You may be seated. Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! I thank God for this opportunity to stand behind this anointed desk we call a pulpit. I’m grateful for this opportunity to bring to you the word of God, as the Lord has laid it upon my heart.

What I would like to talk to you about today are the five most important things in your life, Part 1. Too many times we don’t prioritize things and wonder how something important was forgotten. When we go on a trip and we forget to turn off the lights. When we do fundraisers, we forget articles that are needed for the performance of our selected task. When we go shopping, we forget to buy needed items. Sometimes we just need to make a list.

One of the job skills a person must acquire in order to succeed in business is the ability to prioritize their work. These days employers are loading their employees with more and more work; and allowing less and less overtime in order to accomplish that work. It reminds one of Pharaoh, when Moses said, “Let my people go”. Pharaoh refused to continue providing straw for the making of bricks, yet said that none of their tally might diminish.

The only possible way for a person to come close to accomplishing their job load, or at least enough of it to keep the boss happy, is to prioritize. Unfortunately, we as Christians tend to forget to do the same things in our spiritual and family life. We try to do everything, and get nothing accomplished because our goals aren’t prioritized. To properly prioritize, you need to make a list.

Today, we will discuss what I believe that prioritization should be for a Christian. Today, we will be discussing the five most important things in your life. The five most important things in your life; in my personal opinion, are as follows: I will say them and then I will repeat them. I ask that you repeat them with me. The very first is:

1. Your personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God.

2. Your personal, intimate, till death do us part, relationship with your spouse.

3. Your personal, intimate, until they leave home, relationship with your children.

4. Your personal, intimate, till the rapture, relationship with your local church.

5. Your personal, intimate, till you retire, relationship with your job.

Since this lesson is labeled “Part 1” I’m sure you can figure out what we’ll be talking about Today. If you would all please stand with me for the reading of God’s holy word.

Exodus 20:3-7 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

You may be seated

As you can see, the Lord wants everything that has to do with you! He wants:

· All your heart.

· All your soul.

· All your mind.

· All your strength.

· All your attention.

· All your time.

· All your money.

· All your love.

· All your everything that is any thing.

· All your every thing that isn’t anything.

· He wants everything from the freckles on your face to the corns on your feet.

· He wants your needs.

· He wants your desires.

· He wants your heartaches

· He wants your pains.

· He wants your sorrows.

· He wants your deepest, darkest, most secret hurt in the whole wide world. Praise God!

· He also wants your sins.

· He wants your repentance.

· He wants you to be filled with the Holy Ghost

· He wants you to be saved

· He wants you have eternal life.

· He wants you to live forever with Him in perfect peace and harmony. Praise God!

In other words, and I’ve already used many, He wants everything that has to do with you whether good or bad to be brought before him at an altar so that he can:

· Forgive it.

· Cleanse it.

· Save it.

· Use it.

· And receive you up into glory at the appointed time.

There is nothing in this life that’s more important than your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ! There is nothing in this whole world that will matter more in the end than your relationship with him. Many will call themselves Christians and will be found out to be liars. That’s why we need to be sure of what our relationship with God is. We need to ensure that we’re doing what we need to do in order to have a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ! Let’s look at:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It’s all about relationship folks. We need to have to have a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God. We need to be careful to strengthen on our relationship with God on a daily basis.

· It’s not enough to know about God.

· It’s not enough to appropriate the power of God.

· It’s not enough to play at serving God.

· It’s not enough to be faithful to church.

We need a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God!

· Nothing else will do!

· No amount of giving of tithes.

· No amount of giving of offerings.

· No amount of personal holiness.

· No amount of faithfulness to church attendance.

· Nothing else in this whole world will do!

Nothing but a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God! Those things which I just mentioned are great things, they’re right things, they ought to be done conscientiously, but in and of themselves they don’t save us. Without that personal intimate, eternal, relationship with God we’re just plain lost. Let’s look at:

John 10:1-10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

We need to have a relationship so deep with God that we hear the voice of God. It may not be in audible terms, but we need to know when God’s talking to us. That only comes from bible reading, bible study, a serious prayer life, fasting, and faithfulness to be in church every time the doors are open.

That only comes from submission to His rule in our lives. When God speaks, we are not only to listen, we are obey! If we don’t listen, or we refuse to obey, He’ll quit speaking to us. I don’t know about you, but I never want to be in a position where I can’t hear from God, where I don’t know what His will is for my life.

I know exactly what God’s will is for my life. It’s to serve Him in the Tabernacle of Prayer with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength until such time as He changes His mind. He may have other plans for me down the road, but for now, I now what I’m supposed to do and I’m doing it! I may not be doing the world’s greatest job at it, but I’m faithfully doing it!

What has God called you to do today? Has He called you to the pulpit ministry? Then get after it! Be faithful to His calling! Walk worthy of His calling!

Has God called you to be a Sunday School teacher? Then do it with all your heart! Study the word and current events. Show those kids how the bible applies to today’s news. You can see the book of Revelation in the newspaper almost daily.

Has God called you to be an intercessory prayer warrior? Then get it done! Be faithful, people are counting on you! God is expecting you to be faithful! God is the engineer of the church, the pastor is the foreman of the job, the members of the congregation are the builders, and the prayer warriors are the grease the Pastor uses to quiet down those squeaky wheels!!! His prayers, along with those of the prayer warriors, help give him the anointing to preach the word of God, counsel the hurting, care for the church, and to love his wife and family if he has one. Can I get an Amen?

Does the bible really tell us that we need to participate in bible studies? Let’s just see what it says in:

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

You’re going to hear this every probably Sunday morning until such time as God chooses to move me out of the way. But as long as I’m the pastor of this church, I’ll be using this scripture often! I’ll go a step further than participation in bible studies, I think we need to do our own bible studies at home!

How else are we going to know who the antichrist is? How else are we going to know the difference between true doctrine and false doctrine? How else can we expect to be the elite that isn’t deceived? Because the bible states that in the last days everyone will be deceived except the very elite. Let’s look at:

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

How do we renew our minds? By studying the word of God! Our minds are like computers, if you put garbage in, you’ll get garbage out. If we want the Lord to indwell us, we need to have his word indwell us by consistent bible study and daily reading of His word! Let’s read what the Psalms has to say.

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

How will we clean up our life using the word of God if we never open our bibles? If the only time you’re learning about God is at church, if the only time you open your bible to read it is at church, you’re starving your spirit. You can’t starve your spirit and expect to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you only eat three times a week you’re going to die! If you only eat spiritually three times a week, you’re making yourself easy prey for the devil to devour!

Does the bible really tell us to pray? Let’s look at:

1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

We are commanded to pray. Everywhere we may be; we’re commanded to pray. Daniel prayed three times a day, even though he knew he would be tossed into a den of hungry lions. None of us has been threatened with lions lately, so we have no real excuse not to pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

It can’t get any plainer than that! We need to be in constant prayer with God. We need our alone time with God in a prayer closet, but we need to be talking to God all day long. If we’d keep God on our minds all day long, we wouldn’t have time to get our minds on sin.

Remember, Jesus gave us the “Lord’s Prayer”. He gave us the perfect example of how to pray. We don’t have time to cover how to pray that prayer, that’s another bible study in and of itself, but the bottom line is; we’re to be praying if we want to have the kind of saving relationship that we need with God! Let’s look at:

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

We need to pray until we enter into the spirit, until the Holy Ghost comes upon us. That’s when we’re making true relational contact with God. When we reach that level of prayer, there’s no misunderstanding about what we truly need from God; because at that point, the Spirit is making intercession for us. Those things which we don’t even have the words to say or explain are perfectly clear to God.

How else are we going to know the voice of God if we aren’t talking to him, or listening to him? How else can we hope to be His sheep if we don’t submit ourselves to Him in prayer? If He’s not master of all, He’s not master at all. When we truly seek Him in prayer, we’re submitting our time to him. We also need to submit our will to him totally. If we don’t pray, we’ll never allow God to have the rule and reign He wants to have in our lives.

Does the bible teach us that we need to fast? Let’s look at:

Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

You will notice it doesn’t say “If” ye fast, it says “when” ye fast. We have to fast if we want to have that closeness to God. You get power with God when you fast. Power over spiritual forces, power over disease, power over circumstances, power over anything that would come against you as a child of God! Now let’s look at:

Matthew 17:19-21 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

If you want the power of God dwelling in your life, you have to fast. If you want a depth of relationship like you’ve never had before, you’ve got to fast. We’re commanded to fast!! We just need to be obedient to fast and to pray. Why? Because fasting without prayer is just going hungry. (Pause)

Now that we know what we’re supposed to do to have a personal, intimate, relationship with God. Do you know what you’re supposed to do to have an eternal relationship with God? You have to be saved.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

If any of you has even the slightest ear to hear. Hear what the Lord is telling you right now! The first thing we have to do is to believe in Him.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God is not willing that you should go to hell; that will be your choice, and yours alone. God’s made a way for you to make it to heaven. He loved you so much that he died for you to make a way. But the second thing we have to do is repent of our sins. It says in:

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The third thing you have to do to be saved is be baptized. We’ll cover this subject in a much deeper way when we start our basic Christianity series. The final step to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It says in:

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Here’s another verse for you:

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, we need to seek God daily for a new infilling of the Holy Ghost. Again, I have many more scriptures on this subject that I can teach you once we start our Basic Christianity Series. But at this time God says:

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Pause)

God wants your fellowship and He wants it right now! He doesn’t want you to wait until you find a convenient time to worship Him, He wants it right now! God doesn’t want you to wait until you’re dying to give Him your praise, He wants it right now! God doesn’t want you to wait until you get home to praise Him; He wants you to do it right now!

· There’s no better time to praise the Lord than right now!

· Lift up your voice, raise your hands, and praise the Lord!

· Don’t worry about what the person next to you is thinking, praise the Lord!

· Don’t worry about what time you have to meet someone, praise the Lord!

· Don’t worry about what you’re going to wear to work tomorrow, praise the Lord!

· Don’t think about all the troubles that you had today, praise the Lord!

· Let everything that hath breath, praise ye the Lord!

(Give them time to praise and worship. May turn into it’s own altar call.)

If the Musicians will come at this time:

Today I said this was the first in a series called the five most important things in your life. I want you to repeat them after me:

1. Your personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God.

2. Your personal, intimate, till death do us part, relationship with your spouse.

3. Your personal, intimate, until they leave home, relationship with your children.

4. Your personal, intimate, till the rapture, relationship with your local church.

5. Your personal, intimate, till you retire, relationship with your job.

If you don’t have a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God. Now is the time to have one. With every head bowed, and every eye closed, I want to ask you some questions:

1. Do you have a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God? If not, please raise your hands.

2. Would you like to have a personal, intimate, eternal, relationship with God? If so, please raise your hands.

All of you that raised your hands to the second question, please step out of your seats and come to this altar so the saints of God can pray for you.

All of you that claim to be saints of God, to please come down to this altar and pray for these folks. The rest of you, I ask that you show due reverence in the house of God and wait until you get outside before visiting. I don’t want anything interrupting the work of God at this altar. I thank you for your kindness and obedience!