the god of control
There is one true God. But all around us are substitute gods competing for our devotion. You don’t have to bow down to a statue to be an idolater. False gods are everywhere. One false god that screams for our attention is the god of control. When we’re satisfied only when things go as we plan and when we’re fixated on getting what we want, we have become devoted to the god of control. And the god of control prevents us from experiencing the God who is in control.
Discussion Questions
What do you think of when you hear the word “idol?” Can an idol be something other than a statue you worship? Explain.
Read Exodus 20:3-6. What does this commandment mean? Why would God give this commandment to His people who had been recently freed from slavery?
Read the following verses and get ready to draw a conclusion. What evidence do you find in Colossians 3:5 and Philippians 3:19 that idolatry doesn’t necessarily imply worshipping a carved statue of a false god?
Read Ezekiel 14:3. What is idolatry of the heart? What idols might be residing in your heart?
One false god is the god of control. What does it mean to be focused on control? How would you define the god of control? How are you tempted to follow the god of control?
How can you dismantle the god of control in your life? Read James 4:13-14 and Colossians 3:1-5. How do these verses help you trust the God who is in control?
Further Reading
the god of success
If there is a god most near and dear to the heart of our culture it is the god of success. The god of success promises us the control, allowing us to make our own way; the approval of others who recognize what we've done; and the access to whatever pleasures we may...
the god of pleasure
If given the choice between good feelings or bad, we would usually choose good. Let’s face it, good feelings are pleasurable. But pleasure as a life-goal leads to bad things. All around us are false gods that scream for our attention and devotion. And pleasure can...
the god of approval
We all want approval. At some level, we all want to be liked and affirmed. Seeking approval by itself is not necessarily bad, but seeking it in the wrong source is. When we make human approval our ultimate value, then we make approval into an idol, worshipping a false...
gods
Today. We can’t get enough. We binge watch it. Supersize it. Buy it. Just gotta have it. We need more to fill that void, then forget about it. Here’s the deal though. The issue is in the heart. Listen to the part. The control is out of your hands. You worship what you...