Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone

Elyse wrote an amazing work that exposes mankind's hopeless predicament of idolatry: their hearts want to worship everything in creation above the Creator in Christ Jesus! Thus, the source of all mankind’s frustrations lies in the truth that we as creation do not have a default setting that operates in submission to the sovereign, loving, and benevolent rule of their Creator for optimal performance and enjoyment of life. Thankfully what is hopeless in the power of man, is possible with God through Christ Jesus. Elyse wrote, "The law shows how much I desperately need Christ's perfect record applied to mine.” Elyse elaborates that not only does Christ’s life, death, and resurrection set our idolatrous hearts free from the wrath of God by paying our sin’s debt but Christ also empowers our hearts to freely fight the temptation of idolatry with a promise of progressive victory until the day Christ perfects our hearts at His second coming. Elyse provides rich biblical truths and practical guides to expose and kill the current and future heart idols. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all Christians so they can be sobered by the truth that they still have within the old man flesh idolatrous hearts but as Christians have been given everything they need for life and godliness so they can give their flesh a daily killing by vivifying the new man’s heart in Christ!!!

This was a wonderful book I absolutely loved it. I got more than I bargained for. Personally, any book that teaches on the Old Testament is a plus. Prior to reading this book I only thought of idolatry as bowing down to idols but I knew there was more to it than that. The author gave very clear examples that provoke readers to examine our hearts to ensure that we are not creating God in our own image instead of believing that he is a great God. The over arching theme of this book was the first three commandments with emphasis on the first. The author stated that if you have any difficulty keeping the first you will not be able to keep the other nine.God chose Abraham and took him from his family who were idolaters. Jacob married Rachel, his cousin, whose family was steeped in idolatry. God was the one who delivered the children of Israel out of bondage, however they created an image to worship and said this was their God that delivered them. When we look at the mistakes the children of Israel made back then we see that we are making similar mistakes today. Really good read and the questions at the end of each chapter helped with the grasping of the information. I highly recommend this book. I am convinced that the Lord led me to read it.

The subtitle of this book is a very accurate description of the book's focus: "Learning to Long for God Alone." I had paid more attention to the main title and was expecting a good portion of the book to focus on some of the common idols of the heart, but there is almost no mention of specific idols. The author instead shows us the importance of loving God first and foremost, signs that we have idols of the heart, the danger of these idols, how to determine what those idols are, how to cast them aside, and what to replace them with.Her case is well made with Scripture, and illustrated with examples, mostly her own. While aimed at revealing to you your own heart idolatry, the tone of this book does manage to be very encouraging. One point that I liked was that it does not just focus on casting aside definite sins, but also lawful things/situations/etc that we have elevated above God or that tempt us to sin. I came out of this book recognizing at least one idol of my own heart, and I trust that the same will be true for you. I'd recommend this book to any Christian woman.

This 12 lesson study was used in our women's Bible study group and was excellent in its ability to help us examine our motives and our individual abilities to form and cling to the idols in our hearts. We are made to worship and to long after God; we have replaced Him with substitutes in this world that fall short and were never meant to satisfy. The author does a wonderful job in a truthful, loving and helpful approach by causing the reader to systematically examine what it is that we are enamored with. It guides us back to Scripture and to the completed work of Christ that we can go to for help to (as Mrs. Fitzpatrick calls it) "crush our idols". The guiding verse for the book is: "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you." (Psalm 63:3) Helpful questions to help you "dig deeper" are included at the end of each lesson as well as 3 appendices (How to Know if You are a Christian; How to Know What Legalism Is, etc.). This would make a great study for an individual or a group of women! :)

This was an excellent book. Our study group spent a year in going through this book and many idols were burned on the "altar" of sacrifice!The DIAGRAMS are so helpful in understanding how sanctification takes place in us and how we are conformed to the Image of Jesus.I am ordering more books for the church sunday school group now.It has been a year since we finished the first study of this book and I have people telling me that they continuously go back to the book to re-read a point that the author made; or to share information from the book with another person; or to allow the Holy Spirit to expose any other idols that may be lurking in their hearts. There is not one person who did not think that this was a turning point in their walk with the Lord and many have read the book all over again after the study group was finished.

I was in the modern and liberal church and God spoke to me in dreams and he told me and forbid to wear trousers , is true God hates women wear trousers , and he didn't like women wear make up and this lady says in his book Christians who try to wear holy are false Christians and legalists. And to know that I paid for this book. But I reject this teaching 100% because was God in dreams who spoke to me and he told he didn't want.

An excellent book. Shows how easily we focus our attention anywhere else but God. The whole book points to the Lord as the only source of our happiness and satisfaction. The author gives ample examples from the Bible of people who worshiped God and as well of those who failed. She gives a biblical solution to our everyday idolatry. The book is very encouraging; doctrinally very sound and practical at the same time. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for the personal reading but even better to go through it with a friend as one to one discipleship.

Good book very thought provoking.

This is such a great read from an incredible author. Fitzpatrick gives fantastic tips on processing the different idols in our lives which we tend to rename or ignore altogether. This book was a huge blessing to me!

Explain Why we do the things we do. You are bitter and can't forgive? That is because you have a Idol.