The Danger of Allowing “Things” to Take God’s Place in Our Hearts!

Jeremiah 33; Jeremiah 34; Psalm 74; 1 John 5
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The Danger of Allowing “Things” to Take God’s Place in Our Hearts!

Scripture

1 John 5

21 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

Observation

Anything! Yes, anything! Stay away from ANYTHING that might take God’s place in your hearts.

If there is a possibility of something taking God’s place in your heart then God says to stay away from it. I think this is a great verse for every Christian to memorize.

If you are trying to decide whether to do something or not, whether you should take that drink, or take those drugs, or look at questionable stuff on your computer or on your television or in some magazine, if it could take God’s place in your heart then don’t do it.

We are tempted everyday. We are tempted everyday with options of putting other stuff in God’s place in our hearts. It is amazing isn’t that God would allow you and me the option of crowding Him out of our hearts with other stuff, but it is the only way to show Him how much we love Him.

Larry Chadwell shared this illustration with me the other day and it goes right along with this verse. He said that when we become Christians the Holy Spirit is like a mighty River flowing through us. Then you and I allow sin to begin to fill and block up that mighty River until finally there is no way that the Holy Spirit can flow through us at all. Each one of the unconfessed sins is like a small stone blocking the Holy Spirit’s flow until finally there are so many stones in our hearts that there is no room for God’s Holy Spirit. All of those things have taken God’s place in our hearts. Have you met Christians that have allowed “things” to completely take God’s place in their hearts? They are way more miserable than any unbeliever could ever be!

Got “anything” in your heart that is taking God’s place today! Why not get it out right now and let God’s Holy Spirit flow through you this morning and touch other people’s lives!

Application

I will examine my heart this morning and check for any stones that might be blocking the Holy Spirit’s flow. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it is so easy to allow “things” to take Your place in my heart. Today show me anything that I have allowed in my heart that needs to go. I want You to have my heart. I want You to have 100% control of my life today. I don’t want any sin or anything to move You out of being Number One in my life. Please keep me strong today. Don’t let me yield to anything that would cause me to sin. You are Mighty. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

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