In the Bible Christian Ministry
Sunday 1-04-26 (First Things First)
  • Lord I Lift Your Name on High
  • Joy To The World
  • O Come All Ye Faithful
  • Excellent
  • Father, Jesus, Spirit
  • Closer / Wrap Me In Your Arms
  • Lord, I Love You (TGalberth)
  • Let It Rise
  • Lord You're Mighty
  • He is Exalted / Give Him Praise
  • Sing a New Song
  • My Worship
  • Just a Closer Walk with Thee
  • Awesome God - Tammi & Gerald Haddon
  • One Thing Remains
  • Trust In God
  • He Is
  • Fire
  • We Believe
  • I Am a Friend of God
  • Holy Forever

  • First Things First — New Year Message

    Opening: A New Year, the Same Question

    It’s a new year. New calendars. New planners. New goals. New intentions.
    But before we rush into what we want to do this year, there’s a more important question we need to ask:
    What will be first?
    Not what will be busy.
    Not what will be loud.
    Not what will feel urgent.
    Exercise More / Improve Fitness: A perennial favorite, focusing on physical activity and getting in shape.
    Eat Healthier / Improve Diet: Often paired with exercise goals, including drinking more water.
    Save More Money / Improve Finances: A major focus on financial health and security.
    Improve Mental Health / Be Happier: Stress reduction, mindfulness, and overall well-being.
    Spend More Time with Family & Friends: Prioritizing relationships and connection.
    Learn Something New / Read More: Personal development through acquiring new skills or knowledge.
    Lose Weight: A specific goal often linked to diet and exercise.
    Get Organized / Improve Productivity: Simplifying life and work.
    Quit Smoking/Drinking Less Alcohol: Focusing on breaking unhealthy habits.
    Improve Job Performance
    What will be first?
    Because here’s the truth: most of us don’t fail because we don’t care.
    We fail because we care about too many things at the same time.
    The world constantly hands us a long list and tells us everything is important—now, immediately, urgently.
    And if everything is first… then nothing really is.
    That’s why Jesus doesn’t give us a complicated system to start a new year. He gives us a simple priority.
    Matthew 6:33 NIV
    33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
    This year is about putting first things first—
    returning to the basics,
    realigning our lives,
    deciding once again what deserves the first place in our hearts, our schedules, and our attention.

    Seek First — The Power of Priority

    Text: Matthew 6:33–34
    Matthew 6:33–34 NIV
    33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
    I always thought how can I not think about tomorrow.
    He didn’t say don’t plan for tomorrow, don’t think about tomorrow.
    Don’t dismiss tomorrow: If we here tomorrow if Lord wills
    He said don’t Worry.
    What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
    Some of us reach for coffee.
    Some reach for our phones.
    Some check the news, emails, or social media before we even get out of bed.
    And that first choice quietly shapes everything that follows.
    In many areas of life, what you do—or don’t do—first determines the outcome. A bad start often leads to a domino effect. And the same is true spiritually.
    Jesus speaks these words in the middle of a conversation about anxiety—about food, clothing, money, and tomorrow. All the things we tend to put first because they feel urgent.
    And Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God.”
    Not seek everything else and add God later.
    Not seek God when you have time.
    Not seek God only when things fall apart.
    Seek first.
    Putting God first isn’t about ignoring responsibility—it’s about ordering trust.
    Tim Kizziar once said, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things that don’t really matter.”
    You can be busy and still be empty.
    There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God.
    you can know about me but not know me
    you can know my likes, dislikes, what makes me happy or sad but still not Know me
    Meaning we don’t have a relationship
    A relationship isn’t about knowledge. It’s a connection based on history and applied knowledge
    Knowledge alone does not create relationship. You can know facts about someone and still not know them.
    Relationship is built through shared experience (history) — time spent, moments lived, trust formed.
    Applied knowledge means what you know actually shapes how you act, respond, listen, forgive, and love.
    That’s exactly how Scripture frames relationship with God:
    Knowing about God ≠ walking with God
    Relationship is formed by encounter + obedience + time
    John 17:3 NIV
    3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
    When God is truly first, our energy, boldness, and contentment flow from Him—not from circumstances.
    First things first means this: God doesn’t get our leftovers; He gets our beginning.
    Transition: But if God is first, we have to ask—what does that look like in real life?
    Jesus ANSWERS by taking us back to the basics.

    Back to Basics — Love as the First Practice

    Text: Matthew 22:35–40
    There’s a phrase you hear often in sports when a team is struggling: “We need to get back to the basics.”
    A famous coach once stood before professional athletes at the top of their game, held up a football, and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
    Green Bay Story: When the players came in to start training camp, they expected to immediately begin where they left off and work on ways to advance their game and learn fancy new ways to win - But Lombardi started with THIS is a FOOTBALL. and they worked on blocking, tackling, catching—-all fundamental stuff.
    Why? Because when performance breaks down, fundamentals matter more—not less.
    Life works the same way. The more complicated things become, the more we need clarity.
    Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” Out of all the laws, rules, and expectations—what comes first?
    Matthew 22:35–40 NIV
    35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: (before this Jesus said in verse 29 you do not know scripture talking about the resurrection (Sadducees believed; Pharisees did not) 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
    They were looking for deep study and dialogue
    Jesus didn’t hesitate.
    “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
    First things first: Love God. Love people.
    Every doctrine, every command, every spiritual practice hangs on these two.
    When life feels confusing, when faith feels cluttered, Jesus doesn’t tell us to add more—He tells us to return.
    Return to loving God deeply. Return to loving people genuinely.
    Many times we chase things thinking they’ll meet our needs, only to find they don’t satisfy. That’s because the problem isn’t effort—it’s order.
    Transition: Loving God and others requires more than good intentions. It requires a life that is properly aligned.

    Realignment — Renewing the Mind (Cleaned Version)

    Alignment matters.
    If your car is out of alignment
    It might still feel okay at first.
    You can still drive it.
    You can still get where you’re going.
    But over time, it causes damage you don’t see immediately.
    The same is true spiritually.
    Paul urges believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices and to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Because just looking right doesn’t mean being right.
    When a car is out of alignment:
    It pulls to one side
    The steering wheel is crooked
    You have to fight to keep it straight
    And that fight is what causes the wear and tear.
    Some of us are worn out not because life is hard—but because we’re out of alignment.
    You know you need to go one way, but your life keeps pulling you another way. And every day, you’re fighting just to stay straight.
    That’s not strength—that’s misalignment.
    You finish each day tired.
    When you are in alignment the trip is the same point A to Point B but the trip doesn’t work you as much. You still need to be attentive to the road, you still have to focus you still need to ignore distractions, but you don’t have to fight self as much if you vehicle is maintained.
    This flesh is a vehicle for the Spirit while we are here on earth and it needs maintenance.
    You can’t align your car, in fact just by looking at it you can’t tell its out of alignment.
    you notice the wear and tear but why letting get there
    You take it to the shop and they REALIGN it
    And after driving for so long you need to bring it back to have it RE-ALIGNED again.
    See Salvation Lines us up first— Purchase of a brand new car - A new CREATURE if you will.
    Site is set, but then we need some minor adjustments — Realignment
    That’s why Paul says we need renewal.
    Romans 12:1–2 NIV
    1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
    Because the world constantly pulls us out of alignment.
    It tells us what to chase.
    What to value.
    What to fear.
    What to desire.
    Without renewal, we drift.
    And for many of us—especially when we first came to Christ—we had to fight to keep our heads straight. We were used to letting our minds and bodies do whatever they wanted. Used to chasing whatever caught our attention. Used to following what looked good in the moment.
    Key word: used to.
    That word is interesting, because we use it two different ways.
    Why do you always do that? “I’m used to it.”
    Why don’t you do that anymore? “I don’t do it now—but I used to.”
    Just because you used to live a certain way doesn’t mean it gets to define you.
    But we justify a lot of things by saying, “That’s just how I am—I’m used to it.”
    God says, renew your mind.
    Salvation isn’t a one-time visit with God—it’s an ongoing transformation.
    And renewing your mind isn’t so you can lean back and coast through life. The road is still the road. The journey is still the journey.
    But when you don’t have realignment the drive is so much harder.
    But when you’re aligned, you don’t have to fight the steering wheel the whole way.
    Some of you are trying to drive through life without power steering—no alignment, no renewal—and it’s wearing you out.
    You’re tired.
    Worried
    You’re hurting.
    And you know something isn’t right.
    A renewed mind helps us see what truly matters—what’s eternal instead of temporary.
    What we focus on shapes who we become. And Scripture warns us again and again: distraction slowly dethrones what should be first.
    First things first means this: We don’t let the world set our priorities—we let God reset them.
    Transition: And when our lives are aligned with God, it changes how we live… and how we love.

    The Main Thing — Living What Matters Most

    Text: Romans 12:9–21
    Romans 12:9–21 NIV
    9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
    Paul gives one of the most practical summaries of Christian living in all of Scripture—and it starts with love.
    Not instinct.
    Not impulse.
    Not reaction.
    Humans don’t live by instinct—we live by what we believe will give us life.
    Paul Tripp says, “In every moment of life, we are living for something.”
    Romans 12 shows us what life looks like when God is truly first: sincere love, patience in hardship, faithfulness in prayer, generosity, humility, peace.
    This is what it looks like to imitate God.
    First things first: When God is first, love becomes visible.
    When love becomes visible His blessings Manifest

    Conclusion: Starting Small, Staying Faithful

    As we start this new year, don’t start big—start first.
    Start aligned.
    Start simple.
    Start with the basics.
    Think about Lego pieces. There are no massive Lego blocks that magically create something amazing. Every masterpiece is built from the same small pieces—placed faithfully, one at a time.
    The life God is building in you this year won’t be sustained by one emotional moment—it will be built by daily decisions to put first things first.
    So ask yourself:
    What has been competing for first place?
    What needs to move back so God can move forward?
    Jesus’ invitation remains the same:
    “Seek first the kingdom of God…”
    When God is first, everything else finds its proper place.

      • Matthew 6:33KJV1900

      • Matthew 6:33–34KJV1900

      • John 17:3KJV1900

      • Matthew 22:35–40KJV1900

      • Romans 12:1–2KJV1900

      • Romans 12:9–21KJV1900

In the Bible Christian Ministry
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