
E. That I would have plenty of money
and be able to live as I please.
F. That I would know and find total
love on the human level.
G. That there would be peace,
harmony and security around me always.
VII. SOME RIGHT DESIRES AND
EXPECTATIONS.
A. That I may know Christ and
delight to walk with Him. (Phil. 3:10-14).
B. That I may know God's Word and
obey it. (Ps. 119:18; 101; 112; 131).
C. That I may seek Christ with my
whole heart and become more like Him. (Ps. 119:2).
D. That I may be used of God to
witness for Him. (Matt. 28:19-20).
E. That I may be pleasing to Christ
regardless of my circumstances. (2 Cor. 5:9).
F. That I may cultivate an attitude
of joy and thanksgiving. (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
G. That I may serve others rather
than be served. (Gal. 5:13).
H. That I may always trust in the
sovereignty of God. (Rom. 8:28).
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