1. 2019 Theme
Lights in a Dark World
Philippians 2:15

2. Seeking His Kingdom First (3)
Putting God First (2)

3. Am I seeking First God’s kingdom? (Matthew 6:24-34)
Previously
Am I seeking First God’s kingdom? (Matthew 6:24-34)
Am I apathetic and indifferent? We need to care?
Am I righteous, according to God’s standard, and not my own?
Is God Really First?

4. What makes me different?
Are you an atheist?
An atheist is one who denies the existence of God, Psalm 14:1
Psalm 10:4, Romans 1:20-23
The secular world has done a good (?) job of casting doubt on God.
Have we done a good job refuting it?
Is God Really First?

5. What makes me different?
Are we “Christian atheists”?
Do we believe in Him, BUT live as if we don’t?
Titus 1:16
2 Timothy 3:5-7
1 John 2:4
Is God Really First?

6. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist?
Do I defend my faith?
The atheist doesn’t have faith in God. He MAY engage in philosophical debate about God, but it doesn’t really matter.
They spend their time challenging what we believers say about God, but they CANNOT make an affirmative case AGAINST him.
Most are adamant that they don’t have faith, but…
Is God Really First?

7. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I defend my faith?
As Christians, do we defend God and His word? 1 Peter 3:15 – give a defense; Jude 3 – contend earnestly for the faith
Will I openly defend Him in public?
Will I take the time to learn to defend Him and give answers to skeptics?
Is God Really First?

8. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I really trust God and live with hope?
The atheist doesn’t trust any god and sees no hope beyond this life
He may CHOOSE to be moral, but what is his motivation? Society?
Is God Really First?

9. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I really trust God and live with hope?
As Christians, do we live with genuine faith? Hebrews 11:1, 6, 13-16
Proverbs 3:5-6 – do we trust Him as we make decisions?
Is God Really First?

10. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I pray as I should?
The atheist doesn’t pray. Facing death and uncertainty, who do they turn to?
As Christians, prayer is a privilege – 1 John 5:14-15, 3:22, Hebrews 4:14-16
But, how often do we pray? With faith – James 1:6. 1 John 3:21-22
Is God Really First?

11. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Am I worldly minded?
The atheist only has this world. Any moral restraints are purely by choice (So how can they bind them?)
Is God Really First?

12. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Am I worldly minded?
Christians ought to be “other worldly” Colossians 3:2, 1 John 2: –
We must be content – 1 Timothy 6:6, Philippians 4:11
But are we caught up in sinful conduct? Do we live for the now over the THEN?
Proverbs 30:8-9
Is God Really First?

13. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do we respect God’s word?
The atheist openly rejects God’s word. He may study it, but only to find faults and attack believers
They WILL point out hypocrisy and look for inconsistencies in God’s word with their moral views. Some mock Christians
Is God Really First?

14. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do we respect God’s word?
Clearly, as Christians, God’s word ought to be important to us Romans 1:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Is God Really First?

15. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do we respect God’s word?
But do we accept it as the standard for all that we do? Are we guilty of compromising or rejecting portions we don’t like?
Do we seek to reconcile it with worldly views (e.g. theistic evolution, moral views are outdated, etc.)?
Do we teach it but don’t live it?
Is God Really First?

16. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do we respect God’s word?
Heed the following warnings:
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
1 John 2:4
Romans 1:18
Luke 6:46
Is God Really First?

17. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I live with a view toward eternity?
To the atheist, there is no eternity. All that is, is now.
Is God Really First?

18. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Do I live with a view toward eternity?
As Christians, we know this is just the beginning. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Hebrews 9:27, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Do we live as if we have “all the time in the world”? 2 Peter 3:3-4
Is God Really First?

19. What makes me different?
Am I different from the atheist? How?
Could it be that we are merely PROFESSED believers?
2 Corinthians 13:5
Is God Really First?

20. God desires to save the atheist
Final thought
God desires to save the atheist
Acts 14:17, 2 Peter 3:9 – He wants ALL to be saved
Atheists can change and there are many examples
BUT, He will not force anyone to obey Him
Have you obeyed Him?
Is God Really First?

21. Does the world see God is my priority?