PRIORITIZATION (8.18)

Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“When you stay focused on your priorities you eliminate distractions and confusion.” – Duplantis…

“Keep the main thing the main thing”…Several have said that…

“Seek first the Kingdom of GOD…” Jesus – (Matthew 6:33)

Establishing priorities in life is important.
Maintaining them is the hard part.

We can start every day with the best of intentions. We can start everyday with a commitment to seeking GOD first and allowing the rest of the day to unfold around us. We can. But often we don’t.

The truth is that we are often confronted by and confused by "other things" and they serve to get us away from the priorities and derailed in distractions.

Maxwell shares in his book “How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life” a helpful way to keep that from happening

“Recently I had breakfast with Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain headquartered in the Atlanta area. I told him that I was working on this book and I asked him if he made thinking time a high priority. Not only did he say yes, but he told me about what he calls his “thinking schedule.” It helps him to fight the hectic pace of life that discourages intentional thinking. Dan says he sets aside time just to think for half a day every two weeks, for one whole day every month, and for two or three full days every year. Dan explains, “This helps me ‘keep the main thing, the main thing,’ since I am so easily distracted.” You may want to do something similar, or you can develop a schedule and method of your own. No matter what you choose to do, go to your thinking place, take paper and pen, and make sure you capture your ideas in writing.”

The Bible goes on to help us with Cathy’s suggestion.

Philippians 4:6-8 ESV
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK about these things.

If we can set our thinking during our planned THINKING time to commendable, excellent, and praise worthy thoughts, then GOD will clear the path for our priorities. Our minds and thoughts will more deeply align with His and our days and actions will follow suit.

Anyone who knows me knows I can have a hard time keeping the “main thing the main thing”. I can and allow myself to get pulled in a lot of directions. And the tough part is that in and of themselves the things that serve to sometime distract me aren’t necessarily bad. Yet they often dilute me from the priorities.

I am working on it. But I am far from “achieving” effective GODLY prioritization.

So I am speaking to myself today as much as attempting to encourage you. I too need to SEEK GOD first. Keep my main thing (SERVING HIM) my main thing and allow GOD to align the priorities for me today.

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” ― Stephen R. Covey

That is me.

So let’s take some time today as Maxwell and Cathy suggest. Set your mind and THINK on the things of GOD as Paul encourages. Seek the FATHER first as Christ commands. And then set your focus.

For:

“We don’t drift in good directions. We discipline and prioritize ourselves there.” ― Andy Stanley

I love you all.
Have a blessed day!

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)