July Calendar 2026

Worship Bulletin

Devotion

Children Bulletin

Who’s Your God?

Art Linkletter saw a small boy drawing a picture. He inquired, “What are you drawing?” The small boy replied, “A picture of God.” Linkletter told the boy that no one knows what God looks like, to which the boy confidently responded, “They will when I get through.” Lots of people are running around today telling us that they have the inside scoop about who God is. Some come knocking on doors. Others pass out stuff at airports and train sta­tions. Others peddle their secrets on late night or early morning or cable/satellite television. Here we need to ask the question: Who or What is god?

Two men in a truck, neither one very bright, were passing through a small town. They came to an overpass with a sign which read: “Clearance. 11’3”. They got out and measured their rig. It was 12’4″ tall. As they climbed back into the cab, one of them asked, “What do you think we should do?” The driver looked around, then shifted into gear, saying, “Not a cop in sight. Let’s take a chance.”

Some people have the same attitude toward God. They visualize God as the great cop in the sky whose laws are designed to cramp out style and cheat us out of some good times. So if they think they can beat the rap, they try.

The opposite is really the case. The Ten Commandments are God’s guidelines toward the good life. Our all-wise, loving God gave them to us to protect us from harm and direct us toward the most fulfilling life-style on earth.

Our Old Testament Reading for today calls to mind the First Commandment – You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me.

Now, the First Commandment set the Israelite religion apart from all other Ancient Near East religions. No other ancient law code has been found that prohibits worship of other gods. The people of these ancient lands worshiped and bowed down to calves, birds, snakes. You name it–they had a god or goddess for it. There were false gods everywhere, statues of wood or stone which people worshiped.

But you might say, “Hold on, people don’t do that anymore, do they? So isn’t the First Commandment outdated?

Ah – here’s where the meaning of the commandment comes into play. As Luther wrote “We are to fear, love and trust in God above all things.” You see the worship of false gods is just as popular as ever. The only difference is that we are more subtle about it. We aren’t as ‘up-front’ as were ancient peoples about our god- substitutes. But when you get right down to it, anything that you put more trust in than God, or put ahead of God becomes that false God.

Which “other gods” do you have? Let’s examine some of the most popular false-gods in America. In first place is AFFLUENCE. This is a combination of security and power, based on possessions. When the craving for more becomes the dominant drive in one’s life, then one is worshiping affluence. The amount of money is not critical. One can worship $10 or $10 million. Affluence is the most seductive mistress in our society. More Americans go to hell every year because of love of affluence than for all other sins combined.

If you want to check on yourself to see if you are in danger of worshiping affluence, here is a good test to use: Are you giving a first-fruits percentage of your earnings for God’s purposes? If the answer is no, this much is certain: You care more about money than about the guidelines of scripture. Beware! Affluence can steal your soul. Don’t think it applies to you? If so, ask yourself how you would react if you were told that tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. you would lose all your income. When we’re up against losing it, then we begin to see how much we have looked to a certain thing for security.

Another very popular false-god is Status. This is a multi- faceted false-god. It is usually some combination of ambition, intellectual arrogance, racial pride, class pride, or thirst for popularity. What is basically is that you’re saying I’m better than you because I’m (fill in the blank) and you’re not.

Our worship of status is never benign. If the core of our identity is anything other than the fact that we are God-made and God-redeemed, it is diabolical and dangerous. When Jesus was asked to name the first and greatest commandment, he replied in the words of scripture: “Hear, a Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30)

The message in our own day is as clear as it was then. If we are to have inner peace and community, we must begin with single- hearted allegiance to the God who fashioned us in his image and redeemed us through the cross.

Coach Bobby Bowden of Florida State University has a book out entitled “More Than Just a Game.” Bobby lists his priorities as follows: “I believe in God, Jesus Christ, salvation, family, country, and football–in that order.” He talks about winning a national championship in college football: “Prior to winning it all in 1993, I will admit I used to think it wasn’t in God’s plan for me to win a national championship. And I could accept that. But I also felt like adding, Lord if it’s not in your plan, then why do you keep letting me get so close?

“But the plain truth was I was not going to sell my soul to win a national championship. I am not selling my soul for anything–not for a game, not for making money, not for the temporary pleasure of immorality. Bobby Bowden ain’t selling his soul for nothin’.”

We must not sell our souls for anything; after all, we have been bought with a price, the precious blood of our Lord Jesus.

A few years ago, there was this question going around in street sports trash-talk that said “Who’s your daddy?” The implication was that your daddy was the opponent who dominated you. Well the question today is who’s your God? Let us join with saints of all time and all places who have pointed to the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Therefore, let us protect the throne-room of our hearts. No one and nothing must ever reside there except the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, whose mission is to help us believe in Jesus, once again we ask that You would blow away all the smoke and dust that confuses us about who God really is. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ so that we may confess Him as our Lord and God. Help us to get to know the Father in heaven by helping us to get to know Jesus. Forgive our doubts and strengthen our faith. For Jesus’ sake we pray. Amen.