There's Only Now: Part 3

This is the only opportunity you have to do something or act. Yesterday is gone, the future isn’t promised. We are inside of time; God is not. When we began this series, we learned that we are not to presume tomorrow. When we have God’s perspective, we will have the mind of God, understand what is really important, to see things properly, and set proper priorities.

God tells us what eternal life is in John 17:3. “Knowing” in the Biblical sense is to experience intimately. Proverb 27:1 tells us we don’t know what tomorrow holds! If you follow and obey God, you don’t have to worry about anything because He is obligated to you and what happens to you. When you deviate, you assume responsibility for yourself. There is a rational, validatable reason that God can’t lie! Luke 12:16-21 – God must want us to be rich toward Him.

The benefits of setting and having right priorities:

1. You can determine success for yourself. This is freedom! No one has a right to determine success for you or can control you.
   
2. You can enjoy success at any time.
   

Matt 6:33, 34 – In this passage, God is speaking directly to our circumstances today. Faith is now, and keeps you in your right position, dependent on God. Fear drives us to obsess about tomorrow and keeps us from focusing on the present. If you do what God tells you to do, all things you desire will be added to you now. The only way you will get to know God is to experience life on His terms. Seek God first (priority) and stop scheming and conniving up your own plans. God wants you to know Him as intimately as He knows you.

Definition of “priority” – whatever you seek, pursue, or chase is your priority and runs throughout your entire life. Seeking God’s kingdom is to go to His territory, to get on His domain, and seeking righteousness is to align yourself with how the kingdom runs.

Mark 10:20- if you are into possessions, this passage is for you. Separate yourself from your stuff. God wants you to know Him.

Luke 10:38-42 – worry and anxiousness is sin. Martha lacked in setting right priority by burdening herself with busyness.

Psalm 27:4 – David was a man after God’s heart, setting his priority on God first.

Philippians 3:13 – Paul attested to not knowing all things, but the one thing he did know was to forget what happened in the past, both victories and failures, and pressing now through toward what lies ahead. You can’t say one thing and live contrary to your words – it causes stress.

Ephesians 5:22-25; 6:5, 6 - Your prioritywill run throughout all aspects of your life. If your priority is family first, then your husband or wife is first - not work, friends, or other distractions. All that you do should be done unto God. When you have priority stress will disappear. Adopt the mind of God, live for eternal purposes.