Are Your Priorities Straight?

There are so many things I love to do, so sometimes it is hard to pick what I want to be really good at. They say you can only actually be great at one thing. That has always been hard for me to get past as there are so many things I like to do. Doing these things are great, but only when we realize what is truly important. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." NASB. God needs to come first. There are no exceptions.

Are Sunday sports, activities, hanging with friends, sleeping in, or your cellphone coming before church? Even if someone goes to church and says they believe in God, it doesn't mean that they're a Christian. A true Christian puts God above everything else all the time. Actions speak louder than words. We need to walk what we talk, do what we say we do. The world around us is watching.

God commands us as Christians to put nothing before Him. "You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3 ESV. If we are putting our activities, friends, technology, and feelings before Him, they become idols in our hearts that need to be removed. And it's hard to remove those idols once they are there, trust me, I know. But in order to fully follow God, we have to put Him first and foremost in our lives. "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."" Hebrews 13:5 ESV.

But how can you apply this to sharing the gospel? Well for starters, we NEED to make sharing the gospel a priority in our lives. If we don't share the word, how is anyone supposed to come to God? Romans 10:13-15. "For "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!"

Since we know the good news and realize we will get eternal life, how could we not share the gospel with others? A while back, atheist Penn Jillette, from the Penn and Teller magician duo, asked this question, "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"

When I first read that quote in my devotional, it convicted me. Penn Jillete was right. How much must I despise those who don't believe in God, if I don't share my faith? It is certainly not loving them. In Matthew 22:35-40, this is what Jesus said about loving our neighbors. "One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." NASB.

1John 4:20-21. "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." If we call ourselves Christians, we follow God's commandments. And He commands us to spread His word.

It can seem so hard to find the time to spread the gospel, but that is exactly what Satan wants us to think. If sharing the gospel was easy, we all would be doing it, and the world today would look very different. Satan's goal is to make us think that it is too hard to do, and that it is not our problem. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 ESV. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and, have it abundantly." John 10:10 NASB.

In reality, sharing the gospel is hard, but only at first. Once you take the first step, it gets easier, because God is with you EVERY step of the way. He just asks you to be bold enough to take the first one. You don't even have to go out of your way to spread God's word. Your missionary field could be with your friends, online, or at activities. But you need to realize that you cannot grow in your walk with the Lord and be the disciple He wants you to be, if you are not in His word and having fellowship with other Christians on regular bases.

If we don't share the gospel, there will never be a difference in this world. We need to make it a priority, like God calls us. By following His commands, we love both God and others. And how are the people we share the gospel with expected to live a life for Christ if we are not spending regular time in God's word, going to church, and living it out? Loving God and our neighbors is much more important than the soccer game on Sunday. We are examples to those around us. So, we need to get our priorities straight.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, please contact me via chat box. If you have any comments, please leave them bellow. If you would like to read the entirety of what Penn Jillete said, click this link: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/an-atheist-chastises-evangelicals-who-dont-evangelize/?amp

Click the button bellow to read Wednesday's shared story. If you want to read more on how to take action and spread the gospel with us, Click the "Simple Ways to Share the Gospel" button in the More selection on the posts.

Sharing the Gospel with Kids