COURAGE (Part I) The Courage to Keep God First

COURAGE

(Part I)

The Courage to Keep God First

         

Psalm 27:14

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

       I. IT TAKES COURAGE TO BE DIFFERENT

1.     It’s easy to follow the crowd

Matthew 7:13-14

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

2.     In the last days most will conform

2 Tim 3:1-5

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

3.      Believers are called to be different

Rom 12:12

² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

     II. GOD DEMANDS FIRST

1.     It’s Commanded

Exodus 20

And God spoke all these words, saying: ² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ³ “You shall have no other gods before Me. ⁴            “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

2.     He should be first in all of our Choices

Matthew 26:39;42

³⁹ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”… ⁴² Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

3.     He Should be First in all of our Relationships

Luke 14:26

²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate (Love less then me) his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple

4.     He should be first in our Finances

Lev 23:10-11

¹⁰ “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. ¹¹ He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

Prov. 3:9-10

⁹ Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase; ¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

2 Chron. 31:5

⁵ As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.

  III. REWARDS OF PUTTING GOD FIRST

1.     Highest sense of joy and fulfillment

Eccl 2:1-11

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. ² I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” ³ I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives….¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…¹¹ Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

Eccl 12:13

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.

2.     Blessings in this life

Mark 10:28-30

²⁸ Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” ²⁹ So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, ³⁰ who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

3.     Rewards in Eternity

2 Tim 4:7

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

 IV. STEPS TOWARD COURAGE

1.     Wait on the Lord

Psalm 27:14

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalm 37:7

⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

2.     Take Courage

Joshua 1:8

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

3.     Speak Courage

Joshua 1:8

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth