The Priorities Of Life - 5/29/2022

Who wrote a brief? Letter to Gaius. A young man that John said he loved and it says the Elder unto the well-beloved, Gaius whom I loved and the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospers. But I Rejoice greatly when the brothers came and testified of the truth that is in the even as thou walkest in thy truth. I have no Greater Joy than to hear that. My children. My son walks in truth, I thank you for the past 11 plus years for Allowing John to be your pastor and to share your chair God's word with you. It's a privilege to be here today.

Now being John's dad. I don't know what else tration T's used about me or the family. and that gets kind of scary come over you're looking at me like so he's the guy

find the guy.

I don't know if he shared with you, some of my experience before I came to know the Lord. I was a teenager. And the pastor that led me to the Lord challenge me to go to Bible College.

And I thought well, that be a good thing to do. I sat down with my folks and I said I have been challenged to go to Bible College. My dad said well done. If you go to Bible College, you may learn to be a missionary or someone that knows the Bible better. But what about practical stuff? And I said, well, I think I can get all the education I need from the Bible. He said, well, son and my, my folks did not raise me in a Christian Home, far from it. But my dad said, if you will go to at least one year of Junior College, then I will support you. Nice. I saw dollar signs when he said support you, that was not the case. But I thought well that sounds right. That sounds biblical.

The pastor that encouraged me to go to Bible School. Otherwise but I wanted to honor my folks and I went to a year of Junior College. And for the next three years, I had to unlearn everything. I learned that one year at Junior College. Junior College, Shasta College in Redding taught me from my humanistic man's point of view. And I wasn't that acquainted with the Bible because being saved as a teenager, I wasn't taught the Bible all that much. but what it entailed to go to a junior college and to Bible College was going to work and, You have to understand when I was in high school and summer came. I got up when I wanted to and sometimes I had to go back to bed. You know, one of those kind of schedules, you look in the fridge and the cupboards and find something to eat, he eat what you want. And then I had the blessing of going down to a house with a family name that goes has my mother-in-law's here and I would get them had a good meal for dinner and spend time with the prettiest girl in town.

When I started work at the lumber mill that all changed, somebody else told me went to get up my day, would entail packing a sack lunch and sometimes not being able to go to the gorgeous at all. Sometimes not being able to spend much time, if any would that pretty girl that was instrumental in my salvation?

Did I? Was it hard work at the lumber mill? Yes. Did I want to quit? Yes. But there were other priorities, it was a priority of paying the school build. And I knew that that was a bigger priority that I had to address myself to. And so I had to remind myself where I was who I was and what the goals or was that the Lord had given me. And so I determined that whatever the Lord wanted for me, that was what I was going to do.

What helped me tremendously was being around people with the right priorities. The Lord allowed me to go to a church much, like Grace Church at Lockeford impact, Grace Community Church. And it was Full of people. That love the Lord, that had their priorities, right? And that walk with the Lord regardless of what came their way.

And as I thought about my past, then they fought about John's past and his future, the Lord led me to Deuteronomy chapter 6. Now the wording is different. I've been stuck with King James for 45 years of pastoring, so that's what you get but hopefully the same thoughts are there this morning for you. But in Deuteronomy chapter 6, Moses is giving the law rehearsing it with the children of Israel before his death. And in chapter 6 he gives us some priorities three priorities. I'd like to call your attention to first of all the priority of our relationship and if you are feeling the outline you will have with the Lord. Our priority of our relationship with the Lord. Now, for Israel. The promises of the Lord and the promises Moses rehearses with the children of Israel are all tied to the land. If you look back with me to 5:31 the end,

It says.

But as for the stand out here by me and I will speak unto thee all the Commandments in the statutes and the judgments, which doll shall teach them that they may do them in the land that I shall give them to possess it. You shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God has commanded. You, he shall not turn aside to it to the right hand or to the left. He shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you that you may live, and that you may be well with you. And that, you may prophesy prolong your days in the land, which I shall see what you shall possess. Now these are the Commandments, the statutes, the judgments, which the Lord, your God commanded to teach you that you might do them in the land, where the you go to possess it. So God's promises rehearsed by Moses, to the children of Israel were tied to the land, but I believe there are principles that are given to us in Deuteronomy, chapter 6 that are valuable for us to observe.

Deuteronomy 6:5 says, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,

Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God. One of the definitions. One of the

Phrases that are used in the concordance for that word. Love means to have a strong emotional attachment and to desire to be in the presence of the one that is loved. How you can, see how that fits with my desire to be with that, young girl and burning wanted to be in her presence, but I carry that over to the Lord, the desire to be in his presence.

Paul told the Corinthians in 2nd Corinthians 5:8. He says, while we are absent from the Lord, we're at home in the body but we walk by faith not by sight. We are willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. We love that promise, don't we? Someday whether by death or by the rapture, we will be in the presence of the Lord. Paul also had that challenge in that. I don't know if it was a frustration but when he wrote to the Philippians, he said I'm in a straight between two. I wanted to depart and be with Christ, Which is far better, but for now it is profitable for me to stay with you. So Paul wanted to be in the presence of the Lord.

Gerund.

I don't know if you thought about in connection with that passage of scripture. But aren't we living in the presence of the Lord?

Solomon at the dedication of the temple and 2nd Chronicles chapter 6. 2nd Chronicles chapter 6.

Verse 18.

Solomon prays a prayer and it's the second longest prayer in Scripture. but in 2nd Chronicles 6, verse 18, Text but will God in very deed. Well with men in the earth, behold Heaven and the heaven of Heavens cannot contain. The how much less the house, which I have built. God is Not contained in a house, even though Solomon built that beautiful Temple and the Lord took up residence in the temple. He was not limited to the temple. Now, a couple chapters later. Actually, 2nd chronicles, 16. When NASA was being threatened, King ASA, being threatened by the king of Israel. It says that he hired. The syrians to come to his Aid. The Lord was disappointed to say the least, looking to man, for help that God had already given a sub before. but nobody says in verse 9, For the eyes of the Lord, run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. So he gives Ace of the consequences here and thou Hast done foolishly, therefore, from henceforth. Thou shalt have wars Simon Says. The house cannot contain use up the world cannot contain you, you fill the whole place.

Daily Prophet says, to ASA. The eyes of the Lord are in every place.

I want you to think that the the truth and the teaching of the word of God in the principle that I'm dealing with this morning, from the first plane is our priority of the relationship with the Lord. We do live and dwell in the presence of the Lord. We dwell in the presence of the Lord.

and up to, The word of God when he says in Deuteronomy 6:5 Thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart. That's up to us. To love again. I remind you of the phrase that is used as a description of the love that the Lord is wanting and verse 5 to have a strong emotional attachment and to desire to be in the presence of the one. Loved Weather. We live, we dwell in the presence of the Lord.

The instructions in verse 6. Give us some more meat to the principal Deuteronomy 6:6 and these words which I command thee this day shall be in, thine heart. so as Moses rehearses the law for the children of Israel, he says, Put my word in your heart. Now, how do you know if God's word has reached our heart? Interesting question. VS1 Deuteronomy 6. Now, these are the Commandments, the statutes, the judgments, which the Lord, your God committed commanded to teach you that you might do them in the land, whether you go to possess it, I'm giving you my word, I'm giving you my Commandments that you might do them. Verse 3.

Here there for a while. Israel and observe to do it. I want to suggest to you. That we know God's word is in our heart. If we're practicing it, if we're doing it.

There's always the danger of equating loving God, and doing his word and living in his presence. With the idea of information.

But the Lord is asking for a relationship information, goes to the Head. But relationship goes to the heart. and if we desire to live in the presence of the Lord, then the information turns into relationship. Remember a 5-0, love the Lord thy God.

If we love the Lord, we love his word and it's in our heart. We can teach the children, the love of the Lord, and that's where 7 and we'll come back to that in a minute. If I wanted you to know that verse 8, And thou shalt bind them as a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. You know what a sign is? Now, often in scripture, we think of a sign as a miracle is a Wonder or something visible. Well, I want you to keep that thought in mind but think about a sign, When you're going down the road, in fact, businesses Lawns are cluttered with signs today because in just a little over a week, his voting for the primaries, I'm sorry I had to bring that up, but that's the fact. What's confusing is the signs, only always give the good points. They say what a wonderful candidate this is on the way down, not just signs on the sides of the road and in businesses and in lawns Billboards have candidates on them commercials on the Radiohead, candidates talking about how wonderful they were and how they ought to get your vote.

The thing is, when you hear from someone that knows the candidate you get the rest of the story.

and, The Lord says, I want my word. To be to be bound on your hand, a sign on your hand. What is the hand for? That's for doing that's for your work, that's for what you and I accomplished. and so, the Lord says, I want your sign To be what you do.

I'm hoping that I can explain this the way the Lord is giving it to me, but

Assign is something that cooperates the message. I think of first king 17, when the Prophet Elijah told Ahab. You blew it, you marry Jezebel. You have a bad track record and so there's going to be a drought for three and a half years. Guess what happened? For the next three and a half years. No, rain. The life backed up the message. And I believe that's one of the things that the Lord is trying to get us to see. so the hand is the power, the strength, speaking of our actions, And if we love the Lord and wanted to dwell in his presence, we're doing what the word of God tells us to do. And it's evident by our work. By what we accomplished. He goes on. D'usse. Thou shalt bind them and versed as a dash of buying them for a sign on my hand, what you do and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. What's up here? Our minds are eyes what we think. How we communicate?

So the Lord says, if you want to love me. Know my word. And then go a little further than that because that's just maybe instruction. But live my word, do it, do it. And what you accomplished with your hands and love me with your mind and the Lord quoted. This verse in Matthew 22, when he was asked, what is the greatest commandment?

You see the picture of Deuteronomy chapter 6.

You can talk all you want.

But where's the sign? Where's the evidence? It ought to be and how we live what we do and it ought to be. And what we think what we meditate on until we see dinner on a V6, the priority of our relationship with the Lord that comes first. Have a close relationship with the Lord or working with the family and living in this world's, not going to work very well. secondly though, I want to point out in verse 7, the priority of our relationship with the family. Priority of our relationship with the family. So we've been instructed to love the Lord. Have God's word in your heart. Tell your children which will deal with at this point and show them how it is done. How folks, I have to say that that's what's missing. So often in a home is the example, is the evidence that Mom and Dad know, the word, they practice the word, they live the word, they talk about the word and then they are the example of showing their children. How it's done.

Verse 7 says. And thou shalt teach them diligently on to their children and she'll talk of them. When they'll

Citizen lion house. When thou walkest by the way, when the last down when they rise us up.

the word of God is to be spoken of in the morning and the evening and all day long daylight to dusk. Inside the home outside. The home, the word of God is to be the topic of discussion.

I talked with a man. A while back. and he said, you know, my home was not a Christian home. And my folks split up. And my dad didn't have any limitations on our freedom. And so when I grew up, all I wanted to do was be a good dad.

And he's trying really hard to be a good dad, he said, but what I wasn't taught was how to be a good husband. Not affected him. Being a good dad.

Remember verse 8.

Bind them as a sign. On your hand on what you do as frontlets between your eyes on how you think. and then they will translate into

your children's lives. I thought I'd interesting. To know that. Inverse 7 doubt. She'll teach them diligently.

diligently carries the idea of enforcement to stain to be wanted or to be corrected.

One of they. One of the Ministries that I enjoy, but I don't get to do. Often enough, is to be a shares chaplain, and usually, the deputy says, I hope tonight's exciting for you and I say, I hope it's not, you know, I just would like to ride with you and get to know you. So the last time I rode was with a deputy that was new to the force. He's only been in our town to 2 months. and, He said. In our conversation, you know, both of us are trying to think of questions to ask each other. So he said, So, what would you say was the greatest experience you've ever had?

Now, he laid himself wide open for my testimony. And he got it. Both barrels. Definitely not a Christian young man yet. but, He is anticipating the birth of his first child. and when we're out, roaming the town,

He points out to people, he points out the vehicles, he points out to businesses and say, you know, we got to keep our eye on that place. We got to keep our eye on that person because they stir up trouble. They cause problems

and, Then he might go into some detail, concerning arrest that he's made and he talks about them as the consequences of choices that are being made by the individuals that are doing infractions to the lawn. But I thought it interesting that diligently carries with it. The idea of enforcement of to stain is one of the definitions to correct. And I wonder, Do your children and maybe I should add grandchildren here. Do they see you when God? Corrects you

Ouch. You probably are able to think of occasions when God has had to correct you. And now you're thinking of your response, you don't have to tell me or you don't have to indicate. I have those responses myself.

Hebrews 12. Verses 5 and 6, gives us a little bit of insight as to how we are to respond. When the Lord chastens are correct. In Hebrews, 12, verses 5 and 6.

The whole passage is based on whom the Lord loves he chastens and correct. Scourges every son whom he receives The Hebrews 12 verses 5 and 6. As an ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh on to you as unto children. My son, despise not thou, the chastening of the Lord nor paint, when thou art rebuked of him, two responses, despise to look down on to think little of

What do I children? See when God has to correct this. Do I look down on God's correction? Do we think little of God's correction? He also says, don't faint. And sometimes it's easy when you do, when you're involved in a lot of good things. To just say, what's the use? I'm giving up. Children are watching that. There's dirt, you're on the billboard of their life. And they're seeing the sign and they're watching and then teaching them diligently, it includes not just giving them the information and trusting the Lord, that it translates into a relationship. but when there's correction, when there's the instruction that gets us back on track, do I look down on it? Do you think little of it?

Do we think, do we give up verse 6 of Hebrews chapter 12. For Whom the lord, loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives The priority of our relationship in the family you and I are Billboards work signs. What we're doing is we're saying now the kids here's the word of God hears, the instruction God gives us and this is how you apply it. And when we mess up,

it's one thing to pray. I hope the kids didn't see me. It's another thing to say, Lord, thank you. Thank you for getting me back on track. Thank you for that correction. Thank you, Lord. And it's not a bad thing to share that correction with the kids. They probably see the infraction. They probably see when you and I mess up. How do we do it? When God has to correct this.

Moses rehearses the law for the children of Israel. But Joshua takes us to.

I guess what you might call and scriptural Hall of Shame. Judges chapter 2.

Joshua has taken over the leadership of Israel. Children of Israel have gone into the land. Joshua has accomplished what God has told him to do and then Judges chapter to tell tost Joshua passed away. The beginning and judges, 2 verse 6.

and when Joshua, Had let the people go to the children of Israel wind. Every man into his inheritance to possess the land. And the people serve the Lord, all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders, that outlived, Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel. and Joshua, the son of nun, the servant of the Lord died, being 110 years old, want to read verses 9 and 10 as well and they hand and they buried him in the border of his inheritance and Tim knows. But Farrah's in the Mount of healthy free, I'm on the north side of the Hill gas, and also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers. And there are rows another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet The Works, which he had done for Israel. I'm sure you're familiar with that passage of scripture and you wonder as I did, what happened. It must have been a breakdown somewhere.

I've wondered and I want to suggest to, you not only a possibility but I think one of the things that took place

What Joshua?

Explain to the children of Israel about the God's word and the Miracles that they saw. and the great people that they conquered, these were things that the Lord enabled them to do. But somebody forgot to tell the Next Generation. And I want to suggest to you that.

The children of Israel were just going through the motions.

You ever done that? Just going through the motions.

They were expected to tell the Next Generation, God's word and then be a sign. This is how you do it. This is how you it's accomplished because of the work you're doing. And because of the thought you're thinking is because God's word is filling your mind, it's translating into your life somewhere. There was a breakdown. never going through the motions, I picture it, something like today. We go to church. Well, we're where we supposed to be. What difference does Church make in your life? Is it just a Sunday morning saying, or does it translate into daily life?

They went through the motions and the Next Generation.

Forgot. They didn't practice. Somewhere. I think there was a breakdown not just nationally, but in the family.

Before we leave the priority of our relationship to the family. Let me ask this question. Are you going through the motions?

How does God's word? God's work have priority in your life? And if it is priority in your life, is your family and your children, see that it's real. It's a way to live.

This is a good place to rehearse, the last few verses of the Old Testament.

Malachi chapter 4.

We know partially the Fulfillment was in John the Baptist, but the last 3 verses beginning and verse 4. Remember You, The Law of Moses? My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming and great and Dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the church fathers to the children in the heart of the children to the father's last night, and smite the Earth with a curse.

Wonder is the Earth being smitten today?

Are our youth following the ways of the Lord, do they have an example? Is there a sign that they're saying? Oh, that's what I'm supposed to do, according to the word of God, when I get into a difficult situation, when I get to the place where I'm not sure what to do with my dad, I watch my mom, I watch my grandpa and grandma.

The hearts of the fathers, turn to the children. In other words, I believe what Malachi saying is the hearts of the children were not turned to the father's in the hearts of the fathers will not turn to the children.

Parents grandparents. Will you make the difference? Cuz I was putting finishing touches on my message. A song that the lord gave me before grandchildren came to mind. That's been a lot of years ago. I think it was about 25 years ago for Father's Day. But it came from the passage of Deuteronomy chapter 6. Let me just read the words. I'd love to sing it, but my singing voice is going by the wayside.

What will fill my children's Minds? What will they come to know? What will occupy their thoughts, Lord. I'd like to know, The ways of man seem right. It's true. But the ways of death are they?

Then God said, that depends my child on how you lead the way.

Second verse. What will catch my children's eyes as down life's Road? They go What will they enjoy and watch? Oh Lord. I'd like to know, Will their eyes look for glittering things? The world wants them to see, then God said that will all depend if you're right.

if your eyes stay on me,

third verse. What will win my children's heart as older, they will grow. Pueblo occupy their time, O Lord. I'd like to know will friends determine where they go or even what they all do. Then God said that depends my child on the hard inside. Imbue.

That's why I haven't read this for a while.

The course.

If you Delight in loving me and serve me with your heart. If you decide my word is how he knew day, you will start. If you would join, will walk with me until your Journey's End.

They'll look to you.

I didn't used to happen happens more often now.

If you would will walk with me until your Journey's End, they'll look to you and follow you and you will be their friend. That's titled my children's friend.

The hearts of the fathers have to turn to the children hearts of the children will then turn to the father's. They'll look at them and say that's what I want to be.

Leslie from Deuteronomy chapter 6, the priority of our relationship to the world.

Wanted to. look at verses 10 through 12, the last 3 verses that were red this morning and it shall be when the Lord thy, God shall have brought the into the land, which he swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob to give that to give the great and goodly cities which doll build us not and houses full of good things, which tell Phyllis not, And Wells Dagwood's, they'll dig us. Not

Vineyards. And the trees, which the plan is not when thou shalt have eaten them, be filled full beer or less, they forget, they'll forget the Lord which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage.

The Israel, God is saying you didn't build those houses. I gave it to you. You didn't plant those trees. You didn't fill your house with stuff.

God's blessing was on Israel.

Don't let your heart. Turn to the stuff. Not easy to do. Focus on the house on the car on Sports on money. And graduate forget. Our children. The heart of the fathers, got to be turned to the children, the heart of the grandparents, got to be turned to the children.

You know. you can't help but Wonder, Is Satan likes us the game and accumulate stuff. Look what I did to Israel.

They did inherit blessing. But they turned from, God was just two generations and they turned away from God. And I think the double doesn't mind. I mean we recognize him when it comes about as a roaring lion. We said who that's the devil. We don't want anything to do with him. But what happens when he comes as an angel of Light and says, I got some stuff for you. Dear, let me have let you have this. I'm not saying stuff is wrong. I hope you didn't get that part of the message. But I'm saying is when you and I turn our hearts to stuff to possessions to people and it's not our children, we pay a high price.

Do you love the Lord? Is he a priority?

Do you know God's word and live it and show it before others?

Do you share it with your family? So that it's a lifestyle in your life and it can be in the lives of your children and grandchildren.

May I just challenged you as I close. Don't just go through the motions. There's a high price to pay. Would you join me for a closing word of Prayer?

Our heavenly father. We thank you that we can address you as our heavenly father. We thank you, Lord. That today you give us the privilege of being your child.

We thank you for the children and the grandchildren you've given to us. Not just to sell the house. But to challenge us to turn our hearts towards you and towards the children. Thank you for that personal relationship. That is available. And able to achieve in our walk with you to make it personal.

Thank you. Lord, for the families, you've given to us.

Thank you, Lord, for the place you have put us in the world. Not to acquire stuff, not to turn our hearts from you. But to be the salt and light that this world needs so badly. Help us Lord to take our place as a billboard as a sign. May our accomplishments with our hands made our thought life, be pleasing to you and translate through our lives to our children to show them a relationship with Jesus. Christ is real. It's attainable. It is something that we can practice on a daily basis. Lord, I believe that in so many cases that is absent. May you challenge your people today with your word? may we rise to the challenge and not just go through the motions, but

Determined that our relationship with you will be personal. Will be different from now on. We thank you, Lord, that. You understand our weakness, our Frailty. That in the past decisions have been made that have gotten us off track. Our Focus has gotten off track. Have you to our families, our children, our spouses has gotten off track. But Lord, as of today, we accept the challenge and your forgiveness for a past. And Lord, we determined to walk with you today, and the days ahead. Thank you. Lord. That we don't have to do that in our own strength. Thank you for the indwelling. Holy spirit, that enables us and powering us to accomplish your work. thank you, Lord, for a life that can be changed to reflect They presents and the conforming to our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In his name, we pray. Amen.

Related Media

Related Sermons