craigmanderson

(John 12:1-8 AMP) SO SIX days before the Passover Feast, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had died and whom He had raised from the dead.  So they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at the table with Him.  Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  But Judas Iscariot, the one of His disciples who was about to betray Him, said,  Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii [a year’s wages for an ordinary workman] and that [money] given to the poor (the destitute)?  Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief; and having the bag (the money box, the purse of the Twelve), he took for himself what was put into it [pilfering the collections].  But Jesus said, Let her alone. It was [intended] that she should keep it for the time of My preparation for burial. [She has kept it that she might have it for the time of My embalming.]  You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.

How much do you love God?

When you first stir in the morning, what thoughts fill your mind? When you think about what’s important to you, who or what dominates your life? When your heart is greatly moved, who or what was the influence? Who takes your breath away? God wants to be first in your life. (Mark 12:30 AMP) And you shall love the Lord your God out of  and  with your whole heart and out of  and  with all your soul (your life) and out of  and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of  and  with all your strength.  This is the first and principal commandment.

This message is to encourage you and inspire you to put God first on your life.

First of all who is first in your life? We may all say God is but are you willing to be challenged on that? Why would I even want to put God first? 1. Fear – the beginning of wisdom. 2. Love – behold what He did for me.  {revelation}

Imagine…. My wedding day…. Till death do us part with my wife and another person!! She wouldnt feel as though she was first in my life. How does God feel when we have other lovers?

 For the honeymoon….. First week away at the golf retreat!

Matt 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

THE TRUTH CONVEYED HERE IS: PUT GOD FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE BLESSED.

Our motivation is not reward but it is Him.

God says I want our first love. Rev 2:4-5 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].  Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind  and  repent.

PUTTING GOD FIRST What does it look like? What are the evidences that God is first in your life? Can I inspire you to fall head over heels in love with Jesus? Just look at what he’s done for you…….

1. FIRST IN YOUR DAY Ps 63:1 NKJV O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Ps 5:3 ESV O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

TRUTH CONVEYED HERE IS IF YOU PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR DAY – GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF YOUR DAY.

2. FIRST IN YOUR AFFECTIONS Matt 22:37   Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Luke 14:26 AMP If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters–[yes] and even his own life also–he cannot be My disciple.

WHEN GOD IS FIRST IN OUR AFFECTIONS HE WILL GRANT YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART.

3.  FIRST IN YOUR WEEK (Hebrews 10:25 AMP) Not forsaking  or  neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

(Psalm 27:4 AMP) One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for,  and  [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold  and  gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider,  and  inquire in His temple. 

THE TRUTH CONVEYED HERE IS THAT IF WE PUT GODS HOUSE FIRST THEN HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOUSE

Haggai 1 put Gods house first…

4. FIRST IN OUR FINANCES (Proverbs 3:9, 10 AMP) Honor the Lord with your capital (wealth) and sufficiency (reserves)[from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income;   So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine. Abraham – gave the first tenth to Melchisadek, immediately after he won the spoils not much later.

(Genesis 4:3, 4 AMP) And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.  And Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat portions. And the Lord had respect  and  regard for Abel and for his offering,

THE TRUTH CONVEYED HERE AND IN MATT 6:33 IS THAT WHEN YOU PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR FINANCES HE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST.

5. FIRST IN YOUR LIFE (Philippians 3:7, 8 ESV) But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

(2 Timothy 4:8 ESV) Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

THE THRUTH CONVEYED HERE IS THAT WHEN WE PUT GOD FIRST WITH OUR WHOLE LIFE THERE IS A FUTURE IN ETERNITY LAID UP FOR US THAT IS GLORIOUS.

CONCLUSION

GOD PUT YOU FIRST God gave his best, his only begotten son he sacrificed for you and me. He have us his best, he placed us first in his heart.

We love  Him,  because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19 AMP)

Because he placed you and your salvation first in sending his only son to the cross, god showed to you that he prizes highly this sonship he has conferred upon you.

Will you place God first in your life?