16 Apr First Things First (Worship is not just the song that I sing, but the life that I live) Part 8

Your life revolves around ________ ?
So many times what we think our life revolves around and what our life actually revolves around are two entirely different things.

Our life actually revolves around our:
1. Time
2. Talent
3. Treasure
4. Thoughts
5. Talk

In other words, our lives actually revolve around what we spend most of our time, talent,
treasure, thoughts and talk on. Notice what Paul said by the Holy Spirit, “When Christ, who is
our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.” Notice this phrase “Christ,
who is my life.” Not Christ who is part of my life…but Christ Who IS my life! Paul’s life revolved
around Christ and His kingdom.

There are so many things our life could revolve around:
1. Money 6. Social media
2. Career 7. Your spouse
3. Sports 8. Your children
4. Power 9. Your phone
5. Sex 10. Acceptance

On and on our list could go. If your time, talent, treasure, thought and talk revolve around any
of these things, you will never experience the peace, joy, purpose and fulfillment, destiny and
satisfaction God wants you to enjoy. So let’s see if we can’t fix some of our priorities. Let’s put
first things first!

Over the past few weeks I began to share with you “10 First Fixes”:
1. Worship is not just the song that you sing, but the life that you live.

2. When you come to church on Sunday…don’t come to worship, bring your worship
with you. Then take it home on Monday!

3. Quit treating God like a spare tire…you only pull Him out in emergencies.

4. Once you pull God out…keep Him out!

5. You will always become like what you worship.

6. The man molds the idol…then the idol molds the man.

7. “I’ll do anything you want God”…until He asks you!

8. If your God never tells you “no”…then you made that God up in your own mind.
Now please allow me to back up a bit and provide a bit of Biblical balance for that
statement. The Bible tells us in II Corinthians 1:20, “All the promises of God in Him are
yes and amen.” Therefore, if God has promised something in His Word…that is His
“yes” and you don’t ever have to even wonder about it!

However, there are times when we go to God about various things that aren’t in the
Bible. Should you take that job? Should you date that person? In those gray areas, we
must seek the wisdom and counsel of God (see Matthew 7:7-9, Prov. 3:5-6)

When God tells us “no” it’s never because He is the cosmic killjoy in the sky. It’s
always because He loves us and wants the best for us! He is not a taker! He is a
protector.

This week we will continue our series with…

9. You will never experience the best of God until you give Him all of you.
The Bible tells us, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose
his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a
man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in

this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed,
when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:35-38).

When I was a very young Christian, I got radically saved. I gave every part of my life to
God except one…my dating life! I had not yet fully understood just how much God truly
loved me (see Eph. 3:15-20). I honestly held that area of my life and kept it from God. I
was afraid if I gave Him my dating life He would stick me with someone spiritual but not
someone beautiful!

Now don’t get me wrong, I never dated unbelievers (see II Cor. 6:14-17) and I always
dated professing Christians, but they never turned out to be who they said they were.
This was the area in my life that was always a mess! It wasn’t until I finally relinquished
this area in my life over to God that I met the perfect combination of spiritual and
beautiful…my lovely wife of 33 plus years…Anne!

Remember this: Whatever you hold away from God will always end up a mess.
Whatever you give to God will always end up blessed!

Join us next week as we continue our series…