Put God First

Dear Brethren,

Do we really put God first in our lives?  Most people would reply, "Yes I do."  God gave ancient Israel the first commandment so that they would know how serious He is about being first in our lives. "God spake all these words, saying,  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me."   (Exodus 20:1-3)

How do we go about putting God first?  The answer has to do with remembering to do what God has asked us to do.  We see this in Solomon's instructions to his children.  "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee."  (Proverbs 3:1-2)  Ultimately, this "long life" for keeping God's commandments becomes eternal life and peace.

As Christians, we have learned about the weightier matters of the law - including mercy.  Being merciful to others is a tremendous attribute - and another way of putting God first.  "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."  (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Our mother, Eve, made a fatal mistake when she relied on her own understanding and took of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Instead of putting God first -by trusting God - Eve put herself first and suffered the consequence - death.  "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  (Genesis 2:16-17)

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."  (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Another way we put God first in our lives is by recognizing His ownership of this earth and everything in it.  We are only using it for a little while in the flesh.  Do we put God first by honoring Him for every thing he gives us out of His abundance?  God says, "Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof."  (Psalms 50:10-12)

We put God first when we make Him our business partner in all that we do.  If a situation is not Godly - it is not a door of opportunity.  Every time we honor God, we are blessed - the blessings come from God.  We put God first when we remember to honor him. "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."  (Proverbs 3:9-10)

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Sermon:  "Put God First" 

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