Obey God rather than men
The Disciples of Christ before receiving the Holy Spirit, did not have the necessary power and faith to fight the enemy. They forsook their Master and fled when the Roman soldiers arrested Him. The promise they had made to Christ, a few hours earlier, to never forsake Him was not engraved on their list of priorities.
But after their conversion, the disciples learned their priorities. Faithful to their mission, they preached the Gospel, despite threats and persecution.
On one occasion when they were brought before the council, the high priest condemned them, saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name." But they answered, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:27-29).
A question of priorities! The disciples' lives were at stake, but they were willing to follow Christ's instructions even if it meant death. They had learned that "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 10:39).
On your own list of priorities, do God, His Church and His Gospel come before your own life? Or do you perhaps desperately cling to your own life for fear of losing it? Remember Christ's words! Unless you get your priorities straight, you may end up by losing your life.
Bible study and prayer
As a true Christian you should be aware that Bible study and prayer are two indispensable tools in your growth to become a Child of God. But how often do you use these tools? How much time do you spend with God and His Bible each day?
Some in the Church consider Bible study a hard chore! They don't seem to find time for it in their daily schedules. They don't realize that the more they study the Bible, the more they learn about the will of God and the way to please Him.
If you are truly Christian, the Bible must have priority over all of your other readings and studies. You are doing yourself a favor when you study the Bible. Bible study is a privilege, not a chore or a task.
And how is your prayer life? Do you look forward to speaking to God every day? Do you actually enjoy praying? Or has prayer become for you just a routine, a duty that you have to perform? If your priorities are straight, prayer automatically comes first in your life. It becomes the happiest moment in your day, because it enables you to spend some time with the Supreme Creator of the whole universe, the almighty God who loves you and finds time to listen to you. Think of it! If He has time to listen to you, why wouldn't you find time to talk to Him?
It takes much effort to faithfully respect your priorities. It takes thinking and hard work. If the Church today is not quite ready for Christ's return, it is because, as a whole, we don't push hard enough and often lose our sense of priorities.
In a world that has cut itself off from God, Satan wants you to reverse your priorities or cast them aside altogether. Don't let that happen! Follow God. Obey Him, put Him first — and you will be much happier.
Tithing
Tithing is a law. It's a blessing. When you tithe, you don't do God a favor; you do yourself a favor.
How do you pay your tithes? What's your attitude? Do you pay the first tenth of your check as soon as you receive it, or do you pay it only after you have paid your other bills? I remember Herbert W. Armstrong telling us during a ministerial conference that he always pays his tithe first, as soon as he receives his check. His other bills have to wait. The first check he writes is always to give God what is God's.
What a wonderful example for all of us to follow! Put God first in your life. Some of God's people have lost the blessings that result from paying tithes, because they bargain with God. They have lost their sense of priorities. They don't realize that tithing is a privilege and a blessing, not a burden.
Today, some people try to abide by the letter of the law and not the spirit. They try to bargain with God when paying their tithes. They will cut corners to see how much they can save, or how little they can possibly give. With that attitude, tithing becomes a chore and not a blessing. God loves a cheerful giver and He is able to provide you with every blessing (II Cor. 9:6-7). Are you a cheerful giver?
The purpose of your calling
Do you really know and understand the purpose of your calling? Did God call you specifically in order to save you at this time, or to entrust you with a certain task in this world? That's a question every Church member should ask himself — and understand the answer.
You were not called just to be saved, but to be part of a team to do a job. That's a priority — a priority for your being called! Your own salvation for the moment is not a priority; your fulfilling the task is. If you faithfully do your part and persevere until the end, you will be saved. However, if you neglect your share and turn away, God will raise someone else to do your part.
We in God's Church today are the firstfruits. In a sense, it's like having received a birthright from God. We are the first ones called before the big harvest, with a mission to prepare for that big harvest.
Unfortunately, some have sold — or are selling — their birthrights, just like Esau did. But once Esau lost it he ended up despising it. In like manner, once you lose your sense of priorities, you lose your sense of values. Don't neglect your birthright. Don't disdain it. Set your priorities straight.
Perhaps one of the hardest priorities of all is to humble yourself, and count others better than yourself (Phil. 2:3).
Satan wants you to be puffed up. God wants you to be humble. Satan will do everything in his power to make you feel that you are better than others. But God wants you to count others better than yourself. That's the difference between God's teaching and the teaching of the world under Satan's influence.
As God's people, we need to learn our priorities. The Bible is our manual. The Teacher is God, through the writings of the prophets and the apostles. Whatever the circumstances let's live to please God. That's our first and foremost priority!