Listen to his startling words: “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Establishing the correct priorities in our lives is vital for our success as Christians. The failure to take the proper precautions today will result in severe consequences tomorrow. He is either Lord of all or Lord of none. Demonstrate your commitment by putting me first in everything.” It’s just like marriage. He wants to give us a purpose larger than ourselves. III. Instead, Turner suggested a set of “Ten Voluntary Initiatives” to guide “sensitive persons through the new age.”. The one factor that seemed to transcend all the rest was the habit of putting first things first. Here are three indications. Putting God First is the ultimate fundamental principle as Christian stewards. One added flesh to the bone, the second grew hide and hair, the third completed it with matching limbs, and the fourth gave the lion life. What should be your big rocks? D. God made these promises to Abram and combined with his faith in God motivated Abraham to put God first in his life. Passionate following produces freedom. Your every breath is to go back to Him. He understands more than you and me that the God you choose will either devour or develop you life. If God is not first, guess who removed him from his rightful place? Grant van Boeschoten. Put his house first and he will bless you." They said that the jar was probably not full. When you put God first, you experience a new awareness of his presence. Facebook Twitter Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment. It was an embarrassment to God and a blemish on his reputation. B. Matthew 6:31-34. The Mush God is a serviceable god whose laws are chiseled not on tablets but written on sand, open to amendment, qualification and erasure. To tithe is to return the first 10% of our income back to God. Please understand: Nothing is wrong with having a nice home. It can even be something that is considered good, yet you allow it to dominate your life more than God, such as your marriage or your family. Others may believe serving homeless people a meal every Saturday night is putting God first. If you don’t fully buy into this one, the other nine are of no use. Go ahead and try it and you’ll see what happens. God had miraculously saved them from bondage in Egypt. "Putting God First" - Sermon Videos September 11, 2016 Thank you to all who responded that fateful day and continued healing to the family and friends of all affected by the events. He wants to liberate us from the anxiety of having enough stuff to find our freedom in himself. You are a “practical atheist” or perhaps a “practical polytheist.” You’re attempting to follow two Gods: the Lord and you. Many Christians respond that they put God first, family second, and everything else afterwards. This statement is not an attack on riches or big houses. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Note the words, "first of all." Their Samaritan neighbors offered to join in the work, but the Jews refused them. They believed that; we believe that. Jesus said the same thing: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matthew 6:33, HCSB). It is, after all, out of his great love that He even makes this command. E.M. Gray spent his life searching for the one trait all successful people share. It is foundational to all the rest. God wanted to make sure that he was the most important thing to you, so he put it at the top of his list. In three short verses God defines a proper perspective for viewing life. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Putting God First {A Children’s Sermon} So start with your supplies … 1 tennis ball golf balls small stones sand empty jar bowl colander funnel (not pictured, but it will be later!) OUT OF BOUNDS!” In spite of the warnings, however, several skiers went into the area. God wants to do a new thing in your life. They intended to build God's house, but just hadn't got around to it yet. But when God is first revealing his glory is first on our minds. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 (NIV). The list could go on and on, but the key to being a success at anything is to put that first in your life. The God you choose will either devour or develop your life. American Idol. We don’t call it deism anymore. I s God really first in your life? Here are some questions to reflect on this week: In what area of my life do I need to give up control? Deuteronomy 14:22, “Thou shalt truly tithe…” What does it mean to tithe? They were laboring but showing no profit. Work, family, and so many other responsibilities take up every waking minute of our day. Notice Hebrews 11:10. A kite finds its freedom to fly in a boundary and so do we. Putting God First. Leviticus 27:30, “A tithe of everything from the land… belongs to the LORD…” Psalm 24:1, … Putting God first also, 2. Reverses the effects of moral erosion. Mark 1:35-37 describes a time when He woke up early while it was still dark and went to a secluded place to pray. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. When you put God first, you experience a new awareness of his presence. God sent this prophet to help His people get their prioritie… Years ago one of our mom's did a mini-sermon for the kids. Tithing is _____ the first 10% of our income to God's church. What other gods could we have besides the Lord? …Whatever you love most, serve most, seek out most, give to the most, worship the most, and care about the most is your god. Aloha! Haggai challenged the people's selfish behavior. Jesus didn’t die for us so we can have a … Actually, in some cases, kids have even more distractions than adults. It is easy to pursue selfish desires while ignoring God's. It tells us to put first things first in our lives. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. As fate would have it, the bone they found was a lion’s. We will eventually build it, but not now." Our Lord never put His trust in any person. No matter how hard they tried, they seemed to be spinning their wheels. 1. The Mush God has no particular credo, no tenets of faith, nothing that would make it difficult for believer and nonbeliever alike to lower one’s head when the temporary chairman tells us that Reverend, Rabbi, Father, or Mufti, will lead us in an innocuous, harmless prayer, for this god of public occasions is not a jealous god. Then I will be pleased with it and be glorified, says the LORD" (Haggai 1:8, HCSB). They are only relevant for people who believe in the one and only God. Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 1. Putting God First. If God seems distant in your life, perhaps your priorities have gotten mixed up. When God is first, he blesses us. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. In fact, it is the default mode of our lives. Tithing is _____ the first 10% of our income to God's church. Those who put first things first are up and doing the right things: spending time with God daily, serving people, honoring him with their time, talents, and financial resources. What am I focusing on? 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. People often want the benefits of having a God for personal requests or crisis interventions …, Entering into a relationship with God is not just about rewards we receive in this world or the next but rather how we show God that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Matthew 6:33 tells us to “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”, but how do we accomplish this when life seems to crowd out the best of intentions? The gravel filled the spaces between the big rocks. Kids basics #1 is to put God first. Customer Service Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT Monday - Friday Phone: 1-800-458-2772. That's what we do when we establish priorities -- we put the things that should be in first … He was a Christian lawyer from Chicago and a friend of DL Moody. That’s not the belief that someone named Polly is God. So if there’s one thing that you remember, it’s to make sure you are putting God first. God said to Abraham, "Walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete)" (Genesis 17:1 AMP). Putting God first means looking out for your fellow brothers and sisters. Evaluation is a good thing. We can always find rational justification for not doing what God wants us to do: The time is not right. 1. If your faith and practice extends only to Sunday mornings or possibly Wednesday nights you are a violator of the first commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV), Think about it this way, if you love God you’ll follow his directive to truly, actively love other people. He appears to politicians at ribbon-cutting ceremonies and to clergymen speaking the invocation on national TV at either Democratic or Republican conventions.The Mush God has no theology to speak of, being a Cream of Wheat divinity. It is, after all, out of his great love that He even makes this command. And if I remember the point of the lesson (putting God first) from that long ago, it is definitely a winner. Here’s what the Bible says about it in Psalm 115:3-8 (NIV) Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. Your love shows through in constant commitment. If God seems distant in your life, perhaps your priorities have gotten mixed up. Lev 27:30 (NASB) Tithing is returning, not technically giving. If you look at the Ten Commandments you can see that half deal with man’s relationship to God and the other half man’s relationship to his fellow man. Put him first in your hobbies, your career, and your recreation. 2. Other sermons in the series. Haggai screamed: "Hey! I’d go so far as to say that failure to uphold the first commandment is what leads to breaking any of the other nine. How will we know that God is first place? The signs, large and distinct, said, “DANGER! What they did not see was that God caused their predicament. Putting God First In Your Life Exodus 20:1-3 (NIV) The God you choose will either devour or develop your life. ", Somebody said, "Well, there are always gaps, and if you work at it, you can always fit more into your life. In other words, if a relationship with God is not the motivating and guiding factor in your decision-making on a day-to-day basis, you’re just making it up as you go along. Sermon on Luke 9:57-62 - Putting God First Luke 9:57-62 PUTTING GOD FIRST Introduction ILL -- It is well with my soul A story was told of a man named Horatio Spafford who faced many trials. Tony Evans (February-04-2020) Motivation: Put God First. God will not be compartmentalized. Putting God First In Your LifeExodus 20:1-3 (NIV). 'Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. Show God your love by putting him first. If you were to ask them about it, they would probably say, "I'm all for building the Temple. Fr. 1 Samuel: Putting God First (7 session study) This seven-session course teaches you how to glorify God in all you do. I have done it to talk about offering, but putting God first in our time would also be a good conclusion. God and his house. It’s a fact that if your relationship with God is not right, your relationships with people will be out of whack too. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it" (Haggai 1:5-6, HCSB). This is what happens when first things are first, when God is first in our hearts. Time went by, and the brothers met to reveal what they had learned. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar. And his commands are not burdensome … 1 John 5:3 (NIV), Dr. Laura Schlessinger writes these comments in her book, The Ten Commandments You can say you love God with your mouth, but the proof’s in the living: Even those people who espouse a belief in God still often resist and resent the notion of specifically commanded behaviors. It is always easy to make excuses when you don't want to obey God. Conclusion Sermon Archive Putting God First. On the positive side I want to demonstrate how God’s loving limits actually set us free to become the people God created us to be. If we give no thought to how we are living, we will naturally live for ourselves. God says, “Show me your love. Because the people had pushed God out of the center, they suffered in every area. As a consequence of their excuse-making and selfish living, the people in Haggai's day experienced hardship. In our text this morning Jesus instructs those who believe on Him to focus on what is necessary to be a success as a Christian. He told a convention of newspaper executives that the Ten Commandments are out of date. Proverbs 3:6, TLB TODAY'S WORD: A lot of people are good at taking care … No matter how much money they made, they could not keep it. If you have ever watched an award ceremony many people say, “God comes first.” But many times it was wickedness that got them that award. It is easy to drift away from God's agenda to our own. You don’t reveal your love to your spouse merely by repeating vows of love at the altar. The God you choose will either devour or develop your relationships. 'Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. There are apps that tell you the weather in any part of the world, others that help you lose weight as they monitor your eating and exercise. Closely aligned with excuse making is a selfish mindset that permeates everything. “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Object Lesson: Make Room for God in Your Life You'll need: 2 baby food jars, white rice, two walnuts in their shells. His essay entitled "The Common Denominator of Success" revealed successful people's common characteristic was not hard work, good luck, or astute human relations, although these traits were important. Your community. TO PUT GOD FIRST MEANS TO . The kite won’t gain greater altitude. Haggai was sent to help God's people get their priorities in line with what they knew they should be. Sermon Illustrations provides sermon illustrations, sermons, eulogies, ... God has entrusted cargo to us, too: children, spouses, friends. God wants it all – every moment of every day. There were no doubts about his personal involvement. Paneled houses can mean "covered" or "roofed," but the point was that it represented the finishing touches. The first returnees made preliminary attempts to clear the debris and lay the foundation for a second temple. You’ll always have to try hard to make God your priority. They stood as a mute reminder of the Jews' failure to take care of God's house. Esther 3:1–4:3; Luke 3:7-18. We are not alone, and we need help! Be careful which God you give control. It is such an incredible privilege to be with you! If you constantly look to other people for answers and validation, pray about this and ask the Lord to help you stop doing that and instead look to Him. Next to the jar were a number of fist-sized rocks. His intent was to maximize the joy of life on earth. They don't like doing them either, necessarily. The fruit of whether God is first in your life revolves around the following questions: Is God first in your relationships? Billy Sunday defined an excuse as "the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie." “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. Their homes were not "in process." The Holy Spirit is moving in this place! Exodus20:3 ''You shall have no other gods before me.'' Putting God first means serving Him with everything we have in whatever situation we’re in. Many Christians respond that they put God first, family second, and everything else afterwards. Times are hard. We worship Jesus because He is first — above all rule and authority — and He alone is worthy of the No. Aloha, New Hope! It can be a person. Was God really first? He understands more than you and me that the God you choose will either devour or develop you life. The bent of our hearts and is always toward selfishness. Our first lesson is “Putting Christ First.” Who will you live your life for? The foundations were overgrown with weeds. Here are some ways it will happen: 1. January 11, 2008. Select an option and chat directly with a member of our support team. Make your relationship to God the first and most important part of each day, and God will give you to capacity to do the rest. Found here are a few practical steps about putting first things first. Rick is a consultant, conference leader, communicator, and coach. God is somewhere in the mix, but not at the top. The kite is attached to a string, held by a person standing on the ground. Haggai's message was blunt. It carries the idea of expecting something. So if there’s one thing that you remember, it’s to make sure you are putting God first. Any time we find ourselves drifting from our commitment to put God first, we must search our hearts to rediscover the reality of God’s love for us and to find again our real and "Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house. He is withholding his blessing because your priorities are not right. Finally, the first commandment …, 5. They lived with misplaced priorities. (Haggai 1:34, HCSB). Why? My kids need me now. He not only taught about prayer, He practiced it. As years passed, slowly but surely, Jerusalem came to life again. That is, to put God firmly first, above my own, sometimes, petty concerns and priorities and to realize that Jesus should be at the center of my life and directing the way I should go and, yes, that includes what I do with my time, my talent, and my treasure. And we’re all in it for the same reason—to fuel the church’s mission of making disciples. B. Abraham’s faith in God and obedience to Him allowed Abraham to have an expectation of heaven. They believed that; we believe that. The instructor poured a pitcher of water into the jar. Show God your love by putting him first. We're sorry, an error occurred. It is easy if you have the Bible Gateway app. He wanted them to measure the consequences of their actions. If it’s a false god you’ll be ruined to an eternal extent. This abstract deity makes no absolute claims on anyone or anything. Before we look at the profit of having only the true God as Lord of your life, let’s look at the pitfall of idolatry. It is a time when Adventist stewardship leaders around the world lead out in the morning worship service and conduct afternoon seminars; an opportunity to encourage members to put God first in all aspects of their lives. Israel, however, got used to life without the Temple. Please see below for details. Watch; Notes; Series Information. by Rick Ezell on Wednesday, January 01, 2014 at 7:00 AM . The sentiment of our society is echoed in the words of Ted Turner more than a decade ago. All the participants looked at the jar filled with rocks and said it was. If you trust in a God who meets your needs, you’ll be more willing to serve the people you encounter daily. But, they had drifted into a way of life where their intellectual belief in the supremacy of God was not reflected in the way they were living. That God may be glorified. It was written to people, like us, who would have told you that God must be first. They will not be moved by appeals to heed the Ten Commandments. Fourteen to 16 years passed, and then Haggai appeared on the scene with one prevailing message: It's time to finish rebuilding the Temple. In other words, when humanity dethrones God, men and women usually enthrone themselves as sovereign. If you’re a Christian you may be thinking that you’ve got this one licked. The Foundation of the First Commandment. Following other gods wreaks havoc in our individual, family and cultural lives. But, they had drifted into a way of life where their intellectual belief in the supremacy of God was not reflected in the way they were living. You’ve never prayed to or called on the name anyone other that the Lord. He continues: "Now, the LORD of Hosts says this: Think carefully about your ways: You have planted much but harvested little. Possessions and property can turn and destroy us, unless we first seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, and allow Him to breathe into what we make of life. No where is this more true than with God’s boundaries, also known as the Ten Commandments. Whatever your occupation, the chief business of every Christian is to bring glory to God. To our community B. To tithe is to return the first 10% of our income back to God. He’s incredibly demanding because he knows that the God you choose will either devour or develop you life – individually, as a family, as a nation. Because of their selfishness the people missed God's blessings. It was time for the people to do some serious self-examination before the Lord. Let… Football, the Firm, and Family are also gods for some. But then he reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. That is what happens when we don't persistently and consistently seek God first. And the sure sign of his blessing was his manifested presence. Putting God first led Abraham to have an expectation. He’s detached from us and doesn’t intervene. 4. “I have mastered a science,” said the first, “by which I can take but a bone of some creature and create the flesh that goes with it.” “I,” said the second, “know how to grow that creature’s skin and hair if there is flesh on its bones.” The third said, “I am able to create its limbs if I have flesh, the skin, and the hair.” “And I,” concluded the fourth, “know how to give life to that creature if its form is complete.” Thereupon the brothers went into the jungle to find a bone so they could demonstrate their specialties. They had active lifestyles but were not experiencing satisfaction. Their homes were complete while the Temple remained nonexistent. It was written to people like us, who would say that God must be first. He observed, "The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do. Lev 27:30 (NASB) Tithing is returning, not technically giving. C.  Prohibits polytheism. Our vertical relationship affects our horizontal relationships. The people were ready to evaluate their situation. Would you really expect an atheistic society to live by laws that they assume are outdated, irrelevant and humanly invented? What's wrong is to spend one's time, one's best hours, and one's talents on selfish pursuits while the things of God are left undone. He is the one and only and as such can make the next demand of all who would be in relationship with him. Let Him into every area of your life. Find answers to some of the more asked questions. The participants were not about to be fooled a second time. And the sure sign of his blessing was his manifested presence. This verse confronts an old idea that is still alive and well in our world today. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. Stewardship 'God First' Sabbath (World Stewardship Emphasis Day) is the first Sabbath in December of every year. The keynote speaker filled a vase with rice. Don’t pat yourself on the back too quickly. I. Put them into your life first. They hadn't stopped to consider that God was trying to tell them something. Welcome New Hope! . In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”. We cannot pursue both God’s will and our own independent will. They had many, many gods – Ra, Isis, Horace, take your pick. It is only in casting those gods aside and choosing the real thing that we can stop the tide of immorality. Benefits of Keeping God First. STEWARDSHIP: 10 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST 2 Instruction #1: Begin with a reality check. That is true blessing. That’s the negative end of the commandments. That is true blessing. Make God a priority if you want to survive as a kid. Your family. Today, in this Church, we are called to reflect on what matters in our lives and why we come to this beautiful place week by week and day by day. One way the commandments achieve this is by keeping us safe: One winter a resort in Breckenridge, Colorado, posted signs instructing skiers to keep off a certain slope. The Book of Haggai, second shortest in the Old Testament, has a potent message. God's Blessing . Haggai spoke like a foreman on a construction project. The God you choose will either devour or develop you life. So putting God first in a relationship is really the only way to keep the relationship healthy and full of love even when you go through hard times together. He asked the group, "How many of these rocks do you think we can get inside this jar?" You may not have gone through ritualistic worship of other gods, but the way you live might just reveal rank idolatry. It represented the heart and soul of the Old Testament religion. Putting God First. “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows” (Lk 12:47). Throughout this series I want to emphasize that God didn’t give us these commandments to stifle our pleasure. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. The Book of Haggai, the second shortest in the Old Testament, communicates this same message: Put first things first. Sermon series: Minor Prophets, Major Messages. He didn’t set forth these commands to curb our freedom, but to show us what real liberty looks like. He killed them all and vanished contentedly into the jungle. This happens by point number four…. Download a free PDF manuscript of this sermon. "The word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet: Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" Everybody has a God! When the people obeyed, God sent word: "I am with you" (1:13). Read Through the Bible This Year with CSB Every Day with Jesus Daily Bible, Get the Latest from Priscilla Shirer Today, Join Your Favorite Authors for a Virtual Event, Become a Super Host and Save on 2021 Simulcasts, Order Curriculum, Literature, and Church Supplies, by Rick Ezell on Wednesday, January 01, 2014 at 7:00 AM. In the garden, faced with unthinkable agony, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but … Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 What You’ll Need If we want to experience God's blessings we will put him first. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. Consumed. Putting God First in Your Priorities. The God of the Bible is profoundly different. Your Bible study. The secret is to put God first. He’s not emotionally involved either. Putting Jesus first offers real life and genuine freedom. The Temple was the center for worshiping God. Slowly the sand filled the gaps between the rocks and gravel. I think God has put me in a very special place, and He expects me to use it to His glory in everything I do ... whether coaching football or talking to the press, I'm always a Christian ... Christ is first, family second and football third." He insists that we put him first in all of our thoughts, actions and deeds. Polytheism is the belief in many gods. Adjusts our values, ambitions and desires. We must always be putting God first. When we stop making excuses, cease being selfish, seek God's blessings, and take time to evaluate, we can see God work in powerful ways. TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS, and church supplies of $50 or more. Bringing the Gods light into Chicago and Chicagoland. What does this mean for us? In another place Jesus told people to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the other necessities of life would be given to us. He doesn’t want a little piece of us called our spirituality. ... "The writer knew how to put first things first. The result? Learn more about putting God first from scripture examples and quotes in the collection of Bible verses below. We’re going to begin with the first commandment this morning. With this strong indictment and devastating predicament, the people realized they had caused their own calamities. Reveals our love for God. Christ died once and for all. Rick has earned a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology in preaching from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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