Priorities

Luke 12:20 (ESV)

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?

Many people fear cancer. It has been called the scourge of our times. If you received a diagnosis of cancer today, would it shake your world? Would the shadow of death be enough to make you reexamine your life’s priorities? Would it be a wake-up call?

God does not mince words with us. In Jesus’ parable of the rich fool, God speaks harshly to a busy farmer who has had a bumper crop. Savvy businessman that he was, the farmer made plans to build bigger barns, store his surplus grain, and take life easy from then on. His mind raced a hundred miles an hour, but he had no thought for God.

The Bible says, “The Lord ... is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This means we receive lots of opportunities to turn from our selfish ways and to follow God’s way—the way to real, full life. God often nudges us and speaks with a gentle, insistent voice—but sometimes he also thunders. He calls us to repent and reorder our lives, to make him first in our lives—above success, even above family.

And there will be a day of reckoning, as Jesus points out in his parable. So let’s listen to God, urging us to follow the way of real, full life.

In your life, what kinds of priorities might need changing? Which way is God nudging you?

Dear Lord, help us to number our days, so that through Jesus we may gain a heart of wisdom. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

What would He want me to do?

Revelation 3:17  (ESV)

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

In Christchurch, New Zealand, there is a slimy pond, covered with algae and duck-weed, and not attractive at all by human terms. To most it looks more like a mud pool than anything else. In fact, it looks so awful that no one want to approach it. Better ignore it, as if it didn't exist! Maybe that will make it disappear!

Strangely enough, that waterway is filled with life. It is the home to water fleas, water boatmen, back swimmers, bloodworms and many other diverse nymph stages of insects. They are quite useful, as they feed on the algae, and in return, they provide food for larger organisms such as fish.

Everything on our planet has a purpose. But what happens if we lose our purposefulness and become complacent and indifferent? We become worse than that yucky pond, for that pond at least still has a vital purpose!

How can believers become so complacent that their influence on society has become more deadly than refreshing? How can believers stop being the salt of the world?

A church with a rich attitude can easily become stagnant, for they seemingly have no needs, and they depend solely on the dollars of their members. Don't like the current loudspeakers? Let's buy new ones! The members will pay for it. Don't like the building? Let's build a new one more to our liking. The members will come through.

One little problem . . . What about the poor, the unreachable, the addicted . . . ? If our focus is only on ourselves, we have lost our ability to be a refreshing influence on society, and if we have no impact on our surrounding society, we are completely worthless!

Improving the structure of our church can be welcomed with open arms, but unless it is really necessary, is it really worthwhile? What would Jesus do in our circumstances?

Laodicea used to be quite an influential city. When an earthquake destroyed parts of the town in 61 A.D., the city refused any help from the Roman Empire. They used their own resources to rebuild what needed to be rebuild. After all, this city was a mecca to wealthy retirees. As these rich people had retired, they considered they had served their purpose in society and thus, had reached their goal. As a consequence, they were completely indifferent to any social issues. They had become utterly complacent!

We can become like that quite easily, even if we are not wealthy, or even if we are not retirees. Are we individually making a difference in our neighborhood, or are we going to church for our own purposes? If we are not living stones, we are nothing but dead bricks that crumble into nothingness.

A rich attitude, which can be present even in less than influential citizens, will lead us to complacency. We need to constantly ask ourselves: Are we doing everything in honor of our Heavenly Farther? What would He want me to do?

Dear Lord, we pray today that our attitude would be in line with what brings glory and honor to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

What REALLY matters in life?

Matthew 6:25 (NIV)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

It's interesting how we zoom through life, our heads filled with one "emergency" after another:

"I better not forget to deposit that check in the bank."

"I must remember to call Mr. Jones. He's a potential client."

"Oh dear! I'm forgetting to order sympathy flowers for my colleague who lost his wife …"

We face so many of these "emergencies" on any given day. We attempt to become professional jugglers as we try to "manage" all of these "priorities". At the end of the day, do we even remember most of these things that were so "critical"? Is it any wonder stress is on the rise?

How come it isn't until a REAL emergency strikes that we begin to realize what REALLY matters in life!

March 11, 2011 changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living in Japan. Being hit by the most catastrophic earthquake in Japan's history, measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale, followed by a massive 10 meter tsunami and then radiation leakage from damaged nuclear reactors, many of these poor Japanese people have been forced to come to terms with what really matters in this world.

One of the stories that touched my heart involved an eight-month pregnant woman. She was stuck in Tokyo, a little over 15.5 miles from home. She was desperate to get back home for two reasons:

1. She wanted to make sure her husband was still alive

2. She didn't want her husband to worry about her.

She had forgotten her cell phone at home that day. Not that it would have helped much, for the phone lines were perpetually busy. Payphones were out of the question as well, as long lines of people were waiting to make their desperate calls. Likewise busses and taxis were not an option, as there were also long lines waiting for these, and even if she could have boarded a bus, traffic was at a standstill.

So she did the impossible, she walked the 15.5 miles to her home. She made sure to hydrate herself regularly. At least there were no lines in front of vending machines! Restrooms were also available by stopping in one of the numerous office buildings in Tokyo.

It took her seven hours to reach her goal, and when she arrived, her husband wasn't even home. He, too, had been far from home when disaster struck, almost 20 miles to be exact. Not knowing what had become of his wife, he borrowed a bicycle and cycled home, arriving thirty minutes after she did. What a happy reunion that was!

Funny that they weren't worried about their possessions or the money in their bank accounts. Their to-do lists were completely forgotten, for the only thing that mattered was finding each other.

What will be our priority when we reach heaven? Will we think about the to-do lists we left behind? Or will we wonder why our loved ones aren't there?

I ask myself this question, what am I going to do about this?

What are you going to do about this?

It's really a question of priority.

Dear Lord, help us get our priorities right. Help us to think about the things that are really important in life. Bring someone into our life today that we can share Your love with. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Go and do likewise

Luke 10:36-37 (NIV)

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

The time was 11 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. The place was San Antonio, Texas.

On that day and time a funeral procession was slowly wending its way from the church to the cemetery. Driving at that slow speed the people were able to see things they normally might have missed.

That is why Robert Garcia and the other members of that motorcade were able to see a 79-year-old lady who was at a bus stop.

What struck them as unusual was this 79-year-old lady was not just waiting for a bus. No, this lady seemed to be in a battle. Indeed, that is exactly what was happening. She was struggling with Joseph Carpenter, a 41-year-old man, who was trying to steal her purse.

The sight left the mourners with a decision: they could either help the lady and ruin the dignity of the funeral, or they could proceed on and leave the woman to her own devices. A lot of times people decide to mind their own business and, like the priest and Levite in Jesus' good Samaritan parable, pass by on the other side.

That's not what happened that Wednesday morning in San Antonio.

That morning no less than eight men immediately jumped from their cars and ran to the rescue of the lady. They surrounded Mr. Carpenter, captured him, and called for the police. The lady was taken to the hospital with some injures; the purse thief was taken into custody, and the good Samaritans got back in their vehicles and finished the funeral.

This really is an example of the proper priorities Jesus wants His people to have.

When Jesus entered this world, His priority was to save us. When the world's representatives challenged Him, when Satan tempted Him, Jesus held on to His Father's priorities. Nothing was able to move Him from His desire to save us from our sins. The empty tomb of Resurrection Sunday is God's sign and seal that Jesus was successful in His work of saving us.

And now the Lord wants us to have proper priorities.

He tells us, even as He told His original listeners, that we should "go, and do likewise." Jesus wants His people to give a witness to the world. He wants us to show that we love others because He first loved us. He wants us to let the "dead bury their dead" (see Luke 9:60), while we, through our words and our actions, bear witness to the forgiveness, grace and salvation we have received.

He wants us to show the world the Savior has changed our priorities -- and our hearts.

Dear Lord, You tell us the ways of a Christian should be different than the ways of the world. We pray that our priorities would bring honor to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Click pen and priorities.

Matthew 10:28 (NIV)

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Have you ever gone into a store and tried to pay for your goods with a click pen? The kind that are five for a dollar at the dollar store?

"I really like this pair of socks. How much are they?"

"Five bucks."

"Hmmm, I'll give you two click pens for them."

I am sure that you would quickly be shown to the exit, and more than likely you would receive an invitation to never show your face around that store again!

In Kenya however, traders love click pens and will accept them as payment. While looking for a souvenir for his brother, a young boy bought a zebra statuette for two click pens. The merchant was actually pleased with the deal! Why? Because click pens are not as common in Kenya as they are over the Atlantic Ocean. They are luxury items and are very much in demand.

Isn't it true that we often take things in life for granted? Take friends for example. We may be frustrated that they spend too much time with us, but once they move to the other side of the world, or even to the next city, we feel hurt that they are no longer around. How dare they move!

And what about that special brand of slasa that the local store used to carry? Will we survive now that they discontinued it?

And what about that favorite blanket? The one we've had since we were five? Who dared take it to the dump!

Is it possible that our priorities may be wrong? Don't you think we could survive easily enough with a different brand of salsa? And what about a new blanket? Wouldn't it work better than the worn out one we've had all your life? And isn't it possible to stay in touch with old friends while making new ones at the same time? And is worrying about a pair of socks really that important? Are our concerns about which brand we should purchase really that earth-shattering?

Is it possible that we could dwell on more uplifting items? Like our neighbor who just lost her husband, for example? Or little Johnny who has no food in his fridge?

Too often we worry over trivia, but the things that are important in the grand scheme of things are forgotten.

Our reality is found in God, not in a pair of socks or a jar of special salsa.

Dear Lord, help us have the right priorities. Help our eyes be open to those that are in need and not be so worried about what we are missing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What are Your Priorities?

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Jules Verne's novel The Mysterious Island, he tells of five men who escape a Civil War prison camp by hijacking a hot air balloon.

As they rise into the air, they realize the wind is carrying them over the ocean. Watching their homeland disappear on the horizon, they wonder how much longer the balloon can stay aloft. As the hours pass and the surface of the ocean draws closer, the men decide they must cast overboard some of the weight, for they had no way to heat the air in the balloon. Shoes, overcoats, and weapons are reluctantly discarded, and the uncomfortable aviators feel their balloon rise. But only temporarily.

Soon they find themselves dangerously close to the waves again, so they toss their food. Better to be high and hungry than drown on a full belly! Unfortunately, this, too, is only a temporary solution, and the craft again threatens to lower the men into the sea. One man has an idea: they can tie the ropes that hold the passenger car and sit on those ropes. Then they can cut away the basket beneath them. As they sever the very thing they had been standing on, it drops into the ocean, and the balloon rises.

Not a minute too soon, they spot land. Eager to stand on terra firma again, the five jump into the water and swim to the island. They live, spared because they were able to discern the difference between what really was needed and what was not. The "necessities" they once thought they couldn't live without were the very weights that almost cost them their lives.

Every day and in every way, keep Jesus Christ first in your life. He is the Savior of your soul!

Dear Lord, thank the You that You are all that we need throughout eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

For What or For Whom are YOU Living?

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A man had the good fortune and insight to take a chance with a credit card company in the Baltimore area several decades ago. He retired as a wealthy, high-ranking executive. In the course of his career, he put together a streak so impressive (35 years in which he never missed a day of work) that Cal Ripken wrote him a letter commending him for it. When he retired, the company gave him a classic car as well as many other lavish gifts. He had many benefits and perks, the admiration of peers and competitors, resort town houses, and considerable wealth. Yet, one day very soon after he retired, a doctor visit changed his life dramatically. He was found to have an aggressive form of cancer. Two or three months later, he was dead....

This is not a commentary on the morality or priorities of this man. His story just points out that his well-laid plans and successful career building could not forestall or avoid the inevitable end result common to every man.

It also should provoke a question. For what are we living? Is our identity tied up in our career? Do we want to be known as the life of the party? Is it all about travel and adventure? Does life revolve around going to the river, the campground, the fishing hole, the beach, or the mountains? Is it sports, shopping, spending, or spirituality? Of necessity, all of us have a central focus. It is the thing that forms the bull's eye at which we repeatedly find ourselves aiming.

The Scriptures reveal that Jesus should have the preeminence in our lives (see Colossians 1:18). Jesus is to be FIRST PLACE in our list of priorities. When it comes to our jobs, Jesus must take FIRST PLACE. When it comes to our recreation, same thing. When it comes to relationships, He deserves primary position. Whatever we say or do, Jesus must be at the forefront.

Only God knows the heart, but is it ever the case that we often choose money, sports, pleasure, recreation, hobbies, career, children, parents, spouse, or some other thing over Christ? The teaching of Jesus indicates that we often struggle in these areas. He warns that we may invest in the wrong kind of treasure rather than the true riches (Matthew 6:19-21). He implies that money can trump the Messiah as master of man (Matthew 6:24). He admonishes disciples to seek the kingdom first over "things" (Matthew 6:33). He warns against choosing family members over Himself (Matthew 10:37).

When life draws to a close, one will be confronted by the reality of what he or she made first place. Certainly, when one crosses the sea from time to eternity, there will be no denying, rationalizing, debating, or arguing about what one has chosen as his/her "bull's eye." But, in our heart of hearts, don't we really know what's most important to us... right now? It's what occupies the greatest amount of our interest, time, energy, emotion, and effort. It is what we live for.

When we die, will what we live for help us live eternally or will it cause us to experience eternal death (cf. Revelation 21:8)? Let's heed Paul's urging to "set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2) by trusting God (Hebrews 11:6), repenting of our sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Christ (Romans 10:9-10), submitting to baptism (immersion) in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and living for Him for the rest of our lives (Revelation 2:10).

For what or for whom are YOU living?

Dear Lord, we pray that our focus in life would be on You and the things that You would have for us to do. Thank You that You love us and care for us help us show that by the way we live. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Black Friday and Priorities

Philippians 4:8 (New International Version)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

What is America's favorite holiday? Many will immediately think of Easter, while others think of Christmas. Still others might select New Year's Eve, but none of these are even close. How about Thanksgiving? Though one of the favorites it’s still not number one. . If you define "favorite" as the day people show the most passion and excitement, many Americans' favorite holiday is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday gets its name because so much merchandise is sold on that day that retailers literally see their profit and loss statements move from being in the red to being solidly in the black.

To help you understand the passion this holiday inspires, watch what happens when stores open their doors at 5:00 a.m. Watch as a grown man shoves old ladies aside so they can be the first to grab that season's hottest new video game or computer. Notice how on Thanksgiving Day the lines form before the sunsets. See the effort people exert so they can buy the latest form of technology for just a few dollars. This passion may best be realized by what happened in New York one year. Just a few hours after putting down their Thanksgiving forks, 50,000 people stood in the rain overnight waiting for the 5:00 a.m. opening of the mall. Fifty thousand people— in the rain— just to grab some items on sale!

Where are your priorities? There is nothing wrong with want to get a good deal or save money. Just remember where your priorities are.

Dear Lord we thank You for the many things that You have allowed us to have. We pray that we would never let the things take over our priorities. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

What is Your Priority?

Ephesians 5:15-17 (New International Version)

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

A man was going up to bed, when his wife told him he'd left the light on in the garden shed - she could see it from the bedroom window. But he said that he hadn't been in the shed that day. He looked himself, and there were people in the shed, stealing things. He rang the police, but they told him that no one was in his area, so no one was available to catch the thieves.

He said OK, hung up, counted to 30 and rang the police again. "Hello. I just rang you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed? Well, you don't have to worry about them now, I've just shot them all."

Within five minutes there were half a dozen police cars in the area, an Armed Response unit, the works. Of course, they caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policeman said to this man: "I thought you said you'd shot them!"

He replied, "I thought you said there was no one available!"

The same thing happens frequently in our life’s. Someone asks us to do something and we respond, "I don't have the time." Often, what we mean by that is, "I don't regard this as important enough." The truth is, we find (or make) the time to do whatever we regard to be important.

Someone has said you can tell a person's priorities by looking at his checkbook. There is a great deal of truth to that. We are willing to spend money on the things we think are important. But perhaps a greater indicator of our priorities would be our appointment book -- a record of how our time is spent.

For all of us, choices must be made. We don't have time to do everything, so we must choose those things which are of greatest importance to us. We need to be careful that your choices are those things which are also most important to God. The greatest men and women in the Bible were not those with the greatest resources or talents, but they were men and women who made themselves available to be used by God whenever He called. May God never hear us say, "Sorry, I don’t have time!"

Dear Lord we pray that we would always have the time to do the things that you have for each of us to do. Help us not be too busy for the things that should be important to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What are Your Priorities?

Garfield in his cartoons is shown resting droopy-eyed in his bed thinking to himself. "One of my pet peeves," he says to himself, "is people who never finish what they start." As he cracks a knowing smile he says, "I do not happen to be one of those people." The last frame shows him under the bedcovers saying, "My Philosophy is, `never start anything.'"

I will say that some of us are too busy and too involved in the church. Doing something for the kingdom may mean spending more time at home with our families. But for most of us, we need to get involved. After all, Jesus is counting on you and me to be his contemporary hands and feet.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 3:13

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, sometimes we need to get less involved, so that we can get more involved in what is holy. In Jesus’ Love, Amen.