Exodus 32:2-6 New International Version
2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[a] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Thursday - July 22
One of the ways that you can determine false gods in your life is by thinking about how you use your money or who and what you give it to. God had given the Israelites incredible blessing in gold given to them by the Egyptians as they left (see Exodus 12:35-36). Then they used that gift to make a false god to trust in. All things belong to God, thus anything that we have is not actually ours, but God’s. It is only ours “in trust” meaning we are stewards of any property and wealth that God has given to us. Yet, we think anything that we have is ours to do with in whatever way we desire. The ways we spend our money and use our property then reveals what or who we truly worship. Entertainment is a major “god” in our lives. So is comfort. What others might be a big part of your life? The issue is not having and using money. The issue is what you put your faith in.