Unlocking the Treasure of Blessings

 

God left an indelible example and demonstration for us regarding the awesome power of His love. God’s love produces things. His love creates, motivates, and causes things to come together in the most miraculous ways. He didn’t have to let us in on these wondrous secrets, but He did. Words cannot describe the extraordinary depth of His goodness. Through His written Word, He’s given us documented proof of His excellence and how He wonderfully wove everything together. The very first place in which we can read about God’s creative power through His love is in Genesis 1:1-5 (NKJV). This passage says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”” These five verses hold a key that can potentially unlock a treasure so phenomenal that you’ll literally have to pick yourself up off the floor when you discover it.

Genesis 1:1 tells us that in the beginning, God created! From the giddy-up God got busy making things happen. This gives us a terrific clue about a successful approach to life. We, you and I, are made in the image of God. Therefore, we have no other choice but to trust that we are created to make things happen as well. Creating through God’s love is part of our spiritual DNA. Heavenly Father has not given us substandard tools, because that would be impossible; every gift that comes from above is good and excellent in every way. Heavenly Father has provided the very best for us to work with; He’s given us the best that could be given! He’s given us the example of Jesus Christ, His magnificent Word, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Because of this, we can know resolutely that we are not to sit back twiddling our thumbs, we’re to get busy for the Kingdom! The Apostle Paul said it best in Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV), “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” This ought to make perfect sense in our minds, because we all know that we emulate or copy those closest to us—our parents, loved ones, friends, and people we admire. As Christians, there should be no one closer to us than Heavenly Father. Imitators of God is our identity. It’s who we are in Christ. To the extent that it is within our human and spiritual capabilities, we are to imitate God’s nature and duplicate the loving and positive things that He did through Jesus Christ in His Word.

Genesis 1:2 says that the earth was formless and empty. This was the state of our hearts and minds before we received salvation. And truth be told, it is the very way that some of us are today. We’re walking around feeling as though we have a formless and empty existence. Sure, we have people that love us. Many of us have a job to go to each morning and an ample share of family and friends, but even though we’re saved and Spirit filled, there’s a nameless piece of something meaningful that seems to be missing in our lives. Based on Genesis 1:2, I’m almost positive you understand that God knows the depth and breadth of a void, and He knows how to fill it. We must have overwhelming confidence that God is everything good and perfect, and love for Him is the void-filler we seek.

Through Jesus Christ, and because of his finished work on the cross, we are empowered by God to be void-fillers ourselves. Hebrews 13:21(NLT) says that God will “make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” The Spirit of Christ lives in us and gives us unlimited potential. A key to the freedom and blessings we seek is to do God’s Will and let Him be at work within us. In other words, Heavenly Father fills us, and through His infilling, we then fill others. Are you doing this to the degree that God desires?

You might look at your circumstances and think, “I don’t even know where to begin.” Well, the first place to begin is to ask yourself a critical question, “Is there any selfishness in the greatest desire of your heart?” Why is this question important? It is important because God’s love is the greatest power that exists, and from the very beginning in Genesis 1, He has shown us by His example that love always and forever considers the benefit of others. This is a foundational key to unlocking treasures, and it is the only way to create space for the blessings we seek.

At your core, you must have a deep desire to touch as many lives with your love and blessings as you possibly can. If you don’t feel this stirring in your soul, you must ask the Holy Spirit to create in you a new heart and a right spirit. God’s Word says that He will do this for us, if we ask Him.

Love’s power is activated by a deep and earnest desire to be of service and to build that which God has purposed. John 3:16(NLT) tells us, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God gave the life of His only begotten Son to save the world. There is no way to measure the incredible value and worth of God’s sacrifice, because it is immeasurable. Jesus Christ, knowing full well his worth, gave back to God the very thing God sacrificed. Jesus mirrored God’s glorious unselfishness! He mirrored the wealth of God’s love, so that the glory God gave him could be mirrored and given back to God. This aids our understanding of God’s delight when He said in Matthew 3:17(NKJV), “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Are you praying to receive something from God? Have you been praying to receive it for a while? Could it be that you have not considered how the blessing you receive will give glory back to our God? Heavenly Father does not need our help in determining what will bring Him glory. He knows what will bring Him glory and our only requirement is to cooperate with His plan. He is not a risk-taker, because risk implies one does not know the outcome. God knows every outcome. This is why He has such faith in us. He knows that we will become all that He has planned. We must know it too and begin to make decisions and choices that align with who God has purposed us to be and what He has purposed us to do. This is the total surrender to God’s Will that unlocks blessings and causes us to please God with our whole lives.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

“Unlocking the Treasure of Blessings”, written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! 

Stay Under God’s Covering

 

Parents will go to great lengths to protect and keep our children safe. History shows that as we know more, we are better able to protect them. For instance, my mother reminded me of a horrifying experience when I was about four-years old. Somehow the back door came open when she was backing out of the driveway, and I almost fell out of the car. During those times, child restraints like car-seats were very uncommon, and seatbelts were not required. Things have changed dramatically. As a society, we do a much better job of putting mechanisms in place to protect our children. Our parenting has evolved with more information and technological advances. With greater knowledge, we can gain more useful tools and have better systems in place for safety and well-being. We must see the employment of God’s Word in this same way.

The Word of God is the greatest treasure in all of creation. It contains all that we need to live a Godly life, and we must also know that God’s Word is life itself. 2Timothy 3:16(NLT) says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” Jesus Christ and God’s work of salvation through him is the subject of the entire bible. The Word is God breathed, or the breath of God, and it educates us about God’s original intention for humanity. It is where we discover our identity and purpose. His Word teaches us about righteousness and bears witness of God’s nature and love for us. Everything we need to live a safe, secure, and bountiful existence can be found in God’s Word.

In Hosea 4:6, God tells us that His people are destroyed because they lack knowledge, and indeed they reject knowledge. Heavenly Father informs us of this because it is a condition that can be avoided. Through His Word, He has provided us with lifesaving, life-preserving truth, but He will not force us to read and study His Word. He has left this completely up to us. But it stands to reason that if we are interested in our relationship with God and if we want to spiritually grow and become stronger in Christ, we will seek Him above all things. Seeking Him above all things includes seeking to know more about Him through His Word.

Many of us would like to ignore what God teaches in Hosea 4:6, but that is an extremely costly mistake. Whenever we choose not to live by God’s principles and standards, we will live beneath our privilege and our lives will be exposed to the harm the enemy tries to cause. In John 10:10, Jesus Christ tells us that the devil is a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And God warns us in 1Peter 5:8 (NLT), “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

Through Jesus Christ, Romans 8:37 declares that we are more than conquerors. Our Great Redeemer tells us that the Spirit of God within us is greater than the devil that is in the world. Heavenly Father has completely equipped us to stand strong regardless of any weapon formed against us, but we must put on God’s whole armor. A vital piece of this armor is the Spirit’s sword, which is the Word of God.

Psalm 62:6-7(NLT) says, “6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.”  This is such a powerful scripture! It states clearly that we have an enemy that is out to do us harm, but God is our Rock, our Salvation and Mighty Fortress. Will we stay beneath His shadow and covering? Will our eyes be open wide, or will they be blinded by the devil with fear and doubt? We must cling to God in faith, and this requires us to stay in His Word, so that we stay in His Will.

In 2Chronicles 17, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was very successful because he followed the example of his father’s early years and refused to worship the idol god, baal. Instead, 2Chronicles 17:4 tells us he sought the Lord and obeyed God’s commands, so God established his control over the kingdom of Judah. The bible tells us Jehoshaphat was deeply committed to the ways of God and didn’t make a decision without consulting the Father first. Because of this, God blessed him with victory, wealth, and honor.  Even when he partnered with Ahab, the king of Israel, in his pursuit to war against Ramoth-Gilead, God helped Jehoshaphat because of his faithfulness and obedience. Heavenly Father has not changed. He will do the same for us when we trust Him and seek His Word diligently.

There’s no sugar-coating it, life has its challenges. But Jesus Christ has won the victory over satan, and he did it because he is the Son of God! He pleased God, and he always followed Heavenly Father’s Word. Jesus Christ is the way. He showed us how life is to be lived and how victory is always won. Let’s follow the lead of our Big Brother, because when we do, we can weather any storm, defeat any adversity, and stay under God’s covering continually. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Stay Under God’s Covering”, written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! 

Your Destiny Has Already Been Decided

 

Ecclesiastes 6:10-12(NLT)

“10 Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. 11 The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they? 12 In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?”

Ecclesiastes 6:10-12(NLT) speaks to the questions that are on the minds of many. They are asking God, “What’s next? What’s going to happen in my life?” We want to know where this journey will take us. Will you live to see another day? Will you get married? Will you stop living from paycheck to paycheck? These are some of the questions that stay on the minds of many. Life has proven itself to be very unpredictable. You can be going about your everyday business, when WHAMM! Something unexpected comes out of nowhere and knocks you for a loop! In our minds, these challenges, obstacles, and dilemmas seem unavoidable, but we need to go to God’s Word and examine whether they really are.

This passage in Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 tells us that there’s no use whatsoever in arguing with God about our destines. He decided them long ago, way before we were born. This doesn’t mean that we are puppets and our every move is predetermined by a script. No, God didn’t create us to operate that way. We have the gift of free-will. This means we are free to make our own choices and decisions. We decide whether we will travel the path of destiny and run the race that God has set before us, or whether we will run in the opposite direction.

Our destinies are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Will and plan for our lives is that we become more and more like Jesus Christ every day. This is our most important goal, and it is God’s greatest desire for us. Heavenly Father tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plan is to give us a future and a hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, but sometimes we don’t get on board with God’s plan. We want to do things our own way, and this very often leads us away from the destiny God has for us.

When we experience some of life’s unpredictable hiccups, sometimes it is because we have ignored God’s call, and we haven’t been as attentive to our spiritual growth in Christ as we should be. God’s destiny for us is such that we should have been further along in the faith by now, but we’ve missed the mark. And because we missed the mark, the enemy used our unpreparedness to hurl darts that caught us by surprise. We don’t have the spiritual strength to stand as strong as we should, because we still have a ways to go to thoroughly fortify our minds and hearts with God’s Word.

God’s Word is life to us. 2Timothy 3:16-17(NLT) tells us, “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” When things are not moving in a direction that lifts us up, God commands us to return to His Word, because in the realm of His Word, Romans 8:28 proclaims that ALL things will work together for our good.

Psalms 91:1(NKJV) says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Heavenly Father tells us to dwell in His secret place, because there we’ll find safety, comfort, and provision. When we abide in this place spiritually, our external circumstances have no other choice but to follow. But when we are trying to operate outside of God’s Will and plan, we are choosing a destiny that isn’t ours, and because of our free-will, God will allow us to do this. It was never God’s Will for Adam and Eve to disobey, but disobedience is the choice they made. God allowed them to do so, but they lost everything because of this awful and catastrophic choice.

We can reject the decision and choice that Adam and Eve chose. Let’s choose life! Let’s choose God’s Word! Let’s choose His love! Jesus Christ is our hope! This is good news! Our destiny is in him, and we can always return to his loving arms. He invites us in Matthew 11:28-30(NLT), “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” God is so gracious. He allows us to get back on the path and let the Lord Jesus Christ teach us the reality of the amazing destiny that leads to spending an eternity with our God.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Your Destiny Has Already Been Decided” written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Copyright©2020.  

Prayer Works!

Peter 3:3(NLT) tells us, “Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.” Doesn’t this look like the times in which we find ourselves living in? We don’t know the exact day or hour when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will return to the earth, but it’s our duty and responsibility to be ready. We need to be as alert and on guard as possible. We can’t afford to be asleep at the wheel, but we must be like the five wise bridesmaids Jesus Christ taught about in Matthew 25. They didn’t miss the wedding but were prepared for the return of the bridegroom, and we must be as well.

Unfortunately, many people are asleep when it comes to being prepared for the return of Christ. As Christians, we still have a lot of work to do for God’s Kingdom. We need to pray for others much more often than we do. God tells us in 1Timothy 2:1-2(NLT), “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” Our Heavenly Father instructs us to pray for all people everywhere, especially those that are vulnerable or unable to pray for themselves. We are to intercede on their behalves, and this is wonderful news. Heavenly Father has given us, as His children, the privilege and authority through Christ to pray for others, and 1Timothy 2:1-2 affirms that He hears our prayers and will bless others because of them.

This passage also tells us to pray for those that are in authority. God tells us to do this so that as believers, we can live a quiet and peaceful existence. There are murderous tragedies and tremendous suffering in many parts of the world because of religious conflicts. This isn’t God’s Will. He wants us to live in peace and be able to worship Him in spirit and truth. For this reason, He tells us to pray for all those in governmental authority, from the least to the greatest. We must pray that they make decisions and choices that preserve the Will of God in the earth.

You might think that everyone knows how to open their mouths and pray, but even the most seasoned veteran can learn more about giving God honor and glory in their prayer lives. In 1Timothy 2:1-2(NLT), Heavenly Father tells us a very important element in prayer, and it is having a thankful heart and an attitude of gratitude. We are to be thankful when we pray, and this is because of WHO we are praying to.

Colossians 4:2(NLT) tells us, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Our God has all power in His hands. He knows everything that can be known, and He loves us with an unconditional, everlasting, and unfailing love. Our faith in His ability and willingness to bless us should be evident in our prayers. This is demonstrated by thanking Him in advance because we know God is faithful to His Word. Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ works, and when our trust is in him and our prayers are in God’s Will, the things we’ve prayed for are sure to come to pass.  ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Prayer Works!” written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Copyright©2020.  

Don’t Give Up, Trust in God!

 

The Apostle Paul was a man that faced many hardships, including death on numerous occasions.  He was imprisoned and had his fair share of enemies. If there was ever anyone that had a reason to throw in the towel and give up, it was the Apostle Paul, but he never gave up because of his faith in God. His encouragement to Timothy and to us in 2Timothy 4:5(NLT) is “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.” The thing that fueled Paul’s endurance is the same thing that will fuel ours. It is God’s strength. His strength and power is unlimited, unyielding, and inexhaustible. Paul knew that this was his link to all the energy and power he needed to teach others about the love of God, to withstand hardship, and to receive victory in life.

Paul’s transformation experience took place on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to inflict terrible harm on the very people that he taught the gospel after his encounter with Jesus Christ. For some of us, it takes years before we recognize our purpose and make the necessary changes in our hearts and minds, but it didn’t take Paul nearly that long. In a matter of days, he totally switched gears and began to pursue the Will of God in Christ Jesus. Once transformed through Christ, Paul honored God and wanted to do everything in his power to please Him. He sought the Lord diligently, and this is the only way to maximize our lives. Hebrews 11:6(NLT) confirms this for us. It tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

No matter what you’re facing in life at this moment, no matter how difficult or tough it may seem, victory is yours. You may be facing difficulties in your marriage, and you may want to give up but have faith in God. The Lord is always the solution to our problems, and He wants us to bring all our worries, issues, and troubles to Him. He loves to hear from us, and we do not have to be perfect to get His attention. We simply must believe that He hears us, that He loves us, and that He rewards those that seek Him with their whole hearts.

Many of us have been feeling as though we’re either at our limits or being pushed to it. We can’t imagine going any further, and every morning we’ve awakened to a sense of dread. You might feel that you’re not living up to the expectations of your family, children, friends, the significant person in your life or your job. You feel there’s not enough of you to go around but don’t throw in the towel and give up. I encourage you to commit some quality time to God. Be still and focus on Him and His love.

You can’t forget that you have the strength of God within you because you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside. Philippians 2:13(NLT) tells us, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Through His Spirit, God will do a work within us and He is waiting on your invitation to be at work. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, you are equipped to handle all that this world can throw your way, for Jesus tells us in 1John 4:4(NLT), “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” This is our reality, and we must trust it because God says it is so.

I encourage you to pray often. Don’t claim sadness, claim a renewed mind through Christ Jesus. Don’t claim defeat, only claim victory.  Don’t ever give up … don’t ever quit. If there is anyone you can rely on to have our back—if there’s anyone that will never leave or forsake you, it’s your Heavenly Father, our Almighty God! His love is everlasting, and forever. No human being on the face of this earth can come close to matching what God will perform in your life through Jesus Christ. Just lean on Him and trust Him with all your heart! ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Don’t Give Up, Trust in God!”, written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Copyright©2020.  

Where Were the Signs?

 

“He was a man that I trusted – he was someone that I thought would have my back for the rest of my life. How did I miss the signs?” Many women have asked themselves this question. Some of my dearest friends have posed it to me about the relationships they’ve had and have ended badly. They say the men who were once the center of their existences abruptly changed, and that these men demonstrated behaviors that came out of nowhere. In some instances, the men completely lost interest and wanted no further involvement with the relationship whatsoever. They either chose to be unfaithful to their commitment or began to display attitudes and behaviors that were downright hurtful. When all of this seems to come out of nowhere, and you’re caught off guard, you might feel as though you don’t have a clue about how or if the relationship can ever be repaired.

Were there signs? And if there were, why didn’t you recognize them? 2Corinthians 4:4(NLT) provides a clue that helps to answer this question. It says, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” This is what the enemy does to those that don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Blinding the minds of individuals is one of the enemy’s methods, and he can also do this to believers if they are not suited up in God’s armor.

The tactic behind the devil’s plot is to get our attention diverted so we’re focused on something else besides the light of Christ. Through every relationship that the Lord puts together, He desires to form a strong cord through the marriage of this couple. Unity through the love of Christ strengthens this cord, and it will wrap around generations to come. We know that the devil despises unity and will do anything to tear a marriage apart. God doesn’t want us to ever be ignorant about this.

Our Heavenly Father never changes, and His standards never fluctuate. He has designed everything within the universe according to His Word, and everything in the universe responds favorably to His Word, so when we take our eyes off Jesus Christ, we must allow for the possibility that things can go sour very quickly. Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek the righteousness of God and His Kingdom above all other things, and blessings will be added to us. When we put anything else ahead of this, blessings will begin to subtract.

Knowing this should not place us in condemnation by no means. What it should do is show us how diligent we must be to cling to our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If you’re not married, but in a relationship that you hope will lead to marriage, sometimes the person you love will walk away because they were not meant to journey any further with you. He’s not your destiny partner. This can be a very hurtful thing, but you must never place your love for this person above your commitment to God and your destiny in His Will. He has a wonderful plan for your life, and forever and always, you must trust this more than the disappointment you might feel.

In a marriage, we miss the signs sometimes because our radar isn’t in alignment with the destiny of our spiritual growth in Christ. So, it is possible that your spouse is responding to the reality that you have changed and didn’t realize it. We can become too comfortable and begin to spend less time in prayer, meditation, and communion with God. It isn’t always the case, but there are times that we neglect our relationship with Heavenly Father, and our spouses will begin to mirror this neglect. They unravel because we are unraveling what is meant to be a strong cord. The solution is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we must refocus, and seek God diligently in prayer. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Where Were the Signs?”, written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! 

God Deserves First Place

 

When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you usually think about? Are you inclined to immediately reach for your phone to see what’s happening in the world? I must admit, for a while, the first thing I would do is grab my phone to check the time and then the news. I hadn’t trained my mind to first think about God. As I began to meditate on His Word and understand what He requires of us, I realized the way I started my day didn’t fit the commandment Christ has given all God’s people. This bothered me. In Matthew 6:33(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” When it comes to our relationship with God through Christ, “first” means first—number one. This is what God requires. He must be our top priority in every aspect of our existence.

I, like so many of you, truly love the Lord and want to please Him, but I was out of alignment with His standard. I’m so thankful to have received a deeper revelation of God’s Word regarding how we should prioritize our relationship with Him. I knew I had to change the way I was doing things, so I prayed and asked God to teach me how to put Him first. This is something I encourage every believer to do, so that we are sure to give God the place of honor in our lives that He so richly deserves.

Philippians 4:8(NLT) tells us, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Examine the detail that our Heavenly Father has provided in this verse about how we should discipline our thoughts. Why do you think God is so descriptive in His instruction regarding our thought life? He is so careful about this instruction because our minds are extremely important to our relationship with Him. If we are not honoring God in our minds, dishonor and darkness will spill over into all the other areas of our lives.

You and I are in control of our minds. We have free-will and we make the decisions and choices about what and how we will think. We can choose to think in alignment with the mind of Christ, or we can think like the rest of the world. But God hopes we will choose the mind of Christ so that our thoughts will produce a reality that pleases Him. This is the Christ-centered mind that leads to a more than abundant life! It is the thought life that meets the requirement and produces the blessings of Matthew 6:33.

In Ephesians 4:29-32(NLT), God instructs us, “29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Not only has Heavenly Father told us to put on the mind of Christ, but He’s told us to watch the words that come out of our mouths. He has instructed us to only say things that are good and helpful. This is His Word! It’s His commandment to us, and we are to humble ourselves because His Word is truth, and we must trust this with all our hearts. He is telling us how to live so that we can have a life that is pleasing to Him and a blessing to us as well. The Lord tells us to get rid of the negativity, because not doing so will grieve the Holy Spirit. No believer should ever want to do this. Instead, we must be diligent to always honor God with our lives. We honor God by doing the things He’s told us in His Word. This is what it means to put Heavenly Father and His Kingdom in first place, and this is the place that He alone deserves. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“God Deserves First Place”, written for time2heal ©2022.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Copyright©2020.