Priorities

Pastor Eduardo Alves was leading worship service at Ministerios Adoracion church:

Priorities

The pace of our life often takes priority over the most important things God wants us to focus on. Matthew 6:33 ”33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

THERE ARE CHOICES THAT MAY LEAD TO SHORT-TERM HAPPINESS

God warns us to take a good look at our priorities.

a) Making ourselves #1 doesn’t bring contentment.

b) He directs this warning to people who live only for themselves:

c) Haggai 1:5-7 “5Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.” New International Version (NIV)

On Judgment Day I believe God will check on at least these three measurable priorities during our lifetime:

#1—Our schedule and priorities

What do we spend most of our time doing? For whom?

*Charles Francis Adams, a 19th century politician and diplomat, went fishing with his son one day. His son Brook Adams kept a diary in which he wrote, “Went fishing with my father—the most wonderful day of my life!” His father, Charles also kept a diary in which he wrote: “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted.”

*The founder of McDonalds, Ray Kroc, was asked by a reporter about his order of priorities. He said, “I believe in God, my family and then McDonalds.” Then he added, “When I get to the office, I reverse the order.”

You see there is difference in what you say and what you do! How much of your time do you give to God?

#2—Our spending.

Would we be embarrassed if God saw what we bought and how much and how we spent our lives?

-Our checkbook is a record of what our priorities are in life.

-Our spending reveals our priorities.

-Preparing us for the Final Exam, Jesus counsels us, Matthew 6:19-21 “19Don’t store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. 20Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21Your heart will always be where your treasure is.” Contemporary English Version (CEV)

#3—Our speech.

-We will be judged by our words.

-Do spiritual things excite us or do they bore us?

-o test the condition of our heart Jesus says, . Luke 6:45-46 “45Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts. Bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart” Contemporary English Version (CEV)

-Our words show what condition our heart is in!

WHAT CHOICES LEAD TO LONG-TERM JOY?

1. People say, “I want to be happy.”

a) Did you know, happiness depends upon chance “happenings?”

b) Happiness is based on circumstances and on chance.

c) Happiness is external.

2. Joy is internal.

a) God is the source of deep, satisfying joy.

a) One of the names for God in Psalms 43 in the Hebrew Bible is El Simchathgali.

b) The name literally means “I am the God of exceeding joy.”

c) Psalm 43:4 says, I am the God of overflowing, abundant joy. I will go to the altar of God, to God--the source of all my joy. New Living Translation (NLT)

d) Deep, satisfying joy comes from a good relationship with God.