TOP PRIORITY
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Top priority
a) When it comes to priorities, Jesus made it crystal clear what ours should be. He said we should love God first and love others second.
i) 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)
b) Putting God first doesn't mean you neglect your spouse and children. It doesn't mean you abandon your family and spend all your time in church, friends, social networks etc. It doesn't mean you yell at your family and tell them to fend for themselves because you're going to the mission field or do something more important in life.
c) Jesus said, "15 If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15 NIV)
d) Putting God first means you love him enough to always do what he says. Next to loving him, the most important thing he says he wants you to do is to love your neighbours. Who are your neighbours? The ones most closest to you. The ones that need you the most.
i) 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:11-18 NIV)
e) There have to be priorities within the "love others" command too. First of all, you have to love your husband (wife) first and second your children. The reason for that is if you don't put your spouse before your children, you may end up not having a spouse and that is not good for your children.
f) Keeping your priorities straight is not hard until children come along, and then it becomes a lot more complex. Perhaps both of you have to work to support the family, and there is so much time needed to raise children and keep a home clean and running, including all other things you need to do in order to stay healthy
g) How can you do all of this without violating what your top priorities should be? It seems you are always going to be neglecting something or someone. Most likely, you will be neglecting your spouse in favor of your children. Or neglecting your family in favor of your work or things that interest you the most. But it doesn't have to be that way.
h) You will find it amazing, however, that when you love God and put him first in your heart, all the other priorities fall into place. Loving God doesn't mean just having occasional feelings for him. It means loving him with all that is within you. It means your heart is always with him. When you love God with all your heart, loving your spouse the way you are supposed to will be easy.
The End ...
1. Top prioritya) When it comes to priorities, Jesus made it crystal clear what ours should be. He said we should love God first and love others second.
i) 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)
b) Putting God first doesn't mean you neglect your spouse and children. It doesn't mean you abandon your family and spend all your time in church, friends, social networks etc. It doesn't mean you yell at your family and tell them to fend for themselves because you're going to the mission field or do something more important in life.
c) Jesus said, "15 If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15 NIV)
d) Putting God first means you love him enough to always do what he says. Next to loving him, the most important thing he says he wants you to do is to love your neighbours. Who are your neighbours? The ones most closest to you. The ones that need you the most.
i) 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:11-18 NIV)
e) There have to be priorities within the "love others" command too. First of all, you have to love your husband (wife) first and second your children. The reason for that is if you don't put your spouse before your children, you may end up not having a spouse and that is not good for your children.
f) Keeping your priorities straight is not hard until children come along, and then it becomes a lot more complex. Perhaps both of you have to work to support the family, and there is so much time needed to raise children and keep a home clean and running, including all other things you need to do in order to stay healthy
g) How can you do all of this without violating what your top priorities should be? It seems you are always going to be neglecting something or someone. Most likely, you will be neglecting your spouse in favor of your children. Or neglecting your family in favor of your work or things that interest you the most. But it doesn't have to be that way.
h) You will find it amazing, however, that when you love God and put him first in your heart, all the other priorities fall into place. Loving God doesn't mean just having occasional feelings for him. It means loving him with all that is within you. It means your heart is always with him. When you love God with all your heart, loving your spouse the way you are supposed to will be easy.
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