1. MOVING THE CHURCH FORWARD IN 2016: THE PROPER PRIORITIES TO SET MAT. 6:33

2. Introduction 1)This morning, we are going to talk about One of the most common sins among Christians 2)IT is the sin of MISPLACED PRIORITY. i.Emphasizing the wrong things in life ii.Making secondary things primary and primary things secondary iii.This has been the major contributing factor low spiritual ebb among Christians thereby affecting the growth of churches

3. REVIEW OF PREVIEWS WEEK – The need for positive attitude (feeling or ways of thinking which affects behaviour)  Positive attitude towards God  Positive attitude towards the Church  Positive attitude towards church Assemblies

4. TODAY’S TOPIC – We continue with the 4 th lesson of our series under the Theme: “Moving Forward – Today, we look at “MOVING THE CHURCH FORWARD IN 2016, THE PROPER PRIORITIES TO SET” – priorities implies “Things of Prime Importance in Life” – Note: The CHURCH – collective and individuals

5. I. TO MOVE FORWARD IN 2016: GOD’S KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE MATERIAL THINGS (MATT. 6:33)  Salvation must be every Christian’s highest priority (Matt. 16:26 – if you gain the whole world)  For it Jesus died (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 1:18-19)  For it we must live (Rom. 12:1-2)

6.  The church of our Lord must take priority in our lives if Salvation is our highest priority  Jesus died for it  It is His bride, His body  He will come a second time to take it home (Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 15:24) I. TO MOVE FORWARD IN 2016: GOD’S KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE MATERIAL THINGS. (MATT. 6:33)

7. 1.“Gift” here means anything we may desire to offer the Lord—a prayer, song, money, etc. 2.God accepts no gifts from hearts of malice, slander, etc. (Eph. 4:31-32) 3.It is impossible to love God and hate a Bro. / Sis at the same time (1 John 4:20-21) II. TO MOVE FORWARD IN 2016: RECONCILIATION BEFORE ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP TO GOD (MATT. 5:23-24)

8. 1.To reverse this is a common sin 2.“We are inclined to be charitable with ourselves and severe with others 3.We ought to be severe with ourselves and charitable with others” 4.John 7:24; Rom. 2:1-3 III. TO MOVE FORWARD IN 2016: SELF- CORRECTION BEOFRE THE CORRECTION OF OTHERS (MAT. 7:3-5)

9. CONCLUDING PASSAGES I.Col. 3:1-4 II.2 Cor. 4:18 III.Philippians 3:17-22

10. CONCLUSION IF WE EXPECT TO BE WITH GOD IN HEAVEN, WE MUST BEGIN BY STRESSING HEAVENLY THINGS 1.GOD’S KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE MATERIAL THINGS 2.RECONCILIATION BEFORE ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP TO GOD 3.SELF-CORRECTION BEOFRE THE CORRECTION OF OTHERS