FIRST: Week 1
WHAT’S FIRST IN YOUR LIFE?
Exodus 20:1-5 (NLT) – Then God gave the people all these instructions: “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.
THE COMPETITION – IDOLS
Romans 1:21-25 (NLT) – Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE COMPETITION
- Fortune
- Feeling
- Fear
- Facade
THE SOLUTION – FAITH IN ACTION: FOLLOW JESUS
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)- Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ‘SEEK FIRST’?
Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)- Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’No other commandment is greater than these.”
HOW TO KNOW AND WHERE TO GROW – A PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT:
Where do you ACTUALLY place your . . . .
- Time
- Talent
- Treasure
- Energy
- Effort
- Investment
- Attention
- Action
- Worship
- Emotion
- Labor
- Love
THE USE OF YOUR TIME, TALENT & TREASURE REVEALS WHAT IS ACTUALLY FIRST IN YOUR LIFE
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QUESTIONS TO REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
- What would people close to you say are the priorities in your life?
- Share about a time in your life when distractions were costly.
- What distractions in life can tempt you to not put God first?
- What habits/routines/people help you keep God first in your life?
- What will it look like to put God first in your life this next week?