THE PRIORITY OF GOD IN OUR LIVES

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

January 8, 2006

Trinity Fellowship

Raton, NM

Colossians 1:10-23; 2:6-12

GOD’S PRIORITIES

Read Col. 2:6-8

A preacher was making his rounds to his parishioners on a bicycle, when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawn mower. "How much do you want for the mower?" asked the preacher. "I just want enough money to go out and buy me a bicycle", said the little boy. After a moment of consideration, the preacher asked, "Will you take my bike in trade for it?" The little boy asked if he could try it out first, and after riding the bike around a little while said, "Mister, you've got yourself a deal." The preacher took the mower and began to try to crank it. He pulled on the cord a few times with no response from the mower. The preacher called the little boy over and said, "I can't get this mower to start." The little boy said, "That's because you have to cuss at it to get it started." The preacher said, "I am a minister, and I cannot cuss. It has been so long since I have been saved that I do not even remember how to cuss." The little boy looked at him happily and said, "Just keep pulling on that cord. It'll come back to ya!"

IF YOU READ THE ABOVE SCIPTURE, AND COMPARE IT TO THE ABOVE STORY, YOU'LL SEE THE OPPOSITE EXTREMES OF THE SAME TRUTH: WHAT WE PRACTICE IN OUR LIFE DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF THAT LIFE.

NOW, DON'T GET ME WRONG! ONLY GOD HAS THE POWER TO SAVE US:

*HE SAVED US THROUGH OUR FAITH IN HIS POWER (COL 2:11-12)

*AND ONLY HE HAD THE POWER TO SAVE US (COL 2: 13-14; )

BUT, WE THEN HAVE TO EXERCISE THAT SALVATION! (COL 2:6-8)

THERE’S AN IMPERATIVE GIVEN TO US IN THESE SCRIPTURES:

“…YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS…YOU CONTINUE TO LIVE IN HIM, ROOTED AND BUILT UP….STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH…OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS…”

“…YOU SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE TAKES YOU CAPTIVE…”

HOW? BECAUSE “…THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU.”

SO THEN , JUST WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES IN LIFE TO BE? THEY ARE OUTLINED IN COLOSSIONS 2: 6-8

*LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE LORD (ROMANS 12:1) (THAT IS, "A LIVING SACRIFICE")

*PLEASE HIM IN EVERY WAY & BEAR FRUIT IN EVERY GOOD WORK (GAL. 5:22-23) (IE. GOD IS NOT SO CONCERNED WITH WHAT WORK WE DO, RATHER THAN HOW WE DO IT)

*GROW IN HIS KNOWLEDGE (2 PETER 1:3-4)

*BE STRENGTHENED IN ALL POWER ACCORDING TO HIS MIGHT (2 PETER 1:5-9)

*JOYFULLY GIVE THANKS TO THE FATHER (PS. 95:2 “COME BEFORE HIM WITH THANKSGIVING” ; PS. 100:4 “I WILL ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING”; PHIL. 4:6 COME BEFORE THE LORD “…WITH PRAYER, PETITION, AND THANKSGIVING…” ; 1 THESS. 5:18 “…GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES…”

IN OTHER WORDS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS TO BE:

*THE PRIORITY OF OUR DAILY LIVES

*THE PRIORITY OF OUR EVERY WORK

*THE PRIORITY OF OUR MINDS

*THE PRIORITY OF OUR STRENGTH

*THE PRIORITY OF OUR WORSHIP