Test of Priorities
During the first year of our marriage, my wonderful wife delivered a one sentence sermon to me that has caused me to re-evaluate my priorities on a regular basis। After being late or missing several appointments that I had made with her, she said, “Marty, you will always find time to do what is most important to you।” Ouch!
Since then I have taken it one step further। You will always find the time AND MONEY to do what is most important to you। The real test of your priorities is not what you SAY is important, but rather where you spend your time and money। The priorities of the average person should be different from the main concerns of a serious follower of Jesus Christ। The driving forces within the humanist mentality are 1) self-preservation and 2) self-enjoyment। Even much of what they do to help others can be attributed to the sense of worth and esteem it gives them।
For the follower of Jesus Christ we are constantly challenged to demonstrate to God that our priorities are as follows: God first, others second, self last.
God First - In Genesis 22, Abraham is in the midst of treasuring the son God gave him in his old age. The Lord challenges him by commanding him to take his only son up to
Mount Moriah and sacrifice him. God did not ant Isaac’s life; He wanted Abraham’s loyalties to be tested. In v. 22 God said “2 Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Abraham passed the test and God spared his son. As we’re drawn into the emotions of what he must have felt, we see a couple of things that I believe helped him drive his commitment to God past all his emotional anchors.
First, he obeyed right away. The next verse tells us that he left the very next morning, “3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey…” Second, he didn’t know what God as going to do, but He trusted in God’s loving nature and desire to provide. By verse 4, we see that “4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.” What does that tell you? He had walked for three days looking at the ground. This task seemed to be destroying him, but He trusted God and his obedience was rewarded.
In t
he same way Jesus challenged the rich young ruler in Luke 18 to demonstrate the most important thing. When he asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus put him to the test. First he tested the young man’s honesty by saying, “20 You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.' ” Now you and I know that he had not perfectly kept these commandments, this as a chance for him to confess his sinfulness and his need of a Savior. He failed. Verse 21 says 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Jesus knew his heart and test his priorities in v. 22 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Jesus didn’t want his poverty, Jesus wanted him to recognize that there was something that didn’t align between his words and his actions – God was not first. So he put him to the test and as of today the rich young ruler is no longer a ruler, he is no longer wealthy, and he is definitely not young.
Others Second – Mother Teresa said “A day lived without doing something good for others is a day not worth living.” Your local church is a great place to start to carry out the giftedness God has given you. That is our Lord’s design. He does not save us to sit on a shelf and wait for heaven. He saves us that we might be a blessing to others.
You have heard people say, “I don’t need to go to church to be a good Christian।” I like to tell them, “Yes, and you don’t need to exhale in order to breathe either, do you?” Of course exhaling is vital to breathing and so is using the giftedness God has given you to be a blessing to others। Is your involvement in the ministries of others a priority? If it is you will commit your time and resources there। If not you are just giving lip service।
Self Last – Some would say that this lesson is encouraging low self-esteem. Let me assure you there is nothing as self-satisfying as a life given to God first and others second. It is the purpose for which God has given our lives direction and clarity.
I pray that you pass the test of priorities, because one day we will all stand before the throne of God and give an account for our lives (Matt. 12:35-37; Matt. 25:18-20) and most importantly I pray that you have found the forgiveness of your sins through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so that you will stand forgiven before is throne on that day because according to Romans 4:8 8 “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Next week: the test of Time!
During the first year of our marriage, my wonderful wife delivered a one sentence sermon to me that has caused me to re-evaluate my priorities on a regular basis। After being late or missing several appointments that I had made with her, she said, “Marty, you will always find time to do what is most important to you।” Ouch!Since then I have taken it one step further। You will always find the time AND MONEY to do what is most important to you। The real test of your priorities is not what you SAY is important, but rather where you spend your time and money। The priorities of the average person should be different from the main concerns of a serious follower of Jesus Christ। The driving forces within the humanist mentality are 1) self-preservation and 2) self-enjoyment। Even much of what they do to help others can be attributed to the sense of worth and esteem it gives them।
For the follower of Jesus Christ we are constantly challenged to demonstrate to God that our priorities are as follows: God first, others second, self last.
God First - In Genesis 22, Abraham is in the midst of treasuring the son God gave him in his old age. The Lord challenges him by commanding him to take his only son up to
Mount Moriah and sacrifice him. God did not ant Isaac’s life; He wanted Abraham’s loyalties to be tested. In v. 22 God said “2 Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Abraham passed the test and God spared his son. As we’re drawn into the emotions of what he must have felt, we see a couple of things that I believe helped him drive his commitment to God past all his emotional anchors.First, he obeyed right away. The next verse tells us that he left the very next morning, “3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey…” Second, he didn’t know what God as going to do, but He trusted in God’s loving nature and desire to provide. By verse 4, we see that “4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.” What does that tell you? He had walked for three days looking at the ground. This task seemed to be destroying him, but He trusted God and his obedience was rewarded.
In t
he same way Jesus challenged the rich young ruler in Luke 18 to demonstrate the most important thing. When he asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus put him to the test. First he tested the young man’s honesty by saying, “20 You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.' ” Now you and I know that he had not perfectly kept these commandments, this as a chance for him to confess his sinfulness and his need of a Savior. He failed. Verse 21 says 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Jesus knew his heart and test his priorities in v. 22 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Jesus didn’t want his poverty, Jesus wanted him to recognize that there was something that didn’t align between his words and his actions – God was not first. So he put him to the test and as of today the rich young ruler is no longer a ruler, he is no longer wealthy, and he is definitely not young.Others Second – Mother Teresa said “A day lived without doing something good for others is a day not worth living.” Your local church is a great place to start to carry out the giftedness God has given you. That is our Lord’s design. He does not save us to sit on a shelf and wait for heaven. He saves us that we might be a blessing to others.
You have heard people say, “I don’t need to go to church to be a good Christian।” I like to tell them, “Yes, and you don’t need to exhale in order to breathe either, do you?” Of course exhaling is vital to breathing and so is using the giftedness God has given you to be a blessing to others। Is your involvement in the ministries of others a priority? If it is you will commit your time and resources there। If not you are just giving lip service।
Self Last – Some would say that this lesson is encouraging low self-esteem. Let me assure you there is nothing as self-satisfying as a life given to God first and others second. It is the purpose for which God has given our lives direction and clarity.
I pray that you pass the test of priorities, because one day we will all stand before the throne of God and give an account for our lives (Matt. 12:35-37; Matt. 25:18-20) and most importantly I pray that you have found the forgiveness of your sins through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so that you will stand forgiven before is throne on that day because according to Romans 4:8 8 “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Next week: the test of Time!
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