3 Priorities
In The Christian's Life
This message is one that I have
developed from an outline by Brother Tom
Ward from many years ago. His thoughts
were the skeleton upon which I have
draped some flesh. I appreciate his
insight and wisdom in the Scriptures.
During my many years in full time
ministry God and God's men have shown me
many things. Some of those stand out to
me as absolute truths that have served
to keep me in the ministry. God has
shown us the Lordship of Jesus, His
First Claim Principle (Luke
9:57-62), and the Exchanged
Life Principle (2Corinthians 4).
Some of the other truths are that the
ministry is God's ministry (Psalm
127:1-2), the church is
God's church and faithfulness to the
Lord Jesus and His word is of utmost
importance (1Corinthians 4).
I think that the principle that we
find in this message may be the most
important. This principle is found in: Hebrews
11:1-7 "3
Priorities in the Christian's Life"
Perhaps you have heard of this
couple. I have given them pseudonyms as
names. George and Sue. Saved, served God
for a few years, then gradually they
began to back out of the Christian life.
Started slowly with backing out of their
work at church, then they stopped
giving, then missing church, and now
they are part of the great crowd of "use-to-be's." Some
call it "burn-out" and
some call them "drop-outs."
However, in churches and in homes all
over America are those who are like
these folks. They really haven't left
God, they haven't left church; they have
just faded away to the point where they
are no longer doing anything for God.
They are just hiding in the pews. Why do
people lose their fire and fervor for
God? Why isn't serving God exciting and
enjoyable like it used
to be?
Note Hebrews
11:1-2. Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. For by
it the elders obtained a good report. Faith
is a product of a close, and intimate,
relationship with God. These three men
here in the verses that we read
exemplify the priorities of a
Christian's life.
- Worship God Properly
- Life of Abel - Genesis
4:1-4. Abel brought
the right sacrifice. He learned
to worship God onGod's terms. No
one will serve God long who does
not learn to worship God
properly. Worship means "paying
God homage, divine honors,
reverence in adoration
prayers,confession, thanksgiving
and sacrifice." God's word gives
us many examples, here it just
one.
- Moses - Exodus
33:11
- Face to face with God - Exodus
33:11.
- Intimacy with God - Exodus
33:13-18.
- Adoration of God - Exodus
34:5-8, 14.
- Confession of sin - Exodus
34:9.
- Sacrifice for Him - Exodus
34:12-17.
- Paul - Colossians
3:10. See the chart below.
Our worship life will energize
our spiritual life, and we will
WALK with God.
- Walk with God. Hebrews
11:4 - Enoch.
- Enoch Walked with
God. Genesis
5:24.
To walk
with God is to pursue a course
of life in which God directs
your footsteps daily. It is to
simply allow God to be in
control of your life. Enoch and
God walked hand in hand, and God
directed Enoch all along the
way.
- Paul Exhorted us to
walk with God. Colossians
2:6; Romans
13:13; Galatians
5:16
- John Exhorted us to
walk in the light. 1John
1:7; 2:6
This walk with God will give our
bodies strength to work for God
without burning out.
- Work for God. It
is important.
- Noah worked for God.
(Hebrews
1:7) It was important to do
so. It saved his life and his
family's life physically.
- If we have our
priorities in order work comes
naturally. 2Timothy
3:16-17
How? Spend time with God Daily!
Develop a close relationship
with Him.
Then
Let God direct your walk with
Him. Work will come naturally!
Lesson prepared
by Dr. Robert E. Bliss
