Tag Archive | Holy Spirit

Do you have your priorities straight – Jesus first?

May4

Question: How do I know if I’m keeping Jesus first in my life?

Answer: It’s very important that Believers remember to put Jesus Christ first in their lives! Start by praying for God’s Holy Spirit to help you. Pray that as you go about your day you will be mindful of the things you do and say. Ask yourself if your words and actions are reflecting the love and teachings of God’s Word.

To know what God has to say to us, Believers should regularly read and study God’s Word — the Bible. It says we are to, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

In doing so, we learn so many important things. For example, we learn about how God wants us to live our lives to please Him. We learn about the gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Read John 3:16). Plus, we learn about the many wonderful promises God has made to us if we obey His Word (Read Jeremiah 29:11). We also learn of the deadly consequences we face if we are disobedient to Him and don’t turn from our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NKJV)

God also understands how difficult our enemy, Satan, tries to make our lives. Satan definitely does not want us to put Jesus first. In fact, he’s a thief who wants to rob us of our faith. One way he may try to do this is by making us doubt God loves us. Or he makes us think God is no longer around to help us. Satan makes us have these feelings when we have to deal with hard issues like sickness, money problems, relationship troubles, or crime.

But remember not to believe Satan’s lies! “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Also, remember that God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

So, know that there will be times when you find yourself facing difficult situations. You will face social pressures, rejection, or even retaliation for choosing to reject sin and instead follow the teachings of God. When this happens, don’t be afraid or discouraged — stand strong for the Lord! Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help you through these challenging times. Live your life to please the Lord.

Keep Jesus first!

Are you really putting God first?

Sep3

Question: How can I be sure my decisions put God first instead of just pleasing myself?

Answer: You can start by making sure your decisions don’t go against the word of God! The two ways you can be guided with this is by praying for the Holy Spirit to help you, and by studying to know God’s word. In reading the Bible, we learn about the many promises Our Heavenly Father has made to us. One of these promises is that He will be there for us, and He will give us His Holy Spirit to guide us.

Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13 NKJV)

Unfortunately, there are times when we try to talk ourselves into believing that what we want is equal to what God wants. But this may not be the case. For example, we may want to support those who promote sinful behaviors, especially if they are people we like. We convince ourselves that it’s okay to support their sinful agendas as long as we’re not actually committing these sins ourselves and we like the good things these people may also do.

But God’s word says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8). If your support helps these people or others sin against God, then you are sharing in their sin! You are choosing to put their desires ahead of God’s commands. That’s not putting God first! As Believers, our first obedience must be to God. For to God, obedience is better than sacrifice. (See 1 Samuel 15:22)

A different type of example of not putting God first could happen in the way we respond to our achievements. When given the opportunity, we may enthusiastically give credit for our success to many people– our parents, teachers, mentors, and even ourselves. While acknowledging the help of all these people is fine, we must remember to give the main credit to God! He is the one who blessed us to be able to achieve that success by providing us with the various people, skills, wisdom, and opportunities that helped us to achieve. Therefore, make sure to give God the credit for His many blessings in your life.

Now, we are not perfect people. The only perfect one to walk this earth was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! So, there are going to be times when we fail to put God first. Just remember that God loves us even when we fail Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you keep God first in your life. He will guide you and keep you on the right track.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-7)

Amen!