Putting God First in Your Life

We've all heard (and probably said) that we want to "put God first" in our lives. But what does that really mean? Must I sell everything and become an impoverished missionary? Or at least be a full time minister? Attend church 23 times per week?

If God is really first in my life, then I'd think I'd be spending a lot of time trying to figure out how He wants me to live. I'd be reading the Bible every day. I'd be praying for help...often. I'd examine my beliefs and ask myself the really hard question: is this what I want to believe, or is this what the Bible says? (That's been a particularly hard one for me.)

And when I figured out what the Bible does say - to whatever extent - I'd hope that I had the courage to live in the manner I understood God was revealing to me. This can be tough as you can find a church to sanction just about any belief. Just because the people around you approve of what you are doing doesn't necessarily mean it is right.

The bottom line is that I don't want to be the kind of person Jesus was talking about when he quoted Isaiah in Matthew 15: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

Ask yourself if you are doing everything you can to discern God's will. And as you do, live your life according to that will.