Put God First: Align Your Life for 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Realignment: Seek First the Kingdom, Not Extras

A new year invites change, but real change starts with alignment. Like a car that drifts when the wheels are out of line, a life without God first will keep pulling you off-course. Priorities determine direction, and direction determines destination. Put God first—in every area—and the ride becomes steadier and the path clearer. Lay down worry and pursue His way before everything else, trusting that He knows your needs. Choose alignment over drift and make His kingdom your first pursuit today. [02:16]

So don’t chase your days around worrying, “What will we eat or drink or wear?” People who don’t know the Father run after those things, but your Father already knows what you need. Make His rule and His way of life your first pursuit, and all these needs will come in their proper place. — Matthew 6:31-33

Reflection: Where will you replace worry with seeking God first this week (a bill, a meeting, a decision), and what specific action will you take in that moment?

Day 2: Let Jesus Drive, Not Your Comfort

It’s easy to say “Jesus, take the wheel” until He turns down roads like forgiveness or generosity. He isn’t a passenger; He is Lord, and Lordship means trust when the route stretches you. Comfort will try to negotiate a detour, but trust keeps you in your seat while He leads. Surrender is not passivity; it is active agreement with His wisdom over your limited view. Invite Him to choose the turns, even when you don’t understand why that street is best. Today, release the backseat commentary and let Him steer. [03:42]

Trust the Lord with your whole heart; stop leaning on your own limited perspective. In every part of your life, look to Him, and He will make the road clear and straight. — Proverbs 3:5-6

Reflection: Where have you been a backseat driver (forgiveness, generosity, relationships), and what is the next small step that lets Jesus choose the turn?

Day 3: First in Finances and Interests: Worship with What You Love

Nearly half of our waking hours are spent earning or thinking about money; God wants first place there too. He doesn’t need your cash—He desires your trust, your heart, and your best. Honor Him with the first and best of what your work produces, and watch fear loosen its grip. And let Him be first in your interests as well—what you watch, scroll, cheer for, and talk about. Whether eating, drinking, posting, or planning, do it all to bring Him glory. Reorder your budget and your habits so your loves align with His love. [04:08]

Give the Lord the honor due Him by how you handle your money; bring Him the first and best from everything your work produces. — Proverbs 3:9

Reflection: What one line item in your budget or habit in your media consumption will you reorder this week to honor God with your first and best, and by when will you do it?

Day 4: Holy Relationships and a Rhythmed Schedule

Put Christ first in relationships so that when life gets real, you stand shoulder-to-shoulder in faith. Shared pursuit of Jesus matters more than chemistry, convenience, or charm; yoking your life to someone walking His way brings strength in the storm. Faithfulness is more than one day a week—it’s a rhythm of presence with God. Set times for prayer and praise—morning, noon, and night—so your schedule reflects your surrender. Choose companions and calendars that keep Jesus at the center, not at the margins. Small daily choices create strong lifelong alignment. [03:27]

Don’t hitch yourself to someone who pulls the other way; what harmony is there between what is right and what is wrong, between light and darkness? — 2 Corinthians 6:14

Reflection: What boundary or invitation would help one relationship move toward a shared pursuit of Jesus, and when will you set a daily ten-minute prayer rhythm this week?

Day 5: In Trouble, Run to God First

The enemy doesn’t need a dark ritual; complacency will do—crowded schedules, endless scrolling, and fear about scarcity. When trouble hits, turn first to God instead of your feed, your calendar, or your own understanding. Taste His goodness in prayer and Scripture, and let His peace meet you in the very place of pressure. He is near, and He is enough; putting Him first in crisis opens the door to strength and calm. Choose to cry out early, not late; choose refuge, not reaction. Make “God first” your automatic response when life shakes. [02:55]

Come and find out for yourself how good the Lord is; those who take refuge in Him are the ones who are truly blessed. — Psalm 34:8

Reflection: When the next wave of anxiety or trouble shows up in the next 48 hours, what will be your very first move toward God, and how will you remind yourself to take it immediately?

Sermon Summary

Happy New Year, fam! We kicked off 2026 by talking about alignment. I told you about my first car—a 1990 Camry with no reverse, bald tires, and the words “too short” scratched into the windshield. It looked cool enough to a 17-year-old, but what finally destroyed it wasn’t any one broken part—it was being wildly out of alignment. That’s the picture I laid out for this year: changing circumstances is good, but if priorities aren’t aligned, we’ll skid through another year the same way. Matthew 6:33 gives the alignment spec: seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then “all these things” are added in their place.

The Kingdom is what the world looks like when Jesus is in charge—not someday, but now. We don’t just need a Savior from hell; we need a Lord who leads us through the hell we create on earth. That led us to the “car of your life” picture: Is Jesus even in the car? If so, is He in the trunk, the backseat, shotgun—or the driver’s seat? And even if He’s driving, are you still calling turns from the backseat when He heads down the roads of forgiveness, generosity, and obedience you don’t like? Alignment means Jesus gets the wheel and we stop wrestling it from His hands.

Then we got practical with F-I-R-S-T. Put God first in your Finances—because nearly half our waking life is spent earning; our treasure reveals our heart. Put Him first in your Interests—careers, hobbies, and even politics—so nothing outruns your devotion. Put Him first in Relationships—marriage, dating, friendships—so when life gets real, you’re yoked with people who can pray heaven down with you. Put Him first in your Schedule—set a rhythm that guards your attention. And put Him first in your Troubles—make God your first call, not your last resort. The enemy doesn’t need an occult ritual to derail us; he just needs to keep God out of first place. But Proverbs 3:5-6 is the cheat code for 2026: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

Key Takeaways

1. True alignment: seek the Kingdom first. Seeking first isn’t about adding God to a crowded shelf; it’s letting Him arrange the whole room. When Jesus is in charge, needs find their proper place and urgency loses its tyranny. We don’t chase “all these things”; we chase the King and watch “these things” take their seats. Alignment doesn’t remove bumps, but it gives traction and direction.
2. Stop backseat driving Jesus’ lead. Letting Jesus drive means we don’t correct Him at every intersection. Our protests—especially around forgiveness, generosity, and obedience—reveal where we still trust ourselves more. Faith looks like staying buckled in while He takes roads we wouldn’t choose. The fruit shows up later, but the trust must show up now.
3. Honor God with your treasure. Money is time-in-solid-form, which is why it exposes what we love. God doesn’t need our cash; He wants our confidence. Honoring Him with the first and best declares that security lives in His hands, not our spreadsheets. Generosity becomes resistance against fear and a training ground for freedom.
4. Order interests, relationships, and time. Unordered loves always disorder life. When Jesus is first, our hobbies enrich rather than rule, our relationships sharpen rather than drain, and our calendars reflect worship rather than hurry. Establish a rhythm for prayer and Scripture that tells your soul who runs your day. Over time, priority becomes instinct.
5. Run to God in trouble. Crisis reveals our reflex. When God is first, prayer is not a performance; it’s a practiced path we know in the dark. Turning to Him first reframes the problem, re-centers our heart, and reopens possibility. Fear may still knock, but it won’t get the keys.

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 6:31–33 (NKJV)
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Observation questions (3–4)

In verses 31–32 Jesus lists worries about food, drink, and clothing. Who does he say is primarily occupied with those worries, and what does that imply about kingdom-minded priorities?
Verse 33 gives a promise tied to a command. What are the two parts of that command, and what is the promise that follows?
The pastor used the “car of your life” story and the image of Jesus in the trunk, backseat, shotgun, or driver’s seat. Which concrete examples from the sermon showed what “backseat driving” looks like (what streets Jesus wants to turn down that people resist)?
The sermon taught F‑I‑R‑S‑T as a checklist. Which of those five areas did the pastor emphasize as taking up the largest share of our waking life, and why?

Interpretation questions (third person, objective; 3–4)

What would it look like for someone to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” when making a budgeting decision—how would that priority change choices about saving, giving, and security?
How does the metaphor of letting Jesus drive clarify the difference between accepting Jesus as Savior and submitting to him as Lord? What inner attitudes would change?
If a person’s schedule, relationships, and interests are competing for first place, how would trusting Proverbs 3:5–6 (seek his will) re-order those conflicts in practical terms?
In what ways does the enemy aim to remove God from first place according to the sermon, and how might those tactics show up in someone’s day-to-day life?

Application questions (5–7; specific and personal)

Finances: This week list one concrete change you will make to honor God with your treasure (e.g., start giving a percentage, begin a “first‑fruits” auto-give, or reallocate a discretionary expense to generosity). When will you do it and how much?
Interests: Name one hobby, media habit, or political argument that often crowds out time with God. What specific step will you take this week to reorder that interest so it enriches rather than rules (for example: limit it to X hours, replace one hour with Scripture, or mute certain feeds)?
Relationships: Think of one close relationship (spouse, dating partner, roommate, best friend) where spiritual alignment matters. What is one conversation or boundary you will start this week to build a gospel-centered partnership (for example: ask to pray together, set aside weekly check-in, or discuss spiritual priorities)?
Schedule: Pick a realistic daily or weekly slot you will commit to Bible reading and/or prayer (day, time, length). What will you do if something else threatens that slot? Who will hold you accountable?
Troubles: Next time you panic or worry, what will be your first response? Write a short, practical plan (example: stop, 2‑minute breath prayer, call a friend in prayer, read Matthew 6:31–33 aloud). Commit to using that plan the next time fear rises.
Backseat driving: Identify one decision coming up in the next 30 days (forgiveness, giving, a relational choice, job move). Where do you feel tempted to “correct” Jesus? What will you do instead to submit to his lead (specific action and deadline)?
Accountability: Name one person in this group (or outside it) you will tell about one of the commitments above and arrange a check-in time (when and how) to report progress.

Closing prompt for the group
Spend five minutes sharing one of your concrete commitments from the application section. Pair up or form triads for accountability and pray for courage to put Jesus first this week.

Sermon Quotes

Changing your circumstance is wonderful, but until you align your priorities it's just going to be another year. Put God first this year.

Putting God first place in your life is true alignment and when the alignment is right, guess what? The ride is smoother, and it’s a whole lot easier to get where you’re going.

The Kingdom of God is what the world looks like when Jesus Christ is in charge. It's God’s reality now when his rule guides how we live here on earth.

Jesus is not a carjacker. He will not force his way into the car you have to invite him in.

It's real easy to say "Jesus take the wheel" until he starts leading you in a way that's uncomfortable, that forces you to stretch and change, until he says no to something you want.

You cannot call Jesus Christ the lord of your life and then draw a line when it comes to your treasure.

There are 168 total hours in a week. Almost half the time our eyes are open on this planet we are using that time to try and make money. So yes, we are talking about money first.

Satan isn’t trying to get you to break out a Ouija board and complete some dark ritual. He wants complacency, ignorance; he wants to creep into your finances and introduce scarcity and fear so you mistrust your provider.

Put God first with intentionality, with purpose. Don’t let the cares of this life become your god. Set a rhythm and get into the Word.

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Give me some sermon illustration ideas

Create a fill-in-the-blank worksheet

Sermon structure and transition feedback

Sermon application ideas