Good morning!
    Today's reading of the Bible led me to the verse:  "You shall have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:3   God was giving the 10 commandments to Moses to deliver to the children of Israel.  When Moses arrived back at the camp where he had left them, they were worshiping an idol they had made from their gold jewelry.  They had come from Egypt where idol worship prevailed and they had taken the idols and these idols supposed abilities with them in their hearts.
     What does the New Testament say about idol worship?  I found two corresponding verses in the New Testament when Jesus was teaching the people:  Matthew 4:4 "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."  Matthew 6:24  "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money."
    We live in a world very much like the Egypt of the O.T.  It is full of idols and not necessarily the statue type that one might bow down to.  We are so very wealthy in this nation that we've made all sorts of things idols, clothing, cars, houses, movie stars, computers, I pods, kindles, books, etc. etc.   The list goes on and on.  I've heard it said that an idol is anything you put ahead of the Lord God in your life.  For each one of us it couldn't be a different item.
    This is a challenge for me today and perhaps for you as well?  What are the idols in my life?  What am I bowing down to and serving?  What am I putting ahead of the Lord Jesus in my heart and soul?  What does my mind dwell on rather than on His love and my service for Him?  What am I going to do about these idols?
     How far reaching of an effect do idols have in my life?  Do my children and others younger in the faith, look on and learn from me? Am I causing them to stumble?   How will I help them deal with the idols in their lives?
     Blessed are those who put the Lord first in their lives.  Matthew 5:6  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied."   When we are chasing after or bowing down before some "god" in our life could it be that we aren't satisfied.  If we really want to be satisfied, to have true satisfaction, we must put the Lord first, and we do what is right.