Many go about life with the wrong priorities. Many feel they have to keep up with the Smiths next door. So they set their priorities consciously or not, as they move in to that neighborhood, to have money, success, or comfort. It doesn’t matter if they run a huge debt. After all, those seem to be the measure of “success.” Then, perhaps only when something tragic happens, they begin to reassess their priorities, choosing to focus instead on those things in life that really are the most important. They realize the importance of health, family, good friends, their faith.
The question is "how can we get our priorities right from the start" instead of waiting for some kind of "wake up call?" It may be a tad late when the wake –up call suddenly comes. This post will help you to discover and determine God’s priorities for you life. So, what are God’s priorities for your life?
Some suggestions:
First, take a look at your schedule.
What is your calendar like? What do you spend most of your time doing? What gets scratched out when you’re in a hurry? Does your spouse, or family, or church get bumped when your schedule gets full? By looking at your schedule, what is your priority? Projects? People? Paying off debt? Partying? Charles Francis Adams, a 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" Does your schedule reflect the priorities that really are important?
Second, take a look at your spending.
Pull out your checkbook, or bank statement and look at what you spend your money on. If you got into a situation where you needed financial counseling and had to show your bank statements to another person, how would you feel? Would you be embarrassed when they saw what you bought and how much you spent? Would you be proud because your spending reflects godly priorities? A statistic from years ago showed that Christians gave over 4 billion dollars to Christian causes that year. While that sounds impressive, the study further revealed that Christians spent 34 billion on diet products and another 40 billion on recreation. Jesus said, "Your heart will be where your treasure is." When your budget is tight, what gets cut? Are you living within your income? Or, are you going into debt If you really want to get your priorities in line, invest financially in the Kingdom of God. If you make the financial commitment to give to God first from every paycheck, God is faithful and will provide for your needs.
Third, to assess your priorities in life, look at your speech.
What do you talk about? What topics occupy your conversations? When you get really excited and "just need to tell someone" what is it about? Is the way you talk with people here with the church the same way you talk when you’re with co-workers or family who are not "church-types"? Jesus taught, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.." Another way to put it is, "Whatever is in your heart determines what you say." The eyes may be the window to the soul, but it is our words that are the living room that the person looks through those windows into. Through your words, what do people see?
[callout]QUESTIONS TO ANSWER THIS WEEK
What are you like when no one else is around?
What do you think about?
Who are you when no one is looking?
Do you consider your relationship with God through Jesus Christ that which is of first importance in your life?
Are you being real with your pressures?
What changes do you need to make?[/callout]
