WEBVTT - A Prayer to Give God First Priority

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>where we help you find the words you need to

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<v Speaker 1>connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening

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<v Speaker 1>in your life today, you can trust that God wants

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<v Speaker 1>to hear from you. Right after this short word from

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<v Speaker 1>our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer to give God

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<v Speaker 1>first priority. A Prayer to give God First Priority written

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<v Speaker 1>by Kenisha Saunders Lyddy read by Leah Gerard. But seek

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<v Speaker 1>ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and

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<v Speaker 1>all these things shall be added. Unto you Matthew six

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<v Speaker 1>thirty three, if you were to take a break and

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<v Speaker 1>sit in a semidark room with no distractions, what would

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<v Speaker 1>you say is your number one priority in life? Let

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<v Speaker 1>me remind you, while you think that the God we

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<v Speaker 1>serve is very jealous when things or others are given

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<v Speaker 1>priority over him, I'm so thankful that I serve a

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<v Speaker 1>God who is long suffering and patient. He sees the

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<v Speaker 1>evil on the earth and the believers losing their first

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<v Speaker 1>love for him. However, He's just waiting for everyone to

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<v Speaker 1>come to repentance. So what did you come up with?

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<v Speaker 1>Who or what is the first priority in your life.

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<v Speaker 1>I know many may say their children, careers, or spouses

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<v Speaker 1>take first place if we were to be honest, But

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<v Speaker 1>God doesn't compete with anything or anyone, and he really

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<v Speaker 1>shouldn't have to. I reminded of the widow of Zaraphath,

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<v Speaker 1>who only had enough to feed her and her son

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<v Speaker 1>one more time. She knew they were going to die

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<v Speaker 1>after they'd eaten, because they'd have nothing left. It was

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<v Speaker 1>extremely difficult for widows in those days without a kinsman redeemer,

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<v Speaker 1>so I'm sure she had already run out of hope

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<v Speaker 1>when the prophet Elijah came to her with his absurd idea.

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<v Speaker 1>It would have been great to read her thoughts. However,

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<v Speaker 1>I think her first thought must have been, this prophet

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<v Speaker 1>has to be insane. Yet she quietly explained to the

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<v Speaker 1>prophet why she couldn't respond the way he desired. Although

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<v Speaker 1>her decision, we see her faith was evident in what

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<v Speaker 1>she knew of the prophet in his God. The widow

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<v Speaker 1>of zarah Fath obeyed God and put the Man of

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<v Speaker 1>God first, and as a result of her obedience, the

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<v Speaker 1>flower and oil lasted during the whole famine. She placed

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<v Speaker 1>God first, and God took care of her and her

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<v Speaker 1>son until the famine was gone. If she had disobeyed God,

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<v Speaker 1>she and her son wouldn't have made it through the famine.

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<v Speaker 1>Obedience is key to putting God first, simply because it's

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<v Speaker 1>what He requires and what he deserves. This should be

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<v Speaker 1>the heart of every believer to live in a way

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<v Speaker 1>that puts God first in our lives. To give God priority,

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<v Speaker 1>one must set aside time to pray, to read God's word,

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<v Speaker 1>to fellowship with fellow believers, and to live a life

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<v Speaker 1>of worship. And we must all do this to the

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<v Speaker 1>extent that it's clear to others that God is first.

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<v Speaker 1>When we wake in the morning, we shouldn't do anything

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<v Speaker 1>before breathing a word of prayer to the giver of life.

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<v Speaker 1>He should be on our mind when we wake, and

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<v Speaker 1>the last thing we think of before we sleep when

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<v Speaker 1>it comes to our finances. I know this is easier

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<v Speaker 1>said than done, because as I'm typing this prayer, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>stuck in a financial predicament and wondering how I can

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<v Speaker 1>continue to put God first. I know what I have

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<v Speaker 1>is from Him, and I can only give back a

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<v Speaker 1>portion of what He's blessed me with. But as things

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<v Speaker 1>get harder, and money seems to outweigh the things we

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<v Speaker 1>need to put first in our lives. Will my faith

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<v Speaker 1>and trust in Jesus stand the test? The widow of

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<v Speaker 1>Zarah fth was obedient, but we don't know her motives

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<v Speaker 1>for her obedience. Was it so that she and her

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<v Speaker 1>son would live? Or was it because she trusted in

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<v Speaker 1>the God she had heard many stories about We put

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<v Speaker 1>God first because he gave up his only son for

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<v Speaker 1>mere flawed humans. We don't put him first because we

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<v Speaker 1>want to receive blessings upon blessings. Our motives should be

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<v Speaker 1>pure to seek to know God and share in everything

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<v Speaker 1>He offers us. As believers, maybe go through this life

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<v Speaker 1>wanting to put God first. May our lives show to

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<v Speaker 1>both believers and unbelievers alike that God is first, that

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<v Speaker 1>He is our priority in this life because the goal

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<v Speaker 1>is to hear well done, thou good and faithful servant.

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<v Speaker 1>The goal is to receive crowns to place them at

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<v Speaker 1>God's feet, because He is worthy of all praise and honoration.

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<v Speaker 1>I believe that to be truly successful in this life

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<v Speaker 1>is to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.

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<v Speaker 1>When we choose to put God first in all we

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<v Speaker 1>do and there is no compartmentalization in our lives. Let's pray,

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<v Speaker 1>our Father and our God, thank you for your goodness

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<v Speaker 1>to me that extends from generation to generation. What an

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<v Speaker 1>awesome God you are. There is no one like you,

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<v Speaker 1>and no one deserves the honor and glory that is

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<v Speaker 1>yours and yours alone. Thank you God for your unfailing

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<v Speaker 1>love and your kingdom that's a part of man's story.

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<v Speaker 1>May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Father,

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<v Speaker 1>I come before you today asking that you would bless

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<v Speaker 1>the one saying this prayer. Help me to put you

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<v Speaker 1>first in every area of my life. May my love

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<v Speaker 1>for you grow each day as they think of your sacrifice.

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<v Speaker 1>Remind me, o, Lord that you are always with me,

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<v Speaker 1>so that when I win, it is you, and when

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<v Speaker 1>I stumble, you are there. Father, help me to seek

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<v Speaker 1>the kingdom of God. I asked that you help me

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<v Speaker 1>to die daily to my flesh so that I don't

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<v Speaker 1>idolize myself or anything you've given me. This is a

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<v Speaker 1>new day to serve you, and each day you give

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<v Speaker 1>I promise to honor you by putting you first and

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<v Speaker 1>making you a priority in my life. I pray that

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<v Speaker 1>all the things you have for me would be added

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<v Speaker 1>unto me in Jesus' name. Amen. Your Daily Prayer is

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<v Speaker 1>By following your daily prayer and your nightly prayer, you

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<v Speaker 1>can be sure that your day begins and ends centered

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<v Speaker 1>on the Word of God and prayer.