Getting Our Priorities Straight Reading Text – Colossians 1:12-20 Matthew 10:33

Getting Our Priorities Straight Priority - pl. pri·or·i·ties Precedence, especially established by order of importance or urgency. Preeminence - Superior to or notable above all others; outstanding.

Getting Our Priorities Straight Introduction: 1. Based on the earlier definitions, we are going to be talking about how we manage what goes on in our daily living of our “Christian Life”. What deserves the highest PRIORITY? What gets the highest PRIORITY? Why should “it” have the PREEMINENCE? What happens when our PRIORITIES are Out of Line? How do we get them Straight?

Getting Our Priorities Straight 2.Priorities is a “buzz word” in the Business World. Time Management, Budgets, Inventory, assignments for staff, etc. a. I remember when I was a manager, being trained in the Franklin Day Planner System. b. I still use a form of that System today in about everything that I do.

Getting Our Priorities Straight I.Individually – We All have Some Sort of Priority List in Our Lives, some things have a place of preeminence over other things. 1. As a Young person - getting through school then College. 2. Getting a car 3. Getting a job 4. Getting Married 5. Buying a house, having Children 6. Health, Savings, Retirement

Getting Our Priorities Straight 7.Did we mention Our Soul anywhere there? 8.Did we mention Others Souls anywhere there?

Getting Our Priorities Straight II. Some Examples of Not Getting Priorities Straight. A. Luke 10: 38 – 42 The story of Mary and Martha Mary wanted to learn from Jesus. Vs. 39 Martha was too distracted, Vs. 40 & 41 Martha’s Priorities were not straight. Mary’s were - Vs. 42

Getting Our Priorities Straight B.The elder son in the story of the Prodigal Son. Luke 15:11-32 Note His priority was selfish, it was about him self and not about the “erring brother” that returned. He didn’t like “all the fuss” being made over his brother that had been wallowing in the Pig pen and had now come to his senses and returned to where he needed to be - HOME.

Getting Our Priorities Straight C. Ananias and Sapphira Wanted to “Look as though they were one thing” when they were really another. Acts 5:1-11 Their priority - self! D. For some attending the services are not a Priority HEBREWS 10:25

Getting Our Priorities Straight E.For other’s Serving the Lord is the highest Priority. JOSHUA 24: 13 – 17 ACTS 4:19-20 & 5:29

Getting Our Priorities Straight III.God’s Priority 1.He Created Us – gave us physical Life Genesis 1:26 2.He kept us - When He could have destroyed us for ever. Genesis 6: 1-14, 7:23

Getting Our Priorities Straight 3. He is still not willing that anyone should perish. II Peter 3:9 - He is waiting on you to do what you need to do, that is how important you are to Him. 4.He Loves you so much that He sent Jesus to Seek you out and save you. JOHN 3:16 - Luke 19:10

Getting Our Priorities Straight 5. He gave His Life for you – that was and is His Priority regarding you and me JOHN 10:11 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” 6. He is now preparing a place for us to live eternally. JOHN 14: 1-3

Getting Our Priorities Straight IV.What are our Priorities? 1. Paul writes – “ giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

Getting Our Priorities Straight 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consists 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:12-18

Getting Our Priorities Straight 2.What place (PRIORITY) does HE (Jesus) have in Your Daily Life? 3.Does He have the preeminence in ALL THINGS? 4.If not – Why Not, Did the HS tell Paul to write this to just fill space, because he nothing better to do? 5.Are we setting the proper example before our children, spouse, family, community the Church Family. What do these see as our Priorities ?

Getting Our Priorities Straight 6. Are we letting the cares of this world set our Priorities for us? Jesus says – Matthew 6: 33 “But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Getting Our Priorities Straight V.What does it take to follow Christ? LUKE 14: 25 – 33 Let’s all Read this together

Conclusion 1.Priorities play a role in our every day lives. 2.However, we are the ones that set those priorities and give certain ones preeminence over others. 3.God and His Son have made us Their Priority. 4.We must ask our selves if the priorities we have set regarding our life and service to God are what they ought to be and if not we need to “set them straight” before it is to late.

What MUST You Do to Be Saved? Hear The Word Of God Romans 10:17 Believe His Word Mark 16:16, John 8:24 Repent of your sins Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38 Confess your belief Romans 10:10, Acts 8:37 Be Baptized Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38 For the Remission of Your Sins Acts 22:16 Galatians 3:26, 27 Live Faithfully Titus 2:11-14