The best life is a God First life

Category: Firm Foundation

Spiritual Edification

Before my wife’s illness interfered, the following was my typical schedule for planned edification each month in Bible classes and worship with the Church.

  • 1 hour – Sunday bible class
  • 1 hour – Sunday Worship
  • 1 hour – Sunday eve worship
  • 1 hour – Wednesday bible study
  • 1 hour – 1st and 3rd Thursday for a men’s bible study.

The time adds up to around 22 hrs. per month, yet this is only about 6% of my awake hours in a year.  Does this number surprise you? It surprised me. I thought it would be much more than 6%.

Is God getting our best effort or a minimum effort? In the story of the rich young ruler, the ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to receive eternal life?”

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.” Luke 18:22-23 Apparently, he was unwilling to give up all he had to follow Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t ask us to give our life savings, but; Would we be willing to if He did?

(Especially if we think giving Him a few hours each week is inconvenient.)

It’s a matter of our hearts!

You and I, every person on earth, are so important to God that He gave us His only son as our pathway to eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Jesus, “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,” Galatians 1:4

How much are we willing to give to Him?

Rhetorically:

  • What example are you giving to those you love by your effort?
  • Is God getting your best or your minimum?

God First!

Foundations of love

As we get to know God, we strengthen the foundation of our very being; as we establish roots in His word, they become intertwined with God’s will for us; they weave through every letter of God’s living Word, absorbing the never-ending water that nourishes our souls, guiding us to life ever after with our creator.

When we study God’s Holy Word with the desire to know God, we will draw closer to God, and God will draw closer to us; the more we understand God’s Love, the more we love and WANT to please God.

It’s all in His Word, so why not make the effort to seek to know God personally?

As scripture puts it, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Jesus is our pathway and the only way to eternal salvation, the only way to peace that surpasses all understanding. Get to know God, Store up His word in your heart, and you will find yourself striving to glorify God in every action.

“I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11

”But seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

  • John 4:13-15 (living water)
  • James 4:8 (God draws closer)
  • Romans 8:31(God with us)
  • Matthew 16:13-20(upon this rock)
  • 1 Peter 2:1-10

God First!

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