Sunday Sermon
RIGHT PRIORITIES EQUAL RIGHT CHOICES
Date: March 25, 2007
Speaker: Ptr. Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Matthew 6:33 & Joshua 24:14

MOST PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES BASED ON WHAT IT WILL COST THEM AND WHAT TYPE OF PLEASURE OR COMPENSATION THEY WILL RECEIVE.

LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN: (2 DUDES GO INTO MCDONALD’S FOR SOME GRUB.)

THEY DIDN’T PUT THEIR STOMACHS OR HEALTH FIRST!!

THEY JUST WANTED TO SATISFY THEIR BASIC NEED WITHOUT FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF ANYTHING ELSE.

WELL MOST PEOPLE MAKE SERIOUS CHOICES WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT GOD FIRST.

SO IF GOD IS NOT FIRST, CHANCES ARE THAT YOUR DECISION OR CHOICE MOST PROBABLE WILL BE WRONG AND EVEN HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAY COME BEFORE GOD.

MONEY, WORK, ROMANCE, FAMILY, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, PLEASURE, AND EDUCATION

SOLOMON MADE SOME WRONG CHOICES IN HIS LIFE; HE CHOSE WEALTH, WISDOM, AND PLEASURE. READ 1 KINGS 11:1-12. (READ FROM OVERHEAD) HIS CHOICE AFFECTED NOT ONLY HIM BUT HIS KID WHO SUCCEEDED HIM. ECCLESIASTES 1:1-3 HE CONCLUDES THAT ALL IS VANITY, EMPTY OR MEANINGLESS. ANN IN THE LAST CHAPTER 12:8-13 HE RESTATES HIS CONCLUSION BUT HE SAYS WHEN ALL HAS BEEN HEARD MAN’S WHOLE DUTY IS TO FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SEE PEOPLE MAKING WRONG CHOICES BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PRIORITIES IN THEIR LIFE. IT STARTS THE BOOK OF GENESIS WHEN:

1. EVE CHOOSES TO EAT THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. HER CHOICE MESSES EVERYONE UP. WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING.

2. ESAU CHOOSES TO SELL HIS BIRTHRIGHT FOR A BOWL OF LENTIL SOUP. WHAT A TRADEOFF!! DID HE THINK AT ALL AS TO WHAT HE WAS GIVING UP? HIS FLESH (APPETITE) CARRIED HIM AWAY. (GEN. 25:34)

3. JACOB CHOOSE TO WORK 7 YEARS FOR LABAN FOR THE HAND OF RACHEL BUT ENDED UP WITH LEAH. BECAUSE BEFORE HE CHOOSES TO DO THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THAT IN LABAN COUNTRY IT WAS NOT PERMITTED TO GIVE THE YOUNGER BEFORE THE ELDER. HIS LUST CAUSED HIM TO MAKE THE WRONG CHOICE. SEVEN YEARS DOWN THE DRAIN.

4. IN 1 SAMUEL KING SAUL CHOOSES TO STRENGTHEN HIMSELF AND NOT THE KINGDOM. HE THOUGHT ONLY ABOUT HIMSELF AND GOD REMOVED THE KINGDOM FROM HIS HANDS.

THESE ALL MADE WRONG CHOICES WITHOUT ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES OR HAVING WRONG PRIORITIES. THEIR PRIORITIES WERE WRONG!!! AND THE LIST GOES ON. ARE YOU GETTING THE POINT??

CHURCH MEMBERS ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THESE TYPES OF TRAGEDIES.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY CAN USE GOD TO GET ALL KINDS OF WORLDLY THINGS FOR THEMSELVES. THEY MAY:

1. GO TO CHURCH.
2. LEAD RESPECTABLE LIVES.
3. CONTRIBUTE TO THE LORD’S WORK.
FOR THIS THEY EXPECT GOD TO PAY THEM OFF WITH SUCCESS, HONOR, HEALTH AND A LIFE OF EASE.

JESUS WARNS US AGAINST SUCH MISPLACED VALUES MATTHEW 15:6-9(AMPLIFIED) READ FROM BIBLE.

DO WE TELL OUR CHILDREN THAT GOD IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT NEGLECT TO SHOW IT IN OUR LIVES?

ARE WEEKS SO CROWDED THAT WE HAVE NO TIME FOR DEVOTIONS TOGETHER. IS SUNDAY WORSHIP REPLACED BY ALMOST ANYTHING THAT COMES ALONG!!

DO OUR GIFTS FOR GOD COME AS FIRST FRUIT OR AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE HAVE BEEN PAID FOR??

IN MATTHEW 22:37 JESUS SAID “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL (SPIRIT) AND WITH YOUR ENTIRE MIND.”
GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD ARE TO BE EVERYONE’S TOP FIRST PRIORITY!!!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:14 SAYS THAT THE LOVE OF CHRIST COMPELS US.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SINNED IN OUR LIVE BY PUTTING HIM LAST IN OUR LIVES, HE HASN’T TREATED US THAT WAY. IN HIS LOVE GOD HAS PUT US FIRST.

THINK ABOUT IT, HE HAS SHOWERED US WITH BLESSINGS, FOOD CLOTHING, FAMILY, FRIENDS, A GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND NECESSARY EDUCATION. AND THAT’S NOT ALL HE ALSO GAVE US A SAVIOR IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST...

WHEN WE CONSIDER ALL THESE BLESSINGS, IT SHOULD BE EASIER TO GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.

WE SHOULD GLADLY PUT GOD AND HIS WORD FIRST. AND THIS SHOULD MAKE US REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A CHOICE TO BUDGET OUR TIME, TALENTS AND MONEY ACCORDINGLY TO PLEASE HIM.

YOU SEE PUTTING GOD FIRST HELPS US PUT EVERYTHING IN THERE PROPER PLACE. FOR INSTANCE, CHURCH, OUR FAMILIES, WORK.

AND AS WE STUDY THE BIBLE TOGETHER, WE LEARN TO PUT THE PROPER PRIORITY ON MANY OTHER THINGS IN OUR LIVES. FOR INSTANCE:
1. WE TRAIN OUR CHILDREN IN GOD’S WAYS (SOMETHING THAT IS MISSING IN OUR SOCIETY).EPHESIANS 6:4– (OVERHEAD)

2. WE MAKE PROVISION FOR OUR FAMILIES. 1 TIMOTHY 5:8

3. WE HELP THOSE IN NEED. MATTHEW 25: 35-36

4. WE SUPPORT OUR GOVERNMENT. PAY PROPER TAXES, RENDER UNTO CAESAR!! (WAR IN IRAQ, IRAQ NOT WITH OTHER ARAB STATES THAT ATTACK ISRAEL.)

LIVING IN SCRIPTURAL PRIORITIES IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE!!
WHEN WE LIVE BY GOD’S PRIORITIES, WE ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE, JOY AND CONTENTMENT.

NOW LET’S LOOK AT OUR OPENING SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:33. CAN YOU SEE WHY JESUS SAID THIS?? HE WANTS US SEEK THE KINGDOM NOT A RELIGION!!! AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (BEING CONTINUALLY IN RIGHT STANDING WITH HIM.

WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH HE WAS CONTINUALLY OPPOSE BY THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT. (PHARISEES AND SCRIBES)
WE NEED TO TAKE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN!!!!

IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE GENESIS 1:26-28 (OVERHEAD) HE GAVE ADAM AND EVE DOMINION (KINGDOM REIGN OVER THE EARTH) AND WHEN THEY FELL THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE, THE EARTH BECAME THE PLACE WHERE THE DEVIL REIGNED (HIS KINGDOM). JESUS IS SAYING I AM GIVING IT BACK TO MY KIDS. WE ARE A NATION OF KINGS AND PRIEST IN GOD’S KINGDOM.
SEEK IT FIRST AND SEE WHAT HE MEANT!!!

WHEN HE TAUGHT, HE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG YOU OR EVEN IN YOU... YOU HAVE GOT TO GET THIS!!!! WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN US. WE ARE CITIZENS OF HIS KINGDOM WITH PRIVILEGES THAT BELONG ONLY TO HIS SUBJECTS WHO HAVE PLACE HIS KINGDOM FIRST.

THE GOSPELS RECORDS JESUS USING THE WORD KINGDOM 107 TIMES. ...... BUT IN JOHN 18:36 HE SAYS THAT HIS KINGDOM WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD.(FOR HIM AT THAT TIME) BUT NOW FOR US HIS KINGDOM LIVES IN US AND WE MUST TAKE IT, MAKE IT OUR FIRST PRIORITY, BECAUSE IF WE DON’T WE WILL NEVER MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES AGAIN !!!

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO PUT THE KINGDOM FIRST, THE MAN OF GOD FIRST WAS THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. LET’S GO TO 1 KINGS 17:10-16 (OVERHEAD– READ FROM AMPLIFIED BIBLE).

JUST LIKE HER, WHEN YOU PUT GOD FIRST YOU WILL MAKE OUTSTANDING CHOICES AND BE BLESSED. EVERYTHING YOU NEED WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.

THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU: YOUR FIRST CHOICE IS TO

1. PUT GOD FIRST

2. CHOOSE TO LOVE — NOT HATE

3. CHOOSE TO SERVE OTHERS — NOT BE SELF CENTERED. (MT23:11)

4 CHOOSE GOD’S WAY — NOT YOUR WAY. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

5. CHOOSE TO BE HUMBLE — NOT PRIDEFUL. PRIDE COMETH BEFORE THE FALL

6. CHOOSE GOOD ATTITUDE — NOT BAD

7. CHOOSE FORGIVENESS — NOT AVENGING. IF NOT YOU PUT YOUSELF IN PRISON AND YOUR PRAYER WILL NOT BE ANSWERED.

8. CHOOSE FAITH IN GOD — NOT DISBELIEF. HEBREWS 11:1 “NOW FAITH IS BEING SURE OF WHAT WE HOPE FOR AND CERTAIN OF THINGS WE DO NOT SEE. WE MUST TRUST HIM!!!!!!!

YOU CANNOT MAKE ALL THESE PROPER CHOICES UNTIL YOU ESTABLISH RIGHT PRIORITIES. WHEN YOU PUT GOD FIRST YOU WIN....