In this episode, Bryce talks about idolatry, the dangers of idols, and how to identify idols in your life.GET YOUR LIVE PODCAST SHOW TICKETS HERE👉 https://www.ticketmaster.com/search?q=bryce+crawfordMERCH👉 https://www.jesusinthestreet.comsubscribe for more!Sow Into My Ministry One-Time or Monthly!Visit 👉 https://www.jesusinthestreet.org (all donations are tax deductible) follow me on other platforms!Podcast Instagram 👉https://instagram.com/brycecrawfordpodcastPersonal Instagram 👉 https://instagram.com/brycecrawfordMerch Instagram 👉 https://instagram.com/ilovejesusTiktok (main) 👉https://www.tiktok.com/@brycecrawford Tiktok (2nd) 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@adventuresofbryce Snapchat https://snapchat.com/add/brycecraww Twitter 👉 https://twitter.com/ibrycecrawford#christianity #christian #Jesus #BryceCrawford #christiantiktok #christianvideos #holyspirit #Jesusheals #viral #christianvideo #venicebeach #evangelism #love
Chapter 1: What is the announcement about the live podcast show in Atlanta?
I have a huge announcement before you guys continue to watch this episode of the podcast. Guys, May 18th, we are doing our second live podcast show in my home state, Atlanta, Georgia. We're going to be at the Cobb Energy Center May 18th for worship and a powerful word. Guys, I am so excited to be back in the same city that God took me from death to life.
If you guys want to come out to the Hometown Live Podcast Show May 18th, go to Ticketmaster and search up Bryce Crawford and get your tickets today. Guys, I'm looking forward to seeing you guys on May 18th. Go to Ticketmaster, search Bryce Crawford, get your tickets to the live podcast show May 18th. Love you guys. Now enjoy the episode. What's going on, guys?
Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford Podcast. I'm Bryce, and today, by the title of this episode, we know exactly why you clicked on it. We're talking about idolatry. What does it mean to have idols in our life? How do we know if we have idols in our life? And what do we do about the idols in our life?
We're going to be diving into that, diving into the scripture, what a scripture says, and then I'm really going to highlight. We're going to be kind of like quote mining a few different scriptures about idolatry that are just kind of like basic statements about idolatry.
Chapter 2: What is the definition of idolatry according to Bryce Crawford?
But I really want to hone in on this one story in the Old Testament that I really believe that we as believers can fall into a trap or just we as human beings can fall into a trap with in idolatry. But we need to first identify idolatry. What does it mean to have an idol in your life? What is an idol? An idol is when something matters more than what matters most.
The thing that takes your full captivity, your full control, and the thing that sits on the throne of your heart. Now, here's the interesting part, okay? Holy Spirit does not split rent. God does not split rent. What I mean by that is some of us say, oh, well, I want 50% of God and then I want 50% of this thing in my life because I can't choose it.
And, you know, the Bible actually tells us that a house divided on itself cannot stand. Meaning when we sit on the fence, let's say we give God, say, God, here's 99% of me, but there's 1% of me that is devoted to this idol. We're still unknown by God. Because there's 1% we're holding back and giving this thing full attention to. So an idol is when something matters more than what matters most.
Now, before we go into idolatry and what the verses say, what matters most? Jesus Christ. Now, why is Jesus Christ greater than money, fame, status, sex, women, all of these things, idols, or even false gods? Why is Jesus greater than that? Well, out of all religions, Jesus Christ is the only God that meets humankind where they're at because he recognizes that they're broken.
Jesus Christ is the only God out of any labeled religion that doesn't say, get yourself together before you come to me.
He's the only God out of all religions that comes down, meets humanity where they're at, shows them how to live it, and then displays the ultimate act of love and kindness by laying his life down for his wicked, broken creation so that the price can be paid, slate is wiped clean, and we're found free in Christ.
The first verse I want to jump to about idolatry here is going to be in 1 John 5, verse 21. 1 John 5, verse 21 says, Little children, keep yourself from idols. This is how John the disciple ends his letter of 1 John. Now, I know it's a really big statement, but I want to bump up a few verses to 1 John 5, 10, because I believe 1 John 5, 10 says, really sets up verse 21.
He says, whoever believes in the son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe in God has made himself a liar because he has not believed in the testimony that God has born concerning his son. And then verses later, he says, little children, keep yourself from idols.
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Chapter 3: Why is Jesus Christ considered greater than idols?
Sometimes we fall to idols and we submit ourselves to things other than Christ because we don't fully understand the freedom that we have in him. Maybe that sin you keep going back to feels familiar. You know it's going to let you down, but it just keeps, it's familiar.
You recognize it, you understand it, and it's like, you know, I know this thing is hurting me, but I'm going to keep going back and back and back to it because it's the only thing I know of. And that was me for a lot of my life. I was the back half of 1 John 5.10. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar.
When we don't put our trust fully in God, then we're saying, man, God, I don't really believe who you say you are. Because I don't believe in the testimony that God has done through Jesus Christ. And that's what sin is. Idolatry and sin is substituting ourselves in the place of God.
idolatry is not only allowing something to matter more than what matters most, but idolatry is substituting yourself in the place of God saying, God, your ways aren't higher than my ways. When Isaiah clearly says, no, God, your ways are higher than my ways. Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. So God, I'm going to trust you.
And that's why the Psalmist David prays Psalm 139, search my heart, God, and know me. Because even David says, you know, I think I know myself good. God, you know myself way better than I know myself. So God, I need you. Search my heart, God, and reveal in me the areas of my life that are keeping me wicked. And so why would people turn to idols?
It's because they don't fully believe the truth of Jesus Christ. They don't fully believe that Jesus really is who he says he is. Now I want to flip to Colossians 3. When someone surrenders themselves to Christ, we are born again. Our old self has died. Our new self has been given. Now, I love what this letter is. And to the church of Colossia, I always pronounce it wrong.
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Chapter 4: What do the scriptures 1 John 5:21 and 1 John 5:10 say about idols?
But chapter 3, we're going to hone in on verse 5, but we're going to read the first few verses before. Colossians 3, verse 1. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
So right here in chapter three, the first two verses, he's kind of referencing back to Matthew chapter six, where Jesus is like, don't store treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal.
Because when you believe fully that Christ is who he says he is and you're going to think like Christ, you're going to seek the things of Christ, you're going to seek first the kingdom of God and all things will follow. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, what is earthly to you, sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry. This is very important. What does the writer of Colossians say idolatry is?
Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness all falls under the category of idolatry. Because when you prioritize sexual immorality, money, fame, status, passions, evil desires, these things take the place of God. You know what idols are in our lives? Idols are things that we think are better than our self-worth.
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Chapter 5: How does idolatry relate to sin and trusting God?
So if we idolize women or men, we say, oh, that person's better than me. I can never get them. And we just chase it, chase it, chase it, chase it, chase it. Or money. Oh, money is way better than me. It's way more valuable than me. So I got to seek it, seek it, seek it.
And the more money I get, well, if you're not satisfied with the amount of money you have right now, then if you doubled your bank account, you sure as heck would not be satisfied with the money in your bank account. So you just keep chasing, chasing, chasing. Idols in our life are things that we think are more valuable than ourselves.
And Colossians says, look, if you have been born again, if your eyes are set on Christ, then seek the things that he loves. Seek his kingdom and put away the things that take you away from his kingdom. Idols take us away from a necessity of God. And that's why sometimes suffering is good. because these idols keep our gaze off of him.
But when our gaze is on Christ, man, we just fall in love with who he is and his character. And it's crazy because these fleeting things that die and that perish, they don't satisfy us. But who God's character, in essence, sustains us when our eyes are on him. You know what blows my mind about Egypt is when royalty in Egypt would pass away their sarcophaguses, which are basically coffins.
Boy, they'd pimp these things out, man. They put gold all on them, put some jewels on them, and then inside the coffins, they'd wrap the body in mummy cloth and burial cloth, and then they'd put some jewelry in there. You know what's crazy? It's all these bodies are still rotten today, but this gold, where did it go? It went nowhere. These idols, man, these idols.
Last verse I want to flip to is in Psalm 16, verse 4, before we close out with the story from the Old Testament. Psalm 16, verse 4. The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply. The sorrows of those who chase after other gods shall multiply. Man, that breaks my heart. King David says, you'll never find what you're looking for.
The more idols you have in your life, the greater your sadness will increase. And to be honest, man, if you're someone who's struggling with depression, maybe you're partially struggling with depression because you got some things sitting on the throne of your heart that shouldn't be sitting there.
Like I said earlier, idolatry is when we think that other things or people are more valuable than ourselves.
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Chapter 6: What does Colossians 3:1-5 teach about idolatry and desires?
And so if you're chasing that significant other right now and they're not giving you the time of day because you think that they're more valuable than you are, then whoa, whoa, whoa, you need to love your neighbor as yourself before you can love other people the way Christ loves other people or love other things or enjoy things the way that Christ enjoyed and loved things.
You have to first see yourself the way God sees you. You know why idolizing significant others is so difficult in today's society? The number one, what am I trying to say? The number one idol I believe in America today is dating or romantic relationships. And the reason that idolatry and romantic relationships is so big right now in today's society is because it's a form of love.
And today's society says, oh, well, you know, if you make me feel excited, if you give me the butterflies, then I'll decide to show up for you in the highs and lows. And then if you give me the butterflies and I decide to show up for you, then I'll choose to be faithful to you or not. Whereas Jesus Christ says, no, no, no, no, no. You choose to love me.
And because you choose to love me, you show up despite the conditions. And when you show up despite the conditions, it stirs your affections for me. The number one idol in America today is romantic relationships because it's a form of love. It is deception sometimes to a point. Now I'm not saying romantic relationships are bad. That's not what I'm getting at.
But what I'm getting at is sometimes we trick ourselves into saying that's love. But when our significant other becomes God on our heart, then we become extremely more disappointed. When the best love, the best relationships are when each significant other is trying to out-serve each other.
And when each significant other's gaze is on Christ, then you guys begin to draw closer and closer and closer to each other, and that's the best way you can love each other. But if your significant other is sitting on the throne of your heart, then you're going to be extremely disappointed a lot, deeply saddened.
You're going to be controlling, got to know their every decision, got to know their move. And if they're with you, then you're happy. But if they're not with you, they're not happy. And then you become controlling and manipulative because they're on the throne of your heart. And I love what King David says in Psalm 16.
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Chapter 7: What are examples of idols in our lives and their impact?
He says, look, if you're chasing after idols, your sadness is just going to increase. Or maybe it's not a significant other. Maybe it's Netflix or food. Well, how much food do you have to eat to numb the pain? Well, you fill yourself up, but then when the hunger comes back, you've got to keep eating, keep eating, keep eating. It's equivalent to an alcohol or drug addiction.
You can't numb the pain unless the feeling's there, but you have to continuously go back to these things. And oftentimes, the more and more idols we have on our heart and the more idols we have in our lives and the more times we turn to things other than Christ, we become more depressed and our life becomes invaluable.
And if I'm talking to you right now, if you've got idols in your life and you hate your life, then give your life to someone who wants it. If you hate your life, give your life to someone who wants it. Who wants your life? Jesus Christ. When I was 17 years old, I was going to take my life because of depression and anxiety. And I thought I wasn't valuable enough.
And now that I'm reflecting on my life, I had so many things that were idols in my life. People pleasing, pornography, girls, money, fame, all of these things when I was 17 years old. And I kept going back to these things because it was familiar, even though I knew it was going to let me down. And finally, I came to the place where I was going to take my life because I thought I wasn't valuable.
What is the value Christ puts on your life, his own? I was just watching a podcast clip today on TikTok and I loved how this guy explained it. He said, man, like Christ looked through the gap of time and space, saw how valuable you were and decided to die for you saying, even if nobody else gets it, if they get it, I'm willing to do it. And I loved how he worded it. It's so true.
Now, the last story I want to share about idolatry I think is very prevalent in how I believe we oftentimes as believers can fall into idol. It's exactly like Israel does. So if you guys know the story about Moses, you know, Israel becomes enslaved to Egypt. They're in captivity. They're in exile. God uses Moses to set the captives free.
And after the 10 plagues, you know, the Israelites are leaving Egypt. And, you know, sometimes we miss over this key detail. God allows the Israelites to basically loot Egypt. Okay, so they get to ransack that place. They get gold, they get jewelry, they get all this gold, and then they escape Egypt. They're like, hooray, man, God, you're awesome. Thank you.
You let us escape and you allowed us to loot Egypt. This was lit. And then after they leave, Moses does this thing where he goes up on a mountain to get the 10 commandments. So he goes up there. Okay. Now, how many times in your life has God set you free from things? Or you've prayed so many prayers and finally you receive the quote unquote freedom that you've been praying for.
Or you've asked for this thing so many times and finally you get it. And then Moses goes, he's like, all right, guys, you know, I'm going to be back. I'm going to go get these commandments and the law from God. And I'm going to be back. It's going to be great. I'm going to go talk to him. Then we're going to come back and game plan and strategize. We're going to have the law.
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Chapter 8: How does Psalm 16:4 describe the consequences of chasing idols?
God, I thank you that you sustain us, and I thank you that when we seek you above all these idols, above other faults, God, that you sustain us. that our joy grows in you, God, and that when we don't seek you, Jesus, that actually our sorrows grow, our sadness grows because these idols are fleeting and these idols won't sustain us. So God, we ask for a couple things.
Number one, God, help us deal aggressively with idols in our life. God, number two, give us the strength to keep idols off the throne of our heart. And God, lastly, will you search our hearts? God, search my heart. Search each and every watcher, listener to this podcast. Search their hearts and go, God, help us know what idols are on the throne of our hearts so we can be fully submitted to you.
God, we just want to be known by you. And idols keep us unknown from you. Idols keep us not relying on you and God. But when we rely on you, when we listen to you, when we trust you, that is the rich, good life. not the American dream, trusting you is the rich, good life. God, we love you, bless you, in Jesus' name, amen. Guys, thank you so much for watching and tuning into these episodes.
Guys, if you love watching and listening to these episodes, aside from following us along on Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, YouTube, I want to ask you guys, would you guys consider partnering with our ministry financially? Your guys' radical generosity is actually what continues to fuel and produce these podcast episodes and our evangelism videos.
So if you guys feel a burden to support this ministry, reach lost souls with the gospel through digital and in-person ministry, go to jesusinthestreet.org. Pray and ask God, how should I partner with Bryce and their ministry and Jesus in the Street ministry? Should I partner with them in prayer? Should I partner with them in finances? Should I partner with them in support?
Whatever it may be, pray and ask God, how should I support Jesus in the Street ministry? Love you guys. See you guys next week for the next episode.
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