What Are Your Priorities?
What is the highest or what is higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc.; what is that
something that you have given special attention?
Jesus teaches us what our priority should be (Matthew 6:25-33) “therefore I say to
you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor yet
for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body
than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?
And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say to you, that even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the
grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying, what
shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For
after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you
have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.
Seek first the kingdom of God – God’s plan for humanity. Jesus tells us how to get
into the kingdom (John 3:5-6), Jesus speaks to Nicodemus “verily, verily, I say to
you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit”. John 14:6 says “Jesus said to him, I am, the way, the truth, and
the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me”. Yet many people are trying, by all
kinds of religious manners. Religion is man trying to get to God by doing all kinds
of rules. But God wants a relationship with us, James 4:8 says “draw near to God,
and He will draw near to you”. Just like Adam walked with God in the cool of the
day, we can too, because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
Seek His righteousness – His righteousness is a free gift, which has to be received
by faith. (Romans 5:17) “for if by one man’s (Adam) offence death reigned by one,
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness,
shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ”. Paul gives us a clue in II Corinthians 5:16
which says “wherefore hereafter know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we
have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hereafter know we Him no more”. We
have to look at ourselves as God sees us and not as we look in the flesh. Verses
17-21 shows us that we are a new creation in Christ, it says “therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things
are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by
Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them,
and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ’s stead, be
you reconciled to God. For He has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.
Since we have been made the righteousness of God in Him, we have renew our
mind to this (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good,
and acceptable and perfect will of God”. We have think of ourselves as the
righteousness of God in Christ. Remember “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”
(Proverbs 23:7).
The way we operated before we came to the Lord is different from the way the
kingdom of God operates. Ephesians 4:22-24 says “that you put off concerning the
former conversation the old man (former life manner), which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on
the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”.
Galatians 5:16-17 says “this I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the
lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the
flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things
that you would”. We are told in Ephesians 5 to “be filled with the Spirit”, we are
filled with the Spirit as we are full of the word of God.
We have to learn who we are in Christ, consider the work of Calvary; in the letters,
we are told “in Christ”, “in Him”, “in Whom”, study these and see who you are.
Focus your thoughts and actions (Philippians 4:6-9) “be careful for nothing, but in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made
known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in
me, do and the God of peace shall be with you”.
Jesus taught a lot about the kingdom, in Chapter 13 of Matthew, and that should be
studied. He taught the parable of the sower, and said the seed is the word; the
parable of the wheat and tares, how the tares will be burned; the parable of the
mustard seed, although smallest among seeds, when it is grown it is the greatest;
and the parable of leaven, how it works until the whole lump is leavened; and in
verse 11 says “He answered and said to them, because it is given to you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given”.
Matthew 16:19 says “and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”. We have authority and we must
use it. we are told to set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth
(Colossians 3:2), II Corinthians 4:18 says “while we look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”. Remember we have been
raised up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 2:6).
Remember that there is death and life in the power of the tongue. You are either
speaking life or death, there is no middle ground. Jesus says “O generation of
vipers, how can you, being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil
things. But I say to you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified,
and by your words you shall be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37). Proverbs 4 tells
us to guard our heart.
We have to understand that we are made in the image of God, and that we have
been given power (Luke 10:19) “behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any
means hurt you”. People have been waiting for God, but God tells us in Ps 82
“arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”. Let’s not do like
Adam did, Adam was given dominion in the garden over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, but he turned his dominion over to the
devil, by taking what he said over what God said.
The Bible is the word of God, and we must make it the final authority over our lives.
In other words believe it and act on it, James said “but be you doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the
word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For
he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what manner of man
he was. But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continue, therein, he
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed” (James 1:22-25).
Our priorities should be God’s priorities. We are told to hate what He hates, and
love what He loves.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date:August 26, 2008
What is the highest or what is higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc.; what is that
something that you have given special attention?
Jesus teaches us what our priority should be (Matthew 6:25-33) “therefore I say to
you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, nor yet
for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body
than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?
And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say to you, that even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the
grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying, what
shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For
after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you
have need of all these things. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.
Seek first the kingdom of God – God’s plan for humanity. Jesus tells us how to get
into the kingdom (John 3:5-6), Jesus speaks to Nicodemus “verily, verily, I say to
you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit”. John 14:6 says “Jesus said to him, I am, the way, the truth, and
the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me”. Yet many people are trying, by all
kinds of religious manners. Religion is man trying to get to God by doing all kinds
of rules. But God wants a relationship with us, James 4:8 says “draw near to God,
and He will draw near to you”. Just like Adam walked with God in the cool of the
day, we can too, because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
Seek His righteousness – His righteousness is a free gift, which has to be received
by faith. (Romans 5:17) “for if by one man’s (Adam) offence death reigned by one,
much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness,
shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ”. Paul gives us a clue in II Corinthians 5:16
which says “wherefore hereafter know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we
have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hereafter know we Him no more”. We
have to look at ourselves as God sees us and not as we look in the flesh. Verses
17-21 shows us that we are a new creation in Christ, it says “therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things
are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by
Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them,
and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ’s stead, be
you reconciled to God. For He has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.
Since we have been made the righteousness of God in Him, we have renew our
mind to this (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good,
and acceptable and perfect will of God”. We have think of ourselves as the
righteousness of God in Christ. Remember “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”
(Proverbs 23:7).
The way we operated before we came to the Lord is different from the way the
kingdom of God operates. Ephesians 4:22-24 says “that you put off concerning the
former conversation the old man (former life manner), which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on
the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”.
Galatians 5:16-17 says “this I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the
lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the
flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things
that you would”. We are told in Ephesians 5 to “be filled with the Spirit”, we are
filled with the Spirit as we are full of the word of God.
We have to learn who we are in Christ, consider the work of Calvary; in the letters,
we are told “in Christ”, “in Him”, “in Whom”, study these and see who you are.
Focus your thoughts and actions (Philippians 4:6-9) “be careful for nothing, but in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made
known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in
me, do and the God of peace shall be with you”.
Jesus taught a lot about the kingdom, in Chapter 13 of Matthew, and that should be
studied. He taught the parable of the sower, and said the seed is the word; the
parable of the wheat and tares, how the tares will be burned; the parable of the
mustard seed, although smallest among seeds, when it is grown it is the greatest;
and the parable of leaven, how it works until the whole lump is leavened; and in
verse 11 says “He answered and said to them, because it is given to you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given”.
Matthew 16:19 says “and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”. We have authority and we must
use it. we are told to set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth
(Colossians 3:2), II Corinthians 4:18 says “while we look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”. Remember we have been
raised up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 2:6).
Remember that there is death and life in the power of the tongue. You are either
speaking life or death, there is no middle ground. Jesus says “O generation of
vipers, how can you, being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil
things. But I say to you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified,
and by your words you shall be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37). Proverbs 4 tells
us to guard our heart.
We have to understand that we are made in the image of God, and that we have
been given power (Luke 10:19) “behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any
means hurt you”. People have been waiting for God, but God tells us in Ps 82
“arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”. Let’s not do like
Adam did, Adam was given dominion in the garden over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, but he turned his dominion over to the
devil, by taking what he said over what God said.
The Bible is the word of God, and we must make it the final authority over our lives.
In other words believe it and act on it, James said “but be you doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the
word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For
he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what manner of man
he was. But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continue, therein, he
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed” (James 1:22-25).
Our priorities should be God’s priorities. We are told to hate what He hates, and
love what He loves.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date:August 26, 2008
