The Primacy of God in StewardshipSample
First
God wants and deserves to be first in all areas of our lives. But there are a number of areas He keys in on for us to examine in Scripture. For starters, God wants to be first in our affections. Revelation 2:4 says, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love,” in spite of the fact that these believers were commended for their orthodoxy and religious activity. But it was not enough when their first love was missing. He doesn’t chastise them for not loving Him at all. The love is still there. It’s just no longer first.
In Matthew 10:37-38, He explains first love this way, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” God wants us to love Him more than we even love our families. God doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t stutter. If He’s not first in our priorities, then we don’t deserve His involvement in our lives, and our stewardship becomes greatly impeded.
Scripture
About this Plan
One thing God cannot do is stop being God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. One more thing He cannot do is He can’t be second. God must be first. Yet, today we live in a world where people, particularly in western culture, acknowledge God but do not give Him the position He deserves. Tony Evans teaches us that as stewards, we need proper priorities. God is first.
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