WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: First Things First Publishing Date: 2015-01-11T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/first-things-first/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Okay guys, today's teaching is Kingdom First Things First. 00:00:08.920 --> 00:00:15.920 So here's what we need to recognize that the kingdom assigns great value to placing first 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:26.320 things first. The kingdom assigns great value to placing first things first. Now that may 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:30.600 not be very clear but as we talk about it you'll see what I mean. The kingdom assigns 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:37.600 great value to placing first things first. In fact, much busyness, much sweat, much wasted 00:00:42.080 --> 00:00:49.080 opportunity, time, strength, results when we don't practice this principle of placing first 00:00:49.080 --> 00:00:56.080 things first. As in you end up being much busier, spending more time, wasting many opportunities, 00:00:59.440 --> 00:01:06.440 engaging in more toil and sweat than necessary, squandering strength when you don't place 00:01:06.440 --> 00:01:13.440 first things first. And the kingship of God, as in the kingdom of God, when we say the 00:01:13.440 --> 00:01:20.440 kingdom of God we mean the rule and reign of God or the kingship of God. The kingship 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:28.680 of God outlines some simple firsts in the Bible that we need to follow and if you do 00:01:30.160 --> 00:01:37.160 it will simplify your life and it will enrich your life. The kingship of God or the rulership 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:43.080 of God, as in putting it simply, God says, hey Jacob, there are some firsts that I want 00:01:43.080 --> 00:01:50.080 you to take note of and if you take note of these firsts that I've mentioned in my word, 00:01:50.800 --> 00:01:56.520 you'll find that your life is relatively simplified and guess what, it's not just simplified, 00:01:56.520 --> 00:02:03.520 you'll find that your life is rich. You'll find that your life is rich. And so I've categorized 00:02:03.520 --> 00:02:10.520 these firsts under two headings, one's called responsible firsts and the second one is called 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:24.400 representative firsts. Should I change Mike's mat or are we okay? Okay. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:40.840 Okay so, responsible firsts and representative firsts, that's how I've categorized it. You 00:02:41.040 --> 00:02:47.840 can call it anything else that best helps you understand it. This makes sense to me. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.480 And what do I mean by responsible firsts? Responsible firsts that are mentioned in the 00:02:52.480 --> 00:02:58.520 Bible are basically where God says, hey do this first and the onus is on you to be responsible 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:04.000 to do it first and if you do it, look at the outcome, I'll do this for you. That's 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:11.000 what he says. And representative firsts are when God says, hey here's how I see things 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:18.000 Jacob. I see, if you give me a portion of this, I'll see it as representative of the 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:25.000 whole. So why don't you engage in some representative firsts? Let me simplify it. Responsible firsts 00:03:27.760 --> 00:03:34.760 are when God says, okay here's a responsible first. Jason, if you take this scripture and 00:03:38.480 --> 00:03:43.280 apply it this way, this is what's going to happen. Now suddenly the onus is on Jason. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:49.280 If Jason is responsible to do this scripture first, then the rest of it will happen. Here's 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:55.280 a representative first. Hey Jason, Gabriel's just been born. Why don't you dedicate her 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:00.280 to the Lord? But why should I dedicate her to the Lord? When you place your child before 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:07.280 God and say, here I'm dedicating this child to God, what you're saying is, she's only 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:14.280 a few months. Check, check, check. Yeah, thanks man. After all that I still said thank you. 00:04:26.280 --> 00:04:33.280 Amazing. Check, check, check. Check, check, check, check. Yeah, it's good. No video today 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:41.160 so I can do these things. Yeah. And today my name is Jacob, at least thus far. So representative 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:48.440 firsts are when Jason brings his baby to church and says, I want to dedicate this baby. And 00:04:48.440 --> 00:04:54.120 what is Jason trying to say to us and to God? That the rest of this baby's life now awaits, 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:59.080 another 80 or 90 years. But in dedication we are saying, oh God you send this baby and 00:04:59.080 --> 00:05:03.040 in bringing you this baby we are saying could you bless the rest of the baby's life. That's 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:06.240 why we call her representative first. Do you understand the difference? Any questions 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:13.240 on that before we go on? You can call it anything but I seem to like longer words. Responsible 00:05:15.080 --> 00:05:21.880 firsts is like a very simple one. I'll give you more examples but this is just one example. 00:05:21.880 --> 00:05:26.800 And so God says to you, hey you want things added into your life? That's the outcome. 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:33.000 Let me give you a first. Seek first the kingdom of God. The onus is suddenly put on you. Seek 00:05:33.080 --> 00:05:39.600 first and all other things shall be added. He shows you the outcome and says, Jacob this 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:44.680 is the outcome. I really want to give it to you but here, be responsible. So let's talk 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:49.680 about some responsible firsts. I'm only going through some. Maybe one of the things you 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:55.160 can do is list down a whole lot of other firsts that you see in the Bible. So here's one responsible 00:05:55.160 --> 00:06:02.160 first. Seek first the kingdom. Matthew 6.33. Seek first the kingdom. And what will happen? 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:08.720 All other things shall be added unto you. Seek first the kingdom. I mean I'll just give 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:13.760 you five. Even if we were to follow these five, you will find that the whole year will 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:18.320 be different. Seek first the kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you. Here's 00:06:18.320 --> 00:06:25.320 another one from Matthew 5.23. First, make sure that you're reconciled with your brother 00:06:25.320 --> 00:06:32.320 then bring your gift and place it before God. As in first your brother then your gift. 00:06:35.400 --> 00:06:40.280 Simple principle. If I were to practice that, I would find that my life would be ridiculously 00:06:40.280 --> 00:06:47.160 blessed. First my brother then the gift. As in if I have a problem with you, I need to 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:53.320 settle that with you first before I bring God in. Offering. You'll find that life will 00:06:53.320 --> 00:06:58.640 take on a different way of living when I place you first before myself or even before 00:06:58.640 --> 00:07:02.480 my offering to God. And that's just in Matthew 5.23. There are variations of that in the 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:09.480 Bible. Esteem someone else more than you. Love your brother as you love yourself. First 00:07:10.320 --> 00:07:17.320 your brother then you and your gift. Jesus, I've come to serve not to be served. If anyone 00:07:18.320 --> 00:07:25.320 wants to be first, let him be last. These are just variations of the same thing. First 00:07:25.440 --> 00:07:32.120 your brother then yourself and your gift. As in Jacob, you want to be first? Well, then 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:36.320 let me tell you a first last principle. Be last and you'll be first. Oh Jacob, you want 00:07:36.320 --> 00:07:43.320 to do well. First your brother then your gift and yourself. Another one. First judge yourself 00:07:43.320 --> 00:07:50.320 then others. Matthew 7.3. First judge yourself then others. As in take the plank out of your 00:07:56.320 --> 00:08:02.480 eye before you look at the... Oh Prashanth, there's a speck in your eye. But before I 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:09.480 do that, I've got to take the plank out then. Mine. A plank is like massive, eh? So first 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:16.680 judge yourself before you judge others. What a simple principle. I'm quick to judge others 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:23.080 but I've got to judge myself and then judge others. First judge yourself then judge others. 00:08:23.080 --> 00:08:30.080 Here's another one. Matthew 8.21. First follow Jesus then the others. Jesus was going around 00:08:31.280 --> 00:08:35.640 towns and there's a guy who comes and says, can I first bury my father and then I'll follow 00:08:35.640 --> 00:08:41.520 you. Jesus said, let the dead bury there. Dead. You come and follow me. Another guy 00:08:41.520 --> 00:08:48.520 said, but I've got a field to plough. Jesus said, if you don't know how to set your focus 00:08:49.760 --> 00:08:53.800 and follow me then don't bother following me because you ain't going to follow me anyways. 00:08:53.800 --> 00:08:58.380 Another guy was looking for comfort and Jesus said, foxes have holes but the son of man 00:08:58.380 --> 00:09:05.320 has no place to. Lay his head. So when it comes to... Here's another first then. First 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:10.720 I follow Jesus then others. Guys it works wonders eh? First follow Jesus then others. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:15.900 As in whatever Jesus says, do that first and then everything else after. Doesn't matter 00:09:15.900 --> 00:09:21.280 whether it's your family, whether it's... And when I say family I don't mean abandoning 00:09:21.280 --> 00:09:25.520 your wife or leaving your wife. When I say family I'm talking about family outside of 00:09:25.520 --> 00:09:31.200 your wife. Because one of the mistakes we make, many pastors make is, oh I feel the 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:36.640 Lord calling me and the other spouse doesn't agree. So the pastor sometimes takes off and 00:09:36.640 --> 00:09:40.400 marries someone else. That's ridiculous. I'm not talking about husband and wife. They have 00:09:40.400 --> 00:09:45.320 to be one on almost everything. Unless the husband or wife is doing something that is 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:50.760 ungodly. Then you can challenge it. But otherwise husband and wife have to be one on most decisions 00:09:50.760 --> 00:09:55.860 they make. I'm talking about family pressures from outside. Guys you have no idea how many 00:09:55.860 --> 00:10:02.860 times I've had to take a stance against family. I mean I remember when I knew God was asking 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:09.540 me to come to Canada, my dad told me that he was going to cut me off and send me back 00:10:09.540 --> 00:10:16.220 to India. As in cut me off as in you're on your own, no help from me. I remember that. 00:10:16.220 --> 00:10:22.420 I remember when I got baptized. He threatened to throw me out of the house and not have 00:10:22.420 --> 00:10:29.420 me back. Thank God it changed. So big deal man. It's not even a choice. We don't have 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:38.060 options in this. We don't even have options. We do this because our first allegiance is 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:45.060 to the Lamb. First Jesus then follow others. Look at how life works out there. It's brilliant. 00:10:45.940 --> 00:10:52.940 First Jesus then friends. First Jesus and then your parents. Here's another first. First 00:10:59.540 --> 00:11:05.660 the inside then the outside. Sorry, I gave you the wrong scriptures. First the kingdom 00:11:05.660 --> 00:11:12.660 was Matthew 633. First your brother is Matthew 523. First judge yourself is Matthew 7-3. 00:11:12.660 --> 00:11:16.380 No I gave you the right scriptures. I don't know the last one. First the inside then the 00:11:16.380 --> 00:11:21.460 outside. Jesus says, hey Jacob I don't want you to polish your outside. I want you to 00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:27.220 be pure inside. First the inside then the outside. Hypocrisy is when the outside is 00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:34.220 shining and the inside is a tomb full of bones. First the inside then the outside. I couldn't 00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:41.220 care less how you look on the outside but clean up the inside. For Jesus this is super 00:11:41.780 --> 00:11:46.400 important. We were talking about it yesterday. Don't bring me lip service Jacob. Don't bring 00:11:46.400 --> 00:11:51.560 me rituals and observances. Don't bring me sweet smelling sacrifices. What good are your 00:11:51.560 --> 00:11:55.860 sweet smelling sacrifices if your inside is not clean. Sure Jacob you cried a little today 00:11:55.860 --> 00:11:59.940 in worship and yeah it was so sweet and such beautiful worship but I know you're inside 00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:05.900 Jacob. Shape up. First the inside then the outside. God really doesn't care about the 00:12:05.900 --> 00:12:12.900 outside guys. It's like a secondary tertiary thing in his eyes. It's the inside that matters. 00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:21.380 Any questions on these? Any other firsts you can think of? When you do this and God says 00:12:21.380 --> 00:12:28.380 you be responsible for this and I'll show you the outcome. Any other firsts? First obedience 00:12:28.700 --> 00:12:35.700 then sacrifice. As in before you bring me your sweet sacrifices give me your obedience. 00:12:35.900 --> 00:12:42.900 Obey is better than sacrifice. I don't need your money I need your life. Keith Green. 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:55.620 Any other firsts? First the son then a servant. Great. First the son then a servant. First 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:04.140 give and then it will be given back to you. Press down shaken together running over. Crazy 00:13:04.140 --> 00:13:08.500 so many firsts. If you took down a few firsts and practiced them for the year you'll find 00:13:08.500 --> 00:13:13.100 a significant change in life because these firsts are sent by God and these are responsible 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:17.740 firsts. You do it and the rest works out. First a son then a servant. As in first I 00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:23.420 should approach God as a son and then I should be a servant because a servant first doesn't 00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:30.420 work. Jesus was a son first then he became a servant and he's our model. First give and 00:13:31.420 --> 00:13:38.420 then you receive. Press down shaken together running over. Any other firsts? First forgiven 00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:51.620 then you shall be forgiven. Yeah first acknowledge me and honor me and I will acknowledge and 00:13:51.820 --> 00:13:58.820 honor you. Any other firsts? Yeah first so and then you receive. First give and then 00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:07.620 you shall reap. So many simple firsts man. Think of them. Fonder on them. Practice one 00:14:09.780 --> 00:14:16.220 every ten days and see how things are different. These are God commanded things. What about 00:14:16.220 --> 00:14:23.220 representative firsts? Representative firsts are for instance the first day of the week. 00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:30.940 As in it was natural for people when the fledgling church began in the book of Acts they would 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:36.020 set aside the first day of the week and they would turn up in an assembly because they 00:14:36.020 --> 00:14:40.900 knew that to neglect the assembling of saints was a bad idea. So on the first day of the 00:14:40.900 --> 00:14:45.940 week they would set the day aside not as a sabbath where you don't cook, don't shop, 00:14:45.940 --> 00:14:50.780 don't watch TV. That's the we've talked about that. That ain't sabbath. Sabbath is being 00:14:50.780 --> 00:14:55.780 at rest but the first day of the week was set aside. Why? Because this is where it's 00:14:55.780 --> 00:15:02.780 a representative first as in I bring you this as a token of the entire thing and I say in 00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:08.820 bringing you this I'm saying I'm giving you I'm dedicating a portion of it would you bless 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:14.620 the rest. We'll talk about that more. But the first day of the week. The first of the 00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:21.620 harvest. The first hour of the day. I mean one of the things guys that I've been practicing 00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:29.820 now for a while is as soon as I get up despite how busy I may be and how little time I have 00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:35.620 I'll make sure that I say to him father here I come with the first portion of the day. 00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:38.620 And in coming to you with the first portion of the day be it five minutes or be it an 00:15:38.620 --> 00:15:45.620 hour. I'm saying to you here is a small portion of the entire thing but I want to give it 00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:52.420 to you first. It might only be for five minutes or it might be for an hour but I want him 00:15:52.420 --> 00:15:58.900 to have the first. And we'll talk about why we need to give him the first. But this is 00:15:58.900 --> 00:16:05.900 another principle where you take a portion and you say this is yours. Representative 00:16:05.900 --> 00:16:10.740 of the first. This is what we do dedications for. Here is a child eight days old and Jesus 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:15.820 is taken to the temple and dedicated to God. Why? Because the firstborn always belonged 00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:22.820 to God. We'll talk about that. But he was taken to the temple and he was dedicated. 00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:27.700 A dedication is saying the entire life lies ahead. Here we bring right off the bat and 00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:33.580 give to you as a way of recognizing where it's come from. A way of honoring. A way of 00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:40.580 trusting you for the rest. Any questions before we go on? The first part of the day, 00:16:42.660 --> 00:16:46.900 the first day of the week. You know I was just thinking of this. In the last maybe ten 00:16:46.900 --> 00:16:53.900 years that's as far back as I can remember. I have this is not to show you my absence 00:16:56.180 --> 00:17:02.260 or presence record or to tell you how holy I am but to show you desire. In the last ten 00:17:02.260 --> 00:17:09.260 years that I can remember I have missed assembling with a congregation twice in the last ten 00:17:09.260 --> 00:17:14.820 years. So out of 520 week, out of 520 first days of the week as far as I can remember 00:17:14.820 --> 00:17:20.420 I missed two. This is not to prove anything to God. You get no brownie points for turning 00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:25.780 up to church in heaven. But it is this desire. It doesn't matter where I am. I remember once 00:17:25.780 --> 00:17:29.860 being in Bristol where my sister and brother in law had just gone to live. They had just 00:17:29.860 --> 00:17:33.860 gotten there. Sunday morning I get up and I got to find a place to assemble with the 00:17:33.860 --> 00:17:37.860 saints. Not because if I didn't go anything would happen. But there I was walking through 00:17:37.860 --> 00:17:43.980 the streets and you know how much I like walking. And so I googled and I found this particular 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:48.820 church that I thought hmm this sounds like I am walking through like some scary alleys 00:17:48.820 --> 00:17:52.620 which I told which I was told later I shouldn't have been walking through. And finally got 00:17:52.620 --> 00:17:55.420 to this place. Why? Because the assembling of the saints on the first day of the week 00:17:56.420 --> 00:17:59.740 was important to me because that's where I wanted to be. I just want to be where the 00:17:59.740 --> 00:18:06.740 saints are. And so on. But the point being you set aside the first day of the week. We 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:14.740 might think church. No no no no. It is we'll talk about that more. Yeah. The first month 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:23.140 of the year, the first of a harvest, first fruit, first bond, first love, first love. 00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:30.140 We'll talk about that too. Any questions before we go on? So here are some principles 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:37.220 that govern first things eh. Here are some principles that govern first things. The first 00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:44.740 principle is the first always belongs to the Lord. The first always belongs to the Lord. 00:18:54.140 --> 00:19:01.140 The first always belongs to the Lord. As in God lays claim to ownership of everything 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:09.980 that is first. God lays claim of ownership to everything that is first. God lays claim. 00:19:12.780 --> 00:19:19.780 Guys eh you must understand that this is this is what God says and so if you don't like 00:19:19.860 --> 00:19:26.860 it, change your liking quickly. Because he says the first belongs to me. In fact when 00:19:28.340 --> 00:19:35.340 you read Exodus 13 2. You know some things I don't even try to reason with God. He does 00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:40.460 say come and reason. But some things are too big for me to reason. So if God says it, I 00:19:40.460 --> 00:19:44.820 won't try to figure out hmm. I wonder why. Now why would he have said that? Maybe one 00:19:44.820 --> 00:19:48.420 day he'll clear it up for me. But I'm not going to wait for him to say that. I'm not 00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:51.540 going to clear it up for me. But I'm not going to wait till I reason it out before I obey 00:19:51.540 --> 00:19:58.540 it. All I know is that the first always belongs to the Lord. Exodus 13 2. Exodus 13 2. Consecrate 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:05.300 every firstborn to me. The first one to come from the womb among the Israelites. Whether 00:20:05.300 --> 00:20:12.300 person or animal is mine. The first things always belong to God. Joshua chapter 6. This 00:20:12.580 --> 00:20:18.660 is the battle of Jericho. Joshua 1 the battle of. This is a musical today. With every point 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:25.660 comes a song. Joshua chapter 6 verses 14 to 22. Guess what happens? Jericho is the first 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:34.220 city in the conquest of the land that Israel is being sent to. And what does God say? This 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:41.220 entire city will be devoted to me. And so first they raise the city down and burn it. 00:20:41.620 --> 00:20:47.700 And then in the cities that followed people could take some of the plunder. But in this 00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:52.140 case other than the gold, silver and bronze everything had to be destroyed. And the gold, 00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:58.160 silver and bronze had to be dedicated to the Lord too. First city. Everything in it belonged 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:02.700 and was devoted or dedicated to the God. Either by fire or the gold, silver and bronze was 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:08.420 placed before him. Now you can understand why Achan Sin was heinous because he knew 00:21:08.620 --> 00:21:13.260 that this entire city was dedicated to God. And yet Achan goes and takes some plunder 00:21:13.260 --> 00:21:20.260 for himself. And in that he was stoned to death. Joshua 6, 14 to 22. Jericho was the 00:21:27.300 --> 00:21:31.300 first city God gave to Israel as he entered the promised land. It therefore belonged to 00:21:31.300 --> 00:21:35.340 God and was to be burnt with fire. All the gold and the silver and bronze went to the 00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:40.780 Lord because it was consecrated or devoted to the Lord. You can see why Achan's stealing 00:21:40.780 --> 00:21:46.060 of items from Jericho was a crime. Because he knew it. It wasn't some guy who didn't 00:21:46.060 --> 00:21:51.260 know. He knew the entire thing was devoted to God but he took it for himself. It was 00:21:51.260 --> 00:21:56.900 not just taking a few things because my wife needs a good saree. No, no this was more than 00:21:56.900 --> 00:22:03.900 that. Second principle. The second principle is that the Lord gave Achan the city of Jericho 00:22:05.860 --> 00:22:12.860 this one I love. The first always belongs to the one I love. The first always belongs 00:22:22.860 --> 00:22:27.860 to the one I love. As in where my heart is. I know the Bible says where my treasure is 00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:32.620 there my heart is. But I'm changing it around. I'm not quoting scripture. I'm just quoting 00:22:32.620 --> 00:22:39.620 Jacob. Where my heart is there my treasure will be. Where my heart is there I will place 00:22:39.860 --> 00:22:44.380 my time. Where my heart is there I will place my treasure. Where my heart is there I will 00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:50.500 place my talent. The first always belongs to the one I love. I remember sometimes sitting 00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:57.220 with this person in the past that I used to like. I always talk about this person in the 00:22:57.220 --> 00:23:00.300 past who I used to like and you don't even know if the person is real or not. But let's 00:23:00.300 --> 00:23:07.300 imagine she is real. So Eddie thinks she is real. Yvonne thinks she is made up. And Paul, 00:23:14.820 --> 00:23:20.740 Eddie and Yvonne's son is caught somewhere in between. So we'll leave it at that. It's 00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:27.740 an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Wrapped in a squiggle. Okay so here's what happens. So 00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:36.180 I used to sit with this person that I really liked and I would wait to see what she liked. 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:43.180 And if she liked something then if that was in my plate I'd easily give it to her. Because 00:23:45.540 --> 00:23:50.540 it didn't matter. I mean your mums do it. Your husbands and wives do it. Where you see 00:23:50.540 --> 00:23:54.140 something your wife likes. And it's going to cost you more but it doesn't matter. You 00:23:54.140 --> 00:24:00.260 will place your time, talent and treasure in the life of the one you love. Doesn't matter 00:24:00.260 --> 00:24:07.260 at all. Matt does it always. Which Matt now? The one that's married. So Matt does it always. 00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:15.540 Where the first always belongs to the one I love. And that makes it so simple eh. Where 00:24:15.540 --> 00:24:20.180 suddenly you realize that father I'm not even coming and giving you the first because you 00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:25.740 demand that the first belongs to me. I give it to you because I like you. You deserve 00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:32.740 the first. It becomes easy then. Jeremiah 2 says I remember when you were young how 00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:39.780 devoted you were. Jeremiah 2.2. This is what the Lord says. I remember the devotion of 00:24:39.780 --> 00:24:44.180 your youth. How as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness through 00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:50.060 a land not sown. The first belongs to the one I love. And here's our struggle guys. 00:24:50.060 --> 00:24:55.620 First John 4.19 says he first loved me therefore I love him. But then there's Revelation 2.14 00:24:55.660 --> 00:25:02.660 which says I have one thing against you. You have lost your first love. And when you lose 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:09.020 your first love suddenly the first does not belong anymore to the one you love. It becomes 00:25:09.020 --> 00:25:13.180 a chore. I got to get up in the morning and the first thing I have to do when I've got 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:19.180 20 emails waiting is spend 10 minutes with God and read a portion of Psalm 119. Grrr. 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:24.540 But I have to do it. First love is different. I got 20 emails waiting but they can wait 00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:28.260 because I got you father. I got to come to you first. You and I got to talk because if 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:35.260 I don't I can't answer any of those emails. So different eh. And he accepts you bad breath 00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:42.900 and all. So remember there's a struggle between first love and losing it eh. First John 4.19 00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:49.900 versus Revelation 2.4 not 2.14. On one hand it says I love him because he first loved 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:57.500 me. And then there's Revelation 2.4 which says Jesus is saying eh to whom? To us saying 00:25:57.500 --> 00:26:01.500 hey you're doing really well. I really notice your service. Your giftings. You're working 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:05.500 really well. Drumming really well. Singing really well. Worshipping really well. Preaching 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:09.500 really well. You're doing really well. You're doing really well. You're doing really well. 00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:11.500 You're doing really well. You're singing really well. You're drumming really well. 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:14.500 Singing really well. Worshipping really well. Preaching really well. But listen you've lost 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:21.500 your first love. Ouch. Because that's important to him. Because if the first love is not there 00:26:21.860 --> 00:26:28.860 things don't belong to him anymore. Third. First and best in time, importance, and love. 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:47.500 And order. First and best in time, importance and order. As in when I say first or when 00:26:51.300 --> 00:26:55.020 God says first not when I say first. When God says first what he means is hey Jacob 00:26:55.020 --> 00:27:00.220 when I say first I mean first in time, first in importance, first in order. That's how 00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:07.220 I see it Jacob. First in time, first in importance and first in the order of things. 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:16.700 I mean you know really these principles can be applied to marriage too eh. Marriage would 00:27:18.300 --> 00:27:24.620 be brilliant if it worked out this way. If both spouses practiced this it would be like 00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:31.620 they'd be singing your presence is heaven to me. So the first always, the first and 00:27:31.620 --> 00:27:38.620 the best in time, importance and order. First in time, first in importance, first in order. 00:27:39.620 --> 00:27:46.420 And what do we mean by best? Best is not a, it's not, you can't quantify best. As in let's 00:27:46.420 --> 00:27:49.740 assume I've got a hundred dollars and he's got a two hundred dollars. His best would 00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:55.500 be maybe a hundred and fifty. My best would be a hundred. Guess what? I gave everything 00:27:55.500 --> 00:28:01.900 I had he only gave one fifty. But if you quantified it he gave more than me. So you can't quantify 00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:08.900 best. Best is best as in best in intentionality. Best in, we need an associate pastor to pick 00:28:12.260 --> 00:28:19.260 up these pens. So now remember we need an associate pastor. Jason is the assistant pastor 00:28:19.260 --> 00:28:26.260 so we needed someone else. Best in intentionality, best in willingness. Silence in the peanut 00:28:26.260 --> 00:28:33.260 gallery. Best. No whispers in the second row. Best in intentionality, best in willingness. 00:28:47.260 --> 00:28:54.260 Best in intentionality, best in willingness. Silence in the peanut gallery. Best. No whispers 00:28:57.260 --> 00:29:04.260 in the second row. Best in generosity, generosity and best in joyfulness. These, you measure 00:29:13.620 --> 00:29:20.620 first in time, importance and order. You measure best in terms of, not in terms of quantity 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:27.420 but in terms of how intentional were you in offering your best. This is perhaps where 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:34.420 this guy failed. I mean he didn't offer it with faith either but this is perhaps where 00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:42.940 Cain failed. Perhaps. One of his biggest things was what his offering was not an offering 00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:45.940 of faith but we'll talk about that. We've talked about it before we'll talk about it 00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:50.600 again some other time. But when you offer your best it has to be intentional as in father 00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:56.240 I've thought this through. It isn't emotional. Nothing wrong with emotional stuff but it's 00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:59.320 not just emotional because tomorrow emotions will change. I've thought this through. This 00:29:59.320 --> 00:30:03.960 is what I want to do. Oh father by the way it's very willing. I'm not doing this because 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:08.680 I'm frightened of you. I'm actually doing it because you're God and because I like you. 00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:15.680 Oh thirdly, father the best from what I have this is what I can generously give and generosity 00:30:16.600 --> 00:30:23.600 always goes with joyfulness as in when I give if I'm not ha ha ha ha ha in my giving then 00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:32.360 think about it again. If when you give it's hurting go back. I mean yesterday I was emailing 00:30:34.600 --> 00:30:41.360 or texting Heidi and saying we need to give this money to such and such a person and so 00:30:41.360 --> 00:30:46.040 I had a mind in my I had a figure in my mind and Heidi had a figure in my mind and Heidi's 00:30:46.040 --> 00:30:52.800 figure was higher than mine and so I said hey when it comes to choosing between a reasonable 00:30:52.800 --> 00:30:58.640 figure and a higher figure always go for the higher figure. That's the way to do it. The 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:04.140 point being guys that it has to be intentional it has to be willing it has to be generous 00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:09.160 and if it's generous it has to be joyful because generosity without joy is not generous. It 00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:16.160 is not generous. Generosity without joy is not generous. Hey can I please since the associate 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:25.240 pastor is not here. Thanks. Sorry. Thanks so much. Yeah but this is. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:45.600 But this is important. No I agree. I've tried it and it's been fabulous. So these are the 00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:50.400 four things that have to come in and may I suggest that Kane didn't perhaps have all 00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:57.400 these little things lined up. Sorry go ahead Maria. Okay. So any questions on this before 00:32:00.800 --> 00:32:07.800 we go on. So in your talent in your time in your treasure the first thing that you need 00:32:09.160 --> 00:32:16.160 the first and best is due him in your talent in your time and in your treasure the first 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:23.640 and best is due him the first and best is due him or in other words in your giftings 00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:32.640 in your day in your money the first and best talent time and treasure makes it sound like 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:38.320 something that is heavenly. So let's make it simple. In your gifting in your day and in 00:32:38.320 --> 00:32:45.320 your money he deserves the first and the best. So this is why I do this with my day 00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:53.280 guys first first thing I do when I wake up and you know what I found out is most people 00:32:53.280 --> 00:32:57.920 who live successful Christian lives at least the ones I know have these consistent practices 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:04.360 guys. Some of them are not. No this might be an exaggeration I was going to say some 00:33:04.360 --> 00:33:08.160 of them are not half as talented as me. No some of them may not be as talented as me 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:12.880 in every area but they are highly successful because they have practiced some of these 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:19.880 things for 30 years now man. I see Eddie wake up every day when I am traveling with him 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:27.520 and he has traveled the same amount and he is a little older than me and he will wake 00:33:27.520 --> 00:33:32.120 up and he will have this Bible thingy happening where he will open and read regardless of 00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:39.120 where he is. And I can see why at 73 or 74 he has the life he has because he has practiced 00:33:39.760 --> 00:33:46.760 something consistently and it made me decide that okay father I got to do this too. See 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:53.960 guys some of you go to work when I am sleeping like at wake times like 6.30 and 7 that is 00:33:54.800 --> 00:34:01.800 when I hit REM. So I realize that for you to wake up in the morning an hour earlier 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:10.160 and I am not asking you to do that because not everybody is like Jesus who likes waking 00:34:10.160 --> 00:34:17.160 up in the morning. Some of us were made to be night people but like Pawan and me. Pawan 00:34:18.160 --> 00:34:25.160 is his brother. So some of us are made to be night people but it is important when you 00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:32.160 wake up to still go and say father I only have 5 minutes but guess what I want to give 00:34:32.160 --> 00:34:38.560 to you the first of the day. It is a principle I understand about. I want to give it to you. 00:34:38.560 --> 00:34:44.920 Maybe you get only 5 and then later on night you can practice more. But do this. Do it 00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:50.060 consistently. Any questions on that? Do you think it is becoming ritualistic? Not really 00:34:50.060 --> 00:34:55.240 because when you understand the principle you realize no this is not a ritual. This 00:34:55.240 --> 00:35:00.840 is a principle that really helps us. Because what you are doing is you are saying this 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:07.840 is a totality. This is a part and this first part belongs to you and I give it to you. 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:13.800 That is what you are saying. Yeah it is not a ritual if you do it for one you love. 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:21.920 I do it with my day. I do it with the first day of the week. Guys I said this yesterday. 00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:29.560 No I didn't say it to you guys yesterday. I said it to someone else yesterday. You know 00:35:29.560 --> 00:35:36.560 these are things perhaps you can model from my life. And I said it with such modesty. 00:35:37.560 --> 00:35:44.560 Guys I can't remember a Sunday that I have come here and not given 100% of my time. I 00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:51.920 don't have 100% of what I have. Every Sunday as far as I can remember when I come here 00:35:52.840 --> 00:35:56.120 regardless of the week I have had, regardless of the demands on my life, regardless of whether 00:35:56.120 --> 00:36:01.840 it was a lousy week or a good week. When I come here in worship and in teaching I pour 00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:08.680 out my life every Sunday. Not just because of who you are but because of what I know 00:36:08.680 --> 00:36:14.800 God has placed me and appointed me for. And I do it with great joy. First and best on 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:18.360 the first day of the week. I love giving it to him. And then the rest of the week works 00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:25.360 out too. But it is so important. Never have you gotten second best from me at Axe Training. 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:36.280 Never diluted anything. Practice Zaddi. When you give pour out your best. Pour out your 00:36:37.080 --> 00:36:44.080 best. Any questions? Even when I travel and come I used to land at 4.30 in the evening 00:36:47.160 --> 00:36:50.920 and then I would have a 6 o'clock service at that other place and I would still be saying 00:36:50.920 --> 00:36:55.520 father you have got to keep me awake and make me do everything I need to do because I can't 00:36:55.520 --> 00:37:02.520 go half baked into this. And it always used to work. Any questions before we go on? Another 00:37:03.520 --> 00:37:10.520 thing that I practice and that I want to touch on and it might sound self serving and it's 00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:18.360 not. And I really couldn't care even if it was. And I mean that I meant to be as gruff 00:37:19.560 --> 00:37:26.560 and rough as I sounded. So it wasn't a mistake. Is first fruits. Some of you guys practiced 00:37:27.560 --> 00:37:33.720 this and we talked about it in 2011 December and I haven't brought it up since but since 00:37:33.720 --> 00:37:40.720 we are talking about first things first. Wanted to talk about this. First fruits. Guys one 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:49.840 of my greatest joys in the last week was figuring out okay this is how much I received from 00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:56.840 you father in 2014. And so since you are not a god who diminishes things but you are 00:37:56.840 --> 00:38:01.840 a god who increases things. This is what I believe I will receive in 2015. If anything 00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:08.840 it will be more it won't be less. And then right off the first week and let me tell you 00:38:08.840 --> 00:38:15.840 my thought process behind doing it right off the bat. In Exodus 22 verse 29 it says you 00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:21.840 shall not delay to offer the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:26.840 You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and the outflow of your presses. 00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:31.840 And so in the first week what I will do is I will say father here is what I joyfully 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:38.840 bring to you as my first portion. And it could be the first hour of the entire year. Let's 00:38:39.140 --> 00:38:46.140 assume I earn 20 dollars an hour. So it's up to me what I offer. But I come to god saying 00:38:49.080 --> 00:38:54.760 here father right off the bat I offer you the first hour of the year. Or right off the 00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:59.340 bat I offer you the first day what I would earn on the first day of the year. Or right 00:38:59.340 --> 00:39:04.340 off the bat let me offer you what I earn on the first week of the year. Or right off the 00:39:04.340 --> 00:39:08.140 bat let me offer you what I earn on the first month of the year. And then there are some 00:39:08.140 --> 00:39:11.820 who say right off the bat let me offer you the first two months of the year. Regardless 00:39:11.820 --> 00:39:18.820 it's up to you. But it's such an important, cool, awesome principle to practice. And let 00:39:20.660 --> 00:39:27.660 me tell you this anybody who practices it never comes off with less guys. So last week 00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:35.500 was this busy email PayPal bank thingy that I was doing because I wanted to send Eddie. 00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:38.960 And I called up Eddie and then there were two others that have really blessed my life. 00:39:38.960 --> 00:39:43.460 So I called them up and I send them my first fruits. Doesn't matter how you calculate it 00:39:43.460 --> 00:39:48.940 there's no percentage. There's no formula. It's what you give intentionally, willfully, 00:39:48.940 --> 00:39:55.940 joyfully. And what's the fourth one? Generously. All of you were looking. 00:39:57.660 --> 00:40:04.660 But practice this guys. You know it's to your advantage guys. It's to your advantage. But 00:40:08.580 --> 00:40:15.580 don't circumvent this process. Doesn't matter. Forget how you calculate stuff but practice 00:40:15.700 --> 00:40:22.700 it. And it doesn't necessarily. Diana you have a question? 00:40:23.700 --> 00:40:30.700 Oh the first fruit goes to, here's what I do. I said father I'm doing this to recognize 00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:38.980 what you have done last year and what you are going to do this year. I see you as my 00:40:41.020 --> 00:40:48.020 source and I bring this as an offering to you. And what am I saying father? That I don't 00:40:48.260 --> 00:40:52.620 even know whether there will be locusts coming this year. I don't know if the rains will 00:40:52.620 --> 00:40:59.620 fail. I don't know if the seed may be stolen by some thief. But all I know is regardless 00:41:01.700 --> 00:41:08.700 of what the year holds I'm bringing to you my offering, trusting that you are my source 00:41:08.700 --> 00:41:15.700 and you will provide. And so what I do is I take this money and I throw it up into heaven. 00:41:15.700 --> 00:41:22.340 And then I find it's all come down. So that doesn't work. So that doesn't work. So I 00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:26.820 think to myself okay if I can't throw it up to heaven because it comes down, let me give 00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:33.820 it to someone who God has placed in my life and who has blessed me. And I'm not talking 00:41:37.140 --> 00:41:42.540 about Acts 29. That's separate. The offerings I give to Acts 29 are separate. And so I decide 00:41:42.540 --> 00:41:46.260 I've got to give it to someone. So in my mind one of the first guys who comes to mind is 00:41:46.260 --> 00:41:53.260 Eddie. So I'll give to Eddie because when you send it to him it doesn't come back. As in 00:41:55.420 --> 00:42:02.420 it goes somewhere. You can't throw money up in the air. Then I think of Pastor Mike who's 00:42:02.740 --> 00:42:09.740 been a blessing in my life. So I give to him. Then I thought of this pastor in Chennai who's 00:42:10.700 --> 00:42:17.340 been not a, he's not been anything but a friend but in conversation he's enriched my life 00:42:17.340 --> 00:42:22.460 and I wanted to bless him so I blessed him. And then there was another two people that 00:42:22.460 --> 00:42:26.620 I wanted to bless so I blessed them. And I'm not talking about two dollars or three dollars. 00:42:26.620 --> 00:42:31.300 I'm not talking about a coffee. It's up to you. If it's a coffee then a coffee but if 00:42:31.300 --> 00:42:37.460 it's more than a coffee and so did this. And I remember when I sent it to Eddie, Eddie called 00:42:37.460 --> 00:42:42.820 me on the phone and started blessing me. It is the way to do it. It's the first fruit. 00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:47.420 Some of you practice it and blessed are you if you practice it. If I ask the people who 00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:54.420 practice it to stand up and share you'll be surprised at what results from it. And so 00:42:58.220 --> 00:43:01.860 when I receive first fruits what I do is I take it up before the Lord and I say Father 00:43:01.860 --> 00:43:07.780 here is a wave offering. The person gave it, the person gave it to you. I lift it up 00:43:07.780 --> 00:43:13.020 to you and I pray that you bless their harvest now. They are recognizing you and they are 00:43:13.020 --> 00:43:18.340 honoring me but I pray that you bless their harvest that they be plenty. That's how this 00:43:18.340 --> 00:43:25.340 works. Any questions? No questions. Okay here's the other thing first fruits does guys. First 00:43:25.340 --> 00:43:32.340 fruits relegates mammon to its rightful place. First fruits relegates mammon to its rightful 00:43:39.420 --> 00:43:46.420 place. First fruits relegates mammon to its rightful place. As it puts money, let's assume 00:43:47.420 --> 00:43:54.420 there's a ladder. Like it or not in today's world the most important thing in the world 00:43:56.460 --> 00:44:03.460 is money and security. Right? It runs the world. So what first fruits does is before 00:44:09.060 --> 00:44:14.460 you've received your harvest you're giving your first fruits and suddenly you realize 00:44:14.700 --> 00:44:21.700 that you've relegated mammon to its rightful place because your security and source of 00:44:22.820 --> 00:44:29.820 money is suddenly gone. Okay moving on. The next principle of firsts is the first fruits 00:44:44.460 --> 00:44:51.460 represents the totality. The first represents the totality. As in if you read Romans 11 00:45:02.140 --> 00:45:09.140 16. Romans 11 16. Romans 11 16. Here's what it says. For if the first fruit is holy the 00:45:10.140 --> 00:45:17.140 lump is holy. For if the first fruit is holy the lump is holy. Or it says if the root is 00:45:17.700 --> 00:45:24.700 holy so are the branches. So guys it's like let's assume you go to the ocean and you take 00:45:26.220 --> 00:45:32.100 a small little bottle, scoop up a little water in the bottle and you bring it back. And now 00:45:32.100 --> 00:45:37.460 that little bottle of water represents both the composition of the ocean water, it also 00:45:37.460 --> 00:45:42.460 represents the ocean. You're saying here is a little bit of the pacific and I look 00:45:42.460 --> 00:45:47.460 at it and think this represents the pacific? Yeah it does because in that is water from 00:45:47.460 --> 00:45:52.460 the pacific. It has the same composition as the water. It also represents what the pacific 00:45:52.460 --> 00:45:59.460 is. And that's what God is saying here. That if the first part is holy then the lump is 00:45:59.860 --> 00:46:05.860 holy. If the root is holy then the branches are holy. As in this that you brought back 00:46:05.860 --> 00:46:10.580 as in this that you bring whether it be the first hour of your day, the first day of your 00:46:10.580 --> 00:46:15.900 week, the first month of the year, your first fruits, your first bond, your first love, 00:46:15.900 --> 00:46:22.340 whatever you bring to him. When that is offered to God in recognition of who he is, in trust, 00:46:22.340 --> 00:46:29.340 in thanksgiving then the rest is also deemed as holy. That's the principle here. And it's 00:46:30.340 --> 00:46:37.340 a brilliant principle. Because what happens is when I bring the first hour of the day 00:46:46.060 --> 00:46:51.940 to him, let's say from 9am to 10am because I wake up around that time. I'm kidding I 00:46:51.940 --> 00:46:58.940 wake up early on some days. Who was that? Who was that? Who was that? Who was that? 00:46:59.340 --> 00:47:04.460 Who? No I'm kidding. Okay first hour of the day, 9am to 10am. So here's what I do. When 00:47:04.460 --> 00:47:11.460 I give this to God, he sees in that one hour the rest of the day and he blesses it. If 00:47:21.340 --> 00:47:28.340 my first hour is dedicated to him, if my first hour is dedicated to God, then I bless him 00:47:29.340 --> 00:47:36.340 it is like saying, Father I am dedicating the whole day to you. That's literally it 00:47:46.140 --> 00:47:53.140 to you. Any questions on that? Two more principles and we're done. Any questions on that? Okay 00:47:53.140 --> 00:48:00.140 so when you come to Sunday, church on Sunday from now on, see that setting apart the first 00:48:02.980 --> 00:48:08.220 day of the week too. Besides meeting as a body, see that Father the week lies ahead. 00:48:08.220 --> 00:48:12.380 I set apart the first day of the week and I thank you that as I give you this portion, 00:48:12.380 --> 00:48:18.980 I recognize you as a provider, the person who gives me your presence, my Father God, 00:48:18.980 --> 00:48:24.060 I see you as that and God looks down and says, nuts you brought me the first day of the week. 00:48:24.060 --> 00:48:29.020 He doesn't say nuts. He says, wow you brought me the first day of the week. Great Jacob, 00:48:29.020 --> 00:48:33.820 let me now bless the next six days because you've dedicated the first and the best to 00:48:33.820 --> 00:48:38.180 me. These are the days when you should be sitting home with your children and your wife 00:48:38.180 --> 00:48:45.180 with your feet up. Instead of waiting at Acts 29 listening to a teaching saying, I hope 00:48:45.180 --> 00:48:48.820 it doesn't get over, I hope it doesn't get over. This is so good, let it continue until 00:48:48.820 --> 00:48:55.820 12.30 and when he sees that he is very encouraged and so is the pastor. Don't worry, next two 00:49:00.380 --> 00:49:05.860 weeks will be relatively shorter because I remember when I called last time, I forgot 00:49:05.860 --> 00:49:12.860 it was Jason speaking and you guys had left. Next one, the first God of the week, the first 00:49:15.180 --> 00:49:22.180 governs the rest. The first governs the rest. As in the beginning of something sets the 00:49:24.980 --> 00:49:30.300 direction for the rest to follow. The beginning of something sets the direction for the rest 00:49:30.300 --> 00:49:36.000 to follow. The beginning of something sets the direction of the rest to follow. Why do 00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:43.000 people like New Year services? Because they feel that's a great way to start the New Year. 00:49:43.800 --> 00:49:50.800 The first governs the rest. The first establishes a platform on which the rest will follow. 00:49:51.900 --> 00:49:55.720 What do you do when you get a new vehicle? You dedicate it to God or you bring it to 00:49:55.720 --> 00:49:59.740 the one you like and say, hey I brought a new vehicle. Why? Because you want to take 00:49:59.740 --> 00:50:04.440 something new and say, here. Here to God or you say here to someone you like. What do 00:50:04.440 --> 00:50:07.920 you do when you get a brand new house? You call up the ones that are closest to you and 00:50:07.920 --> 00:50:12.760 say, I got a brand new house. I remember when Kamal and Ann got their new house, they called 00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:16.760 me up and said, hey Jacob could you come? Unfortunately they had a few white chairs 00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:20.480 and I sat on a chair that was very feeble and the first thing I did was break the chair 00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:25.480 and fall down on the floor. That's a whole different thing. But the point is, as soon 00:50:25.480 --> 00:50:30.120 as they got the house, they wanted to dedicate it to God because they knew that if you dedicate 00:50:30.120 --> 00:50:37.040 the first, then it governs the rest. It becomes a foundation on which the rest of the structure 00:50:37.280 --> 00:50:44.280 can be built. When we started this place, remember we had a dedication service? It wasn't 00:50:47.520 --> 00:50:51.520 because suddenly God's presence will be mowed through all the week. It was, Father you gave 00:50:51.520 --> 00:50:58.520 us this, we give it back and we say, it is all yours. How protective and nice he's been. 00:50:59.520 --> 00:51:06.520 The first governs the rest guys. This is why look forward to offering him firsts because 00:51:08.600 --> 00:51:15.600 it establishes a platform for the rest to be built. The first is the foundation on which 00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:22.200 the rest of the structure is built. The beginning of something sets the direction for the rest 00:51:22.200 --> 00:51:29.200 to follow. So guys, make it a habit to sanctify or release the part of anything you do. Sanctify 00:51:30.840 --> 00:51:37.840 and release it to God as an act of trust. Father I trust you. I know there's miles ahead to 00:51:37.840 --> 00:51:44.840 go but I trust you. Father I recognize you and thank you for being the one who brings 00:51:45.840 --> 00:51:52.840 every good thing into my life. A thankful recognition. And Father I honor you. And when you do that, 00:51:52.840 --> 00:51:57.840 he blesses the root of what you're doing. He blesses the root of what you're doing. 00:51:57.840 --> 00:52:03.560 He increases the fruit and guess what? He rebukes the devourer. Because when the devourer 00:52:03.560 --> 00:52:08.440 comes to touch it, he says, don't touch that. That was dedicated to me. What happens to 00:52:08.440 --> 00:52:13.440 Aiken happens to the devourer. What was Aiken trying to do? Something was devoted to God 00:52:13.520 --> 00:52:17.360 and what did he try to do? Aiken came and stole from that which was devoted to God. 00:52:17.360 --> 00:52:23.560 And what did God say? Stone the guy. Kill him and his family too. Same principle guys. 00:52:23.560 --> 00:52:28.040 When you touch, when the enemy touches something that is devoted to God, God says don't touch 00:52:28.040 --> 00:52:35.040 that. That is dedicated to me. And if you touch that, you will be stoned. I can't tell 00:52:35.600 --> 00:52:40.200 you the importance of first things first. I mean it's such a simple teaching but it's 00:52:40.520 --> 00:52:47.520 so massive and all-encompassing. And finally the last principle. Put first things first 00:52:58.440 --> 00:53:05.440 and you will get second things also. I love this. This is C.S. Lewis quote. Put first 00:53:05.840 --> 00:53:12.840 things first and you will get the second things also. Put second things first and you lose 00:53:16.020 --> 00:53:23.020 both first and second. Guys, just listen to this. It's brilliant and it's true. Put first 00:53:23.900 --> 00:53:28.900 things first and you will get the second thing also. Put second things first and you will 00:53:28.900 --> 00:53:34.980 also. Put second things first and you will lose both the first and the second. 00:53:34.980 --> 00:53:42.040 Take a marriage. Put your spouse first and you will get all the other additional 00:53:42.040 --> 00:53:47.720 benefits that come with being married to the one you love. But put second things 00:53:47.720 --> 00:53:53.320 first. Put money first before your wife or your husband and you will lose both 00:53:53.320 --> 00:54:02.640 your money and your marriage. Solomon happened to him. He put God first, he got 00:54:02.640 --> 00:54:06.760 wisdom and then he put his wives and concubines and the rest of them first 00:54:06.760 --> 00:54:14.520 and he lost wisdom, money, perhaps a place in heaven and everything else too. 00:54:15.200 --> 00:54:19.840 Put first things first and you get the second things. Put second things first 00:54:20.720 --> 00:54:23.440 and you lose even the first. 00:54:28.040 --> 00:54:32.240 First is to prioritize guys. Your life is determined by your priorities. 00:54:32.240 --> 00:54:38.800 Your life is determined by your priorities. Prioritizing simplifies the rest. 00:54:38.800 --> 00:54:45.440 Prioritizing simplifies the rest. Prioritizing simplifies the rest. 00:54:45.440 --> 00:54:53.320 Yeah, that's it. Any questions? Any questions? 00:54:53.320 --> 00:55:06.840 Yeah, yeah. To put something first is to prioritize. To put something first is to 00:55:06.840 --> 00:55:16.240 prioritize and your life is a sum total of your priorities or your life is 00:55:16.240 --> 00:55:24.360 determined by our priorities. Your life is a sum total of your priorities and 00:55:24.360 --> 00:55:33.240 prioritizing something, our prioritizing simplifies life. How? Because everything 00:55:33.240 --> 00:55:41.360 now has an order. Let's assume Jason put church first before Mariana. Then here's 00:55:41.360 --> 00:55:46.160 what's gonna happen. Instead of being at home of taking care of his wife and 00:55:46.160 --> 00:55:51.560 children, he'll be taking care of church. Now is that a right priority? No. Sure, 00:55:51.560 --> 00:55:55.640 God comes first but church doesn't come first before the family. The family comes 00:55:55.640 --> 00:56:01.000 first. So let's assume he prioritizes church before family. Now what happens is 00:56:01.000 --> 00:56:07.840 his family takes second place and now all his priorities revolve around what 00:56:07.840 --> 00:56:14.720 is at the center. But if we, it simplifies life and sometimes it results in good 00:56:14.720 --> 00:56:20.200 things, sometimes it results in bad things. But priority, your life is a sum 00:56:20.200 --> 00:56:25.120 total of your priorities really and prioritizing simplifies life. As in once 00:56:25.120 --> 00:56:28.240 I prioritize saying these are the important things, everything else takes 00:56:28.240 --> 00:56:32.880 its place. Your job and my job is to make sure that when everything takes its 00:56:32.880 --> 00:56:41.840 place, it takes its place in the right godly order. So if he makes church first, 00:56:41.840 --> 00:56:45.720 life becomes very simple for him. When it comes to a choice between Mariana and 00:56:45.720 --> 00:56:50.240 church, what will he choose? Church. Life is simple for him. Now it's a wrong 00:56:50.240 --> 00:56:57.520 choice but it is still simplified. But let's assume he makes right choices. So 00:56:57.520 --> 00:57:03.040 now he chooses Mariana and his family over church and now he'll 00:57:03.040 --> 00:57:09.360 know when to be with them and how to set aside time for the responsibilities that 00:57:09.360 --> 00:57:16.560 he has in church. That's how this works. 00:57:18.880 --> 00:57:23.120 That's why at the beginning of the year, if you can begin to have God define your 00:57:23.120 --> 00:57:27.320 priorities for you, then you have an idea of, father, oh so these are the things 00:57:27.320 --> 00:57:32.240 that are important for me this year, let's go with them. It can be something 00:57:32.240 --> 00:57:39.400 as simple as, I'll drink more water this year every day. It will change the way you 00:57:39.400 --> 00:57:44.800 function. If you decide that I'll drink eight glasses of water this year, it 00:57:44.800 --> 00:57:49.320 could change your health. Because all this for the last 14 years you've been 00:57:49.320 --> 00:57:58.280 drinking four glasses of water and you wonder why you look dry. I'm just saying 00:57:58.280 --> 00:58:02.880 something as ridiculous as that or something as big as what are my 00:58:02.880 --> 00:58:09.660 priorities. This is how it works guys. This is how it works. So what we'll do is 00:58:09.660 --> 00:58:14.760 next week we'll break bread. So we won't break bread today. Next week we'll break 00:58:14.760 --> 00:58:21.400 bread. I just want to be sent by the church. Any other questions? Any other 00:58:21.400 --> 00:58:24.760 questions? Guys if you don't understand any of this or have any questions or 00:58:24.760 --> 00:58:28.760 challenges, ask this because it'd be a shame for the sake of two or three 00:58:28.760 --> 00:58:34.040 minutes not to ask questions. Do you have any other questions? Part of the reason 00:58:34.040 --> 00:58:37.000 I'm skipping breaking a bread is I don't want to do anything in a hurry, 00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:41.760 especially something like that. Sometimes we get antsy once it crosses 00:58:41.760 --> 00:58:46.480 1220 and so take your time and do it next week and do it early in the service. 00:58:46.480 --> 00:58:54.600 When you do it next week have grown-ups and not the kids do it this 00:58:54.600 --> 00:58:59.560 time. We don't have to go with kids every time. Let them feel left out next 00:58:59.560 --> 00:59:04.360 week and so do it with them. Have grown-ups break it and distribute it and 00:59:04.360 --> 00:59:10.320 stuff like that. So guys any other questions with regard to this? It was 00:59:10.320 --> 00:59:13.160 important the thesis at the beginning of the year. It'll really benefit you as 00:59:13.160 --> 00:59:17.120 you set things right. Any questions? 00:59:19.760 --> 00:59:24.360 Okay so