Putting God First
Hi Friends,
I wanted to share three visions that the Lord just gave me this past Friday. But because of the length of the post, I will just share the first with you today. It is about making our top priority the Lord’s will. I am also sharing a hymn and video that is both comforting and inspiring at the end. God bless you all with a wonder- filled new year!
The Vision - The Puppy
In the vision, I saw a woman carrying a sleeping puppy with long legs and floppy ears saying to me,”This must be done first.” She takes the puppy in her arms and sets him down carefully so that he does not wake up.
The puppy I believe represents commitments. Like a child, a puppy is unable to care for himself. He must be given a safe place to sleep and eat. He must be trained to behave and relieve himself in the appropriate place. He must be held when he whimpers, because of separation anxiety, or fear, and when he needs the caress of re-assurance. A puppy is a demanding commitment.
A child takes many more years of training and nurture before he can be entirely independent. The puppy and the child are quite different in many respects. A child is a God-given responsibility. A puppy is a commitment that we take upon ourselves by choice. When you make the decision to get a puppy, you may receive one from a friend, or you make arrangements to purchase one from a store or breeder.
What I believe that the Lord is saying through this vision is that we need to be careful about our choices and our commitments. A child is a gift from God. It is God’s expressed purpose for us to procreate, and bring forth children to honor him. From the very beginning, God gave a command to Adam and Eve:
“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28
God blesses couples with children because it is all part of his design for mankind and the earth.
But taking on the responsibility of a puppy may or may not be God’s plan for you. The puppy represents the responsibilities that we take on that may distract us from doing the Lord’s work, or spending time with him. If you remember, the woman holding the puppy in the vision said, “This must be done first.” I believe that the Lord is asking us, here at the beginning of a new year, to take inventory of our commitments. Have we taken on things, activities, hobbies, church commitments and vocational commitments that the Lord did not ask us to take on?
The Lord is very serious about this topic, because he has spoken to me about this from the beginning of my walk with him. He told me, “I do not want you to do; I want you to be.”
He wanted me to give up my design business years ago. It was a major commitment that took me away from spending time with him and homeschooling my children. Next, he told me to give up pursuing a master’s degree, when I was nearly finished and had only a few more courses to complete. Later, when we were planning to move across the country to New Jersey, I asked him about my exercise ministry. He told me, “I will tell you in the fullness of time.”
After the move, I wanted to talk with someone in the church, so I spoke to a man who was both an evangelist and teacher. He told me to “Wait a week.” I thought to myself, “Okay, I will wait a week.” During that time, the Lord revealed to me that the exercise ministry was not something that he wanted me to do. So I was willing to give it up.
After the week was ended, something remarkable happened. I saw the instructor after the class on that Wednesday, and told him that I decided to give up the idea of an exercise ministry, because I believed that the Lord did not want me to pursue it.
Just then, the head pastor of the church came into the class, and the teacher introduced me to him. We both acknowledged that we had already met. Then he said, “Pastor, did you know that she wanted to pursue an exercise ministry here?” I was dumbfounded. Didn’t I just tell him that God asked me to give it up, and that I was content to follow the Lord’s will?
Well, the Pastor was so excited about the idea, that he said, “Follow me.” We walked down the hall and into the office. He said, “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
I thought, “Something is wrong; this should not be happening.” Then the office door opened, and in walked the pastor bringing a woman pastor with him. He said to me, “Tell her what you want to do.” And then he left just as quickly.
I told the woman pastor that I had just given up the idea, because I believed that the Lord wanted me to not pursue it. She said, “Well, let’s just put up a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center, and see if anyone signs up on Sunday.” So when the following Wednesday came, I went to see the woman pastor again. We went into the Welcome center and found that the sign up sheet was completely filled, both columns! She said, “Well we left it up to God, so it looks like you have a ministry.”
I went out to the car, and I told my husband what just happened. He said, “God was just testing you, like Abraham. And because you were willing to give it up, he gave it back to you.” I thought that it was rather remarkable that he made that connection. So I believed that God was allowing me to make this commitment.
So God indeed allowed it, and it was a blessing both to me and to the church. As an outreach to the community, we had a Muslim woman, a Hindu woman and a Buddhist woman come to class. Every time we met, we prayed before class. I also had a Jewish woman attend. One day the pastoral pastor came in with an urgent request. We stopped the class and we all prayed together. The Jewish woman heard me praying in tongues, and asked later if I was praying in Latin. This gave me the opportunity to explain about the gift of the Holy Spirit. She later wanted our two sons to get together. I really believe that her inquisitiveness caused her to seek God.
So the exercise ministry turned into an evangelist opportunity. When the Chinese woman was returning to China, I was able to tell her about Jesus and I gave her a Bible. The Hindu woman was willing to add Jesus to her set of gods, but was unwilling to receive Christ as God alone. But hopefully the seeds planted will eventually produce a crop. This was true for the Muslim woman that attended class. She worked in a bank, and did not wear the traditional head piece. She was open to some discussion, but never accepted Christ. I am hoping that someday God will reveal himself to her.
But returning to the idea of commitments, we must see that some commitments are just too much and can take us away from the Lord. We do not want our lives to be so full of our own pursuits that the Lord has to take a back seat. This is never right. God needs to be first.
Let me share a few important scriptures. In the Lord’s parable about the seeds planted among thorns, he speaks of people who become consumed with life’s worries and commitments, so that the word of God in them does not develop.
“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22
The commitments that we make may be driven by the desire to succeed, or to have influence, prestige or wealth. Other people give their family’s well-being, interests and commitments higher priority then their own commitment to God. My brother believed that he was more righteous because he believed that family loyalty came before God.
“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37-38
It is very common to allow weekend work, or commitments to a hobby or team sport to take precedence over going to church on the Lord’s day. Now going to church and honoring the Lord are not equal or synonymous. But if going to church is the only activity of devotion that one gives to God, then it would be essential to one’s faith to give it priority.
And by giving preference to a hobby or sport that meets on Sunday may teach a child that the commitment to the activity is more important than God. But at the same time, we do not want to be legalistic, like the Pharisees who objected to the Lord healing on the Sabbath. There are of course exceptions.
“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, ‘Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?’ And they could not reply to these things.”
Luke 14:1-6
God wants us to have commitments that honor him and follow the word of God. This is another example of Jesus correcting the Pharisees who placed their traditions ahead of God’s commandments:
And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have received from me is Corban”’ (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:9-13
The Pharisees tried to override God’s commandment to honor and care for a man’s parents. This is a commitment that we are to keep because it comes from God.
I believe that we can all take time in this new year to ask the Lord to speak to us about our commitments, our interests, pastimes, and relationships that may be interfering with our devotion to God. We must distinguish between the commitments that the Lord gives us, which we are to honor, and the commitments that are self-imposed.
In a vision not long ago, the Lord asked me to give up television and other distractions. My television and my piano were both draped and pulled away from the wall, so they were disconnected. The Lord was asking me to unplug from these distractions. I do not know whether this unplugging is just for a season or if it is forever. But so far, it has been three full months since I have watched TV, so it looks as if it is for the long-haul. I have given up television before, lasting several years. I definitely have more time for prayer than before. I also have found that I am less consumed with world events, so that I have more peace. I know it is for my benefit and for others as well. We need to be available, to give the Lord our time. He’s the boss, not us. After all…
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We are to follow Jesus’ example and to do the Father’s will:
“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” John 4:34
“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42
Even now there may be something that the Lord has already spoken to us about. He may have asked us to stop a given activity, or break up with a friend that is leading us astray. Making commitments to people and activities that are detrimental to our walk with God need to be broken off. It may not be easy to give up something in which we take pleasure, or find personal satisfaction. However, the Lord must be first in all things. Doing the Lord’s will is very important. And if we are not reading the word of God, we might not understand or appreciate the gravity of doing his will.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23
The Lord asks us to be committed to him. He says:
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him." John 14:21
Of course there are extenuating circumstances, and exceptions. God knows your heart and your life, and he gives us the Holy Spirit to bring truth and understanding to our circumstances. The best thing of course is to seek him in regards to difficult decisions. We don’t want to be misled and live our life with regrets. The scriptures tell us to call on him and he will answer us.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
When we have heard from the Lord and respond in obedience to him, he is faithful and will reward us with spiritual blessings. We can approach him with our petitions, and he is faithful to answer.
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” James 5-16-18
“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22
With faith and a desire to abide in him, committing your ways to his ways, and honoring God above all things, you will be blessed. Not that everything is going to be perfect, or that no hardship will come your way. For there will always be challenges, and tribulation. But God will be with you in your trials and troubles.
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
He is faithful, and what he has begun in you he will bring to completion.
I hope you take this message seriously and ask the Lord about his thoughts concerning your commitments. “Take everything to the Lord in prayer” are lyrics to a beautiful old hymn: “What a friend we have in Jesus.”
And so:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
God bless you and keep you. Please share this new year’s message with your friends and those you know will be blessed. Have a blessed new year!
