Does God Come First

We are living in a fast paced world where technology rules the lives of many of us. Regardless of our job or career path, as a Christian, our lives will be touched by that fast paced lifestyle. Whatever our job, whatever our family situation or where we live, we have to stop and ask ourselves, "Does God come first in my life?" That is a very important question for the Christian, not just in our current culture and society, but at any time in the past or the future.

The pressures of this world will close in on us if we allow them to. It might be pressure from our job, our home life and family or just from the world in general. In today's world, it is so easy to get caught up in politics, policies and the general culture itself. There are so many agendas and movements and ideas which are pushed by those who do not have a relationship with Jesus. So many Christians allow themselves to be caught up in these arguments which go back and forth and really gain nothing but bitterness.

Social media is the center stage for these back and forth debates which are nothing more than a platform for hatred most of the time. People who don't even know each other will harshly criticize and demean each other over a silly, worldly idea being pushed by some cultural agenda. Politics seem to always be at the center of these keyboard wars; people are split by political affiliation and therefore attack one another over ideologies and worldly beliefs. For a Christian to be in the middle of one of these debates or attacks, is not putting God first, they are putting themselves and their worldly beliefs first.

Now, there are many who would argue that point with me but I only say that based on what I read in the Bible which is God's word. So, any heartburn you have with that, take it up with God because I am just the messenger. The following verses are from 2 Tim. 2:14,16,

 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

  Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

This is something we would be wise to keep in mind regardless if we are teaching from the Bible or just having a discussion. When we are concerned with putting God at the forefront of our lives, it will dictate what we say, what we look at or where we go. I used to watch cable news, a specific channel, but I had to stop because I found myself getting to involved in that agenda. It is a worldly, political agenda and I became real uncomfortable with the way I began to feel. I found myself being caught up in all of it and the Holy Spirit convicted me and I shut it down.

As a Bible student, teacher and writer, it couldn't coexist in my life. I will not proclaim that I always have God in the forefront of my thinking but I pray He will prompt me when I begin to stray away. It's so easy to sit down in front of a TV and watch a secular program that is filled with worldly ideas and agendas. I can't watch that kind of stuff; these programs are filled with the agendas of this world and this culture.

The Church, (some churches) in this country, has gone soft in it's teaching and preaching from the Bible. It is common to hear a feel good message from any number of pulpits on a Sunday morning and people go in and come out not knowing anymore about God than they did when they entered that building. The gospel is not heard and some pastors are more concerned with teaching a series on how to have a better sexual relationship with your wife than the gospel. That was actually a big topic making it's rounds through some mega churches a few years ago.

Some of these churches have stopped teaching from the Bible all together. They refuse and reject the blood atonement of Christ and claim Jesus is not the only way to heaven. Social justice lectures are more prominent than any Bible passage and people are flocking to hear this message. False doctrine and teachings are as popular today as they were in Paul's time. How can people put God first in their lives when they don't even know who He is or which God He is?

We need to stop, stop our lives and put everything on hold for a few seconds, minutes or hours and take a look at what we have surrounded ourselves with. What are the most important things in our lives? What are our most important activities? Where or how do we spend most of our time away from work? I am not saying we should be zombies for Christ but He needs to be first in our lives. It's what He demands of us; He doesn't suggest it, He commands it.

“You must not have any other god but me.  Ex. 20:3  

Anything in our lives which has taken on a role of being more important that God, is an idol and a form of a god. That might sound strange to some but stop and think about it. Is there something in your life you will go to extremes not to miss out on? Maybe it's the gym, a TV program or some other activity in your life. You will not allow anything to stand between you and whatever it is? That is a god in your life.

Let's consider the early Church and how they responded to pressure from the world. Peter and John were on Solomon's Porch preaching about Jesus when they were dragged off to jail. This was the first time they had experienced any form of persecution but it didn't hinder or soften their zeal for talking about Jesus. They were warned not to do it  again and they responded this way,

 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?  We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”  Acts 4:19-20

They didn't even hesitate in their response to these religious leaders. The most important thing in their lives was Jesus. Peter had extended his hand to a man who had been lame his entire life and believed that Jesus would heal him and he did. Jesus was first in the lives of these apostles and believers in Him. And don't fall into the trap of believing that this is the way it was 'in the Bible.' God doesn't change, hasn't changed and will not change. He is the same today as He was the day He healed this man.

I think the problem of subtly placing other things in our lives ahead of God is easily done by allowing ourselves to stray away a little. Maybe we don't read the Bible as often as we did when we were first saved or maybe we don't make room in our schedule for prayer anymore. We don't think much about missing a church service and we really don't spend time with other Christians. These are all signs of allowing God to slip out of first place in our lives and we need to readjust our schedules and routines to make sure we are in fellowship with Jesus as much as possible.

I know how hard it can be to get up 30 minutes earlier to pray and read your Bible but I did it years ago and it became a part of my morning routine. It was a part of my fellowship and worship of God and still is. Leaving the house in the morning after spending time with Jesus was so refreshing. Make it a mandatory practice to be in church and/or Bible studies as much as possible. I understand people have to work or get ill but when those things are not in the way, be there. Have those Christian friends who will pray for you and be there for fellowship.

Allowing Jesus to be first in your life will have an affect on you family and home, your job site attitude and work performance and it will dim the importance of those cultural and worldly topics you once thought so much of. I believe if the Church today was more like the early Church (in attitude toward God) we would see a lot less arguing over worldly topics and see a lot more work for God's agenda.