MY LIFE PRIORITIES
July 14, 2002 AM
Sermon Outline
Acts 17:22-28
INTRO: All of us struggle with priorities. We try to list our priorities ... and may engage in that exercise frequently. We may, depending on our circumstances, reorder or change our priorities from time to time. And we try to live with and according to those priorities ... only to find that it is not easy. We can usually decide what the most important things are. But keeping them in sight is so difficult. This morning I want to suggest five life priorities for all of us.
I. SEEK GOD
A. Heb 11:6 ... them that diligently seek Him ...
1. why? what reasons for seeking Him?
2. to believe that He is .. in a busy life this may be lost in the activity, the demands
3. to receive the reward He offers ... true, to a great extent that reward is deferred ... perhaps thats why diligent seeking Him is not too popular
B. Acts 17:27 ... seek the Lord ...
1. is this one of the reasons for our existence?
2. here, it certainly seems to be - thus, to give priority to other emphases can never really satisfy
3. Ps 63:1 my soul thirsteth for thee
II. FIND GOD
A. Acts 17:27 ... and find Him ...
1. the obvious reason for seeking is to find
2. Mt 7:7 ... seek, and ye shall find
3. Deut 4:29 - here is a great truth: He wants to be found
B. What finding God means?
1. obviously, the confidence of His being
2. further, Ps 70:4, the salvation He offers
3. then, praising Him, Let God be magnified ... the salvation He offers, when accepted on His terms, is reason for rejoicing and praising!
II. LIVE IN HIM
A. Ps 90:1 ... Thou has been our dwelling place ...
1. what can this mean?
2. surely, the psalmist refers to confidence, security
3. listen ... Ps 61:3 - a shelter, and a strong tower
(and Prov 18:10)
4. here is the issue of trust for all of life
B. But go a bit further ...
1. Ps 101:6 dwelling in Him, with Him requires a careful course of life - walking in a perfect way, serving Him
2. Ps 15:1-5 v.1 asks critical questions relative to our subject ... vv. 2-5 give answers - note v.2
3. living in Him does not permit such confident abiding on our terms - there are house rules!!
4. consider 1 Jno 2:3-6
IV. REST IN HIM
A. Ps 37:7 Rest in the land ...
1. this verse beautifully explains this resting
2. there are so many reasons for fretting
3. certainly, one of them would be the apparent inequities around us - dwelling on these brings discontent
B. Jer 6:16 ... rest for your souls ...
1. rather than to fret we must commit to walking in the Lords way
2. walking there assures rest for our souls - now and in eternity
3. patient trusting, patient living, patient walking brings perfect resting! Ps 4:4 with 46:10
CLOSE: Die in Him! Listen: Rev 14:13. The great priorities climax here. If we live in Him, rest confidently in Him, we will die in Him! Question, though, are you in Him? Being in Him is what the seeking and finding are all about.
Cecil A. Hutson
14 July 2002