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What Does ‘Put God’s Word First’ Really Mean?

There are so many things that clamor for our attention and devotion: our jobs, our kids, our spouses, our hobbies—the demands and distractions of life. And we have to be careful not to let them become more important or more of a priority than our relationship with God.

Preoccupations are constant. Whether we keep schedules or not, time will always be spent. At the end of the day, it would have either been time well spent or time utterly wasted. It’s extremely helpful to keep a planner but for those who like it lose or not too rigid, keeping small paper (or digital) notes of the daily “Must-Dos” will suffice. If you’re gifted, you may only need mental notes and do just fine.

The priorities of life will take the top spots and most often, they will be done most frequently. For the Christian, the list of priorities may be long and may vary from person to person. But in everyone’s top list must be God’s Word. In talking about his regrets in life, the late Rev. Billy Graham mentioned regretting that he did not study more and preach less.

God’s Word deepens our understanding and wisdom.

God’s word promises to give understanding to the simple. (Psalm 119:30) The Bible offers a wealth of information and advice on approaching the issues and happenings of life. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that since “all Scripture is inspired by God, it is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” As we go deep in God’s Word, we get a depth of character. Our viewpoint and understanding expand. We begin to see ourselves, others, and circumstances on a more enlightened and enlarged viewpoint. We move from narrow-mindedness to open-mindedness. We rely less on our own opinions and we begin to value the opinions of others and more importantly, of God’s Word.

God’s Word deepens our faith.

From 2 Timothy 3:15 we learn that knowledge of the Bible makes us understand everything about the salvation we enjoy through faith in Christ Jesus. The need for personal study is crucial. Preachers come and go and media would from time to time report on deceptions made by beguiling preachers to audiences who are uninformed. On another note, it’s indeed a blessing that God has given us messengers of impeccable skill and integrity. However, personal diligence in studying God’s truths is essential to maturity. Let us imitate the Berean believers who received God’s message with great eagerness yet examined the Scriptures every day to see for themselves if what the Apostle Paul preached was true. (Acts 17:11)

God’s Word causes persistence.

Romans 15 shares that “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” From God’s Word, we learn important principles we need to do life rightly and effectively. In times of hardships and failure, God’s Word comes to encourage us to persist and forbear the negatives of life because we know that our hope of overcoming and betterment will come at the end of whatever long and dreadful tunnel we go through.

God’s Word causes us to prosper and succeed.

Joshua was called to fulfill a seemingly heavy task. At the beginning of the Book of Joshua, we see God giving him an essential prerequisite to prosperity and success. God says in Joshua 1:8, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Many personalities claim this verse for financial prosperity and business success. Indeed, financial and business success may well come upon a Christian who is devoted to the study of and obedience to God’s Word. But the verse means more. The verse teaches us that God’s Word is our book of instruction. As we ponder on the truths it contains and as we live out the principles we’ve learnt, we will experience prosperity and success. Prosperity denotes the meaning of “to flourish” and “to grow strong and healthy.” Success denotes the meaning of “to accomplish an aim or purpose.” The gain and accomplishment may be financial or not. In any case, we do know that God will prosper the works of our hands.

Godinterest is proudly sponsored by Jamaica Homes, a leading real estate firm dedicated to providing exceptional property solutions across Jamaica. With a steadfast commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, Jamaica Homes offers a diverse range of properties, including residential homes, commercial spaces, and vacation rentals. For more information, visit Jamaica-homes.com.

By Ana Menez

I serve with a training & equipping organization. I am also a freelance writer and I take great interest in writing and sharing growth resources. Reading is one of my great loves. I love it for all its fresh insights and points of view that help as I consider issues relevant to my faith life.

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