"Idolatry isn't AN issue - It is THE issue."
"Your heart is a battlefield."
"What if it's not about statues? What if the gods of here and now are not cosmic deities with strange names? What if they take identities that are so ordinary that we don't recognize them as gods at all? What if we do our 'kneeling' and our 'bowing' with our imaginations, our checkbooks, our search engines, our calendars? What if I told you that every sin you are struggling with, every discouragement you are dealing with, even the lack of purpose you're living with are because of idolatry?"
Those are the claims made by Kyle Idleman in his latest book gods at war: Defeating The Idols That Battle For Your Heart.
Kyle Idleman is Teaching Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the fourth largest church in America. He is the author of the award-winning and bestselling book not a fan. he is also the presenter of several video curricula, including not a fan, H20, and the newly released study gods at war.
Kyle Idleman, bestselling author will be the
first person to tell you that any success he has had, or any good he has
done, has been because of Christ alone. As he likes to say, “Any good
God does is not because of me, but in spite of me. Kyle, who continues on his journey from fan to follower, graduated from
Ozark Christian College. After planting a church in Los Angeles county,
Kyle moved to Louisville, KY where he presently lives with his wife and four children.
His website can be found at kyleidleman.com.
"In gods at war, Kyle helps every believer recognize there are false gods at war within each
of us, and they battle for the place of glory and control in our lives.
What keeps us from truly following Jesus is that our hearts are pursuing
something or someone else. While these pursuits may not be the “graven
images” of old, they are in fact modern day idols. Behind the sin
you’re struggling with, the discouragement you’re dealing with, the lack
of purpose you’re living with is a false god that is winning the war
for your heart. We’re all wired for worship, but we often end up valuing and honoring
the idols of money, sex, food, romance, success and many others that
keep us from the intimate relationship with God that we desire."
(Taken from Idleman's website.)
You can watch a complete episode from the study gods at war by going HERE.
Book Trailer:
My Thoughts:
gods at war is a book to be savored, read slowly and studied. This is not a book to sit down and give a quick read. The nature of Kyle's writing won't let you do that. Rather than giving one more discourse on idolatry, Idleman strategically carries you through your own heart evaluation. He asks the reader introspective questions along the way. Really, rather than a book, gods at war is a guide...a guide to de-throning those things in your life that have taken the place of God.
I would recommend gods at war for personal study or it would be excellent for use in a one on one discipleship relationship. I would dare say that if you have the resources for only one book this year, let it be this one.
*I received this book from Thomas Nelson as a part of the Booksneeze blogging for books program. All opinions regarding the book and its content are my own.
Blessings,
Jennifer
1 comments:
This reminds me of Kelly Minter's "No Other Gods", which was also a very good book about modern day idols.
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