What are your priorities?
Luke 9:25
25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (NIV)
What are some of your priorities? Are these do or die type priorities? What makes these so important to you?
Would you give up time with your family and with God to achieve all of the priorities you just mentioned? What about the question that was asked in Luke 9:25, how would you answer that question?
I think we all know deep down that sacrificing our relationship with God and our family for success, money, fame, etc… is wrong. As a matter of fact, we all know it doesn’t make much sense to sacrifice God or Family for anything. Even though we know this, there are people all over that do these very things. To be perfectly honest, if you looked at your schedule for this week, I bet it shows a lot of us have made this sacrifice ourselves.
I truly believe that we can be successful and at the same time keep a healthy growing relationship with God and our Family. Make a promise to yourself that this week you will make an honest effort to try and place God and Family before everything else, and see what you accomplish.
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)
How can we fit more time in our schedule for God this coming week? (Get up a few minutes earlier and pray, take 5 minutes of lunch to read your Bible, etc…)
Listen to these verses out of Psalms and think about the words and how they can be translated into your life.
Psalm 37:1-6
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun. (NIV)
What Comes First?
Luke 10:27
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NIV)
In our lives, our priorities change almost daily. Priorities depend on what the situation we are in at the moment or what achievement we want to see happen at that time. Many times our first priority is to be the best at whatever we are doing. Guess what, there are more important things than being the best!! Tim you are crazy; you always need to be the best (I bet some of you were thinking this) … We are called to be the salt and light for this broken and hopeless world. That should be our ultimate goal.
What is top priority in your life right now?
Are you trying to please people with your priorities?
Matthew 16:26
26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (NIV)
What do you think is a good value to place on your soul? Is there enough money for you to sell your soul?
Misplaced Treasures (Tony Dungy)
Luke 12:20-21
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Parable of man with a great harvest and building bigger barns)
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (NIV)
If you are living your life with earthly goals in mind, your life will be short lived. What does that statement mean to you? It doesn’t mean that you will die younger than others, it means your life will not have the meaning or fulfillment that God promises us.
We need to have spiritual goals in mind. Things get in the way of our being excellent on a daily basis, but it is our responsibility to stay focused on the spiritual goals we have set for ourselves. This week alone I have been guilty of getting my mind off of the ultimate goal of my life. Some things have happened to a family member that I feel is very wrong and being treated badly. I have allowed this to place thoughts in my mind and even said words that I am not happy about saying. I have had to take a breather and focus on what my ultimate goals are. I don’t care what people think about me or my family. These guys I am talking about are only human and will realize one day the mistakes they make. I will defend my family to all means, but in the end, what others think really mean absolutely nothing. As long as I stay focused I will achieve my ultimate goal of pleasing the Man upstairs!!
SO why do we worry what others think or say? Why do we try and have the newest, best “stuff”? When we have these things, we tend to be prideful and arrogant.
What are some ways we can keep from being to prideful or placing our priorities in what others think?
Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)
Decisions, Decisions (Jackie Brown)
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (NIV)
This is a challenge we face every day, walking on God’s team. We have to make many decisions each day that put us at odds with what God wants in our lives. Look around you, this world is slowly yet getting faster on becoming everything that goes against God’s will.
What are some examples you see daily that go against Gods will that society is now considering it to be ok?
Remember, we shouldn’t be focused on worldly accolades. We need to focus on our ultimate goal of reaching Heaven. The great thing is, when we focus on doing Gods will, we will have the ultimate victory! No matter what happens or people think about us here on earth, because of Jesus’ death we have victory over sin and death!!
What can you do right now in your life to place Gods will before your own? Read the following verses and make a game plan for yourself.
Psalm 86:11
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name. (NIV)
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV)
James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (NIV)
Our Only Work (Dominic Dacosta)
John 6:29
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (NIV)
This verse is right after Jesus performed miracles witnessed by thousands that he fed on the beaches and after he walked on a rough sea. These people did everything they could to find Jesus after this day, not because of who He was, but because of what he could do for them….
Think about that, they searched him to get more, not for who He was and what He promised. Do you ever search for someone for “what” they can do for you or do you search for them because of “who” they are to you?
Surrendering and obeying and depending on Jesus is the only thing God desires of us. If we truly do these things, transformation of lives, both ours and others becomes inevitable.
If Jesus were to come in right now and stand in front of you, what would He say about your pursuit of him?
That question alone should be enough to instruct us what our priorities should be!
John 14:1-4
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” (NIV)
Matthew 6:31-33
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)
John 9:4
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (NIV)
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father we thank You for all You are to us. We ask you to work on us and help us make YOU a priority in everything we do. We ask this in Your Holy Name, AMEN!!
Love and Blessings,
Coach Tim Broome
Transformed Student Ministry
Transformed Student Ministry 