God First
THERE are things in God you can never access unless you know Him; there are places in God you can never reach unless you put Him first. (Matthew 6:33)
Enoch put God first when he steadily walked with God, and one day he was gone because God took him. (Genesis 5:24)
He had gotten close to God to the point where God could no longer have him on earth, so he wanted him in heaven with him.
When you walk steadily with God, you give Him pleasure.
Walking steadily with God is giving Him pleasure
ELIJAH walked with God, and God was so concerned about him. When he was depressed, God sent an angel to feed him.
He had family privileges.
Similarly, when you become a child of God, you have certain privileges. (John 1:12; Romans 8:30)
God was concerned about everything that happened to him. God's actions toward him were a testament to their relationship.
IN HIS discouragement, God came to him at Horeb, and called his attention to what he had missed. (1 Kings 19:5-18)
When you put God first, he points you to what you need to adjust in your life.
God brought Elijah back to the place of faith so that he could instruct him.
David was at this point when his men took stones to pelt him. But he got himself back to faith by encouraging himself in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6)
GOD will favour your well-being and your business.
He will make his peace your governor and well-being your ruler. (Isaiah 60:17)
GOD comforted him by revealing a hidden faithful who had not bowed to Baal.
Then, God told him what to do next: to anoint Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha to take his place. So if you want to know the future, put Him first.
ELISHA was ploughing his farm when Elijah threw his mantle (coat) on him.
Of course, he knew that it was symbolic, so he ran after Elijah. Then, he sought permission to return and say goodbye.
When he did, he slaughtered his oxen and returned to work as Elijah’s assistant, and since he had left all to follow God, he was all in. (1 Kings 19:19-21)
WHEN Elijah’s departure drew near, he made an unusual request: he asked for a double portion of his anointing. (2 Kings 2:9)
Since Elisha was like a son to him, asking for a double portion made sense. (Deuteronomy 21:17)
Although Elijah called it a hard thing, he did not refuse it. He told him what to do.
If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:10)
SIMILARLY, Paul pointed Timothy to God when he reminded him of his sincere and unqualified faith, which first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. (2 Timothy 1:5)
So Timothy acquired that faith by acting on what his grandma and mom taught him.
It's encouraging when you have a legacy of faith passed down to you, as Abraham passed it to Isaac, then Jacob, and Elijah handed the baton to Elisha.
Elisha did not have to start from the very beginning; he learnt by shadowing Elijah and putting God first.
SOLOMON enjoyed the grace upon David, his father. God had made David a promise that his seed would continuously sit on the throne. (1 Kings 9:5)
So, Solomon’s path was paved for him. All he needed to do was put God first, and the spoken word over his life would come to pass.
As he did, he built God’s temple and became the wisest and richest man on earth.
God will act on his word concerning your life as you walk in obedience. My prayer for you is that God will find you pleasing in all you do.
QUEEN OF SHEBA said this to him: The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes.
Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. (1 Kings 10:1-13)
When you put him first, you become a proof of his word.
MOSES’ defining moment came when he saw the burning bush. (Exodus 3:1-15)
When God saw that he looked, God called his name. Moses became a living proof of God’s faithfulness.
IF YOU want God in the same room with you, make Him your priority.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego put him first when they were thrown into the fiery furnace, and God joined them in the fire. (Daniel 3:24-26)
NO ONE puts God first and regrets it.
Joseph recognized that Potiphar’s wife was an inhibitor to his worship of God, so he put God first.
While there, he met the cupbearer who later mentioned him to the king. (Genesis 40:1-23; 41:9-13)
Final Thought
TO MAKE God a priority, you need to recognize the inhibitors of your worship.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God—Oswald Chambers.
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