A Gentle Whisper -- Listening for the Voice of God Johnny Almond  

Idolatry and Irritability

 

 

Idolatry and Irritability

 

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

 

He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away.

What else do I have? How can you say, What’s the matter with you?”

Judges 18:24 NIV

 

Micah’s mistake—crafting idols and designing his private religion—sadly echoes in your life if you congratulate yourself on being self-made and worship your creator! Without his idols and priest, Micah had nothing. Self-exaltation forms a spiritual vacuum.

 

I am the Creator and Manager of heaven and earth. I made you—not the other way around! I warn you of idolatry’s idiocy so that you will not get sick with Micah’s madness. Fools manufacture their own worthless gods. Blockheads worship blocks of wood. Deluded fools feed on ashes and trust inanimate objects that are no help. Thinking happiness comes through tangible possessions, people make things into gods.

 

Idol makers are destined for disgrace—true worshipers are destined for glory. Praying to gods who cannot save, idolaters waste time and injure eternity. Seeking My face, believers find significance in time and invest in eternity. Trusting My Son, you anticipate a delightful destiny beyond the threshold separating pain and paradise.

 

If all your idols—money, prestige, success, possessions, career—were taken away, what would remain? An empty shell? Depend on Me, and you can be sure I would still be there, even if all things were removed. Even without everything else, I would be more than enough. Without Me, you would always be in want. In Me alone do you have everything you need. Christ is your Defining Center of Gravity.

 

Rely on so-called gods, and their disappearance will make you irritable. Dethrone your dearest idol from the throne of your heart. Irritability will change to serenity if you stay as close to Me as a branch to a vine.

 

Let Me be your High Preeminence—the Heartbeat of your life. Stay away from all false gods of the heart, all rivals for My affection, all clever and cheap counterfeits. Avoid idolatry!

 

Let Me be your Holy Purpose—use all you own to honor Me. Give freely to communicate your faith to a watching world. Avoid insanity!

 

Let Me be your Helpful Priest—merciful in your transgressions, and mighty in your struggles with temptation. Avoid insecurity!

 

Let Me be your Happy Peace—enjoy the sweet blessing of genuine contentment, wanting nothing more. Avoid irritability!

 

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Johnny

Johnny R. Almond earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey and a Diploma in Religious Studies from the University of Cambridge. After pastoring churches for a decade, he served the Air Force as a military chaplain in worldwide assignments. After retiring from the military in 2000, he began serving as pastor in Virginia. He currently serves as pastor of Hull's Memorial Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He and his wife, Beverly, have four sons, three grandsons, and three granddaughters.