Giving God His Rightful Place

Intro

Hebrews 12:1–2 (KJV 1900)

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have a race to run…

To win the race, we must maintain focus on Jesus…

Colossians 1:15–18 (KJV 1900)

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Preeminence: the highest place of ascendency, above all, over all, surpassing all, to the point that nothing and no one else can come close.

By Him all things were created

All things were created for Him

All things continue (consist) because of Him

Matthew 6:33 (KJV 1900)

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Illustration:

Long ago, there was a lighthouse keeper in charge of keeping the oil light burning so sailors could safely navigate along a dangerous stretch of the Atlantic coastline. Once a month he received a supply of oil. Since the lighthouse was near a coastal village, the lighthouse keeper had frequent visitors, and most of them needed to borrow a little oil. One woman needed oil to keep her family warm. Another guest needed oil for his lamps. Other visitors also had what seemed to be genuine needs, and the kind lighthouse keeper tried to meet all their needs.

Toward the end of one month a terrible storm hit the rocky coastline. The faithful lighthouse keeper was at his position tending the lamp so ships could safely pass, but before dawn, while the storm still raged and the ships were being tossed by terrifying winds and crashing waves, the oil ran out and the lighthouse went dark.

It is possible to give and give of yourself and eventually you don’t have any more oil for yourself…

The key in our lives is to have balance…

Too much of one thing is bad… Too little of some things is also bad…

We can tend to get hyper-focused on one thing and lose sight of every thing else…

Illustration:

Think about a car…

You take it in, they look at your tires and based on how the tires are worn, it tells you how the car is driving….

They recommend you rotate your tires to give them a proper wear…

Sometimes they recommend getting an alignment on your vehicle to get things back into balance so your tires don’t just wear away immediately and POP!

How’s your tires look?

You can ignore it, but eventually you won’t be able to…

Are you wearing too thin because of improper balance?

I do believe that many of the problems we create for ourselves are a result of improper balance in our lives…

1. When Family is the center

When you have family at the center of your life:

Your spouse becomes part of the family

Your family is the highest priority

Money becomes the economic support for your family

Work is just a means to an end… time with family.

Possessions equal family comfort and opportunities

Pleasures are family activities

Church is the source of help for your family and nothing more

Let’s look at someone who was a religious leader and a good guy, yet he kept family at the center before God…

a. Eli was a priest and judge over Israel

A religious leader who would be expected to judge over Israel’s issues…

The Hebrew word for judge is Shophet which means “bringer of justice”…

b. The condition of Eli’s sons

1 Samuel 2:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.

c. Eli’s preference of his family over God

1 Samuel 2:29 (KJV 1900)

29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

d. Eli’s acknowledgement of his sons sin

1 Samuel 2:22–25 (KJV 1900)

22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

Eli acknowledged the sin, but did nothing about it…

e.. Eli’s refusal to restrain his children

1 Samuel 3:13 (KJV 1900)

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

A priest - religious leader

Whose sons know not the Lord

He refuses to acknowledge or restrain his sons…

Instead, he covers up their sin…

Makes excuses for them…

and “honors” them above God…

Someone who has family as the center of their life:

Will place family affairs over God and church

Will prefer their children over the truth

Will make excuses and allow their family to be in positions they have no business being because they are completely ignoring the truth about their condition

Eli ignored the wear from the improper balance and eventually his tires popped!

2. When Money is the Center

When you have money at the center of your life:

Your spouse becomes an asset or liability

Your family is just an economic drain

You work only so you can acquire more money

Your possessions are your badges of economic success

Pleasures only mean more economic drain

You choose friends based on their economic status

Church is at best only a good tax write-off; otherwise it’s a hand in my pocket, trying to get what really matters to me

Money calls the shots…

If a choice needs to be made between God and something money based, money takes the prize every time…

God is important, but money is more important…

For this person, it becomes very difficult to give willingly and let it go… It’s their most prized possession afterall

John 12:1–8 (KJV 1900)

1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Money always called the shots for Judas Iscariot…

Matthew 26:14–16 (KJV 1900)

14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Willing to betray the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver…

Matthew 6:24 (KJV 1900)

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Eli was a priest and a judge over Israel, yet his family came first…

Judas was an apostle that walked with Jesus, yet money came first…

Judas ignored the proper inner imbalance of love of money and his tires wore and eventually popped!

3. When Church is the center

When someone places church, or religion, at their center:

Their spouse becomes a companion or facilitator for church

Family are their models to show adherence to church teachings

Money is used to support the church

Work is only necessary for temporal support

Reputation and image is everything with the attitude, “Poor = holy”

It has me look at my self-worth by activity in the church

“I’m busy teaching, soul winning, bus calling, cooking or cleaning” therefore, I must be holy…

This person sacrifices relationship for religion…

Matthew 23:23–33 (KJV 1900)

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Weren’t the Pharisees very religious? YES!

Matthew 23:5 (KJV 1900)

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Eli was a priest and judge over Israel, yet he put family first…

Judas was an Apostle that walked with Jesus, yet he put money first…

The Pharisees were ultra religious and busy with the things of religion, yet they put “church” or “religion” over God…

Family should not be in the center

Money should not be in the center

Church should not be in the center

God should be in the center… When He is, everything else seems to fall appropriately into it’s rightful place…

Without God being in the center, wearing occurs from the imbalance and eventually the tires pop if an alignment doesn’t occur…