The Life Priority

Intro:

Imagine for a moment someone offered you this life: You are to be in the presence of the boss at all times. There would be little “you” time. Total involvement would be the standard. You would be expected to become a slave of the life. You couldn’t have your own understanding as a priority, but only that of the boss. Communications from the boss could never be rejected or diminished or neglected. And on top of all that you would be expected to actually reject yourself every day to the point of considering that you have died to your own desires.

Want that life? That’s the Standard we are called to. That is a Standard not of self-indulgence, but of self-sacrifice. What? Where would we get such strange thinking? From God’s Word.

Christians see this Way of Life differently than those of this self-indulgent world. They see such dedication -negatively. The rest of humanity is self-indulgent. But we are never like that, right?

WE have MORE information than the world - God is a family; He is in the process of enlarging His family through converted Christians Eph 3:14-15. His begotten children awaiting glorification into divine spirit beings like Him (1 John 3:1-2).

The New International Version translates Hebrews 2:11: "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family."

This seems to be saying that God is personally involved with His Children and ultimately with all His Creation at that level.

Benefit Statement:

We are to act in relationship with God in a spirit of recognizing HIM as THE priority in Life. He gave and gives us all Life and ultimately all that will be eternal. He is our Personal God

This is the level of obedience that God expected from ancient Israel and He now expects in repentance even before one is baptized and receives the Holy Spirit.

SPS: Since God tells us throughout the Ages that He is to be FIRST in our actions and thoughts, we should learn what that means and HOW to do it.

Today we discuss THE Life Priority

Body:

1. For many centuries Deuteronomy 6:4-9 has been known among the Jews as the Shema. This Hebrew word, which means "hear," is the first word of verse 4. Continuing in verse 4, we read in the earlier and New King James Versions that God is "one."

John 17:22, , "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one" . So God truly is one—in the unity of mindset and purpose shared by the Father and Christ, which They want us to share with Them. But They obviously do not constitute one being—just as God's people are not to become one being.

So what is Deuteronomy 6:4 saying? First of all, it should be stated that the word "one" in the sense of singularity is probably not what the original Hebrew here is intending to convey. Indeed, it could be understood as one in priority—meaning God is to be first, the highest priority, in our lives. And some Bible versions render the phrase in question as, "The Lord is our God, the Lord alone."

Let’s go to the First Commandment. Ex 20:2. Now remember, they are hearing this thundering voice. They are frightened. They thought they were going to go meet God. They had no idea who God was. The only god that they’d ever seen that seemed to be alive was Pharaoh. What was their concept of God? Well, He opened the Red Sea, but they actually meet God. This was greater than anything they could imagine. And they hear this voice, and it’s just overwhelming. And the first thing He says to them, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,” means that is a real Being who is conscious, who has thoughts. So they do entire studies on that sentence, what is revealed by God in that simple sentence? That is the first commandment.

God is not here designated as Creator of heaven and earth.”

You would think God would introduce Himself as, “I am the Creator of everything.”

Soncino. “Israel’s God is not here merely seen as nature, or involved in nature, but in the destinies of men. He had revealed Himself to Israel in a great historic deed, the greatest in the life of any people. The God who saved Israel from slavery had a moral claim, as their Benefactor and a Redeemer, on their gratitude and obedience.”

You know, there’s lots of people who see God as an impersonal being. They believe in God. If you understand the First Commandment, believing that God exists is just the tiniest obedience to this law.

It’s kindergarten level to say, “God exists. I’m keeping the First Commandment.” No, He is your God. “I am your God.” It’s real personal. “You can’t have anybody before Me, because I am your God.” And He tells them, “And you know who I am, because I opened the Red Sea, and I destroyed Egypt. And I gave you water where there was no water. I took you out of slavery that you could not get out of.”

How many times have you heard people say, “Well, grace and law can’t be mixed. They are two different things”? “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,” is one of the greatest statements of grace in the entire Bible.

The Ten Commandments start with one of the greatest declarations of grace. Especially in Hebrew, there’s subtle differences between the Greek and the Hebrew. They mean basically the same, but Hebrew was very interesting. Literally, it’s a favor. You give someone a favor that they didn’t deserve.

You will see in the Old Testament, people can give grace to another person. They show mercy. They do something. Israel could not get out of slavery. Israel could not save itself. Israel could not overcome Pharaoh. Israel could not understand anything. Israel did not have the Ten Commandments.

The giving of the Ten Commandments is an act of grace. It’s not the opposite of grace. It’s an act of grace. The fact that you and I take a breath every day is grace. It’s through the favor of God that you and I get anything. What do you deserve? How many of us go home tonight, get a ladder, get up and have a knock on the door and say, “Let’s talk.” It doesn’t work that way. God either reaches down and grabs us, or nothing happens. And what did He do here? He stretched out His arm and grabbed millions of people, and said, “Here I am.”

The first part of the First Commandment is one of the greatest statements of grace in the entire Bible. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you here. You couldn’t have got here by yourself. There’s no way you could be here. I brought you here. I am your God.” Now, what does that mean to us?

You see, when we talk about grace, a lot of times we talk about Jesus Christ as the greatest expression of God’s grace, right? Forgiveness, given to us through Jesus Christ. Paul uses grace in reference to Jesus Christ that way many times. God’s ultimate favor is, “I brought you here, and you could not get here. I brought you into My presence, and I gave you My spirit, and you could not get here by yourself.” You can’t make this happen. Only God makes this happen. He is the Lord our God, who brought us out of sin, through Jesus Christ. And He is our God.

Every year, at the Days of Unleavened Bread, what do we celebrate? Coming out of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We’re coming out of our Egypt, right? Our dark Egypt, into the Promised Land. We talk about how this bread is a symbol of being deleavened, having sin removed.

This is a symbol of sin. We look back, and we study Exodus. We talk about Satan being the god of this world and the Pharaoh of this world. The opening of the Red Sea is like baptism.

We’re here - God brought us there. And after He brings us there, He says, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of sin. I am the Lord your God who, through My Son, made this possible. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

 

1. Next is the second part of the First Commandment. God is our Benefactor, and His Benefits don’t SEEM like benefits to human reasoning. We never do that either, right?

Actually, it is a new idea here that NOTHING must go before the Living God. As stated from here on.

(Matthew 22:36-38; compare Deuteronomy 6:5). We are introduced to one of the two great commandments in the law: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Christ made clear that this is "the first and great commandment," but that the second ("You shall love your neighbor as yourself") is "like" it (verse 39, quoting from Leviticus 19:18). He explained that God's entire law is summarized by these two commandments (see Matthew 22:40).

The Second Great Commandment is dependent on the First being kept with all your being FIRST.

God demands our absolute loyalty and fidelity to Him. But this is not for Himself—because He just soaks up our adoration. Putting other things before the true God in our lives is harmful and destructive to ourselves and others. God knows that all too well. If everyone instead set their affections on Him—the God of love—above all others, there would be perfect peace and happiness throughout the world. So God is jealous not for His own sake—but for ours.

This precludes that we come to trust God above even ourselves. That is what God calls Faith. After all, faith without works is dead (James 2:14, 20).

• Be in the presence of the Boss at all times – Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
• There’s little “you” time – Pray Always (2 Thessalonians 1:11; Luke 21:34-36) [The context of almost every use of this concept is prayer for others and removal from this world].
• A real slave of the Life - Slave of Righteousness (Romans 6:18-20)
• Not prioritizing your own ideas over the Boss – Lean not to your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)
• Communications from the Boss could not be ignored – Quench not the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
• Reject yourself so much that there really is only death for your old approaches – Die Daily (1 Corinthians 15:31)

We will be rewarded in accordance with our works, and we are to practice "obedience to the faith"

((((((Romans 1:5 (NKJV) 5  Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
Romans 16:26 (NKJV) 26  but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith--))))).

 When we sin, Christ forgives us upon repentance and justifies us or He makes us “righteous” with His Righteousness

(1 John 1:7-9 (NKJV) 7  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.).

But we are told not to sin—this must be our foremost goal (Matthew 6:33; Romans 6:15; 1 John 2:1). Since "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4, KJV), we remain righteous unless and until we sin. ))))))

But no one can keep God's law on his own—we need the help of the living Christ in us to conquer sin. That is why we read,

 (Romans 8:3-4, 9, 14) "He condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit... Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His... For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God".]

God shows Himself as the PERSONAL Giver of Benefits. He says His Sacrifice is for YOU personally. This process begins our Personal relationship with God, and begins the fulfillment of the First and Great Commandment

1. God gave and gives us ALL that will become Eternal. THAT is more of importance than our temporal lives!

The Bible is clear concerning the basis of our relationship with God: He is our Creator!

            HOW To Respond …

Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the most important commitment we can ever make. That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

The supreme guiding power over our lives, that which controls our ideals, is our focus of worship. Many “things” can take the place of the worship of the true God in our hearts and minds. The adoration of these “things” as priorities instead of God - will eliminate any possibility of our establishing or maintaining a real relationship with God.

Jesus pointed out that there is a higher level of righteousness that goes beyond the limited written demands of the Ten Commandments—a spirit or spiritual intent of the law that goes beyond the mere letter of the law (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

That level of love for God and our fellow human beings exceeds what any person is capable of having and expressing fully without the divine help that God makes available to us through the power of His Holy Spirit. It is a level of love that is in direct opposition to the selfish tendencies of our fleshly nature

James 4:1-3 (NKJV) 1  Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2  You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. ).

"HOW TO" List:

First, we must acknowledge that God’s commandments are spiritual in nature, AND GOOD!

(Romans 7:14 (NKJV) 14  For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.)

as well as being holy, just and good …

(Romans 7:12 (NKJV) 12  Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. ).

We must recognize also that God will not establish an eternal relationship with one who willfully chooses to continue transgressing His law

(Isaiah 59:1-2 (NKJV) 1  Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. ).

(((((We need to recognize and acknowledge that His laws are wonderful and endure forever ( Psalms 119:129-160). )))))

Being willing choose to obey God’s commandments as the only acceptable foundation for a right relationship with Him and Jesus Christ

(((((Luke 6:46 (NKJV) 46  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?).)))))

(Philippians 2:12-15) “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”.

In this way God raises the relationship we have with Him through Jesus Christ from obedience to just the letter of His law to a deep, selfless love for Him and His way of life and our fellow human beings. The history of mankind makes it clear that this level of righteousness has never and can never be attained by human effort alone.

All that we are, and everything we have, ultimately comes from one source—God. Paul cautions us(

1 Timothy 6:17).  “not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy”

The only reliable assurance that our future is secure lies in our relationship with our Creator.

He created for us a wonderful dwelling—our beautiful planet. He fashioned it to provide us with everything we need for our material well-being and survival. It is His desire that we enjoy and appreciate His gifts to us.

At the same time, He wants us to understand that we must never direct our worship toward anything that He has created or regard it as the source of our life and blessings. Only the Creator—never the creation—is to receive that honor. This includes even our Own ability to reason. We consider OUR reasoning to be the Truth. We falter in that misunderstanding. We start doing what is right in our own eyes, and more, we believe we are doing God’s Will …when it is merely OUR will.

The Egyptians and Mesopotamians thought of the forces of nature as powerful spirits ruling over their environment. This superstitious worship of the sun, moon and stars as well as “mother” earth and most of its natural forces, such as lightning, thunder, rain and fire, persists to this day in some parts of the world.

ALL Creation is created and sustained by the Creator …including US!

Responsible scientists refute the belief in the spontaneous generation of life. Some have demonstrated the scientific impossibility of life evolving from the nonliving. Research demonstrates that cells, the building blocks of life, are made up of so many complex and interactive and irreducibly complex systems that the possibility of life originating spontaneously defies even the most extreme view of the laws of probability.

Michael Behe, associate professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, writes: “The result of these cumulative efforts to investigate the cell—to investigate life at the molecular level—is a loud, clear, piercing cry of ‘design!’ The result is so unambiguous and so significant that it must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements in the history of science” ( Darwin’s Black Box , 1996, pp. 232-233, original emphasis) .

Dr. Behe refutes even the possibility that life could have evolved. In other words, solid scientific evidence now makes it clear that the existence of the creation necessitates a Creator. (Read the free Bible study aids Life’s Ultimate Question: Does God Exist? and Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe? )

The First Commandment warns us not to accept a religion or philosophy that teaches that our life and well-being originate with or depend on anything other than the one true God. There is no pantheon of deities.

There is no other source of life or blessings but God. There is no other power that rules over the heavens and the earth.

Deuteronomy 10:14 “Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it”. He alone created and sustains the universe in which we exist.

This is the First Commandment’s powerful message. We are to worship and serve our Creator—the miracle-working God who led ancient Israel out of Egyptian bondage—and to credit our existence and blessings to no other source. We are to love, respect and honor Him—to have a genuine, personal relationship with Him.

How can the true God be more real to us?

It is IMPORTANT to KNOW, so we can become LIKE Him!

It is through God’s remarkable works that we can best comprehend God’s character. David describes his enthusiastic admiration for God’s care and concern for His creation.

(Psalms 145:5-9). “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

(Psalms 107:8-9). “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness”

Moses adds that our Creator

(Deuteronomy 10:18) “administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing”.

Jesus explains that God is so loving and merciful toward all that

(Matthew 5:45). “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”

God is concerned about the well-being of all people—even those who live in ignorance of His existence. Why is it so important that we understand the fundamentals of God’s character? It is vital that we understand God because He wants to create in us that same character—His divine nature.

 (2 Peter 1:4). “given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature …”

This comprehension involves a major shift of mind-set.

Romans 12:2 “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind …”.

What kind of renewal should occur in our thinking?  God wants us to become like Him by emulating the thinking, attitudes and outlook toward life exemplified by our perfect example, Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”.

How can this change in our thinking take place?

Getting acquainted with the true God

We get to know God by practicing His ways and emulating the love for others that motivate His thinking.

(1 John 2:3) “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments”.

(1 John 4:8). “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love”

The Bible is a handbook that tells us what we need to know about God. Jesus Christ tells us,

((((Matthew 4:4; see also Deuteronomy 8:3) “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”. )))

Romans 10:17 (NKJV) 17  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(((2 Timothy 3:16-17 “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”.)))

To know God, we must study those inspired Scriptures.

2 Timothy 2:15, NRSV). “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth”  

The family relationship

The relationship that God wants with us is that of children with their Father.

2 Corinthians 6:18  “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”.

Herein lies the awesome purpose of our existence: the continuing development of righteous character and our ultimate destiny as members of God’s family

Matthew 5:48 (NKJV) 48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect..

The importance of this special relationship:

1 John 3:1-3  “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure”.

It was for this purpose that Jesus Christ was born to be the Savior of mankind.

(Hebrews 2:9-11). “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one [Father], for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren”

This is the awesome purpose for which you were born: to become a member of the very family of God!

What a remarkable love the living God, the Creator of the universe, has in store for us. He wants us to be a part of His family, to live forever in His Kingdom.

He tells us that our highest priority in this life is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). We then are to DECIDE consciously (working out our OWN personal Salvation with God) to BE of this WAY and BE so directed not by our self oriented mind or feelings any longer.

Our heavenly Father gave us this lifetime to establish a permanent relationship with Him so we can receive eternal life as His children.

We should love, honor and respect Him so much that He alone is the supreme authority and model in our lives. He alone is God. We should allow nothing to prevent us from serving and obeying Him.

“I brought you out of bondage. I brought you here to make you free.”

Remember they were slaves. And thousands of years later, they look at this and say, “We were slaves, and we were brought there so we could come out of slavery.”

You and I, and our relationship with God, are brought before the throne of God where He now says, in His grace, “I have brought you here to give you My Law. I have brought you here to teach you, through the blood of Jesus Christ, through all those symbols of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread,” we come before Jesus Christ here, or God the Father here, and He says, “I brought you out of bondage.”

You and I appear before God all the time, and He says, “I wish you were a little more free. I am the Lord your God. Let Me teach you how to be free of all the shackles of sin.” This is about freedom. That’s what it meant to the original audience.

How much more should that mean to us? It’s freedom from sin. Therefore, “I am the Lord your God. Don’t have anybody before Me.”

How much have we taken this commandment lightly? We’re commandment breakers. We do the letter pretty good, but we’re commandment breakers.

The First Commandment is personal.

He is my God. Can you imagine?

Think your name and say,  I worship the God of this person.”

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

He’s your God. It’s a real personal issue.

The First Commandment makes it personal.

He did write it, and it was the Lord his God, in the sight of the Lord his God.

Conclusion:

He’s the one who took us out of our house of bondage, that it’s only because of His power and grace, and mercy that we we’re brought to Him. And when we are brought to Him, the first thing He says is, “Don’t have any other gods before Me, because I’m the One who brought you here. I’m the One who did this, and you can’t do it. I’m the One that saved you because you can’t save yourself.”

If you want to get in an argument with God with that, He answers, “Go ahead. Resurrect yourself.”

We simply cannot consider that WE alone are able to originate righteousness. We must KNOW God. We MUST have an ongoing personal relationship with God

WORK at this Marriage and Family with All you have in SPITE of what you experience to distract your life from GOD’S personally Gifted and undeserved Guidance to HIS WAY.

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) 21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

• God shows HIMSELF to be our Personal God
• God is OUR Benefactor even though our human mindset rejects His Benefits
• HOW To respond to God’s ongoing Benefits – Personal Relationship with HIS WAY and HIM.

CLOSE:

When we try to argue that we can somehow save ourselves, we’re in real trouble with that one because, we are unable to grant ourselves eternal ANYTHING

All the other commandments are built off of the FIRST one. All the other commandments come out of that one. “You shall have no other gods before Me.” To give lip service to ANY of the Ten Commandments, and not obey them, is to be disloyal to God.

Jesus taught that we don’t live just by the letter of the Law, but by the spirit of the Law. Jesus is the grace that allows us to come before God. But understand, the giving of the Law, the giving of the Ten Commandments, is not the opposite of grace. It is an act of grace.

We have to have belief, faith, and we have to be loyal. We have to be loyal. We can’t ignore Him in our everyday lives and fulfill this commandment, because He is the Lord your God.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.