Is Jesus My First Priority?
Judges 20:26 (NKJV):
"Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and
wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord."
Colossians 3:12 (MSG)
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you:
compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline."
Micah 6:8
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to
do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God.
7. Mark 12:30 (MSG): Jesus said, “The first in importance
is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the
Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence
and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as
you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that
ranks with these.”
8. Jude 21 (AMPC): Guard and keep yourselves in the
love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)—[which will bring you]
unto life eternal.
7. Psa. 16:8 (AMPC): I have set the Lord continually
before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be
moved.
8. 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV): 5: But also for this very reason,
giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge, 6: to knowledge self-control, to self-control
]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7: to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
(VOICE): VERSE 8-9: For if you possess these traits and
multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or
unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the
Anointed; 9 but if you don’t have these qualities, then you
will be nearsighted and blind, forgetting that your past sins
have been washed away.
Psalm 77:11 (BRG): I will remember the works of the Lord:
surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
(MSG): Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out
on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things
you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your
acts.
a. Matt. 24:35 (NKJV): Heaven and earth will pass away,
but My words will by no means pass away.
b. Psa. 119:89 (AMPC): Forever, O Lord, Your word is
settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].
a. James 1:17 (VOICE): Every good gift bestowed, every
perfect gift received comes to us from above, courtesy of the
Father of lights. He is consistent. He won’t change His mind
or play tricks in the shadows.
b. John 4:10 (VOICE): Jesus said to her: You don’t know
the gift of God or who is asking you for a drink of this water
from Jacob’s well. Because if you did, you would have asked
Him for something greater; and He would have given you
the living water.
a. Psa. 73:23-24 (NLV): 23: Yet I am always with You.
You hold me by my right hand. 24: You will lead me by
telling me what I should do. And after this, You will bring
me into shining-greatness.
b. 1 Peter 2:25 (TLB): Like sheep you wandered away
from God, but now you have returned to your Shepherd, the
Guardian of your souls who keeps you safe from all attacks.
a. 1 Chron. 16:11 (AMPC): Seek the Lord and His
strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His
presence continually!
b. Psa. 105:4 (AMPC): Seek, inquire of and for the Lord,
and crave Him and His strength (His might and inflexibility
to temptation); seek and require His face and His presence
[continually] evermore.
c. Zephaniah 2:3 (AMP): Seek the Lord [search diligently
for Him and regard Him as the foremost necessity of your
life], All you humble of the land Who have practiced His
ordinances and have kept His commandments; Seek
righteousness, seek humility [regard them as vital]. Perhaps
you will be hidden [and pardoned and rescued] In the day of
the Lord’s anger.
a. Heb. 13:5 (AMP): Let your character [your moral
essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money
[shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what
you have; for He has said, “I WILL NEVER [under any
circumstances] DESERT YOU [nor give you up nor leave
you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you
helpless], NOR WILL I FORSAKE or LET YOU DOWN or
RELAX MY HOLD ON YOU [assuredly not]!”