God has a reason for giving us the Ten commandments.

God has set out truths for us to live by; it is not to make us unhappy or to confine us. It is there to guide, protect and direct us. Idolatry is dangerous for us and He is trying to protect us.

Let us consider the consequences of Idolatry.

Read Jonah 2 and let us take a look at Jonah’s story to help us understand the consequences of having idols in our life.

God gave Jonah a task. He ran away because he did not want to do what God instructed him to do. But can you even run away from God? While on a boat going the opposite of where Jonah's assignment is, a fish swallowed Jonah. He stayed there for 3 days. Jonah had no choice but to think about his actions and consequences. Recognizing that we cannot run from God, he returned and completed his task.

Did everything go well as Jonah thought it would ? No, it did not.

God did not destroy the people as He said He would. Instead, the people of Ninevah repented and God forgave them. Jonah was not happy. He wanted God to carry out the original plan of destroying the people of Ninevah.

Consequences of Idolatry

1. We can miss out on God’s love and faithfulness.

2. We miss out on the blessings from God.

3. God will discipline us.

4. It puts distance between God and us.

5. Idolatry makes us comfortable so we do not turn to God for help.

6. We sacrifice things that we do not want to.

7. It leads to addiction.

Nevertheless, how does Jonah’s experience tie in with Idolatry?

Wasn’t he just running from God?

That is exactly what Idolatry is – running from God. We do not want to do

what God wants us to do. The task assigned may be too hard, to embarrassing or

not fair. We may ask ourselves. why should my life be so difficult and what do I get out of it.

What this study is trying to show is that hard things may not always be bad things.

There is a bigger picture. We cannot see it but God does. He has a plan for each of us.

He knows the beginning and the end, all of these experiences (good and bad)

are to prepare us to receive all the blessings he has for us.

God teaches us through situations. Our circumstances may not change but we will recognize the knowledge and the truths He wanted us to learn from the trials He allowed to happen.

We eat in response to our emotions, don’t we? The lifetime boundaries are not

just to help us lose weight but to learn to deal with negative thoughts and

emotions.

As we bring our thoughts captive to the truth, He will bless us in ways we can

only begin to imagine. God is faithful. He accepts us as we are and moves us

along to where he wants us to be. We just need to be willing to do what he asks

us to do.

Remember to write in your Truth Journal this week

Situation: __________________________________________________________________

Emotion: ___________________________________________________________________

Belief: ______________________________________________________________________

Truth: ______________________________________________________________________