What You Focus on Becomes Who You Are
Pastor Darryn Scheske | Come Closer | Part 2 | August 10, 2025
Whatever you worship, you’ll eventually become obsessed with. Whatever you’re obsessed with, you’ll start to imitate.
And whatever you imitate… you’ll become. But let’s be honest—some of us don’t like what we’re becoming. So ask yourself: What did you put on the throne?
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 4:23
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. James 5:8 “Come close to God and God will come close to you.” This is the Word of the Lord.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER
August 3-23
Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m. & Sat 9:00 a.m.
“Come close to God and God will come close to you.” James 5:8
“The greatest threat to undivided devotion to God is…idolatry” – Dr. Ivan Satyavrata
“Idols are anything you seek, honor, exalt or love more than God.” – Dr. Ivan Satyavrata
We all worship something
Worship is our response to what we value most
You were made to worship
Worship is love expressed
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for idols made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Romans 1:21-23
“The gods we worship write their names on our faces - be sure of that. And man will worship something - have no doubt about that either... Therefore, we should be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Idolatry is not only one sin among many, but what is fundamentally wrong with the human heart – the tendency of the human heart to drift from supreme loyalty to our Creator-God towards other competitors – counterfeit gods!
What did you put on the throne?
Pride
Many even among the leaders believed in Jesus. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:42-43
Hedonism
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15
Spectatorism
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… (Hebrews 10:22)
Tradition
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition…? Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” Matthew 15:3-9
I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Psalm 50:8-15
1. Thank Him with my sincere affection.
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9
2. Offer Him the control of my life.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1
3. Include Him in my everyday life.
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealousGod. (Deuteronomy 6:14-15)
What God really wants is relationship with me.