Our Prayer

Our Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You and that my sins separate me from You. I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my sinful past and turn to You for forgiveness. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, that He was raised from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You and to convict me when I sin. I pledge to grow in grace and knowledge of You. My greatest purpose in life is to follow Your example and do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

New Series Begins October 25, 2020

 


GOD’S UNFAILING PROMISE

We’ve messed up. You have. I have. We all have. And no matter how good our intentions or efforts are, we can’t make up for the wrong we’ve done.

 

The Bible uses a much stronger word—sin—to describe how we have failed to live according to God’s perfect standard (Rom. 3:23). The result of our sin is death (Rom. 6:23).

 

Thankfully, we do not have to stay in this condemned state. In spite of our sin and rebellion against God, He loves us and made a way for us to be forgiven and receive a new, eternal life, freed from the consequences of our sin. That way is Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty of our sin and brokenness with His own death (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). When we turn away from our sin in repentance and turn to Christ in faith, He gives us a new life, freed from the penalty of sin. We are made new in Him (2 Cor. 5:17).

 

God’s unfailing promise — His commitment to us — is the best guarantee we can be offered. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).

 

To receive a new life in Christ, you can pray a prayer like this:

 

“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive me of my sins and rose from the dead to give me new life. I’m sorry for all the wrong I’ve done and ask You to forgive me. I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, and a new life in Jesus Christ. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

Share your decision to follow Jesus with a pastor or those in your Bible study group. Be baptized as an expression of your faith. Get involved in a church that will help you grow in your faith.




Promotional Video
Click Play to Watch



After God's Own Heart: 

A Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments 

Ethics and morals have become skewed in our world today. People want to live life on their own terms, but God has given us a succinct and clear path to follow through the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, too many people see these Commandments as a negative list of don’ts, but obeying them leads to a rich and full life.

 

Jesus distilled the Ten Commandments down to love for God and others (Matt. 22:37-40). When we live lives of Christ-centered love, we will be living out the heart of the Ten Commandments.

 

We’re going to take a fresh look at the Ten Commandments. We’re not going to focus so much on the things we’re not to do, but we will see what obedience frees us to do and be in Christ. Along the way, we’re going to look at David, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14), as his life serves as the backdrop for a greater understanding of just how to live a life pleasing to God. 

- Series by Tony Evans


After God's Own Heart: A Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments

  1. Place God First   Exodus 20:1-6; Psalm 16:1-4a, 9-11
  2. Honor God   Exodus 20:7-11; Psalm 145:1-7
  3. Honor Parents   Exodus 20:12; 2 Samuel 15:7-14
  4. Honor Life   Exodus 20:13; 1 Samuel 26:7-11; 22-25
  5. Honor Marriage   Exodus 20:14; 2 Samuel 11:1-5
  6. Honor All Relationships   Exodus 20:15-17; Psalm 37:1-6






Question 1:

When has a simple solution taken you by surprise?


THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE


Have you ever felt disappointed? Frustrated? Hurt? Confused? We all have. Life comes with issues—and these issues can show up in so many ways. When enough issues arise, life begins to feel like one big mess.

 A man visited a doctor because his entire body hurt.

From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, he felt pain. Every single place he touched brought great pain to him.

The doctor looked him over and said, “Well, this is odd. I don’t see anything wrong.” He proceeded to ask the man to touch different places on his body. Each time the man touched a different place on his body, he cried out in pain. After a few minutes of this, the doctor diagnosed the problem. “Sir,” the doctor said, with a bit of a sigh, “You have a dislocated finger.”

While it felt like everything was wrong, it was only one thing. This can be true for our lives as well. Even though it may seem like everything in life is a mess, the solution comes down to three words: Put God first. This one action affects everything.








WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?


Exodus 20:1-6

1 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.


We are to put God first because He alone is God. That statement covers much more than we may realize. Of course, most of us would say, “God is first in my life,” but is He? For some people, what is “first” in their lives is money, their careers, pleasure, social media, sports, a person, or a special possession.

 

Unfortunately, these “firsts”—those things placed preeminently above all else—run rampant in our society. When we give to anyone or anything the devotion, authority, and worship God alone deserves, the Bible describes that with one word: idolatry.

 

True, in our culture we don’t bow down to wooden idols or statues. We don’t declare our allegiance through rituals or sacrifice.

 

And while the absence of those outward things is good, it can also be misleading. Because we don’t physically and tangibly bow to sports, our career, pleasure, politics, social media, a person, or special possessions, we can naively think they are not idols. We still can mistakenly believe that God is first in our lives. Yet countless idols exist in our culture. An idol is any person, place, thought, or thing that usurps God’s rightful place in our lives.

 

Question 2:

Where do you see examples of idols in a typical home in our culture?

 

God calls us to devote ourselves to Him first because He alone is God. In Him alone is found true life, both in this world and in the world to come. As King, He sits over all. He rules over all. He governs all. The agenda of God’s kingdom is the visible manifestation of His rule over every area of life. God’s rules stand apart from the rules of other kings and leaders. God’s rules are not rooted in power, manipulation, or greed; God’s rules are rooted in His love.

 

To put Him first in our lives is to live a life punctuated by a love which stems from a spirit of gratitude. Many who study or preach on the Ten Commandments skip the important opening verses of Exodus 20. Before God gave the Ten Commandments, He first reminded the Israelites what He had done for them. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (v. 2). Before God handed down any commands, He reminded the Israelites of the redemption and freedom He had provided. Their gratitude to Him for what He had done was to serve as their foundation for putting Him first. Not fear. Not bondage. Not mandated worship. No, in the context of gratitude for the freedom He gave them, God was calling them to honor Him first.

 

He does the same for us today. Required worship is not worship. Mandated honor is not honor. Outward obedience does not always serve as an indicator of authentic honor. When God asks us to put Him first, He’s asking for our hearts. If we give Him our hearts, He knows our actions will follow.

 

Question 3:

How do things in our lives become idols?

 

 

Psalm 16:1-4a

1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” 3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” 4a Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.

 

When David said “apart from you I have no good thing” (v. 2), he wasn’t making a blanket statement that everything was terrible. Rather, he was highlighting an important distinction: God alone is good.

 

Thus, God alone is the originator of all else that is good as well. I didn’t say if something doesn’t “seem” good, it does not come from God. A lot of things may not “seem” good to us, but God uses them to usher in good. Yet because of our limited, finite understanding, Satan seeks to use these things to plant doubt in our hearts concerning God’s goodness.

 

Scripture assures us that all things will be used for good when we love God and put Him first (Rom. 8:28-29). God’s power and might can turn any table and flip any script toward His intended purposes of good. But the promise in Romans 8:28-29 doesn’t apply to every situation. It applies to those “who love him” and live “according to his purpose.” Translation: It applies to those who put God first.

 

And why wouldn’t we want to put God first? Not only can He turn things around, but as James tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas. 1:17). God is the Source of all good. The original term for coming down is a present participle; this means that the “good and perfect” gifts God gives us are continually flowing to us.

 

Whether it is the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, the ability of our bodies to function, or the rain that nourishes the earth, God never pauses from giving good things to us. Have you ever thought about what would happen if God suddenly chose to clock out and take a ten-minute break? Even if it were just for a moment, our world would unravel.

 

Remember: if something is good, its Source is God. If something does not “seem” good, the Source may still be God. Even when we encounter something that truly is not good (evil), it should only cause us to recognize the goodness of God all the more. After all, a brilliant diamond sparkles the brightest against the backdrop of a dark cloth.

 

Question 4:

When are you most tempted to put your trust in something besides the Lord?

   

Psalm 16:9-11

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 

Most of us go through our lives hoping we know where we are going. We spend money on fancy apps to help us navigate through the maze of life like a pro. Try visiting a foreign country or a location where road construction is taking place, however, and you can no longer depend on your apps. You’ll quickly discover how important it truly is to know the way to where you are going. This principle certainly applies to where we are going in our lives—and for eternity.

 

God’s “way” is not merely one of the ways to choose from in life. God’s way is the only way which leads to both “joy” in the present and “eternal pleasures” beyond time. Jesus

described the importance of knowing the way and choosing God’s way when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus doesn’t just know the way; He is the way. He is our GPS and the location we seek is Him.

 

When we align ourselves under Jesus, He takes us where we need to go. He opens those doors we didn’t even have the ability to knock on previously. He overcomes the obstacles our emotions may have dug up. He calms the seas that looked too difficult to face on our own. He is the way to abundant life on earth and He is the way to eternal life. Eternal life is a gift we receive by placing faith alone in Christ alone for the payment of our sins. That’s why the gospel is called “good news.” The good news of the gospel is that we don’t have to pay for any of it. Jesus is the gift.

 

The Ten Commandments were never given as an entry point for eternity. While it’s true that God expects us to obey His commands, the ultimate purpose of the law is to show us our inability to keep those laws. In other words, it reveals our need for a Savior. We have been set free from condemnation through the gift of salvation in Jesus. This allows us to willingly and gratefully pursue a life pleasing to God by placing Him first.

 

Question 5:

What are some ways our group has helped you discover God’s path for your life?

 

 

WHO OR WHAT’S IN FIRST PLACE?

Rank the following areas of your life in priority of importance. Place a percentage

afterward to indicate how much of your time you spend on these areas.

After some evaluation, write a prayer of commitment to God to put Him first.




“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

 

LIVE IT OUT

How will you actively seek to put God first in your life?

Choose one of the following applications: 

  • Acknowledge. The starting point for any change begins with honestly acknowledging what needs to change. If there is any area in your life where you do not put God first, confess that to God. Ask for His forgiveness and help in putting Him first in your thoughts, words, and actions.
  • Begin. Make a commitment to begin each day by putting God first. You can develop the habit of putting God first more consistently by reminding yourself of this truth before you start your day. It could mean saying a prayer when you first wake up, reading your Bible before you do anything else, or quoting a Scripture from memory before you pick up your phone in the morning.
  • Track. Consider keeping a notepad or journal this week where you write down every time you sought to put God’s perspective and His guidance first in your life. You may want to share this with a friend as a way to encourage your friend to do the same.

 

We all feel disappointed at times and circumstances can often put us in a bind. Putting God first, however, is the key to ordering the rest of our lives.


Looking forward to this new series as we explore the Ten Commandments in a new way.


Hope to see everyone this Sunday.


God Bless!

David & Susan 

Teacher's Notes:



Click Play to Watch


Place God First

 

Question 1:

When has a simple solution taken you by surprise?

 

“Patient says, Doctor… It Hurts When I Do This!”

“Then don’t do that!” 

 

Insanity Definition: Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

 

Ever feel like everything you try to do in life turns out wrong, then why do continue to do that?

 

Patient says, Doctor… I make a mess of everything I do! And the Doctor says, “Then put God First.” It may seem like everything in life is a mess, but the solution comes down to three words: Put God first. This one action affects everything.

 

 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

 

Exodus 20:1-6

And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

 

Read: The Israelites had just come from Egypt, a land of many gods. Because each god represented a different aspect of life, it was common to worship many gods in order to get the maximum number of blessings.

 

When God told His people to worship and believe in Him, that wasn’t so hard for them – He was just one more god to add to the list. But when He said, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” that was difficult for the people to accept.

 

Thus, God made this His first commandment and emphasized it more than the others.

 

·       The right standard for living as God’s people is God’s standard.

·       The Lord has made known His expectations for His people in relationship to Him.

·       God is to be first in our lives because there is none other like Him.

·       The most important of all relationships is our relationship to the Lord.

·       We are to guard against allowing anything to come before the Lord.

  

Question 2:

Where do you see examples of idols in a typical home in our culture?

·       Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning and security. No one sets out with the intention of worshipping these things. But by the time we devote to them, they can grow into gods that that ultimately control our thoughts and energies. Letting God hold that central place in our lives keeps these things from turning into gods.

 

Rick Warren:

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”

1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV)

The Bible is full of wisdom for decision-making. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (ESV).

When deciding whether to allow something into your life, you can think of this as the Independence Test.

Ask yourself: Could this begin to control and dominate my life? Could it become addicting to me? Could I become dependent on it?

No matter how fun something is, it’s bad for you if it becomes an addiction.

Why is this so important? Because whatever dominates your life eventually becomes your god. The first of God’s Ten Commandments—says, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3 NIV).

God knew how easily you could slip into worshiping other things. He knew you could get addicted to your idols.

What are idols? You likely think of idols as something in the past—maybe little stone statues that people put on a shelf and worshiped. But people still have idols today. Maybe you worship the maker of your car, the label in your clothing, or the corner office in your building.

That’s not to mention all of the things you can become addicted to: Work. Sex. Money. The Internet. The list is endless.

How do you know if you’ve fallen into an addiction? How do you know if something is starting to dominate your life—when you no longer are independent of it? Ask yourself: What do I think about the most? When I’m alone, where does my mind go?

For most of us, it’s hard to be honest about the things that dominate our lives. If you’re thinking, “This is not what I’m addicted to. It couldn’t be that.” Guess what? It’s probably that. That’s probably the thing you’re struggling with.

In another translation of 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul says, “I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to” (TLB).

Paul decided not to let anything—other than Christ—control his life. Jesus is the only one that’s worthy of that place in your life, too. Anything else that you put in that place will eventually dominate and ruin your life. But when Christ is in control, he encourages, enables, and empowers you.

The next time you’re deciding whether something is in its proper place in your life, use the Independence Test. Christ is the only one who deserves your dependence.

 

“Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.”

Psalm 115:8 (GW)

Even good things—like our marriages, our families, our hobbies, the people we admire, or even our ministries in the church—can become idols if we place a greater emphasis on them than on our relationship with God.

Anytime you think fulfillment comes from who you’re with or what you do, you’re setting yourself up for a deep disappointment. Created things simply cannot give us meaning in life; only our Creator can do that.

The Bible says, “The poor, deluded fool . . . trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask: ‘Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?’” (Isaiah 44:20 NLT).

We want to live in the truth of God’s reality, not in the lie created by our own hand. These idols won’t just stop after they’ve disappointed us. Eventually, they will control us.

On the other hand, if you value Jesus above all else, you’ll become like him.

So, if putting something else first in our lives warps us, why do we do it?

We want a god we can control. We want to be able to manage him. But why would you want to follow a god you can control and manage? That’s no god at all.

Guess what? You don’t have to settle for that kind of god. You can choose to give yourself over to an all-knowing, all-powerful God who can take you places far beyond where your fantasies and idols ever could. And that’s a reality that won’t leave you feeling disappointed.

 

Read: A January 2020 Vox article on screen time reported that “American adults spent about 3 hours and 30 minutes a day using the mobile internet in 2019.” Interestingly, it’s not that we’re checking our phones in long sessions. The article states that instead, “[w]e tend to check them throughout the day. On average, people open their phones 58 times a day…Most of those phone sessions are under two minutes.”

 

In March, the Washington Post reported that during quarantine, smartphone usage increased even more, with some people reporting up to 8-9 hours of phone usage a day.

 

If you want to know what you’re idolizing, take stock of how you’re spending your time—especially during these odd pandemic days. Like money, time is an indicator of idols that have snuck into our hearts. It’s easy to glance at your phone out of anxiety or boredom throughout the day without even realizing what you’re doing, but how much of that precious time is being wasted by looking at a screen? Do you ever find actual comfort from your smartphone? And what blessings and times of closeness with the Lord are we missing out on in the meantime?

 

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Do you own your phone, or does it own you?

If you’ve taken a really useful tool and made it the most valuable thing in your life, then your phone has become your god. If you’ve allowed your phone to distract you from what is most important, then it has become your idol. The tool has become the master.

Jesus once visited the home of his friends Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. While Martha busily prepared for the meal and played the part of a good hostess, her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching.

Martha got frustrated and said to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40 NIV).

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42 NIV).

The Bible says that Martha was distracted by her preparations, which kept her from the most important thing: being with Jesus.

Often, in the moment, you may think you’re focused on the right thing—returning that text, making that call, checking that status, answering that message. But if something keeps you from the most important thing, then it’s taken over your life.

You need to sit at Jesus’ feet every day of your life. It’s called a quiet time. You sit quietly and pray and read the Bible and let God speak to you through His Word. You confess and ask God for what you need and praise Him for who He is. It’s the most important part of your day because it affects everything else in your day. It determines how much you get to know God and grow as a follower of Jesus”

When you have to choose between having a quiet time or scrolling through your phone, which will it be? If you’re like the average person, you spend three hours and 15 minutes on your phone each day. How much time do you spend in God’s Word?

Don’t let yourself get distracted. You have control over how you spend your time. Choose to spend it on what matters most.

 

Question 3:

How do things in our lives become idols?

·       When they take first place in our lives instead of God

 

Question 4:

What are the consequences of putting other things before God?

 

 

Let read what David had to say about God being first:

 

Psalm 16:1-4a

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.

 

·       God is our refuge; He keeps us safe in time of storms and all the days of our lives.

·       All we have that is good is because of the graciousness of a good God.

·       One of the delights of being a believer is the opportunity to be in fellowship with other believers.

·       Alas, some reject God and open themselves up to great sorrow.

 

Why wouldn’t we want to put God first?

·       Not only can He turn things around, but as James tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas. 1:17). God is the Source of all good. The original term for coming down is a present participle; this means that the “good and perfect” gifts God gives us are continually flowing to us.

 

·       Whether it is the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, the ability of our bodies to function, or the rain that nourishes the earth, God never pauses from giving good things to us. Have you ever thought about what would happen if God suddenly chose to clock out and take a ten-minute break? Even if it were just for a moment, our world would unravel.

 

·       Remember: if something is good, its Source is God. If something does not “seem” good, the Source may still be God. Even when we encounter something that truly is not good (evil), it should only cause us to recognize the goodness of God all the more. After all, a brilliant diamond sparkles the brightest against the backdrop of a dark cloth.

 

Question 4:

When are you most tempted to put your trust in something besides the Lord?

 

 

Psalm 16:9-11

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

·       Placing God first and living in His presence brings great joy; in fact, the greatest joy!

·       Placing God first and living in His presence gives us a different perspective on death; it does not prevail.

·       Placing God first and living in His presence is the way of eternal life.

 

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PUT GOD FIRST?

 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

 

THE POINT

God is to have first place

in every aspect of life.

Question: "What does it mean to put God first?"

 

Answer: It is common to hear a Christian say, “I’m putting God first” or to counsel others to “make sure God has first place in your life.” Such expressions are used so often they run the risk of becoming a Christian cliché. But there’s nothing trite about the idea of putting God first; in fact, it’s completely biblical.

 

Everyone has priorities. We arrange our schedules, budgets, and relationships according to perceived importance. Putting God first means we give Him top priority over everything else. He is the principal figure in our lives and central to all we do and think. When we choose to put God first, we determine that He is more important than any other person, His Word is more valuable than any other message, and His will is weightier than any other imperative.

 

Putting God first means that we keep the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). In other words, we are totally invested in our relationship with God. Everything we have and everything we are is devoted to Him. We hold nothing back.

 

Putting God first means we keep our lives free from idolatry in all its forms: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God in our hearts. As Gideon demolished the altar of Baal and chopped down the Asherah pole (Judges 6:25–27), we must tear from our hearts anything that lessens our devotion to or reverence of God. As Gideon built an altar to the Lord to replace the idolatrous images, we must dedicate ourselves as “living sacrifices” to God and in that way put Him first (Romans 12:1).

 

Putting God first means that we strive to follow in Jesus’ steps (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus’ life was characterized by total submission to the Father’s will, service to others, and prayer. In the garden, faced with unthinkable agony, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). That’s putting God first. Jesus’ words, actions, and doctrine all came from the Father (John 5:19; 7:16; 12:49). Jesus glorified the Father in every detail of His life and accomplished all that He has been sent to do (John 17:4).

 

Those who put God first will stand out from the rest of the world. They will obey God’s commands (John 14:15), they will take up their cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23), and they will not forsake their first love (Revelation 2:4). They give God the firstfruits, not the leftovers. The Christian life is characterized by moment-to-moment selfless service to God that flows from love for Him and His people. In all things, the believer trusts, obeys, and loves God above all else. Putting God first becomes easier when we take to heart the words of Romans 11:36: “Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen” (CEV).

 

 

Close: We all feel disappointed at times and circumstances can often put us in a bind. Putting God first, however, is the key to ordering the rest of our lives.