October 1, 2026

Hey guys,

This week’s Thought comes from 1 John 5:21. There John says, "Dear brothers and sisters, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.”

He's writing this to the church, to Believers who want to have God at the center of their life. I was with a group of guys recently, and I asked them, “What is it that takes most of your attention, your focus, or your time?” 

They responded with answers like My wife. My kids. My job. My responsibilities. One guy even said “my phone”. None of those things are inherently bad, but when they take the place of God in our hearts, they become an idol. An idol is anything that comes between you and the Lord — something that takes your focus off of Him and you instead become focused on that thing. John knew this and knew how dangerous it was. He wanted us to work at keeping away from those things…even if they're good things. 

I was convicted as I read this. Everyday I try to take 30-45 minutes to read, study and journal about what I’ve read. I don't always get to. Sometimes life happens, but as I read this, I couldn’t help but think. If I'm studying, and I have plenty of time to really focus, I'm locked in for 45 minutes. However, when I go to the gym, I'm there for 1-1.5 hours! If I watch a TV show with my wife at night, that’s normally 45 minutes to an hour. None of those things are inherently bad, but if it takes the place of God in my heart, it has become an idol.

So, join me this week in following the words of John: “Keep away from those things that can take God's place in your hearts.”

Love you guys,

John