91 Days of Victory – Day 81 (2026/05/19)

 

But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock. True worship goes beyond singing; it requires a heart that is yielded and obedient to God's word. Psalm 81 is a two-part psalm of Asaph designed for festival worship (likely the Feast of Tabernacles), focusing on themes of joyful praise, remembering God’s deliverance from Egypt, and an urgent appeal to abandon idols and listen to God. It contrasts God’s desire to bless and satisfy His people with the consequences of their disobedience and stubbornness. 

The Psalm has strong reminder to steer clear of idolatry and to know that God is the only God. It reminds us to place our trust in God and He will look after us. In verse 10 it states, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things”.

Now here is what the Holy Spirit wants you to see today. God is a God of salvation, and He is a jealous God. It is made clear to us in the ten commandments when God says, “You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods”.

Idolatry has many forms and here are some examples:

1. Literal and Physical Idolatry

• Worship of False Gods: Worshipping pagan deities of surrounding nations, such as Baal, Ashtoreth, and Molech.
• Image Worship: Fashioning and bowing to physical idols carved from wood, stone, silver, or gold, or crafting molten figures like the Golden Calf.
• Host of Heaven: Worshipping celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars.
• Occult Practices: Seeking guidance from or worshipping through mediums, divination, or astrology (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12). 

2. Spiritual and Subtle Idolatry

• Covetousness and Greed: The New Testament explicitly equates greed and covetousness with idolatry (Colossians 3:5), because it places material wealth and cravings above God.
• Self-Worship and Fleshly Desires: Making a "god" of your own physical appetites or desires (Philippians 3:19).
• Syncretism: Attempting to blend the worship of the true God with the practices and idols of surrounding worldly cultures. 

3. Cultural and Relational Idolatry

• Trusting in Human Power: Depending on military might, political alliances (e.g., trusting in Egypt rather than God), or human leadership rather than God’s provision.
• Worldly Power and Prestige: Elevating status, fame, and secular power to a place of ultimate importance in your life. 

These are the pitfalls in life that steer us away from God and sometimes they are small in our eyes but not in God’s eyes. My dear friend, the Holy Spirit wants to remind us that we should take our relationship and our worship with God very serious. The time of the Lord’s return is coming, and we should not be like the five virgins who was waiting for the bridegroom but was unprepared for his arrival. While the foolish virgins are away, the wedding begins and the door is shut. When the foolish ones return, they are locked out and the bridegroom tells them he does not know them. Because no one knows the exact day or hour of Christ's return, we must stay spiritually vigilant and maintain our faith and our hope. This cannot be borrowed from someone else. It must be from our own obedience and desire for more of our Lord and God.

Have an awesome day.