Idolatry Hinders a Grateful Heart

Intro

1. What are Idols
   1. Definition
   2. Biblical definition/unbelief
      1. What God says about idolatry

5. Ex 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
5. Ps 106:36 “And they served their idols, which became a snare to them.”

5. Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.””
5. James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

5. Eph 5:5 “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
5. Prov 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”
5. Matt 6:13 “Lead us not into temptation.”
5. Psalm 119:36-37 “Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things and give me life in your ways.”

5. 1 John 2:15 “o not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
   3. Physical examples
      1. Possessions
      2. Relationships
      3. Gifts
      4. Season of life
   4. Warnings about fleshly idols

2. Why we battle with idolatry
   1. We are covetous people
      1. Eve
      2. Israelites
   2. Gap between what God graciously gives and what we desire
      1. Causes discontentment
         1. Bitterness

3. Remedy to battle our idolatrous hearts
   1. Cultivating a lifestyle of thanksgiving
      1. Identifying what we believe

2. What the word says about our eternal treasures
   • Ps 103:1-4 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion.”
   • Jer 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”
   • 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”
   • 2 Tim 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”
   • Psalm 100:4 “Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.”
   • Is 26: 3-4 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Thrust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting ROCK.”
   • Rom 8:1-2 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
   • 1 Tim 1:14 “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
   • Ps 28: 7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
   • 1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
   • Ps 91:1 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
   • 2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
3. Paul’s explanation of thought life in Phil 4:4-9
4. Scriptures that have helped develop my thought life
5. Questions to ask ourselves about choosing gratitude:
   1. Do you spend more time counting and recounting your blessings or your problems?
   2. As a rule, are you easily contented with what God provides, or do you find yourself resenting difficult circumstances or people and becoming demanding or depressed when others fail to meet your expectations?
   3. Are you more prone to focus on what you wish you had or on the blessings you do have that are far greater than you deserve?
   4. Do you tend to be more focused on your own needs and feelings or on blessing and serving God and meeting the needs of others?