Your First Priority
Pastor Josh Slatten
The direction of our lives is determined by our priorities. Really, to live life to the fullest and accomplish all that God has created you to do, the Kingdom of Christ must be first. Jesus is not to be one among many; Jesus is to be first. For many today Jesus is really added on after everything else. People will often say they don’t have time for Jesus.
One of my duties while working at Graybar was to purchase Krispy Kreme doughnuts every Thursday for our customers. Krispy Kreme doughnuts will fill you up with a lot of things you don’t need, like sugar. Your body feels full after a few of those sweet things. However, what you have filled yourself with are empty calories that give you no nutritional value. Even though you enjoyed those sugary things, you are actually worse off because of what you enjoyed, and your body can’t use it.
As Christians, our souls have been designed in such a way to receive righteousness from Jesus Christ. Our souls feed off of His righteousness. Many Christians today are filling themselves up with so much worldliness because it looks good and taste good, but what they thought would do them some good actually was of no benefit to them. Instead of growing strong spiritually, we develop excess weight that weakens us. Jesus Christ should be first in our thoughts, desires, and in the decisions we make.
Psalm 25:4 “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”
When someone is sick, they don’t need a medical book; they need a Doctor. The Bible is the infallible, inerrant, indestructible, and infinite word of God. However, having the Bible doesn’t change what you know into your experience. Many Christians today have the Bible on their lamp stand, in their vehicle; some have multiple Bibles. The Bible will only become real to us when we faithfully apply what God’s has spoken in pursuit of a relationship with Jesus Christ. We can have a guaranteed experience with Jesus when he is our First Priority. Don’t be satisfied with a Sunday morning sermon. Don’t be satisfied with just coming to church. Satisfaction is found in pursuing Jesus Christ.
Mark 12:30 “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with your entire mind, and with all your strength.”