Priority – Make eternal things your priority! – 11/26/2017 – Sunday

Priority

Make eternal things your priority!

Haggai 1:1-15

On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest 2  “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’”

3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you!

6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!

7 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! 8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.

9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.

10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”

Obedience to God’s Call

12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!”

14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, 15 on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign.

HOW DO WE DEMONSTRATE THAT WE TRULY LOVE GOD AND WANT TO PUT HIS TEACHINGS FIRST? “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

 

Our Will Or God’s Will?

 

Christ Set The Perfect Example

 

(Matthew 6:10)Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” .

(John 6:38) He said He came to earth to accomplish and carry out His Father’s will .

Even when faced with a horrifying trial of physical pain and mental torment, Christ prayed, “Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

DON’T FORGET THESE PRIORITIES

1. God must come first.
2. Develop godly, righteous character.
3. Seek first the Kingdom of God.

The bottom line on how to set priorities and how to live with purpose:

 Make eternal things priority.

The Only Things That Matter Are Those That Have Eternal Significance.

Colossians 3:2, he writes, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”

1. Jesus made Prayer a Priority (Luke 4:42a)

Luke 4:42. Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place.

Sleep………………23 years……….32.9%

Work……………..16 years………..22.8%

TV…………………..8 years………..11.4%

Eating……………….6 years………..8.6%

Travel……………….6 years………..8.6%

Leisure…………..4.5 years………..6.5%

Illness……………….4 years………..5.7%

Dressing……………2 years………..2.8%

Things of God….0.5 years………..0.7%

Total…………….70 years…………100%