Notes for
Lesson Nine
How Do We Put God First?
Matthew 6:31-33 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Order is important: what we do first influences the rest.
Exodus 23:19 "Bring the first of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
When God is first in our lives, we are aligned with heaven and only then can God do certain things in our life and only then do His blessings flow.
Proverbs 24:27 AMP [Put first things first.] Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home.
Webster’s Definition of ‘priority’: something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Saying that we value God and how we schedule our life can be two different things.
I Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
Message Bible: Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.
Priorities are important because if you don’t place and live with priorities in your life, you will live your life enslaved by your whims.
2 Corinthians 8:5 Amplified (talks about the Macedonian church and the way they gave to God: Nor [was this gift of theirs merely the contribution] that we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His agents] by the will of God [entirely disregarding their personal interests, they gave as much as they possibly could, having put themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God]—
I Timothy 5:12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.
Song of Solomon 8:4 Young women of Jerusalem, swear to me that you will not awaken love or arouse love before its proper time!
Having wrong priorities is the same as having idols in your life.
I John 5:21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)—[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life.
If you love God more than anything else, you will honor Him.
Romans 3:2 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
Psalm 138:2 Amplified for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word…
Honoring God’s word is honoring God.
Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Revelation 3:8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
I Samuel 2:30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
John 5:44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
If God’s word carries weight in your life, and you carry out His word; then when you pray, your words will carry weight in heaven and He will carry them out.
1 Samuel 3:19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.
Definition of blessing: God’s blessing is His ability, favor and power entering our life and enabling us to do things or receive things that we couldn’t otherwise.
Ephesians 3:20 Amplified Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—
Genesis 22:16-18 “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Honoring your father and mother means to allow them to speak into your life and you obey them.
In the same way, honoring God is allowing His word to weigh in your life’s decisions, actions and relationships.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
