Relationships over Possessions - Abraham and Lot
Genesis 13:8-9, “Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’”
Spiritual Blessings over Fleshly Appetites - Esau and Jacob
Hebrews 12:16-17, “...that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”
1 John 2:16, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father, but from the world.”
Application: I should never allow the temporal pleasures of this world to rob me of eternal spiritual blessings.
God over Family - Ruth and Orpah
Ruth 1:14, “And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.”
Ruth 1:16-17, “But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.'”
Matthew 1:5-6, “Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. Jesse fathered David the king.”
Matthew 10:37, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Spending time with God over Serving God - Mary and Martha
Luke 10:38-42, “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”
Application: My priority should be spending time with God, and all other activities must spring from my relationship with Him.
Gratitude over Greed - Mary and Judas Iscariot
John 12:3, “Mary took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
John 12:4-8, “But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.’”
1 Timothy 6:6, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Application: I need to live my life filled with gratitude to God for all of His blessings on me.
The priorities Jesus had:
- Jesus valued people.
- Jesus overcame all of His fleshly desires by standing firm on the word of God.
- Jesus always kept God and His will over family.
- Jesus served others continually.
- Jesus spent hours praying with His Father in Heaven.
- Jesus lived a life of total sacrifice.
- Jesus was filled with gratitude.
My Desires lead to my priorities
My Priorities lead to my choices
My choices lead to my consequences
How to Set my Priorities Straight
1. Love God above all else
Luke 10:26-28, “He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.’”
2. Love others and be a blessing to others
John 15:12-13, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.”
3. Seek God’s kingdom first
Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
4. Lay-up treasures in heaven not earth
Matthew 6:19-21, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
5. Invest in building your relationship with God
Ephesians 6:18, “You must pray at all times as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray. Pray for the things that are needed. You must watch and keep on praying. Remember to pray for all Christians.”
2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
6. Seek to do God’s will
1 John 2:17, “And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
7. Do everything for God’s glory
Colossians 3:22-23 “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
2. Love others and be a blessing to others
3. Seek God’s kingdom first
4. Lay-up treasures in heaven not earth
5. Invest in building your relationship with God
6. Seek to do God’s will
7. Do everything for God’s glory
