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Gods at War: Defeating the Idols that Battle for Your Heart
In Gods at War, bestselling author Kyle Idleman helps every believer recognize there are false gods at war within each of us, and they battle for the place of glory and control in our lives. We're all wired for worship, but we often end up valuing and honoring the false gods of comfort, money, sex, pleasure, legalism, family, the perfect body, and success, and that keeps us from the true, intimate relationship with God that we desire. According to Idleman, idolatry isn't an issue---it is the issue. By asking insightful questions, Idleman reveals which gods each of us are allowing on the throne. What do you sacrifice for? What makes you mad? What do you worry about? Whose applause do you long for? Then, using true, powerful and honest testimonies of those who have struggled in each area, Gods at War illustrates a clear path away from the heartache of our 21st century idolatry back to the heart of God.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2013
550 people are currently reading
4421 people want to read
About the author
Kyle Idleman
78 books622 followersKyle Idleman is the teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the fifth largest church in America. The bestselling author of the award-winning book Not a Fan and AHA is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the world. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
March 5, 2013
WOW!!!! Challenge and Conviction!
I'll be honest: If you don't want to give up the gods of your heart...your addiction to food/sex/love...then this is NOT the book for you. BUT if you are ready to dethrone any little god that ain't GOD then this book is FOR you. It will examine the little gods (idols) that you are aware of and will make you aware of others. The main point is to point you to Christ so you can put the KING, Jesus Christ, in HIS rightful as the GOD of your heart and life.
Don't worry you may cry out to God, I did. And it will be worth it.
I'll be honest: If you don't want to give up the gods of your heart...your addiction to food/sex/love...then this is NOT the book for you. BUT if you are ready to dethrone any little god that ain't GOD then this book is FOR you. It will examine the little gods (idols) that you are aware of and will make you aware of others. The main point is to point you to Christ so you can put the KING, Jesus Christ, in HIS rightful as the GOD of your heart and life.
Don't worry you may cry out to God, I did. And it will be worth it.
December 4, 2013
Gods at War- Kyle Idleman
The lowercase ‘G’ in the title isn’t a mistake. ‘Gods’ in this sense refers to things in our lives that we place above the One True God. Idolatry may not be something you think about regularly. Perhaps you view it as an Old Testament problem. But, golden calves & statues aren’t the only idols in town.
In ‘gods At War’, Kyle Idleman takes a very deep look into things we put above God. Careers, money, even family can all become idols. Most of the revelations in the book are mind-blowing. It’s not because they’re new ideology, but because modern day Christians bypass them.
Definitely a topic seasoned Christians need to revisit, idolatry is serious business to God and often overlooked by us. Even the simplest tasks in our lives can become an idol. Several of them I hadn’t even considered.
Informative without being condemning, he uses everyday examples & even personal stories from his ministry to show us that we aren’t alone. Joshua’s speech from Chapter 24 of the Book of Joshua was used as an example also. Although one verse of it is quite popular & often quoted, it’s the fact that Joshua knew the people had choices. He was urging them to choose. I’ve read that Chapter many times & never gleaned the amount of wisdom shared here in ‘gods At War’.
If you’re looking to expand your Walk with Christ & eliminate hindrances, then this book is definitely for you. I gained an immense amount of wisdom & though-provoking ideas from it. I highly recommend it to seasoned Christians. Truly, it earns 5 of 5 stars.
The lowercase ‘G’ in the title isn’t a mistake. ‘Gods’ in this sense refers to things in our lives that we place above the One True God. Idolatry may not be something you think about regularly. Perhaps you view it as an Old Testament problem. But, golden calves & statues aren’t the only idols in town.
In ‘gods At War’, Kyle Idleman takes a very deep look into things we put above God. Careers, money, even family can all become idols. Most of the revelations in the book are mind-blowing. It’s not because they’re new ideology, but because modern day Christians bypass them.
Definitely a topic seasoned Christians need to revisit, idolatry is serious business to God and often overlooked by us. Even the simplest tasks in our lives can become an idol. Several of them I hadn’t even considered.
Informative without being condemning, he uses everyday examples & even personal stories from his ministry to show us that we aren’t alone. Joshua’s speech from Chapter 24 of the Book of Joshua was used as an example also. Although one verse of it is quite popular & often quoted, it’s the fact that Joshua knew the people had choices. He was urging them to choose. I’ve read that Chapter many times & never gleaned the amount of wisdom shared here in ‘gods At War’.
If you’re looking to expand your Walk with Christ & eliminate hindrances, then this book is definitely for you. I gained an immense amount of wisdom & though-provoking ideas from it. I highly recommend it to seasoned Christians. Truly, it earns 5 of 5 stars.
December 8, 2020
Recently, I listened to a sermon series on idolatry (this sermon series was based on the book Gospel Treason: What Happens When You Give Your Heart to Idols. It was fantastic, so when I saw this book offered on the booksneeze blogger program I immediately signed up for a copy. The cover was cool. I had mental images of Thor and Loki battling it out with battle axes and fire...only in a Christian sort of way because this was about idols of the heart--an enormously important topic. I was a little disappointed that there was no battle imagery depicted in this book (should I say *Spoiler Alert*?), but Kyle has written a good book none the less.
In part one, he sets up his premise, declaring that idolatry is not just an issue it's THE issue. The heart is the battle ground where the gods war for our attention and worship. And the fact that God is a jealous God, who is not content to let us chase after lesser things. From here the sections revolve around Temples: the temple of pleasure (the god of food, the god of sex, and the god of entertainment), the temple of power, and the temple of love. There is no "practical section" at the end of the book because he does this after each god he addresses. He always includes a segment called "Idol ID" in which he walks you through some searching questions to help you discern whether this might be an idol in your heart or not. Then he includes a segment called "Jesus My Satisfaction" with the tag line "Idols are defeated not by being removed but by being replaced." This last one is where he walks the reader through Jesus' supremacy and the idol's inability to satisfy.
Kyle Idleman uses lots of first hand examples from his life or people he has counseled. These are often very useful for grasping the reality of the situation--making the issue concrete rather than theoretical. He helpfully applies Scripture, making it fun and interesting. At the same time, I was left wanting something more. I'm not sure if this is a problem of the book or me. I'll admit that I'm a glutton for punishment. Years of academic reading have conditioned me to want harder reading, detailed exegesis, or at least some serious A.W. Tozer style prophetic tongue lashing. If that is what you are looking for then you wont find it here. That's probably a good thing for the average person. This is a great introduction to the concept of idolatry. It's fun (even though there are no cool battle scenes), filled with examples and practical helps, and it's Gospel centered.
I did find it difficult to not compare it with the sermon series I mentioned above, but that's not even a fair comparison (especially since I haven't even read the book the series is based upon). So, I'll let that slide. But there were a few minor things that annoyed me. There are frequent QR codes throughout the book, linking to a song or an audio/video testimony. I don't have an iphone. Plus, it is an element of the book that will go out of date in the near future, so I would have preferred it if they would have left it out (I would have probably thought otherwise if I had an iphone...who knows). But the biggest annoyance to me was superfluous footnotes that could have easily been included within the body of the text. Footnotes like "So I've been told," "They would probably say, gobbledygook, hooey, hogwash, or poppycock," "Admittly, that is awesome," etc. So when it comes to some of these editorial choices within the book I would say, to quote Kyle Idleman's first book, that I'm "Not a Fan." The true content of the book, however, is well worth reading. I would say that I give it between 3 and 4 stars.
In part one, he sets up his premise, declaring that idolatry is not just an issue it's THE issue. The heart is the battle ground where the gods war for our attention and worship. And the fact that God is a jealous God, who is not content to let us chase after lesser things. From here the sections revolve around Temples: the temple of pleasure (the god of food, the god of sex, and the god of entertainment), the temple of power, and the temple of love. There is no "practical section" at the end of the book because he does this after each god he addresses. He always includes a segment called "Idol ID" in which he walks you through some searching questions to help you discern whether this might be an idol in your heart or not. Then he includes a segment called "Jesus My Satisfaction" with the tag line "Idols are defeated not by being removed but by being replaced." This last one is where he walks the reader through Jesus' supremacy and the idol's inability to satisfy.
Kyle Idleman uses lots of first hand examples from his life or people he has counseled. These are often very useful for grasping the reality of the situation--making the issue concrete rather than theoretical. He helpfully applies Scripture, making it fun and interesting. At the same time, I was left wanting something more. I'm not sure if this is a problem of the book or me. I'll admit that I'm a glutton for punishment. Years of academic reading have conditioned me to want harder reading, detailed exegesis, or at least some serious A.W. Tozer style prophetic tongue lashing. If that is what you are looking for then you wont find it here. That's probably a good thing for the average person. This is a great introduction to the concept of idolatry. It's fun (even though there are no cool battle scenes), filled with examples and practical helps, and it's Gospel centered.
I did find it difficult to not compare it with the sermon series I mentioned above, but that's not even a fair comparison (especially since I haven't even read the book the series is based upon). So, I'll let that slide. But there were a few minor things that annoyed me. There are frequent QR codes throughout the book, linking to a song or an audio/video testimony. I don't have an iphone. Plus, it is an element of the book that will go out of date in the near future, so I would have preferred it if they would have left it out (I would have probably thought otherwise if I had an iphone...who knows). But the biggest annoyance to me was superfluous footnotes that could have easily been included within the body of the text. Footnotes like "So I've been told," "They would probably say, gobbledygook, hooey, hogwash, or poppycock," "Admittly, that is awesome," etc. So when it comes to some of these editorial choices within the book I would say, to quote Kyle Idleman's first book, that I'm "Not a Fan." The true content of the book, however, is well worth reading. I would say that I give it between 3 and 4 stars.
March 28, 2013
Was ok, I liked Keller's book Counterfeit God better
April 17, 2013
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Man was created to bow. That is the central statement and this book pulls no punches. I, like many of you, thought I was safe. I mean, surely I’m not an idolator. That’s the stuff of the Old Testament. Or my unsaved neighbors, or that weird church in another city, or maybe that tribe in the Amazon. Definitely not me! But oh how I was wrong.
I received a free copy of Gods at War to review for Booksneeze with some presumptions. But not far into reading the book I knew that this was a wake up call from my complacency. I know that anything that takes the place of God in my life is in fact an idol, but somewhere I lost perspective and wasn’t seeing those things that I had allowed to encroach on the ruling seat of my own life. This book pulls back the covers and reveals those things that have remain hidden because they seem good. Things like achievement, romance, food, even family. Anything that comes before God is an idol no matter how pretty it looks or good it seems.
Finally, when we have weeded out all the other false gods in our lives we have to pull down the most difficult one: me. It may be the hardest one to fight. We must fight the god of me everyday. But as the author restates over and over throughout the book, an idol cannot be displaced, it must be replaced. The only proper replacement is Jesus.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially if you think it doesn’t apply to you. I can assure you that it most certainly does have relevance and application to life. The author brings correction with a gentle hand. With properly placed humor and real life stories from modern and Biblical sources you will feel compelled to look at your own life and pull down some idols.
Man was created to bow. That is the central statement and this book pulls no punches. I, like many of you, thought I was safe. I mean, surely I’m not an idolator. That’s the stuff of the Old Testament. Or my unsaved neighbors, or that weird church in another city, or maybe that tribe in the Amazon. Definitely not me! But oh how I was wrong.
I received a free copy of Gods at War to review for Booksneeze with some presumptions. But not far into reading the book I knew that this was a wake up call from my complacency. I know that anything that takes the place of God in my life is in fact an idol, but somewhere I lost perspective and wasn’t seeing those things that I had allowed to encroach on the ruling seat of my own life. This book pulls back the covers and reveals those things that have remain hidden because they seem good. Things like achievement, romance, food, even family. Anything that comes before God is an idol no matter how pretty it looks or good it seems.
Finally, when we have weeded out all the other false gods in our lives we have to pull down the most difficult one: me. It may be the hardest one to fight. We must fight the god of me everyday. But as the author restates over and over throughout the book, an idol cannot be displaced, it must be replaced. The only proper replacement is Jesus.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially if you think it doesn’t apply to you. I can assure you that it most certainly does have relevance and application to life. The author brings correction with a gentle hand. With properly placed humor and real life stories from modern and Biblical sources you will feel compelled to look at your own life and pull down some idols.
May 29, 2024
2024 reread
I listened to the audiobook this time around and it was still a great read. Very impactful about how anything can become an idol and to be sure that nothing takes the place of God in your life. I liked the easy-to-read writing style and that I could put the audiobook aside for a while and still be okay with following along when I restarted it. A great read.
---
gods at war is the first book I've read by Kyle Idleman and I really liked it. The book was written in an easy-to-read style and the stories that were told to showcase the gods in peoples' lives were interesting. There were several things said in gods at War that were convicting and made me think. I recommend this book!
*It looks like I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley, but it disappeared. So I ended up borrowing it from the library instead. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
I listened to the audiobook this time around and it was still a great read. Very impactful about how anything can become an idol and to be sure that nothing takes the place of God in your life. I liked the easy-to-read writing style and that I could put the audiobook aside for a while and still be okay with following along when I restarted it. A great read.
---
gods at war is the first book I've read by Kyle Idleman and I really liked it. The book was written in an easy-to-read style and the stories that were told to showcase the gods in peoples' lives were interesting. There were several things said in gods at War that were convicting and made me think. I recommend this book!
*It looks like I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley, but it disappeared. So I ended up borrowing it from the library instead. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
May 28, 2013
I appreciated these sometimes difficult words. I believe these are ideas and thoughts with which we all wrestle at times. God wants all of us. He is not interested in sharing our devotion, even slightly. We have been conditioned by our culture to think that we can have God and whatever else we want. That is not the case. Will we be completely His? That is the question.
February 11, 2014
If someone were to ask you to name all of the Ten Commandments, could you do it? What about the second commandment in particular? The one that says “You shall not make for yourself an idol.” I know I have often overlooked that one because it seems obsolete. No golden calves here, not a one. So, I’m good. Right? WRONG!
Idleman points out very clearly that idols come in all shapes and sizes, and he devotes a chapter to each of the main ones that students (and adults) put on the throne of life. The god of entertainment is a good example. Although Idleman makes it clear that watching a little television or spending time playing video games is not a sin, putting these things ahead of God definitely is. Anything can become an idol if it replaces God in your life.
In this book, idolatry in its modern form is clearly defined and explained. Age appropriate examples are included. The organization of the book is simple and easy to follow. There are also healthy doses of humor and interesting facts. I highly recommend this book for students. So many things try to lay claim to our hearts, but God and only God can truly fill the void. Anything else is a poor substitute.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Idleman points out very clearly that idols come in all shapes and sizes, and he devotes a chapter to each of the main ones that students (and adults) put on the throne of life. The god of entertainment is a good example. Although Idleman makes it clear that watching a little television or spending time playing video games is not a sin, putting these things ahead of God definitely is. Anything can become an idol if it replaces God in your life.
In this book, idolatry in its modern form is clearly defined and explained. Age appropriate examples are included. The organization of the book is simple and easy to follow. There are also healthy doses of humor and interesting facts. I highly recommend this book for students. So many things try to lay claim to our hearts, but God and only God can truly fill the void. Anything else is a poor substitute.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2013
A book on idols and how we allow them to be #1 instead of God. Haven't we read this book before?
The problem I have with this book is not that it is written poorly. In fact, Idleman is a great author. My problem was I wasn't engaged with the material. I've heard it all before, many times.
Idleman divides this book into four parts:
gods at war sets the stage for the rest of the book
the temple of pleasure dissects our bent toward food, sex, and entertainment.
the temple of power highlights our drive toward money, success, and achievement.
the temple of love focuses on romance, family, and me (or you as the case may be)
Idleman repeatedly states that these things are not bad in and of themselves. They become gods when we elevate them to top priorities.
You've heard this before, yes?
Idleman adds a couple blips at the end of each chapter to add a little flair but this really isn't a groundbreaking book for Christians (or nonChristians).
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.
The problem I have with this book is not that it is written poorly. In fact, Idleman is a great author. My problem was I wasn't engaged with the material. I've heard it all before, many times.
Idleman divides this book into four parts:
gods at war sets the stage for the rest of the book
the temple of pleasure dissects our bent toward food, sex, and entertainment.
the temple of power highlights our drive toward money, success, and achievement.
the temple of love focuses on romance, family, and me (or you as the case may be)
Idleman repeatedly states that these things are not bad in and of themselves. They become gods when we elevate them to top priorities.
You've heard this before, yes?
Idleman adds a couple blips at the end of each chapter to add a little flair but this really isn't a groundbreaking book for Christians (or nonChristians).
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.
January 25, 2014
This was good, convicting but at times it made you almost feel guilty for breathing. Everything should always be questioned to not take the throne seat of God, and Jesus does say we must hate our families and even our own life in comparison to our love for God. Grace and truth are two sides of the gospel coin that always must go hand-in-hand. Chuck Swindoll's Grace Awakening would be a good read after this. God is a jealous God, yes, but those who struggle with an over-active guilt complex or legalistic mindset need to remember that by grace we were saved and kept saved by His Grace. We are freed from sin and not freed to sin.
February 26, 2013
Other than the Bible this was the most convicting book I have ever read. It's what I call an 'ouch, hallelujah' book. If you are ready to move forward in your Christian walk, read this book.
March 16, 2013
This was a better written book than Idleman's last one (Not A Fan)
January 27, 2018
This was an interesting (and convicting) book. Not all of it applied to me, but I still enjoyed reading those chapters because Idleman has an enjoyable and amusing writing style.
April 14, 2025
This was an easy read stylistically, yet it sure packed a punch. I worked with an elderly lady for a few years who watched Idleman's sermons over and over. While I enjoyed his teaching, I got a little sick of them, which is why it took me a while to actually read one of his books.
I recommend this as a good read for every Christian adult. It's too easy to think I have no idols in my life, and I needed the reminder that I all too often set up other "gods" in my heart.
I recommend this as a good read for every Christian adult. It's too easy to think I have no idols in my life, and I needed the reminder that I all too often set up other "gods" in my heart.
February 25, 2023
I read this for my Sunday school class, and over the weeks we have dug into these chapters, and figured out where our idols lay and where we should really be placing our focus.
December 14, 2023
I have had this one on my shelf for quite some time. Something in one of our pastors sermons recently caused me to think about it.
It is a good analysis of many of the people or things that we tend to expect more from them than they are able to give.
Part one was especially helpful with quite a few diagnostic questions to help build the case as to why we have such a tendency to elevate so many things above God in our lives.
It is a good analysis of many of the people or things that we tend to expect more from them than they are able to give.
Part one was especially helpful with quite a few diagnostic questions to help build the case as to why we have such a tendency to elevate so many things above God in our lives.
March 11, 2013
For the full review and other book reviews, please head over to my blog.
If I asked you which of the Ten Commandments gave you the most trouble, you probably would admit to the second commandment. In Exodus 20:4 God commands, "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." I don't think that this is a common problem in America today. I very rarely, if ever, see actual idols that were made to worship. There is, however, still an idolatry problem in our world today. Kyle Idleman meets this problem head on in his new book gods at war. He argues that while we aren't setting up statues or other images and bowing down to them, we're elevating people, ideas, and objects in our lives to a place higher than God. Idleman writes, "Anything at all can become an idol once it becomes a substitute for God in our lives." Whenever we make a choice that goes against God or favors someone or something over God, we have become idolaters.
I really appreciate what Kyle Idleman has done in gods at war. When I wrote my thesis on faith, I came to the same basic conclusions about where we put our faith. Ultimately if we are not trusting and seeking after God with our lives, then we have given something that isn't God the position of God in our hearts. I think a lot of people need to hear this today. The subject matter, however, is very similar to Timothy Keller's book Counterfeit Gods. If you've read Keller's book, this book is not going to much different. One thing Idleman does different is his book does a great job of helping you reevaluate the values you are giving to different people and things in your life. The reflective questions that appear in the book help you take this step. I don't think most of us realize how we have let something that might be good turn into a false god and rule over our lives. It does not, however, explore in depth in any one of the false god's that it discusses. For that reason, I believe this book would be best used in a group study since it comes with questions already imbedded in the text. Going through this book with a small group would allow someone to analyze each "god"a little more in depth (there are also online resources at godsatwar.com).
If I asked you which of the Ten Commandments gave you the most trouble, you probably would admit to the second commandment. In Exodus 20:4 God commands, "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." I don't think that this is a common problem in America today. I very rarely, if ever, see actual idols that were made to worship. There is, however, still an idolatry problem in our world today. Kyle Idleman meets this problem head on in his new book gods at war. He argues that while we aren't setting up statues or other images and bowing down to them, we're elevating people, ideas, and objects in our lives to a place higher than God. Idleman writes, "Anything at all can become an idol once it becomes a substitute for God in our lives." Whenever we make a choice that goes against God or favors someone or something over God, we have become idolaters.
I really appreciate what Kyle Idleman has done in gods at war. When I wrote my thesis on faith, I came to the same basic conclusions about where we put our faith. Ultimately if we are not trusting and seeking after God with our lives, then we have given something that isn't God the position of God in our hearts. I think a lot of people need to hear this today. The subject matter, however, is very similar to Timothy Keller's book Counterfeit Gods. If you've read Keller's book, this book is not going to much different. One thing Idleman does different is his book does a great job of helping you reevaluate the values you are giving to different people and things in your life. The reflective questions that appear in the book help you take this step. I don't think most of us realize how we have let something that might be good turn into a false god and rule over our lives. It does not, however, explore in depth in any one of the false god's that it discusses. For that reason, I believe this book would be best used in a group study since it comes with questions already imbedded in the text. Going through this book with a small group would allow someone to analyze each "god"a little more in depth (there are also online resources at godsatwar.com).
December 9, 2020
Personally, although I thought the subject of the book an important one, I felt that the author did not do it justice.
Since the subject of the book is idolatry, or God's competitors for your attentions, I would assume he'd define it at least as well as I just did. He kind of does but could have been clearer.
He could also have laid off some of the intense guilt tripping laid out repeatedly for the reader. Is money your downfall? Is sex your idol? Is food your comfort instead of God? Is your family? It's implied that at very least one of these is your personal idol. Shame on you.
Notably absent are any of his idols. I suppose instead of writing a partially confessionary book, he went with suggestive judgementalism instead. While that's his choice, it rather removes him from the polluted pool of idolatry all the rest of us are apparently wallowing in.
And then he says...why do we do this when God is so much more satisfying than sex, money, food, etc.? What he doesn't say is that God does not satisfy us in the way food does, or sex, etc. No one who has eaten a really good slice of cheesecake suggests that God tastes better. (I could have gone further with that line of thinking, but I'll let it go.)
What's missing from this book is any suggestion that the reader may indeed have his priorities correct. He works for money to meet his financial obligations for himself and his family, not to be greedy. He enjoys sex appropriately; he doesn't overeat. There's nothing in the book to acknowledge these correct balances, which makes for an unbalanced book.
Finally, and not necessarily a criticism of this particular book: If all God's gifts can and often are perverted into things we worship instead of God, then all those good gifts look more like attractive traps we fallen creatures (including Christians) continually fall into.
I'm not saying that's wrong; I'm just saying it's dismal and grim. No wonder Jesus.
Since the subject of the book is idolatry, or God's competitors for your attentions, I would assume he'd define it at least as well as I just did. He kind of does but could have been clearer.
He could also have laid off some of the intense guilt tripping laid out repeatedly for the reader. Is money your downfall? Is sex your idol? Is food your comfort instead of God? Is your family? It's implied that at very least one of these is your personal idol. Shame on you.
Notably absent are any of his idols. I suppose instead of writing a partially confessionary book, he went with suggestive judgementalism instead. While that's his choice, it rather removes him from the polluted pool of idolatry all the rest of us are apparently wallowing in.
And then he says...why do we do this when God is so much more satisfying than sex, money, food, etc.? What he doesn't say is that God does not satisfy us in the way food does, or sex, etc. No one who has eaten a really good slice of cheesecake suggests that God tastes better. (I could have gone further with that line of thinking, but I'll let it go.)
What's missing from this book is any suggestion that the reader may indeed have his priorities correct. He works for money to meet his financial obligations for himself and his family, not to be greedy. He enjoys sex appropriately; he doesn't overeat. There's nothing in the book to acknowledge these correct balances, which makes for an unbalanced book.
Finally, and not necessarily a criticism of this particular book: If all God's gifts can and often are perverted into things we worship instead of God, then all those good gifts look more like attractive traps we fallen creatures (including Christians) continually fall into.
I'm not saying that's wrong; I'm just saying it's dismal and grim. No wonder Jesus.
July 31, 2013
Written with humor and gut-wrenching frankness, author Kyle Idleman dissects modern day idols in the Christian life. Idleman asks:
1. What disappoints you?
2. What do you complain about the most?
3. Where do you make financial sacrifices?
4. What worries you?
5. Where is your sanctuary?
He does an excellent job of categorizing and making relevant the idols in our current culture: food, sex, entertainment, success, money, achievement, romance, family, and finally, self. In each chapter I identified with his illustrations. Many, many times he hits the nail on the head.
At the same time, Idelman makes the point that none of these things are bad or evil on their own. In fact, God created almost all of them (i.e. sex, marriage/families, vocations, delicious foods) to bring purpose and joy into our lives. The problem, from a Christian's point of view, is when any one of these becomes more important (more dependable, more comforting, more desirable) than our daily relationship with the Lord. As Idleman says, "Every day is a trip to that orchard." (p228).
This would be an excellent book to use in a mentoring relationship. "Out-dated" scripture is made relevant to daily life. Biblical concepts and stories are used (and referenced) in examples that are easy to understand. Christians at all levels of maturity will be able to relate to the idols presented, and the book provides an excellent resource for discussion. How the book falls short, however, is that it does not help a (new or struggling) Christian to find scripture/encouragement. The message of God's forgiveness, restoration and grace is (surprisingly) missing from the book? A mentor (or study group) would be very helpful in this respect.
1. What disappoints you?
2. What do you complain about the most?
3. Where do you make financial sacrifices?
4. What worries you?
5. Where is your sanctuary?
He does an excellent job of categorizing and making relevant the idols in our current culture: food, sex, entertainment, success, money, achievement, romance, family, and finally, self. In each chapter I identified with his illustrations. Many, many times he hits the nail on the head.
At the same time, Idelman makes the point that none of these things are bad or evil on their own. In fact, God created almost all of them (i.e. sex, marriage/families, vocations, delicious foods) to bring purpose and joy into our lives. The problem, from a Christian's point of view, is when any one of these becomes more important (more dependable, more comforting, more desirable) than our daily relationship with the Lord. As Idleman says, "Every day is a trip to that orchard." (p228).
This would be an excellent book to use in a mentoring relationship. "Out-dated" scripture is made relevant to daily life. Biblical concepts and stories are used (and referenced) in examples that are easy to understand. Christians at all levels of maturity will be able to relate to the idols presented, and the book provides an excellent resource for discussion. How the book falls short, however, is that it does not help a (new or struggling) Christian to find scripture/encouragement. The message of God's forgiveness, restoration and grace is (surprisingly) missing from the book? A mentor (or study group) would be very helpful in this respect.
March 12, 2013
Wow! This book probes past the veneer that so many Christians (including myself) have applied over the "idols" that reside in our heart. One of the great questions that the author continues to ask throughout the book is "Have you started worshiping the gift rather than the Giver."
The topics he addresses are all good things that God gives to us that we often take and make a god out of. Mr. Idleman lays out the topics as follows:
1. The Temple of Pleasure
a. The god of food
b. The god of sex
c. The god of entertainment
2. The Temple of Power
a. The god of success
b. The god of money
c. The god of achievement
3. The Temple of Love
a. The god of romance
b. The god of family
c. The god of me
This book was rather convicting to me personally. I personally have bowed down to the god of success and achievement all too often in my life. Even as a pastor, I was too often pursuing success and achievement as my god instead of God as my God. And I know many good men who do the same thing in their ministries.
The chapter on the "god of me" really hit home at the end. It really does come down to a matter of whether I am going to sit on the throne of my heart or whether God is going to sit on the throne of my heart.
The book is infused with good illustrations and humor which takes the edge off of some sensitive topics (if you have read 'Not a Fan' and enjoyed the humor there, you will enjoy this book). I don't give five stars to many books but this is one that I HIGHLY recommend to any and all Christians!
The topics he addresses are all good things that God gives to us that we often take and make a god out of. Mr. Idleman lays out the topics as follows:
1. The Temple of Pleasure
a. The god of food
b. The god of sex
c. The god of entertainment
2. The Temple of Power
a. The god of success
b. The god of money
c. The god of achievement
3. The Temple of Love
a. The god of romance
b. The god of family
c. The god of me
This book was rather convicting to me personally. I personally have bowed down to the god of success and achievement all too often in my life. Even as a pastor, I was too often pursuing success and achievement as my god instead of God as my God. And I know many good men who do the same thing in their ministries.
The chapter on the "god of me" really hit home at the end. It really does come down to a matter of whether I am going to sit on the throne of my heart or whether God is going to sit on the throne of my heart.
The book is infused with good illustrations and humor which takes the edge off of some sensitive topics (if you have read 'Not a Fan' and enjoyed the humor there, you will enjoy this book). I don't give five stars to many books but this is one that I HIGHLY recommend to any and all Christians!
October 7, 2018
I can't believe I haven't reviewed this book on Goodreads yet! This is one of my top 10 favorite books (used to be top 5, but as I keep reading, there's too many favorites to limit to 5!) I read it for the 3rd time this week, and it challenged me deeply yet again.
If you're a Christian, you're probably familiar with the ten commandments, and have probably said something like, "Well as long as I give God first place in my life..." or "God is my #1 priority." And that's the correct Sunday School answer, but friend, that is not the way you likely live.
Idolatry is a strong word, and maybe even a little archaic. I'm going to guess that you don't have a morning and evening ritual of bowing to a half carved image. But what do you reach for first in the morning? What's the last thing your eyes behold at night? Is it your phone? Is it your TV? Is it some person that you hold dearest? Then that's your idol. What you sacrifice time and energy for is your idol. Is it your family? That's noble, but if it takes the place of God, that is sin.
One of the big eye openers for me was when the author dissected the verse "thou shalt have no other gods before me." I thought I had a good grasp on what that meant, but wow, I didn't understand the severity of what this command meant!
Please read this and prepare for spiritual heart surgery. Idols will be identified that you didn't know existed. It'll be hard, but so worth it.
If you're a Christian, you're probably familiar with the ten commandments, and have probably said something like, "Well as long as I give God first place in my life..." or "God is my #1 priority." And that's the correct Sunday School answer, but friend, that is not the way you likely live.
Idolatry is a strong word, and maybe even a little archaic. I'm going to guess that you don't have a morning and evening ritual of bowing to a half carved image. But what do you reach for first in the morning? What's the last thing your eyes behold at night? Is it your phone? Is it your TV? Is it some person that you hold dearest? Then that's your idol. What you sacrifice time and energy for is your idol. Is it your family? That's noble, but if it takes the place of God, that is sin.
One of the big eye openers for me was when the author dissected the verse "thou shalt have no other gods before me." I thought I had a good grasp on what that meant, but wow, I didn't understand the severity of what this command meant!
Please read this and prepare for spiritual heart surgery. Idols will be identified that you didn't know existed. It'll be hard, but so worth it.
July 9, 2013
Okay, who wouldn't be interested in reading this book after reading that description? (That was taken from the back cover of the book.) I want to know who could read this book, and be the same person they were when they picked it up. Ann Voskamp's comment made me think about that, and I agree with her, I'm not sure it can be done.
When I first looked at the table of contents, I could see where this was going to take me. It was going to open my eyes to all of the idols in my life. So not a good thing. I didn't expect to read about the idols in my life that hadn't even crossed my mind. This can be a brutal read, I'm not going to lie to you. But. (You knew that was coming, right?) But, anyone that has committed their life to Christ and is trying to be a better Christian should read this book. In my opinion, it will help you see the things you need to work on in your everyday life. It will help you see the things that are possible to change. That is how it worked for me.
Kyle Idleman, also the author of not a fan, and H2O, has recently released a study for this book, gods at war. I am on the search for it now!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.
When I first looked at the table of contents, I could see where this was going to take me. It was going to open my eyes to all of the idols in my life. So not a good thing. I didn't expect to read about the idols in my life that hadn't even crossed my mind. This can be a brutal read, I'm not going to lie to you. But. (You knew that was coming, right?) But, anyone that has committed their life to Christ and is trying to be a better Christian should read this book. In my opinion, it will help you see the things you need to work on in your everyday life. It will help you see the things that are possible to change. That is how it worked for me.
Kyle Idleman, also the author of not a fan, and H2O, has recently released a study for this book, gods at war. I am on the search for it now!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2013
This is an awesome follow up to "Not a Fan." This book I think is more targeted towards those who have been a christian for some time. Like his other book, "Not a Fan," I found the first part of the book better than the second half. Perhaps because both books repeat the same point again and again? I still really enjoyed it and was convicted by it as well. I enjoyed this one more than "Not a Fan" and was more challenged by this book. 4.5 Stars
My Favorite Quotes:
"No matter what god seems to be winning the war for your heart at this moment, you can be sure of one thing-- the one true God will not give up without a fight. God is in pursuit of our wandering, adulterous hearts, and He will stalk us to our graves."
"The more beautiful a thing is, the more capacity it has to become an idol. The more I fear losing it, the more likely I am to worship it."
"Idols are defeated not by being defeated, but by being replaced."
My Favorite Quotes:
"No matter what god seems to be winning the war for your heart at this moment, you can be sure of one thing-- the one true God will not give up without a fight. God is in pursuit of our wandering, adulterous hearts, and He will stalk us to our graves."
"The more beautiful a thing is, the more capacity it has to become an idol. The more I fear losing it, the more likely I am to worship it."
"Idols are defeated not by being defeated, but by being replaced."
March 19, 2018
Until I read this book, I never realized just how many things can become "gods" in our life. The Old Testament defines the ten commandments for us--one of which states that "you shall have no other gods before me." One tends to think of this as idols made of gold, stone, etc. like in the OT times. However, in our modern day society, there are many things that take up our time and passions in front of our God. This book really challenged me to think about what I look to in order to be fulfilled in life and gain satisfaction. God should be the one we always look to in order to complete our joy. The book states that "idols are not defeated by being removed but by being replaced." God should be our only God of our life and then all our other "idols and gods" find their right place and order.
July 29, 2013
Every once in while I read a book that I think "man, everyone needs to read this". This is one such book. It is a convicting book when you consider how easy it is to put anything above God in our lives and how careful we need to be, yet it isn't a hard driving hell and brimstone type of book. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I like his style. He writes with humor, yet is serious in his approach to showing how easy it is to have idols in our lives.
I really don't read enough non-fiction, but if all non-fiction was as easy to read, I would read more of it. And though it is an easy and interesting read, it is not a shallow book by any means. It is challenging and convicting, and is truly a book all Christians should read.
I really don't read enough non-fiction, but if all non-fiction was as easy to read, I would read more of it. And though it is an easy and interesting read, it is not a shallow book by any means. It is challenging and convicting, and is truly a book all Christians should read.
September 9, 2016
Kyle Idleman is a brilliant author who isn't afraid to bring to light an extremely serious problem in humanity. Before I read this book, I basically "knew" I didn't have a problem with idolatry because I wasn't literally bowing down to a random golden calf in my living room. However, after reading this very convicting, informative, and Christian novel I realized I wasn't where I needed to be in my walk with Jesus Christ. I would like to give a big thank-you to Kyle Idleman for showing not only me, but the rest of the people in my life group (name for our church's small group), that we need to give our everything to Jesus. I recommend this book to everyone, no matter who they are, as everyone needs to grow in their walk with Jesus.
June 20, 2014
This book is a great follow up to Idelman's Not a Fan. In it, the author destroys any notion that idolatry is an issue left long ago in the church's past. Rather, Idleman demonstrates that idolatry is the central issue facing believers today. This book exposes these modern idols and then offers a prescription for the believer who wants to do some some searching and eliminate all challengers to God Almighty's throne. Idleman manages to accomplish all of this in a manner that is just light-hearted to keep the reader entertained without being too irreverent. I highly recommend this book.
June 1, 2016
In gods at War Kyle Idleman helps Christians examine the things in our lives that we turn into false idols. Success, power, food, sex, money, celebrity status, technology, pornography, control, comfort--in today's society the possibilities are endless. We're looking in all the wrong places to fill those voids. Idleman shows readers how to fetter out their gods and refocus on their relationships with Christ. It's a tough read. Examining yourself that closely isn't always fun. But it's a worthwhile exercise. A "combat journal" is also available as a workbook to go with gods at War.
February 6, 2017
I'd never really given this book much thought, but once I read I was satisfied with what it had to say. One of my Bible teachers from many years ago said that our primary sin was idolatry, and I've believed that since. I thought it through and realized it matched reality.
Kyle Idleman presents three categories of gods in our lives: the gods of pleasure, power, and love. Each chapter had real-life examples and clear expositions. He wrote with humor and in a relatable way.
To anyone who wants to see what idols they have in their lives, this book is recommended.
Kyle Idleman presents three categories of gods in our lives: the gods of pleasure, power, and love. Each chapter had real-life examples and clear expositions. He wrote with humor and in a relatable way.
To anyone who wants to see what idols they have in their lives, this book is recommended.
November 20, 2015
Sobering!
Thanks Liz for lending me this. It is a must read, I will buy myself a copy to share with others.
Idleman does very well to expose these gods : of me, of family, of romance, of achievement, of money, of success, of entertainment, of sex and of food. Again, sobering! Read it!
The last chapter ended suddenly, as if his chapter ending was overlooked... odd! Otherwise, put together neatly and a nice easy read.
Thanks Liz for lending me this. It is a must read, I will buy myself a copy to share with others.
Idleman does very well to expose these gods : of me, of family, of romance, of achievement, of money, of success, of entertainment, of sex and of food. Again, sobering! Read it!
The last chapter ended suddenly, as if his chapter ending was overlooked... odd! Otherwise, put together neatly and a nice easy read.
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