Building Character By Puttting God First

Building Character By Puttting God First
by Steve Arterburn

The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. Matthew 6:33 NCV

The best way to build character-and the surest way-is to do it with God as your partner. So here's a question worth thinking about: Have you made God a full partner in your life's journey? Or are you in the habit of giving God little more than a few hours on Sunday morning? The answer to this question will determine, to a surprising extent, the direction of your day and the condition of your character.

As you contemplate your own relationship with the Creator, remember this: Everybody, without exception, is engaged in the practice of worship. Some folks choose to worship God and, as a result, reap the rewards that He has promised. Other folks who seem determined to do it "their way," inadvertently distance themselves from God, and from the path He intends for them to follow . . . and when they do, they suffer.

In the book of Exodus, God warns that we should place no gods before Him (20:3). Yet all too often, we place Him in second, third, or fourth place as we allow ourselves to be sidetracked by the temptations, addictions, and distractions that are woven into the fabric of 21st-century life.

Are you working to keep God first in your life? Do you talk with Him seven days a week, not just on Sunday mornings? And do you make big decisions after you've consulted Him, not before? Make certain that the honest answer to all these questions is a resounding yes. If you sincerely wish to build your character and your life on an unshakable foundation, you must put your Creator in first place. No exceptions.

We become whatever we are committed to. Rick Warren

Our ultimate aim in life is not to be healthy, wealthy, prosperous, or problem free. Our ultimate aim in life is to bring glory to God. Anne Graham Lotz

God calls us to be committed to Him, to be committed to making a difference, and to be committed to reconciliation. Bill Hybels

Character builder

Think about your priorities. Are you really putting God first in your life, or are you putting other things- things like possessions, pleasures, or personal status-ahead of your relationship with the Father? And if your priorities for life are misaligned, think of at least three things you can do today to put God where He belongs: in first place