The greatest tragedy of life is that so many are willing to settle for less than the best. To accept mediocrity, insignificance, the petty when life could have meaning, fulfillment, and purpose. What you receive depends on your priorities. What is really important?
Your priorities will affect personal life, business life, church life, social activities, known or unknown. your priorities will dominate your life. When they are right, your life will be fulfilled, confident, and rewarded. When they're wrong, your life will result in that which is meaningless. The fun will go out of your life. You will feel flat and empty.
I. You Will have Priorities
1. You can set them. Just do what comes naturally. Matthew 25:14-27.
a. it involves treasure and pleasure.
b. it involves loyalties and material things.
2. The world can set them. It is the popular system. It is what is important in the world. 1 John 2:15-17. it is the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you.
3. God can set them. Here is the key to a life that is lived in harmony with the will and purpose of God.
4. This is the priority that takes the pressure off of life, and the worry out of life.
5. How can we let God set our priorities? By knowing……
II. The Foundation of Your Priorities
1. An active pursuit of God, seek Him. Don’t passively wait for Him.
2. Giving God His rightful place. It is God first. Usually, He is forced to a lower level of life in our priorities.
a. Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
b. 1 Peter 1:18-19
3. Understanding what is first. His kingdom.
a. The priority to become salt and light wherever He places you. Matthew 5:13-16
b. It is a spiritual kingdom. 1 Corinthians 4:20
c. Life is to be lived as a member of His spiritual kingdom.
1) Kingdom means rule, or way of life.
2) Colossians 3:12-14
d. There should not be a separation of the secular and the sacred. It is not just ‘Sunday only’.
e. It is every day in every way and every place. He is first.
f. The only way you can do this is to know:
III. The Power for Your Priorities
1. Not in human righteousness.
a. Fall of Adam and Eve. Genesis 3
b. Also seen in the sinfulness of man. Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10, 23
2. God’s declaration of righteousness through Jesus Christ is the theme of the bible.
a. The power of the Gospel.
b. Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
3. The acceptance of Jesus provides righteousness, for He gives you, not your own goodness but his.
4. His righteousness brings a conversion, a transformation of life. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
a. There are many people who try to put God first, but they never discover the power that makes it possible. They have never been saved.
b. Romans 5:1-5; they have not been made right in God’s sight or acceptable to Him.
c. When you seek Him first, place His kingdom as your lifestyle in this world, discover the power of the life of Jesus within your life, you will then discover and develop:
IV. The Reality of Your Priorities
1. Knowing what it really means to live for Jesus in this world. He makes life, real, worthwhile, lasting, and fulfilling. Philippians 1:21
2. Doing the will of God and not giving in to the pressures of this world. Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:17
3. Understanding God’s truth, instead of seeking the wisdom of this world. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, 2 Timothy 2:14-15, Isaiah 1:18.
4. Carrying your cross and not treating life like a playground. Mark 8:34-37, 2 Timothy 3:12
5. Seeking true love and not giving in to the pressure and perversion of the world around us. 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 13:1-14:1
6. Involvement with the suffering of the world and not just standing by an interested or disinterested observer. James 2:14-17
7. Laying up true wealth in heaven and not giving in to keeping your treasure here on earth. Matthew 6:19-21
8. Seeking God’s approval and not looking for popularity among people. 2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 3:17-21
9. Enjoying real pleasure, not the passing pleasure of a world that will pass away. Psalm 16:11, 1 John 2:17
10. Realizing the importance of the gospel and sharing with the world, not keeping it to yourself. Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 4:1-7, Acts 1:8, Philippians 2:14-16
11. Living life is based on commitment not on the convenience. This must become the highest priority for your life.
12. Your priorities do affect the ministry of this church, your family, your job and most important your family. Your priorities affect all of your life. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5; 1 Corinthians 4:2
V. Closing
1. Priorities are what make life vital, essential, and worthwhile. When they are set and kept, life is undivided, it is mastered until you settle the question of your life’s priorities you will always be at war.
2. You can feel them fighting. The pressure within, the pull without.
3. The only answer is to decide, a choice. Jesus said, “but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
4. He knows what is most important.
