1. INTRODUCTION. ALL OF US HAVE THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE OUR PRIORITIES. THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE APPLY OUR TIME, OUR EFFORT, AND OUR ENERGY TO ENSURE THAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE MET. THERE ARE MANY WHO HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS, AND THEY WILL METICULOUSLY PREPARE THEMSELVES TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO WILL SPEND WHAT SEEMS LIKE COUNTLESS HOURS IN MAKING EDUCATION THEIR PRIORITY, AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MAKING EDUCATION A PRIORITY. THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND MAYBE EVEN MILLIONS WHO STRIVE TO MAKE POPULARITY THEIR PRIORITY. THEY AMBITIOUSLY PLAN TO HANG OUT AT WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE RIGHT PLACES, TO BE WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE RIGHT PEOPLE. SAD BUT TRUE, THAT SO MANY PEOPLE MAKE THE TRAGIC MISTAKE OF NOT MAKING GOD THEIR PRIORITY. A DESIRE TO BE GREAT WITHOUT GOD MAKES ONE A FAILURE. THE DESIRE TO ACHIEVE THE BEST EDUCATION WITHOUT GOD MAKES ONE AN EDUCATED FOOL. THE DESIRE TO BE POPULAR AND WELL KNOWN BY OTHERS, BUT NOT KNOWN TO GOD, CAN MAKE ONE POPULAR IN HELL. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TODAY TO PUT OUR HEARTS, OUR TIME, AND OUR ENERGY INTO MAKING SURE THAT GOD IS OUR PRIORITY.
2. THE TEXT. JESUS USES A PARABLE TO TELL THE STORY OF CERTAIN MAN WHO WAS RICH BY THE WORLD’S STANDARDS, BUT POOR FROM GOD’S STANDARDS.
a) THE MAN TOOK INVENTORY OF HIS PROPERTY, AND BECAUSE HE HAD MUCH, HE TRUSTED IN HIS SELF SUFFICIENCY AND HIS OWN INGENUITY TO TEAR DOWN HIS BARNS IN ORDER TO BUILD BIGGER BARNS.
b) HE CONCLUDED THAT AFTER HE ACCOMPLISHED HIS DREAM, THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS EASE, AND EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY.
c) THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH WANTING TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS, BUT YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT GOD IS INCLUDED IN YOUR DESIRE.
d) THE MAN TRUSTED MORE IN HIMSELF THAN HE DID IN TRUSTING GOD.
e) HE WAS HIS PRIORITY AND GOD WAS NOT.
f) UNBEKNOWN TO THE MAN WAS THE FACT THAT HE WOULD ANSWER TO GOD THAT VERY NIGHT.
g) THERE IS DANGER IN MAKING STUFF YOUR PRIORITY.
h) MARK 8:36, “FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS SOUL?”
i) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IT IS FOOLISH TO DREAM DREAMS, AND TO PLAN PLANS, THAT DON’T INCLUDE GOD.
j) GOD CALLED THE MAN A FOOL!
k) ANY CHILD OF GOD THAT DOES NOT MAKE GOD THEIR PRIORITY IS FOOLISH!
3. EVERY CHILD OF GOD SHOULD MAKE GOD THEIR PRIORITY BECAUSE… HE’S GOD, THE SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE UNIVERSE.
a) AND BECAUSE HE IS THE SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE UNIVERSE, HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED AND PRIORITIZED.
b) WE SHOULD MAKE GOD A PRIORITY BECAUSE HE IS PLENTIFUL IN ABUNDANT MERCY.
c) HE’S A LOVING AND FORGIVING GOD.
d) HE’S THE GOD WHO SUPPLIES OUR EVERY NEED.
e) HE’S THE GOD WHO NEVER LEAVES OR FORSAKES US.
f) HE’S THE GOD WHO BLESSES US WITH HIS GRACE EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT DESERVE IT.
g) HE’S A PRAYER ANSWERING GOD.
h) HE’S THE GOD WHO KEEPS OUR ENEMIES IN CHECK.
i) HE’S THE GOD WHO GUIDES US BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT AROUND THE OBSTACLES AND PITFALLS OF LIFE.
j) HE’S THE GOD WHO SUSTAINS AND COMFORTS US IN THE MIDST OF OUR MISERY.
k) HE’S THE GOD WHO SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON FOR OUR SINS.
4. WE MAKE GOD OUR PRIORITY BY… REALIZING THAT WE NEED HIM MORE THAN HE NEEDS US, BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, WE MUST PLACE HIM AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES.
a) WHEN WE REALIZE HOW UNWORTHY WE ARE OF HIS LOVE, HIS MERCY, AND HIS GRACE, THAT SHOULD MAKE HIM A PRIORITY.
b) FORSAKING OUR AGENDA FOR HIS AGENDA.
c) UNDERSTANDING THAT WE OWE A DEBT THAT WE COULD NOT PAY, THEREFORE, SURRENDERING OURSELVES TO HIM SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION.
d) MAKING TIME TO GET TO KNOW HIM BETTER BY SACRIFICING OUR TIME IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT SPEND TIME IN HIS WORD.
e) PRAYING TO HIM ON A REGULAR BASIS OPPOSED TO JUST PRAYING WHEN THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL IN OUR LIVES.
f) ENDEAVORING TO LIVE OBEDIENTLY TO HIS WORD, NOT JUST ON SUNDAYS, BUT, EVERYDAY THAT WE LIVE, MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING.
g) UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD EXPECTS LIFE SERVICE AND NOT LIP SERVICE FROM US.
h) WE MAKE GOD A PRIORITY WHEN WE MAKE OTHERS OUR PRIORITY WITH A WILLING HEART TO SERVE THEM. JESUS TEACHES THAT WHEN YOU DO IT TO THE LEAST OF HIS BRETHREN, YOU DO IT UNTO HIM. SERVING OTHERS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE BECOME A SLAVE TO OTHERS.
i) SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AS OUTLINED IN MATT. 6:33.
5. FAILURE TO MAKE GOD A PRIORITY FOR A CHRISTIAN WILL…RESULT IN BEING THE RECIPIENT OF THE CHASTISEMENT OF GOD, HEB. 12:6, “FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH.”
a) CAUSE GOD TO TURN A DEAF EAR TO A PERSON’S PRAYERS.
b) CAUSE A PERSON TO FORFEIT AND POSTPONE THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD WOULD HAVE BESTOWED.
c) RESULT IN MISERY BEING MAGNIFIED, AGONY WILL BE AMPLIFIED, AND YOUR ABILITY TO DISCERN HIS WILL, WILL BE STUPIFIED.
d) CAUSE YOU TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL POWER FAILURE. YOU’LL LOOK GOOD BUT FOR JUST SO LONG…
e) BURDENS WILL BOUND YOU, DEPRESSION AND DISAPPOINTMENT WILL DOWN YOU, AND THE CONVICTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HOUND YOU.
f) RESULT IN MAKING EXCUSES FOR OT DOING WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE YOU TO DO.
g) REGULAR ABSENTEEISM IN PUBLIC WORSHIP.
h) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN SOME CASES CHRISTIANS ARE CATCHING HELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT MADE GOD THEIR PRIORITY.
6. FOUR POINTS/CONCLUSION. IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE GOD OUR PRIORITY WE MUST…
a) ONE, RECOGNIZE GOD AS OUR FIRST LOVE, FOLLOWED BY ACTION, DEUT. 10:12, “AND NOW, ISRAEL, WHAT DOTH THE LORD THY GOD REQUIRE OF THEE, BUT TO FEAR THE LORD THY GOD, TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, AND TO LOVE HIM, AND TO SERVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOUL.”
b) TWO, WE MUST SEEK TO WORSHIP GOD IN A WAY THAT GLORIFIES HIM, AND THAT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY FOLLOWING WHAT IT SAYS IN JOHN 4:24, “GOD IS A SPIRIT: AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.”
c) THREE, OUR PASSION MUST BE HEAVEN CENTERED, COL. 3:2,”SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.”
d) FOUR, IF IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT WE MAKE GOD OUR PRIORITY, THEN, IT IS WRONG NOT TO. JAMES 4:17, “THEREFORE TO HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD, AND DOETH IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.”
e) WHEN GOD IS OUR PRIOIRTY…
• HE’LL MAKE HIGH MOUNTAINS CLIMBABLE
• HE’LL MAKE LOW VALLEYS CROSSABLE
• HE’LL MAKE ENEMIES LOVEABLE
• HE’LL MAKE BURDENS BEARABLE
• HE’LL MAKE HURT DONE TO US FORGIVABLE
• HE’LL MAKE STORMS IN OUR LIVES ENDURABLE
• HE’LL MAKE GOALS THAT WE SET ACHIEVABLE
• HE’LL MAKE THE PRAYERS THAT WE PRAY ANSWERABLE
• HE’LL MAKE THE SERVICE AND THE WORSHIP OF HIM ENJOYABLE
• AND YOU NEVER HAVE TO QUESTION IF GOD WILL…
• FIGHT YOUR BATTLES/HE WILL
• COMFORT YOUR SOUL/HE WILL
• CALM YOUR STORMS/HE WILL
• DO EXCEEDING AND ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL WE ASK OR THINK/ HE WILL
• PROVIDE SPIRITUAL DIRECTION/HE WILL
• COMFORT YOU IN A DYING HOUR/HE WILL
• WHEN GOD IS OUR PRIORITY, WE CAN PROCLAIM…
• BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE!
OH, WHAT A FORETASTE OF GLORY DIVINE!
HEIR OF SALVATION, PURCHASE OF GOD,
BORN OF HIS SPIRIT, WASHED IN HIS BLOOD.
• REFRAIN:
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG;
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG.
• WHEN PEACE LIKE A RIVER, ATTENDETH MY WAY,
WHEN SORROWS LIKE SEA BILLOWS ROLL
WHATEVER MY LOT, THOU HAST TAUGHT ME TO SAY
IT IS WELL, IT IS WELL, WITH MY SOUL
