“‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.'” Josh 24:23 (NIV)
After reviewing the spiritual markers God established for the children of Israel, Joshua called them to a moment of decision. Though they had come out of Egypt, it was now time to get Egypt out of them. Instead of influencing the cultures they conquered, the idolatry of the cultures infiltrated their lifestyles. Joshua exhorted the children of Israel to throw away the foreign gods that were among them.
Idolatry comes in many forms. In our modern day technological advances, idolatry has become more easily accessible. You don’t have to go looking for sin, sin will come to you uninvited.
As you prepare for the New Year, consider the value of removing your idols. What is an idol? An idol is anything that hinders your love relationship with God. In prayer, ask the Lord to search your heart and to reveal unconfessed sin in your life.
- “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Prov 28:13 (NIV)
- “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)
Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover. You may want to spend some time looking back over every year of your life and writing down specific sins that you committed. This is a very personal and private process. After you write down the specific sins the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, confess them one-by-one and claim God’s forgiveness over each one. Destroy the sheet of paper that you use to write on or hit the “delete” button on your computer if you choose to type your list.
Now walk in the freedom and forgiveness that God provides. Step into the New Year with the clarity of having removed your idols and confessed your sin.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor