Evaluating the Things of Life

(#858, Imperial, 1960; CE Executive Committee 11/1962)

Read 1 Kings 17:8-16.

R.G.LeTourneau, the great Christian manufacturer, tells of one of the turning points in his life when he was forced to make a decision between staying home one evening and designing a very important part of his earth moving machinery which had to be ready the next morning or going with the members of his Christian group to a Mission meeting.  He put the Mission first and was able to design the equipment quickly after he arrived home.  Here LeTourneau began putting God first.

One of our greatest needs in the Christian life is to evaluate life properly.  Many of our problems arise from not being able to evaluate properly, thus failing to put first things first.  Today's story of Elijah and the widow woman illustrate the need and value of putting first things first.  Two important words are "first" and "after" (v13).  What we put first in our lives determines largely what comes after.  The widow could have put herself and her son first, and she would have died from starvation.

ƒ      Man's first is not always God's first. Luke 9:59-62.  Man is inclined to put the material, the necessities he calls them, first. As these men, we first want to make a living, build a house, pay the bills.  Often the things we put first would come out much better if we were to put God first.  We forget how closely related the spiritual is to the material.

ƒ      God's firsts.  Matt. 6:33.  In this passage the 2 important words are "first" and "added".  Many seek the Kingdom of God, but not first!  God will "add" time, strength and money if we put first things first.

ƒ      Things that should come first.

w    Seek ye first the Kingdom of God (Mt. 6:33), the place where God's will reigns.

w    Presenting our bodies, giving ourselves first (2 Cor. 8:5).

w    Financial giving, laying in store the first day (1 Cor. 16:2).

w    Soul winning.  "He first finds his own brother" (John 1:41).

 What comes first in your life?