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First Things First

 

Three firsts mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount:

 

Matthew 5:24 - Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

 

As Christians we have the responsibility upward and outward. Upwardly to our Heavenly Father and outwardly to others. In any act of service to the Lord, if the Holy Spirit brings to our mind an offense toward another, we are instructed to make that right and then we can perform the act of service with a clear heart and mind.

 

1 John 3:14 - We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 

 

Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

This part of the Sermon on the Mount is teaching us not to worry. We have learned there is nothing wrong with having things, the problems come when things have us. The things that many think are important are really just fringe benefits that come with serving God and putting Him first in all that we do.

 

Here Jesus is teaching us to put God first. It is so easy to get caught up in the business of day to day concerns that we don’t seek God first. He wants to have fellowship with all His children. As believers in Christ we are privileged to be able to enter boldly into the Throne of Grace.

 

Matthew 7:5 - Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Some folks are quick to point out others faults, not considering the areas in their own lives that need forgiveness.

We are taught in Romans 14:13 - Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

There is a stop sign in front of our house, we live on a corner lot and many times as we sit on the front porch people would fail to stop at the stop sign.

That would make me so angry that people would just zoom on out into the street and not stop. I got over that somewhat when I realized that I don’t always come to a complete stop there either.

There is nothing wrong with wanting people to do better, but we should make sure we are not guilty of the things we are trying to correct in other people’s lives.

 First things first, sweep around your own front door before judging someone about theirs.