Termites. Those sneaky bugs who we usually can’t detect until some really bad damage has been done. We are talking about termites in the church walls, pesky critters eating away at our faith in Jesus. We started the series last week by looking at the termite of relaxing God’s word. Matthew 5:19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Today I want to take a look at the problem of idols. Things that want to take the place of God and want to be treated like God. Things that we begin to love more than we love God. Judges 6:12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” Gideon is complaining. He Is complaining because he heard the stories about God’s great power but now it just looks like God had forsaken them. He’s taking no responsibility for the condition they are in. Gideon forgets this principle: Your direction determines your destination. Judges 6:14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” Here is the part of the story we overlook. It is the termite of having idols. Judges 6:25 That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” 27 So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night. Let’s talk about idols. Idols always promise what they cannot deliver. An idol is any good thing that we elevate to a God thing. An idol is anything in our lives that rivals or replaces the one true God. An idol is anything other than God that becomes the object of my affection, the thing that I serve. Idol worship is the biggest challenge that goes on in our heart every day. Four common idols that enslave us – 1. The idol of approval. It’s manifested with self-pity, hurt feelings, feelings of inadequacy and envy. 2. The idol of comfort. It’s manifested because you can’t say no to pleasure or sex food or porn. 3. The idol of power. It’s manifested by domineering, harsh and even abusive behavior. 4. The idol of control. This is seen by our constant worry, losing our temper, manipulating others. 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Do you have an idol that needs pulling down? PULL IT DOWN! Put Jesus in that place!