Priorities The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NLT That command from the Lord God holds true to this very day, nothing has changed concerning what He requires. God is eternal and unchanging. So is His Word!
As children of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, loving the Lord God is our first priority. Along with that is seeking His Kingdom. There should be nothing or no one we prioritize before our King and Lord; not even our children, wife, family or any religious person. For example, I have seen in recent times, mothers and fathers praising their children for their accomplishments more than they praise the Father for all He has done. Keep in mind that the Lord God is a jealous God. We see our children as a blessing from the Lord God, but they are actually our assignment—possibly our greatest assignment—from Him. But that assignment must never take precedence over the One who gave it. Do you recall what the Lord God stated in Exodus to His people, Israel? You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:5-6 Also, keep this Word in your thoughts: For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God Exodus 34:14 I am speaking on this because we have become too comfortable with our image of the Lord God and forget the Father proclaimed in His Word several times that He will not tolerate anything to be worshipped before Him. Remember that in a kingdom nothing has priority over the king. Also remember that all of His Words are still true today, as the Old Testament gives us a clear image of the character of the Lord God.
Once you begin to see this, you will see more clearly what you, and others, worship above the Lord God. For example, most secular songs seem to be focused on women. This can be a form of worship. Is sex placed above the Lord God? Something to think about! His laws and principles are still the same. Remember what He told Joshua to tell His people: Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins; If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, He will turn against you and destroy you, even though He has been so good to you.” Joshua 24:19-20 NLT
We cannot put the Lord God “up on a shelf” and bring Him out at our convenience, when we have a need. Recently, I heard it described as people who look at Him as their “genie in the lamp”. Good description! Rub the lamp and make a wish. No! He must be first if you want the greatest results of your faith in Him. Daily I am learning to put the Lord God first in my life. I love my wife, my children and my loved ones but King Jesus and His Father are first in my life. When something troubles me, the first one I contact is the Lord God, in Jesus name. He is my Creator and knows all about me, even more than I know myself. The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? . . . One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. . . . When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me. Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Psalm 27:1, 4, 10-11
King Jesus made this statement: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” Matthew 6:24 AMP
He created you and blessed you with all that you have, whether great or small. And He gave you an assignment, a purpose, for living! If you put Him first in your daily life, He will make you a priority, as King Jesus stated: But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34
What have you allowed to take precedence in you life? The Lord God doesn’t say that we can’t have things or love people, but only to put Him and His Kingdom first above all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in His Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
As children of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, loving the Lord God is our first priority. Along with that is seeking His Kingdom. There should be nothing or no one we prioritize before our King and Lord; not even our children, wife, family or any religious person. For example, I have seen in recent times, mothers and fathers praising their children for their accomplishments more than they praise the Father for all He has done. Keep in mind that the Lord God is a jealous God. We see our children as a blessing from the Lord God, but they are actually our assignment—possibly our greatest assignment—from Him. But that assignment must never take precedence over the One who gave it. Do you recall what the Lord God stated in Exodus to His people, Israel? You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:5-6 Also, keep this Word in your thoughts: For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God Exodus 34:14 I am speaking on this because we have become too comfortable with our image of the Lord God and forget the Father proclaimed in His Word several times that He will not tolerate anything to be worshipped before Him. Remember that in a kingdom nothing has priority over the king. Also remember that all of His Words are still true today, as the Old Testament gives us a clear image of the character of the Lord God.
Once you begin to see this, you will see more clearly what you, and others, worship above the Lord God. For example, most secular songs seem to be focused on women. This can be a form of worship. Is sex placed above the Lord God? Something to think about! His laws and principles are still the same. Remember what He told Joshua to tell His people: Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins; If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, He will turn against you and destroy you, even though He has been so good to you.” Joshua 24:19-20 NLT
We cannot put the Lord God “up on a shelf” and bring Him out at our convenience, when we have a need. Recently, I heard it described as people who look at Him as their “genie in the lamp”. Good description! Rub the lamp and make a wish. No! He must be first if you want the greatest results of your faith in Him. Daily I am learning to put the Lord God first in my life. I love my wife, my children and my loved ones but King Jesus and His Father are first in my life. When something troubles me, the first one I contact is the Lord God, in Jesus name. He is my Creator and knows all about me, even more than I know myself. The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? . . . One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. . . . When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me. Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Psalm 27:1, 4, 10-11
King Jesus made this statement: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” Matthew 6:24 AMP
He created you and blessed you with all that you have, whether great or small. And He gave you an assignment, a purpose, for living! If you put Him first in your daily life, He will make you a priority, as King Jesus stated: But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34
What have you allowed to take precedence in you life? The Lord God doesn’t say that we can’t have things or love people, but only to put Him and His Kingdom first above all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in His Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
