Could you have an idol in your life?

Holy Spirit showed me through a man that I was making my wife and my children widows and orphans in my own home at a time many years ago. I said that is ridiculous I am alive! He said “I understand that” “here is what I mean; you are always doing outside of your home …. Church, men’s group, Serving on Quest, Helping other people, but when it comes to your family, they get the crumbs or they do not get anything from you. Well that did not sit well with me …… again. As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. A couple of nights went by and I was sitting at the table and my wife was helping me with memorizing James 1.26-27. I told her what I just shared with you and I asked her, “are you a widow in this home?” She looked at me and said without blinking an eye….. yep, pretty much a widow. Then she said, “I never get the minister voice that I hear you speak to other men on the phone, I want you to talk to me that way and you never do. It was a sad day for me but a good day.

So basically to me what verse 26 means is if you don’t minister in side of your home then what you do outside of your home is worthless ( doesn’t taste good)

Verse 27 means minister to your family then you will be pure and unblemished in the sight of God and there will be not a widow or any orphans in your home (taste really good)

It is so easy to make your ministry and Idol.

James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart; this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

27 External * religious worship [* religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

Do You have any widows or orphans in your home?

Maybe take it one step further. your ministry outside of your home can easily be an idol. So what are you doing that is not only separating you from God but maybe also separating you from your family? You playing lots of golf spending a lot of time in your shop. Watching a lot of TV. The list can go on and on you fill in the blank.