Putting God First

Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, we are living in a world that is good to look out for “Number 1”. A society that is for me, myself and I with no assistance or help from anyone and yes not even God.

I’m afraid this world is putting God on the backburner not considering He is the King of the Universe, the Creator of this world. Some have their priority mixed up when it comes to putting God first.

How are they putting God on the backburner? I remember riding to church on a Sunday morning, and you would see some people washing their cars or mowing the yard, painting the outside of their house, fixing their cars and not spending that time going to someone’s church.

I don’t know about you, but my two brothers and sister grew up going to church every Sunday. Yes, my mama drugged us to church. She would say, “the only time when you don’t go to church is either you’re sick or working somewhere.” Yes, there have been times I couldn’t go to church because I worked the midnight shift on some jobs and stayed home and get some sleep.

While in the study of this message, here are three points, three suggestions on how and why we should put God first.

The first thing in putting God first is to:

I.INVEST TIME WITH GOD. There’s a very important commandment Jesus gave us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all with all your soul and with all your mind...” Matthew 2:37.

We ALL must invest time totally with God being devoted to Him not holding anything back.

The next thing we all can and must do to keep God first is:

II.KEEP FREE FROM IDOLATRY. In all forms, an idol is anything that replaces God. Now in 1 John 5:21 is a strict warning, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” When Gideon demolished the altar of Baal and

chopped the Asherah Pole (Judges 6:25-27), we all too must tear down those idols that we may still have in our lives and dedicate ourselves “Living Sacrifice” (Romans 12:1) to God and in that put Him first!

The third thing to do when putting God first is to:

III.FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS During the life and ministry of Jesus, He dedicated His entire life totally to the will of the Father. Jesus lived a totally submissive life according to the four Gospels. By submission to the Father’s will, by serving others and in prayer no matter if it is early in the morning or during the night. Here’s a good example of how Jesus dedicated Himself even at a time when He was battling within Himself on the fate of His own death. In the Garden, Jesus was faced unthinkable agony and that’s when he prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done...” Luke 22:42. Putting God first the way Jesus did shows true dedicating as He spent time with the Father. Jesus even said Himself “truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For what the Father does, that the Son does likewise” John 5:16. It clear that Jesus’ disciples are not simply to refrain from the pursuit of temporal things as their primary goal to differentiate themselves from pagans. Instead, they are to replace such pursuits with goals of far greater significance.

D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984), 181.

According to bloomburg.com, they listed the top 500 billionaires in the world. Among the richest are from right here in the United States. Here are a few you may be familiar with:

Mark Zuckerburg in Technology.

Jerry Jones in Entertainment.

Charles Schwab in Finance.

Rupert Murdoc in Media & Telecom

Steven Spielberg in Entertainment (Movies)

Mark Cuban one of the sharks on tv’s “Shark Tank” in Technology.

The Bible does have a lot to say about being rich but there are warnings to those who are rich.

17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy”. 1Timothy 6: 17. In other words, tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money. Money cannot be trusted. They should put their trust in God. He gives us all we need for our happiness.

The phrase “God first” or “just put God first” is usually used by an unbeliever. 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. Was God first? Was He first when they were living in rebellion?