Prioritizing God: Finding Fulfillment in His Presence
Summary
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the multitude of commitments and responsibilities that vie for our attention. It's easy to say "yes" to everything, but in doing so, we risk crowding out the most important priorities, particularly our relationship with God. This tendency to prioritize the immediate and tangible over the eternal and spiritual is a common struggle. We fill our schedules with good things, yet neglect the best things, often leaving God with the leftovers of our time and resources.
Reflecting on the book of Haggai, we see a powerful illustration of this principle. The Israelites, having returned from exile, were more focused on building their own homes than on rebuilding the temple of God. They claimed it wasn't the right time to focus on God's house, yet they found time to enhance their own living conditions. This double standard is something we still grapple with today. We often wait for a clear calling to serve God, while readily engaging in activities that serve our own interests without seeking divine guidance.
God's message through Haggai was clear: prioritize His work and His house, and He will bless you. The Israelites' neglect of God's temple led to unfulfilled lives, despite their efforts to secure their own prosperity. God reminded them that their lack of fulfillment was a direct result of their misplaced priorities. When they finally obeyed and began rebuilding the temple, God promised, "I am with you." This assurance of God's presence is the ultimate security and fulfillment we can seek.
In our lives, we must ask ourselves if we are truly allowing God to be the Lord of our lives. Are we giving Him the keys, letting Him drive, and following His lead? Or are we merely asking Him to be a passenger, or worse, a servant to our desires? True fulfillment comes when we align our priorities with God's, making Him the center of our lives and trusting in His provision and guidance.
Key Takeaways:
- The Importance of Saying No: Learning to say no to good things is essential to prioritize the best things. Every yes to something means a no to something else, and often, God is the one crowded out. We must be intentional about making space for God in our lives. [00:59]
- Misplaced Priorities: Like the Israelites in Haggai's time, we often prioritize our own comfort over God's work. We must examine our lives for double standards, ensuring that we don't wait for a divine calling to serve God while readily engaging in personal pursuits. [19:57]
- God's Assurance of Presence: When we prioritize God's work, He promises to be with us. This assurance of His presence is the ultimate security and fulfillment, far surpassing any material or personal achievements. [35:10]
- The Illusion of Control: We often believe we are in control of our lives, but true control belongs to God. Relinquishing control to Him and allowing Him to lead is the path to true fulfillment and peace. [32:15]
- Action Over Intentions: God is honored by our actions, not just our intentions. It's not enough to have good intentions; we must actively obey and serve God, aligning our lives with His will. [34:09]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Staff Day Reflections
- [00:35] - The Struggle to Say No
- [01:12] - Crowding Out God
- [02:35] - The Costco Analogy
- [03:44] - Prioritizing God
- [05:11] - Introduction to Haggai
- [06:23] - Historical Context
- [09:11] - Humanity's Rebellion
- [11:19] - God's Promise to Abraham
- [13:47] - Israel's Journey
- [18:20] - Haggai's Message
- [19:57] - Double Standards
- [24:38] - Consequences of Neglect
- [34:09] - Action Over Intentions
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Haggai 1:1-15
- Matthew 28:18-20
---
Observation Questions:
1. What was the Israelites' initial response to the call to rebuild the temple, and how did God address their priorities through the prophet Haggai? [19:02]
2. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "crowding out God" in our daily lives? [01:12]
3. What actions did the Israelites take after hearing Haggai's message, and what was God's response to their obedience? [33:02]
4. In the sermon, what analogy is used to describe how people often treat their relationship with God, and what does it imply about control and priorities? [29:07]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of the Israelites in Haggai's time reflect our modern struggle with prioritizing God's work over personal interests? [19:57]
2. What does the assurance "I am with you" signify in both the context of Haggai and the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20? How does this assurance impact a believer's sense of security and purpose? [35:10]
3. The sermon discusses the illusion of control in our lives. How does this concept challenge the way we approach decision-making and reliance on God? [32:15]
4. How does the sermon emphasize the importance of action over intentions in our spiritual lives, and what are the implications for how we live out our faith? [34:09]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current commitments. Are there any "good" things you need to say no to in order to prioritize your relationship with God? How can you make space for God in your daily schedule? [00:59]
2. Identify an area in your life where you might be exhibiting a double standard, similar to the Israelites' focus on their own homes over God's temple. How can you realign your priorities to better serve God? [19:57]
3. Consider a time when you felt unfulfilled despite achieving personal goals. How might this relate to the sermon’s message about misplaced priorities and the pursuit of fulfillment through God? [24:38]
4. In what ways can you actively demonstrate your faith through actions rather than just intentions? What specific steps can you take this week to serve God and others? [34:09]
5. Reflect on the analogy of driving a car. Are you allowing God to take the driver's seat in your life, or are you still holding onto control? What changes can you make to truly let God lead? [30:42]
6. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of God's presence in your life, especially during challenging times? What practices or habits can help reinforce the assurance that God is with you? [35:10]
7. Think of someone in your life who might benefit from hearing about God's priorities and presence. How can you share this message with them in a meaningful way this week? [37:31]
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Saying No
In our fast-paced world, the ability to say "no" is crucial for maintaining focus on what truly matters. Often, we find ourselves overwhelmed by commitments, leaving little room for our relationship with God. The sermon reminds us that every "yes" to something means a "no" to something else, and frequently, God is the one crowded out. By intentionally making space for God, we prioritize the best things over merely good things. This requires discernment and courage to decline activities that, while beneficial, may distract us from our spiritual growth and connection with God. [00:59]
"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it." (Proverbs 15:16, ESV)
Reflection: What is one activity or commitment you can say "no" to this week to create more space for God in your life?
Day 2: Examining Our Priorities
The Israelites in Haggai's time prioritized their own comfort over God's work, a tendency that persists today. We often engage in personal pursuits without seeking divine guidance, waiting instead for a clear calling to serve God. This double standard can lead to unfulfilled lives, as we neglect the eternal for the immediate. By examining our priorities, we can ensure that we are not waiting for a divine calling to serve God while readily engaging in activities that serve our own interests. Aligning our lives with God's will brings true fulfillment and purpose. [19:57]
"Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes." (Haggai 1:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What personal pursuit are you currently prioritizing over God's work, and how can you begin to shift your focus?
Day 3: Embracing God's Presence
When we prioritize God's work, He promises to be with us, offering the ultimate security and fulfillment. The Israelites' neglect of God's temple led to unfulfilled lives, despite their efforts to secure their own prosperity. God's assurance of His presence is a profound promise that surpasses any material or personal achievements. By making God the center of our lives, we can trust in His provision and guidance, experiencing true peace and fulfillment. [35:10]
"And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people." (Leviticus 26:12, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you invite God's presence into your daily routine, ensuring He is at the center of your life?
Day 4: Relinquishing Control
We often believe we are in control of our lives, but true control belongs to God. The illusion of control can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction, as we strive to manage every aspect of our lives. By relinquishing control to God and allowing Him to lead, we find true fulfillment and peace. This requires trust in God's plan and a willingness to follow His guidance, even when it challenges our own desires and plans. [32:15]
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to relinquish control, and how can you begin to trust God with it today?
Day 5: Moving from Intentions to Actions
God is honored by our actions, not just our intentions. It's not enough to have good intentions; we must actively obey and serve God, aligning our lives with His will. This requires a commitment to living out our faith in tangible ways, demonstrating our love for God through our actions. By moving from intentions to actions, we honor God and experience the fullness of life He offers. [34:09]
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific action you can take this week to align your life more closely with God's will?
Quotes
"Every time you say yes to something you're saying no to something else you know because you're crowding something else out of schedule and while all these things may be good you know there's nothing sinful about saying yes to these things but it becomes that when you're doing all these good things and yet you're neglecting the best things the most important things." [00:53:52]
"We fill our times with all the other things and we crowd God out and um you know we have this problem saying no and so I go you know just just pray it doesn't sound real spiritual but I need to learn how to say no to to all these other things so I can say yes to the things that are most important." [01:38:00]
"God's responding and he's saying you know what you people put you back in the land but you're making the statement saying it's just not time for the Lord's House to be rebuilt right now okay you got that so they're going it's just not time to rebuild the Temple and so God's response to that in verse three is this he says then the word of the Lord came through the prophet haggi is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panel houses while this house remains a ruin." [19:36:00]
"It's a double standard that we do to this day I hear it all the time Christians will come to me and say well I don't know if I should serve God right now I haven't gotten a clear calling you know God hasn't told me you know exactly where to serve him and what to do and I so I really feel like the right thing to do is to wait upon the Lord." [20:01:12]
"God says to the people he goes you know you're looking out for yourself but what happened you thought to yourself I know what I'm do forget God forget his house I'm just going to build my own little Empire here I'm going to build a beautiful house for myself I'm going to I'm going to plant all these crops I'm going to reap this Harvest and he goes what happened came time to harvest and you had nothing to really Harvest did you." [25:39:64]
"God says you do something and when those people did it God looks at that sees their repentance and I love this is what it's all about okay what he says this is the phrase verse 13 when God sees man they're going to listen to me they're running up the hill they're Cho down trees what's his response verse 13 then Hagi the Lord's messenger gave this message of the Lord to the people four words I am with you." [34:09:24]
"God is Not honored by Good Intentions we all have those he he's honored by action he's not honored by you coming today and crying oh I really made a mess in my life so what what are you going to do now you actually going to change the Bible says that Godly sorrow leads to repentance it's not about coming and crying and going okay I got that off of my chest." [34:52:63]
"God looks down at those people they repent and goes you know what now I'm with you now I'm on your side now I am with you and I don't know about you but that's all I want on this planet is to know that God the Creator the I am is with me that's all I need see cuz if I have the house the bank account the stuff and all the security but I don't have God what kind of security is that." [35:10:68]
"Whether you want to accept him as Lord or not doesn't change the fact that he is Lord whether you want to give him control or not it doesn't change the fact that he's in control you think you're in control of your life right now you really think you have control over your destiny and you have power to hold onto that wheel and and nothing no one can affect that you're crazy." [32:29:04]
"To me it's the only thing that makes sense because even if you go you know I'm not about that I'm not going to follow anyone I want control you see this is why I think it's stupid even if you say no I'm I'm holding on I'm holding on to to the to the steering wheel I'm in control I'm taking care of my life I'm not letting anyone drive me around I got the keys." [31:03:48]
"God's going watch no rain watch this everything you're working for it's going to end in Misery all these expectations why because I'm still in control and and so you may leave here and go no no I'm not relinquish and I'm going you know what you're not really relinquishing anything." [32:24:44]
"God's message through Haggai was clear: prioritize His work and His house, and He will bless you. The Israelites' neglect of God's temple led to unfulfilled lives, despite their efforts to secure their own prosperity. God reminded them that their lack of fulfillment was a direct result of their misplaced priorities." [25:18:52]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 02, 2014. Do you have any questions about it?