Counterfeit Gods

Timothy Keller has already written two of my all-time favorite books on faith. The Prodigal God and Reason for God were both game changers for me. Full of insight and provocative answers for those who are both skeptics and believers. Some days, I'm a bit of both.

Well, I just finished his epic third book in the trilogy, Counterfeit Gods. And this one in many ways is my favorite of the bunch.

The book deals with our idols and the empty promises of money, sex and power - and how none of these ever truly quench our thirsts.

I must admit, I never really thought much about the Commandment to "have no other God, or idol, before me." But God put that Commandment first, so he must find it important.

Even so, I have always held a very uninformed view on idols. That they were lifeless creations worshiped by a more primitive people. And while that's true, it is also true that idols are still very much worshiped in our modern, "sophisticated" generation.

In some ways more than ever.

The idol of success. The idol of "having it all". The idol of sex without any commitment. The idol of all pleasure with no pain. The idol of staying forever young. The idol of total convenience. The idol of getting now but paying later.

Just this week I began to worship of the new idol from Mac - and the iPad isn't even in production yet!

The list is endless. But Keller's book helps open your eyes to modern day idol worship. Better yet, he gives you information and inspiration on how to replace these idols with the worship of a God who surpasses them all.

Read an excerpt of the book here. Or better yet, read the whole thing as soon as you can get to it.