What Is More Important Than God?

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Is anything in your life more important than God? Your family? A hobby? City Life? Television? Fame? Sports activity? Only you can honestly answer this question. There is a verse in Matthew 6:31 that says "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also." Often times looking at a person's checkbook register will tell where their heart is. Think about that for a moment. Do you give to things of the Lord at all and if you do is it because you desire too or feel obligated. Where is your heart?

 This is not saying we can not like and enjoy other things but if they are all consuming and take you away from things of the Lord perhaps they need to be thought out. Sure you love your family but we are not to love family more than God. If you love God deeply you will truly love your family in the proper way as well.

Ask yourself what you truly treasure and what you truly desire to do. Make sure spending time alone with God and having fellowship is in there somewhere. If it is not perhaps it is time to rethink your priorities and get a 'heart transplant'.

PRAYER: Lord I do love you. I do not ever want to let other things rule my life. I want you in the center and do not want to simply say it but let it be evident to those around me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Time For God?

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30(NIV) 

How does your day begin? Maybe grab the newspaper or turn on the news. Next hop in the shower, check Facebook, then eat and off you go. Is time alone with God in there anywhere? Why is it it is so easy to do everything else but the one thing to help us grow spiritually we neglect. Many are great church members but after that one or two hours each Sunday sort of put God on the shelf for the next six days. This makes Satan so gleeful as he can trick you into thinking Sunday is enough. Believe me, there are many people who go to church who are no different than the world. There are many in church who do not really know Jesus. Perhaps they have been tricked into believing Sunday church attendance is the thing to do. Oh my goodness, doing anything else is fanatical.

 I am happy to say I am a fanatic! I wasn't always. I too was like that. I thought my childhood baptism and joining church was enough. I found out otherwise and on 19 March 1975 became a "new creature" and born again. Do you want to grow closer to Christ! Spend time with Him. He is there waiting for you. 

PRAYER: I need you in my life not just on Sunday but 24/7 around the clock. Forgive me for making excuses. In Jesus' name. Amen.

PEACE BE WITH YOU

 In the world we live in it is hard to have peace. The media bombards us with hype and fear. Perhaps you wake up in the morning and feed yourself a steady diet of depressing news, celebrity gossip, and the local paper. If so, do you feel any better when done with what to many is a normal morning ritual? The answer, if you are honest, is probably no. How can you feel positive and peaceful with a steady diet of lies, gossip, and fear? As a believer you have a choice. Waste one hour watching morning shows or spend the same time getting closer to God. The newspaper or the Bible. Your choice.  Which is first in your life? Be honest.

 Many forget about God each day. Church is enough many think. In past blog writings I have mentioned about not being 'conformed' to this world'. Challenge yourself to be different and be set apart for kingdom work. Strengthen your spirit and focus on Christ. Don't get into the pattern of thinking you need to know about the Kardashians before Jesus. Why does it matter? Will it improve your life?

It is very difficult to maintain peace, joy, and love when the things of the world consume your every waking hour and there is no time for Jesus. Why not begin anew today and purpose in your heart to know Jesus  better through the reading of his word. If you do not know where to begin start with the book of John in the New testament and read a few verses each day. See if your outlook on life doesn't improve once you start doing this on a regular basis.

John 14:27 says "Peace I leave you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

PRAYER: Lord I choose to have the peace only you can give. Help me as I seek to re prioritize my day focusing on your word instead of worldly affairs. In Jesus name. Amen

7 DAYS WITHOUT JESUS MAKES ONE 'WEAK'

 Many of you have probably seen this title on a church sign  but think about what it really means. When you do not eat food for nourishment your body becomes weak and if you have a constant diet of junk food your body will get fat, broken down, and possibly sick. The same thing occurs without Jesus in your life. If you claim to be a Christian yet do not keep plugged into your power source, The Bible, you will not be equipped and strengthened to face the myriad of battles that may come your way each week.

Do you get up each day and thank the Lord for another day He has blessed you with to serve Him and impact your world or do you gripe and complain about having to get up and go to work, again? I guarantee you many unemployed people would love your job and the income and benefits it provides. Work is a gift from God. Try to start your day saying "This is your day Lord and I will rejoice and be glad."  That is actually a Bible verse found in Psalm 118:24.This is a good start to not being a weakling in Christ.

If you have time in the morning before rushing out the door do you spend it getting informed of the events in the world by newspaper or TV or do you take the time to nourish your spirit by reading the Bible? Many find it easier to click on the television or pick up the local paper than they do to pick up a devotional or Bible. Maybe you feel church is enough. Is eating one meal a week enough? The answer is NO.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied."  Are you hungry for the things of the Lord or do you find them dull and boring? What do you suppose heaven will be like?

Try to start a new habit of putting God first place in your life. When you hear the sermons that say to do it that does not mean simply going to church. That is only one tiny aspect of walking with Christ. Mark 12:30 reminds us to "Love the Lord your of with all your heart with all your soul with all your strength and with all your mind." Do you love him this way? Do you want to? Do you want to have strength to fight the battles ahead of you?

 Being a Sunday Christian only is all fine and good, but what are you doing with that Bible the other six days? It is not a book end or a coffee table decoration. Start today to really put God first. Saying it is fine but living it and doing it is quite another story. Start today and read one chapter in Psalms a day and see if your day isn't better.

PRAYER: Lord God there are times I rush into my day giving you little time. You have given me so much yet sometimes I fail to even give you more time than a prayer at meals. My desire is to be strong in the Lord and to do that I know I need to re order my daily priorities to not put you in if there is time. Forgive me Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

UNSUBSCRIBE HERE

In this fast paced technological world we are a part of today, whether we like it or not, it is a challenge to not go overboard on too many busy activities,communication devices, and too much email clutter. We can waste so much time just uncluttering our junk email to get to actual notes from friends. Imagine if your regular mailbox by the roadside  had 100 pieces of junk mail per day. It could get to be a bit overwhelming.

In life we have to manage our time or we can get ourselves way overboard and end up having a mental collapse if we are not careful. I like it on emails that come in when at very bottom it reads "Unsubscribe Here". Yeah!!  You mean I can stop getting this and opt out? Even seemingly good things from Christian groups, news groups, and political items that keep us informed can tend to be time killers if we let them. You have to choose what to read and what to send to the trash.

Your activities you choose to be involved in can be like that. Let's say, for instance you are not working,  and feel you have to justify your existence by jumping into every meeting and every volunteer activity to just fill up your days perhaps to 'prove' to someone you matter .That is not really necessary as you matter tons to God and He is the only one that matters anyway. It is okay to volunteer  but if you are never home and spending more time at church or at a volunteer place and neglect your family and friends then it can be bad. The key is 'balance' as my friend Kim in Iowa used to have on her personalized license plate.

 You may be working full time and still volunteering for committees and clubs. You may in fact have valuable talents and skills but life only has so many days and hours. You need time to relax some too. Our society, at least here in America, tends to be constantly going. Do something and try to drop an unnecessary activity robbing you of precious time or the next time tempted to volunteer stop and just say no for a change.I am not saying to not help others but to have balance and use common sense.

 Get away and alone with God. Consider taking your lunch hour in a park where it is quiet and just praying and 'talking' to God. This would be a great time of physical, emotional, and spiritual renewal.

 The Bible says in Isaiah 30:15 that "in quietness and confidence is your strength." Turn to God and ask him to help you be able to 'unsubscribe' from some of the busyness in your life. Psalm 46:10 reminds us "Be still and know that I am God." How do you expect to 'hear' from God if you clutter up your life and do not leave time for Him?

 PRAYER: Father I thank you for times of refreshment and relaxation and times of peace. I know peace will not happen unless I take an effort to get rid of things in my life that are unnecessary. Forgive me Lord when my schedule has squeezed you out. Give me discernment in which activities to be involved in. In Jesus name. Amen.