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First Things First

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This has been adapted from the commentaries of F.E. Marsh, coming soon to the Blue Letter Bible.

What the Lord says should be put first, should be followed, for He knows best.

1. Seeking

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

2. Cleansing

“First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean” (Matthew 23:26).

3. Reconciling

“…leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24).

4. Taking

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5).

5. Showing

“let them first learn to show godliness to their own household” (1 Timothy 5:4).

6. Having

” It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.” (2 Timothy 2:6).

7. Delivering

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Comments

  1. These are good “firsts” that cover many areas of the Christian life. Jesus is my example of how he worked these things out in His life; first seeking God in prayer, always communing with God the Father.
    First, cleaning the inside with confession of sin. I find myself praying to God for things more than seeking His forgiveness. I must stop my grocery list and give up my laundry list of sins first.
    Then be reconciled to my brother, and seek his forgiveness. Make sure I live at peace with him and be an encourager to him.
    Taking the beam out of my eye first; self examination and considering the changes I need to make in my life. I confess I can spout all kinds of remedies to others without considering I could use a bid dose of my own medicine. We all have blind spots that we don’t see in ourselves, but others can clearly see. Sometimes it is just how I like to finish other people’s sentences, or not take the time to listen intently to what they are saying to me. Lord, help me to be a better listener.
    Showing godliness, self-sacrifice, being a servant to others in my own home, putting other’s needs first. If I can do that at home with people I love, I should have not trouble with serving others in the field.
    The hard working farmer, reaps the harvest. I must make the most of every opportunity to spread the seeds of the gospel while it is still light. If I can listen intently to others, maybe they will let me tell them of my Savior and what he has done for me.
    My purpose in this life is to tell others of Jesus and God’s great love shown through Him and His sacrifice on the cross. This must be my priority in this life. Even though I have to get up and go to work or do whatever during my day, I should be alert to any and all opportunities to share with others the gospel.
    I have so much to do to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling.

  2. Linda, I agree absolutely ! What a wonderful personal assessment and honest word.

    I often realize when Father puts people or situations accross my path to work with, the real work is either in me or is simular to one of my past loving enlightening lessons from the LORD. My daddy !

    I agree with all 7 of the above words of specific wisdom listed above.

    Seek, him first, Make him your first and greatest Love. Love him with all your heart !

    Cleanse, ourselves of this world as the priest did before entering back into the Temple. Allow this cleansing to be Holy.

    Reconcile, all your offences & unforgiveness, learn to Love everyone no matter what. It’s a choice not an emotion.. Offence is a major doorway for the enemy to enter into your life. Sin is always crouching outside the door, you must learn to master it.

    Taking, Look first at yourself humbly and honestly, as we are but flesh, least you think to highly of yourself. I find personally it is far less painful for self accessment to take place, than the lessons Father allows if we don’t :)Ouch daddy !

    Showing, he showed us this by the proverb, Prepare the Land then Build Your House. Live it in your own life 1st. We are his body and respresentatives here in this world. What do we want the lost and aflicted to think our LORD is like ?

    Having, He Blessed those who he justifies. He is not a man that he should lie. Count those blessing and reap the harvest.

    Delivering, Jesus our perfect King gave his live so I could have “LIFE ABUNDANTLY” He meant this life, yes we have eternity also but we can bring this Kingdom Of Heaven Down Here. he said greater than this you shall do because I go to the Father.

    We are delivered, every minute, hour, and day by our Saviors Blood and Love.

    I would like to add one more that has changed my life and complimented all of those listed “Yield” with respect.
    Yield, what a freedom it provides, it allows our Almightly God to save, flow, correct, teach, love, and rescue us, every moment of our life. Remember we are but children and to see the Kingdom we must remain as that…

    Be Blessed and Loved by Our Great GOD “El Hagadol” Amen

    • This is my first time reading the blog of the day and I must say that the two of you, my sisters in Christ have lifted my spirit this morning and encouraged me with your testimonies. Self examination is so very important for us as children of God. Following our fathers plan for our own lives is top priority. We have such a loving, kind, forgiving and merciful Father, Savior & Lord, who wouldn’t want to be apart of his kingdom. God bless you Linda & Donna.

  3. It is so wonderful how God our Father lays His plan for our lives our so simply. 7 Steps Of Wisdom to follow. Wow! Any level of believer can understand it and follow the plan. Now Father teach us to follow your plan for our daily lives so that we can reach the destiny and purpose you have for us.

  4. Donna,
    Yes, I like what you added about being able to yield, give the “right of way” to God. I always want my agenda or plan. It seems my mind is constantly working on how to solve this or plan that, but I must stop and yield to my Father’s will. My husband reminded me of this just this morning while we were discussing a problem we are having with our truck. I started rattling off a bunch of ideas of how we could solve the problem…and he stops me by saying, “take a breath and don’t worry about it”. He was right, God is our provider and I can rest in that.

    Like the song, “Have Thine Own Way”, I need to yield to Him and let Him make me and mold me.

    Blessings to you all,
    Linda

  5. While splicing together verses that were written to different audiences may serve to tickle some itching ears, it is not an appropriate Bible study method. To act as if the context should simply be ignored just because a common word appears in a group of pick-and-choose verses is indeed a shoddy methodology.

    Moreover, it is QUITE telling that arguably the most important “first” that was heard from the lips of Jesus was missing from the supposed list of “what the Lord says should be put first”:

    “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Mt. 22:37-38).

    Hopefully, the demand of having to come up with ‘fresh’ content to draw readers every day will not lead BLB to settle for a lower standard of quality and attention to detail than that which the word of God is worthy of.

      • Debi, while I agree that “Bible student’s” last paragraph was not necessary, his point in the body of his comment should be well taken.

        It is very troubling to me (as a fairly new visitor to the BLB blogs) to discover how quickly “love” is thrown out as a remedy for all that offends. It is diabolical, in my opinion, to erect the banner of love as a disciplinary tool to bring all commenters into line with soft, cushy, squeezable, lovey posting. “You white-washed sepulchres,” and “You are like your father the devil,” and “Get thee behind me Satan,” and “You son of all evil,” are intentionally offensive. Should the Master and the apostle have rather been sweet and loving?

        Where there is no honoring the holy as holy there would be no memorial priesthood for Phineas. I hate to use the term “tough love” but you know, a spanking hurts; but if we refuse to be spanked we embrace the label, “bastard” and not “son.”

        I am so tired of seeing Christians unable to handle a hard word. I, for one, would much rather be hit over the head with a 2X4 that have someone sidle up to me and whisper sweet nothings in my ear in an effort to point out a problem I have in my life.

        Bible student is absolutely correct that there is a propensity to take a verse from here and there and connect them because of a common word or phrase and then build a doctrinal position or promise upon which to hang one’s hopes, all the while ignoring the contextual meaning to be applied to the verse. It is the worst kind of bible study.

        Where there is the Fear of IAUE, the disciples do not fuss at each other over hard words.

    • Bible Student~

      I agree with Debi, and not only do I think that your comments were less than edifying, I don’t even think they are valid. In the first place, there are many different levels of information posted for our consideration, which may prompt further study, personal introspection, or dialogue between believers. Not everything has to be meat for a doctoral dissertation. Secondly, there are many different reasons and many different methods to study the Bible, and if doing one on a particular word or phrase is not one you enjoy or find profitable, then fine, but that doesn’t mean that someone reading today’s offering didn’t glean something useful from it. Personally, there have been posts that I have found to be insightful and thought provoking and others that I didn’t. For those that I did, I have contributed my thoughts. For those that didn’t, I haven’t.

      Please be blessed in the knowledge that the Lord speaks to each of us in different ways in the different seasons of our lives for His glory and purpose and that nothing goes to waste.

      Yours in Christ~
      Barbara

  6. Spirit Quenched 🙁 Tickle inching ears is a bit offensive to some. The Spirit Of God flows through many of us here in many different ways. Showing the Glory of our LORD.

    Spreading his love by being his body so as it is written, see below, yes above all Love the Lord God with all your heart, and I know I do,as do many others he has brought here.

    However, I also have other responsibilites to my fellow brothers and sisters listed in other scriptures listed after that one.

    Luke 10:27
    “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

    1 Corinthians 13:1
    If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

    1 Corinthians 13:2
    If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

    1Corinthians 13:3
    And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

    1Corinthians 13:4
    Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

    1Cornithians 13:5
    does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

    1Cornithians 13:6
    does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

    In Love, Spirit & Truth
    Your Sister in Christ …. Amen

    Proverbs 16:21
    The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

  7. Psalm 34:22
    The LORD redeemeth the soul of HIS servants
    And none of them that trust in HIM shall be desolate

    Psalm 37:31
    The law of his GOD is in his heart
    None of his steps shall slide

    Psalm 50:22
    Now consider this you who forget GOD
    Lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver

    Psalm 50:23
    Whoso oferreth praise Glorifieth ME
    And to him that ordereth his conversation aright
    Will I show the salvation of GOD

    Psalm 119:155
    Salvation is far from the wicked
    For they seek not HIS statutes

    ———————-TITUS CHAPTER 2———————-
    (1)But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine
    (2)That the aged men be sober -grave-temperate-sound in faith-
    in charity-in patience
    (3)The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh
    —HOLINESS—not false accusers- not given to much wine-
    TEACHERS OF GOOD THINGS
    (4)That they may teach the young women to be sober-to love their own husbands-to love their children-
    (5)to be discreet-chaste-keepers at home-good-obedient to their own husbands THAT THE WORD OF GOD BE NOT BLASPHEMED
    (6)Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded
    (7)In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works
    IN DOCTRINE SHOWING UNCORRUPTNESS GRAVITY AND SINCERITY

    Psalm 81:11 But MY people would not hearken to MY voice
    and Israel would none of ME

    Proverbs 1:26
    I also will laugh at your calamity
    I will mock when your fear cometh

    Proverbs 1:29
    For they that hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of
    the LORD

    Proverbs 1:30
    They would none of MY counsel
    They despised all MY reproof

    Proverbs 1:31
    Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way
    and be filled with their own devices

    Proverbs 1:32
    For the turning away of the simple shall slay them
    and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them

    Proverbs 1:33
    But whoso hearkeneth unto ME shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from evil

    Psalms 33:10
    THE LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to not
    The devices of the people of —NONE EFFECT—

    Proverbs 8:14
    Counsel is mine and sound wisdom
    I am understanding I have strength

    2 Thessalonians 2:10
    AND WITH ALL DECEIVEABLENESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IN THEM THAT PERISH BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE —-LOVE OF THE TRUTH—
    —–THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED—–

    John 14:15
    —IF—YOU LOVE ME—KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS—

    1 Corinthians 14:33
    For GOD is not the —-AUTHOR OF CONFUSION—-
    But of peace —AS IN ALL THE CHURCHES OF THE SAINTS—

    1 Corinthians 14:34
    Let your women keep silence in the churches
    For it —IS NOT PERMITTED—unto them to speak
    But they are commanded to be under obedience as
    also saith the law

    1 Corinthians 14:37
    —IF— any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual
    Let him acknowledge that the —THINGS THAT I WRITE—unto
    you are the commandments of the LORD

    Ephesians 5:9
    For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness
    and righteousness and truth

    Isaiah 30:1
    WOE to the rebellious children saith the LORD that take counsel
    But not of ME and that cover with a covering but not of MY spirit that they may sin unto sin

    Isaiah 30:9
    That this is a rebellious people lying children
    children that will not hear the law of GOD

    Ephesians 5:6
    Let no man deceive you with vain words
    For because of these things cometh the wrath of GOD
    upon the children of disobedience

    Isaiah 54:15
    Behold they shall surely gather together BUT NOT BY ME
    Whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fail for thy sake

    Isaiah 54:16
    Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work
    And I have created the waster to destroy

    Psalm 17:4
    Concerning the work of men by the word of thy lips I have kept
    me from the paths of the destroyer

    Psalm 145:20
    The LORD preserveth all them that love HIM
    But all the wicked will HE destroy

    Proverbs 8:17
    I love them that love ME
    And those that seek ME early shall find ME

    John 14:21
    He that hath MY commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth ME and he that loveth ME shall be loved of MY FATHER
    and I will love him and will manifest myself to him

    LOVING THE LORD

  8. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 1 Corinthians 12:25

    Please place our feet as we choose to lead ourselves down the path that we might not sin against you LORD.