God First
Joyce C. Lock

God first, others second, self last ...

Most believe that's how it should be, whether they practice it
or not. Few have problems recognizing when "Me, Me, Me" gets
in the way, whether they care to admit it or not. But, putting
others second can get very confusing in relationship to God being
first.

It is God who teaches us how to love others and, in so doing, we
are loving Him. However, when we have a passion for caring for
the needs of others, you can bet the devil is looking for ways to
trip us up and burn us out.

The devil will use that passion against us (wherein we are being
called upon, up to twenty-four hours per day, to help others in
countless ways) until we find we no longer have time for God.
Then, others get first place and God gets nothing.

In addition, we run out of time for tending to our own spiritual
needs and soon become drained, finding we no longer have anything
left to give.

It would go a long way toward keeping the devil within tight
reigns were we to:

1.) spend quality time with God, even if we have to schedule an
appointment.

2.) seek God's will, even above the feelings of others.

3.) learn to discern and detach, a little, from those who
manipulate our time with no real intention of following God
(while keeping an open door for the time when they don't just
want attention, but a real help.)

4.) let go of responsibilities God didn't call us to; works that
please man but not Him.

Only when God is first does everything else fall into place.

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Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, columnist, and
Senior Writer for the Storytime Tapestry Newsletter. Her
latest adventures include her new website Glimpses of
God (http://iam.homewithGod.com/glimpsesofgod/);
unveiling mysteries via scriptural methods of
Bible study. Joyce's writings encourage us
in our relationship with God and each other.
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