What's at the altar of your heart?

I'm currently teaching a devotion using a book called "At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry". When I first read this book, I laughed at the title, but the reality is, as humans we each have an altar at our hearts. The question is what do we have at that Altar?

To be honest I used to worship a lot of things in my old life before God really broke through and griped my heart 6 years ago. One of those was sexual idolatry. Self was also always at the altar. The thing is we are designed to worship something. We are meant to worship God but because of the fall of man, our own selfish pride says "self" is number one, "look out for what I can get out of it", "whats in it for me".

My life was so messed up and full of deception because I did not choose to live the way God had designed for me to live. I had my own way to live life until God revealed Himself in a very merciful and compassionate way. He loves me so much that He wrecked my life. He ruined it! That was the  best thing that ever happened to me!

Sometimes we look at our struggles or trials in our life as a negative thing. Its uncomfortable and at times very painful, but as I was going through it, I was being drawn to a closeness with my creator. Then it happened! He showed me that He didn't just die on the cross a physical painful death but it was a separation from the only love He had ever known. He had to look into the eyes of the Almighty God the Father and see the intense anger and wrath that poured out on Him even though He did nothing to deserve it. In fact He deserved everything in opposite of that. Because He BECAME sin for me, God had to turn His face on Jesus! For Jesus to endure all humanity's sin for all time past, present and future and also to feel the intense heat of God's angered breath on Him must have been something so unbearable I can't imagine. Im so amazed that It pleased God to crush Him like that! It pleased God to crush Him because it brought me into His kingdom right then and there.

Now thats mercy in ultimate form! To give His life for me like that. God has done that same mercy for you too! 

Wont you please take a look at what is on the altar of your heart? Is it yourself and the things that this world has to offer or is it Jesus? If it isn't Jesus, then I plead with you my dear beloved, turn from that that you hold at the Altar and talk to God about it. Yes, talk to Him and let Him replace that with His love and beg Him to give you a deeper meaning of the cross and a bigger sight of His love!

If you would like to hear my full testimony of the power and intense love God had on my life to transform me in a major way, please check it out on Youtube and I pray that God will use it to bring hope to you..... Overcoming The Odds By The Grace Of Jesus Christ: By Doug McGowan