12 September 2020

A Few Thoughts About Priorities

Marriage 

Finance

This is assuming that spouses are believers.

Believers know the Gospel as follows 

B1 God’s law 

C1 God is THE King of all kings. 

C2 God has laws for His kingdom. 

C3 Summary is the 10 Commandments: Exodus 20:1-21 and Deuteronomy 5 

B2 Disobedience 

C1 All disobey 

C2 All cannot earn salvation 

B3 Prevenient grace 

C1 God initiates salvation. 

C2 If God did not initiate salvation, then NO ONE cannot and would not ever be saved. 

B4 Understanding of our condition and punishment 

C1 Spiritual death, that is, no fellowship with God—Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 2:13, 1 Timothy 5:6 

C2 Physical death because we break God’s laws, which is sin, for which we die. Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, James 1:15 

C3 Eternal death, which is conscious, never-ending torment—2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 21:8 

B5 Understanding Jesus 

C1 100% God and 100% man See Athanasian Creed 

C2 Substitute—Passover Lamb. See 1 Corinthians 5:7, Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 15:3 

C3 Offer of salvation—Come to me. See Matthew 11:28-30, Revelation 22:7 

C4 Repentance—180o change in attitude and actions. See Matthew 3:2, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:22, Revelation 2:5, Jonah 3:10, 2 Timothy 2:24-26 

C5 Faith and trust—Salvation is by grace along through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Call on His name (ask for forgiveness and believing). See John 3:36, John 3:16, Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:11-12, Luke 18:13 

Marriage 

B1 God first 

C1 Honor 

D1 Attitude 

E1 Compare 

F1 Honoring God correctly—1 Corinthians 10:31, Mark 12:30, Matthew 6:33 

F2 Honoring God incorrectly or not at all—Matthew 15:8, Revelation 2:4 

E2 Actions—Luke 18:9-14, Genesis 4:3-5, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Matthew 5:16 

D2 Time. Compare Daniel 6:9 (both times and actions in the face of a threat), 2 Timothy 2:15  

D3 Belongings. Compare Proverbs 3:9, Matthew 6:21, 2 Corinthians 9:11 

D4 Fellowship with God and other believers 

E1 Fellowship is being together, enjoying others company, helping each other, teaching each other, worshiping God in song, prayer, etc. 

E2 Some verses—Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:3, 2 Corinthians 6:14 

C2 Faith 

D1 Believe. The Christian faith is not blind faith. It is reasonable faith. Compare Hebrews 11:1 and James 2:21-24 with Abraham’s faith and actions in Genesis 15:1-6. Also see John 9:38. 

D2 Actions, which are proof. See James 2:14-26, Matthew 7:26, the examples in Hebrews 11. 

C3 Obey. We learn by reading, studying, listening, practicing, then teaching. 

D1 Read Bible—2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:105 

D2 Study Bible—Psalm 19, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

D3 Study Apologetics—Colossians 4:6, 1 Peter 3:15 

D4 Practice—James 1:22, Psalm 119:9, Luke 11:28 

B2 Spouse 

C1 Spiritual oneness 

D1 Worshiping together 

D2 Praying together 

D3 Bible time together 

C2 Emotional oneness 

D1 Sharing feelings, so listening is important. 

D2 Time together. This is more than sleeping. 

D3 Problem solving together. Your spouse is God’s gift of the best human counselor. 

C3 Physical oneness 

D1 Chores together 

D2 Pleasures together 

D3 Enjoying each other’s physical beauty together. Read the Song of Songs. 

C4 1 Peter 3:7 WEL Likewise, you husbands live together with an understanding attitude, giving honor to your wife since [she is] more delicate [than you] and [you are] heirs together of the grace of life, [do this] so that your prayers are not hindered. [The Greek word for giving has the idea of recognizing and acknowledging her gifts, talents, abilities, accomplishments and giving proper honor of these to her]. 

B3 Children 

C1 Spiritual care 

D1 Teach them.  

E1 This is by instruction, by living it, letting them observe us in good times, troubling times, stressful times, etc.  

E2 They want to see how we react. We have the opportunity to show them the way a Christian handles a problem. 

D2 Pray with them and for them. 

D3 Sing with them and for them. 

C2 Emotional care 

D1 Parents are not to provoke their children to anger. 

E1 Punishment for a child’s frustration is 100% wrong. Help them. 

E2 Punishment for a child’s mistake is 100% wrong. Teach them. 

E3 Punishment when they are acting out for attention. Spend time with them. 

E4 Use wisdom. 

E5 Remember: James 1:20 EMTV for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

D2 Children do not know how to deal with abuse, neglect, etc. We are to help them. 

C3 Needs care 

D1 This would be food, clothing, education, etc. 

D2 It is the responsibility of parents to prepare a child for adulthood. 

B4 Parents 

C1 Spiritual concerns 

D1 One of the greatest problems for the elderly is loneliness. Visit them. 

D2 Another is help with chores they have trouble with. Assist them. 

D3 Another is times they cannot attend fellowship. Worship with them. 

C2 Respect/honor. See Exodus 20:12, Luke 2:41-49 , John 19:29-27. 

B5 Other family 

C1 Spiritual concerns 

C2 Other concerns 

B6 Friends 

C1 Spiritual concerns 

C2 Other concerns 

B7 Acquaintances 

C1 Spiritual concerns 

C2 Other concerns

Finance 

B1 God first 

C1 Honoring God 

D1 Time—Isaiah 1:18, James 4:2&8, Revelation 2:2-5 

D2 Money 

E1 Give as God has prospered—1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8:12 

E2 Privately—Matthew 6:1 

E3 Right attitude—Matthew 6:21, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Hebrews 13:5  

C2 Honorable work 

D1 This is work that is not against God’s law.  

E1 Honorable work examples are farming, engineer, education, blue collar trades, etc. 

E2 Dishonorable work examples are prostitution, sex trafficking, hacking, etc. 

D2 Being a Christian witness. 

C3 Honorable rest 

D1 God worked 6 days and rested 1. A day or 2 is needed for spiritual, emotional, and physical rest. Mark 6:31-32, Psalm 23:2 

D2 Rest for our soul is a good rest. See Jeremiah 6:16 

B2 Spouse 

C1 Priorities as listed above 

C2 Other financial care 

B3 Family 

C1 Time Compare Deuteronomy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 9:9. 

C2 Togetherness 

D1 Work 

D2 Recreation 

C3 A time to chill out. 

D1 Take them to the park, the lake, the woods, the fields, for ice cream, etc. 

D2 Pray with them. Listen to them.  

D3 Everybody has a bad day. Help them. Don’t discipline them for a bad day. 

C4 Remember:  

D1 Jesus is the counselor of all counselors. Isaiah 9:6 KJ2000 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

D2 Luke 4:18 EMTV The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. 

D3 We are to imitate Jesus’ way of life. Seek Luke 9:23, 1 Corinthians 11:1-2. Seek God’s wisdom and help (James 1:5).

Matthew 6:33 EMTV but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you

1 Peter 1:3 NLT All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.

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