Prioritizing Priorities

We are all challenged with prioritizing our priorities. A priority is “A Valuable”  which is regarded as more important than another “Valuable.” So, how are you are putting the most valuable thing at the top are your list?

Let me illustrate ... Many years ago, two River paddle boats left Memphis about the same time. They traveled down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side-by-side, sailors from one ship taunted the sailors of the other about their snail’s pace. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South. One boat began falling behind because the boat did not posses enough fuel. There had plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As one boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor began to take the ship’s cargo and toss it into the boiler. The sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal. So, they fueled their boat with the material they’d been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, by destroying their cargo.

My friends, we can never forget God is our first-priority as it relates to the closeness of God. It is easy to step into the social relevance of Christianity as it relates to the needy world around us…only to make our social, benevolent, and mission work our priority and also…our god. Our allegiance is to God and God alone … all other priorities must serve our first-priority. Any other choice is burning the cargo to win the race…only to loose the purpose of the journey.

 

John 14:21, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

 
Or

Matthew 6:33, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  

Always working to keep the priorities in focus ... you know I love ya, Don 

Created to compliment ... "You complete me" is a lie!

God designed Eve to complete, that which was lacking in Adam’s life. “And Adam said, She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23). Marriage is God’s gift to humans. It was given to resolve the problem of human loneliness by providing complimentary companionship between a man and a woman. Marriage is an illustration much like a completed rubics cube. A wife needs someone who understands and honors her. So Bible instruct to husband, "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." (1 Peter 3:7). A husband needs someone who is meek with noble character. ” So Bible instructs to the wife, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, (1 Peter 3:1) This is why Bible says “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." (Proverbs 31:10, 11) A husband is to protect his wife by laying down his life for her. (Ephesians 5:25.) A wife is to protect the interests of her home. (Titus 2:4–5.) And Parents are to protect their children and to raise them up as a Godly seed.

How is this accomplished?

At the end of the Movie Jerry McGuire … Tom Cruise is an arrogant Jerry McGuire who is a Sports agent for big name sports players. In the end he realizes it is not about the fame, money, or the prestige, but about love. He is begging for his girl friend / wife to come back and he cries out, “She completes me.” I am here to tell you that is a lie of the flesh. Your spouse does not complete you. In fact, if you lay that responsibility on your wife or your husband, you will be very disappointed. You are only complete with God…what your spouse can do is offer to you’re the ability to draw close in a relationship that draws you even close to God.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Equality is reflected in the first marriage as the man and woman were created in the image of God and given co-regency over the created order (Gen 1:26-28). For believers in Christ, marriage is a covenant of companionship between two spiritually equal human beings (Gal 3:26-28). Yet equality does not eliminate roles in a marriage relationship. Nor do roles in marriage diminish the call to mutual love and respect. The main purpose of marriage is to display the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church. In other words, God designed marriage most deeply, most importantly, to be a parable or a parallel of the way Christ loves his church and the way the church loves and follows Christ. Jesus affirmed it in Matthew 19:4-6.  Marriage and relationships are eternally bound when there are three present… you, your spouse and God.

According to Scripture, the husband bears primary responsibility to lead the home in a God-glorifying way. His leadership clearly involves authority and should be honored by his wife and family (Eph 5;22-33,6:1-3). His authority, however, must be based on divine love (see: Eph 5:25, 33, John 10:11-13, 1cor 13:4-8) and thoughtful consideration (see: Phil 2:3-5). Scripture warns against husbands who treat their wives with insensitivity (1 peter 3:7). Husbands must never forget that they are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Cultural limitations or biases should not be placed on this command any more than on the command for wives to respect their husbands. You are only complete in Jesus by total submission to each other in His word and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The question becomes, “Is your relationships complete because they serve the other person or are they complete because serve your selfish desires?” “Is your marriage complete because of Jesus in the relationship or is there something missing?”

You know I love ya ... Don

Serving in a spirit of restoration!

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:26

True servants concentrate on their God-given assignment - not what somebody else is doing! Competition between God's servants is illogical: we're all on the same team. Our goal is to make God look good, not ourselves. Listen: "We will not compare ourselves...as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do...Each of us is an original" (Gal 5:26 TM).

Grow up! Get over your petty jealousy! When you're busy serving you don't have time to be critical. When Martha criticized Mary, she lost her servant's heart. True servants don't complain of unfairness, don't have pity-parties and don't resent those not serving in the same way. They just trust God and keep serving. It's not your job to evaluate others. Listen: "Who are you to criticize...The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful" (Ro 14:4 GWT). God determines who's successful, not you!

Nor is it your job to defend yourself against criticism. Let God handle it! Nehemiah's response to his critics is a classic: "My work is too important to stop now and...visit with you" (Neh 6:3 CEV).
One of the most beautiful acts of love shown to Jesus was criticized by His own disciples. When Mary took the most valuable thing she owned, expensive perfume, and poured it over Jesus, they called it? a waste'. But Jesus called it, "significant" (Mt 26:10 TM). There's only one opinion that matters - His! Your service for Christ is never wasted, regardless of what others say.

Pride is the root of competition. As fellow servants, competition should always take a back position. We make it our goal to please the One we serve by showing compassion and grace to others in service as He has graciously immersed us in the same. Thus, we serve in unity while developing hope in those we attend to.

You know I love ya, Don