Priorities

Matthew 12:33-36
Well I think it's safe to say that this passage is generally speaking, self-explanatory...as a good tree = good fruit, while a bad tree = bad fruit. But what does this all really mean. Well, the first thing is that it all comes down to the root or foundation of the tree. If the roots are not planted in fertile/good soil, the tree will not flourish and remain fruitless. If you were to see a tree that was all withered and not producing anything, you would probably assume that it does not have a good foundation of fertile soil or it is not being fed/watered enough. This so clearly relates to our lives as Christians, as we also need to have a good foundation in order to produce good/righteous fruit and thus, we need to place our roots in the Lord (he is our fertile solid and feeds us when we need to be fed). Like trees, we too, are constantly needing to be fed in order to remain fruitful/continue bearing much fruit. If we aren't consistently showing these qualities, people won't be able to see Christ in us and as a result they won't understand the need for themselves to seek Christ and their need to be rooted in Him.

In verse 34 of the passage it reads, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." Considering this, our mouths will not speak words that are fruitful in the building up of the kingdom if our hearts are not submitted to and seeking the Lord. It will be visible/seen, if our hearts are not right with the Lord.

We talk about foundations, but what does it really mean? A foundation is the basis upon which something stands or is supported; an underlying support. It is also a body or ground upon which something is laid up or built. So is Christ the basis upon which you stand. Is He the underlying theme of all you do in life?!? Is your life laid up or built upon the Lord and His desires and will for your life?!?

What are your priorities and what are you placing your roots in?

Your heart represents your deepest thoughts, desires, emotions, etc...if your heart is filled with bitterness or anger, your speech/actions will reflect it and if your heart if filled with the love of God, your words/actions will express that love. Our speech/actions will reveal where are foundation/rooting lies.
*It is so important to think before we act or speak*

T - is it True?
H - is it Helpful?
I - is it Inspiring? (does it encourage/uplift?)
N - is it Necessary? (is there any point to it? What will it accomplish?)
K - is it Kind? (is it out of love?)

Chances are if what you are going to say or do doesn't fall into any of these categories, it is probably best not to do or say it.

Romans 14:11 "For it is written, 'As I live says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."
In all we do and in all we speak it should glorify(uplift) the Lord our God.

Colossians 3:14-17 touches on how we should have the Word of Christ richly dwelling within us, so how can we ensure that the Word of Christ richly dwells in us?

1. We need to make certain that we have a solid foundation, rooted in Christ. This is the only way we can produce good fruit as a good foundation = fruitfulness.
2. Be in/have good communion with God. We need to communicate with God, in order to fully understand Him and what He desires of us in our lives.
3. Seek Him wholeheartedly. Read the Bible. Desire to learn more of His character and His will. If we don't take the time to learn how He wants us to act/live, we won't really/fully understand how we're suppose to live.

Philippians 3:12-16

-We need to maintain the attitude of wanting to strive (press on) towards becoming more like Jesus. None of us are perfect, not will we ever attain perfection, but this doesn't mean we shouldn't bother trying. Jesus was and always will be the only one who was ever perfect, but even so, God still wants us to desire wholeheartedly to become more like Him.

Not only do we need to press on to be more like Him, but we also need to strive to extend our relationship with Him and have more of Him in our lives. We should never allow ourselves to become complacent and satisfied in our walk and relationship with Him, but always be seeking to grow deeper, become closer, gain greater understanding...Don't just let it go and say 'good enough' - the Christian life is a process; there will always be more room to grow. We will never attain the 'perfect' relationship with Him in its entirety and thus need to continually strive for more...it's okay that we can't achieve this level of perfection, but it's not okay to just sit back and do nothing about it. We need to actively, constantly, and consistently be seeking Him!

I think of the song "Jesus Be the Centre". We sing asking Him to be the centre, but it's not at all a matter of just simply asking Him (He desires this position in our lives). In a sense, He has already agreed to take this position which is made so clear to us in His Word, but...

WE NEED TO DO WORK TO ACHIEVE THIS!

We can't just sit back and expect Him to just simply "Be the Centre" - it takes work and hard work at that. We need to allow Him to be the centre (not an expectancy, but an allowance). This means removing all things/anything that we have allowed to take primary focus in our lives (e.g. work, school, sports, even family)...these things won't be fruitful/productive/positive unless and until Christ becomes the focal point in our lives. These things, esp. family are important and I believe are also important to God, but He needs to take prevalence in our lives.

What is a focal point? According to the dictionary it is a position in which something must be placed for clarity of perception. Also, a centre of activity, attraction or attention. As we place Christ in a position of centrality in our lives, we will have a clarity of perception in regard to becoming more aware of His desires and His Will for our life. Our purpose will be revealed to us in our seeking Him. I challenge you to consider is Christ/God the centre of your activity (does He motivate your actions), is your attention fixed on Him, is He the main attraction in your life?!?

A relationship cannot be a one-sided thing...it just doesn't work. I think of an example being a friendship. A friendship involves communication, care, concern, honesty, etc. on both ends...if someone calls you all the time, writes you letters, is constantly checking in on how you're doing...but you do nothing in response to any of these things - can you really constitute that as being a friendship?!?...of course not! In the same manner, we need to respond to God in all that He does in our lives and not only make room for Him in our lives, but give Him our whole selves, not just a part of ourselves.

If Christ truly is the centre of your life...all of the things addressed in the song should be true in your life...He should be your source, your light, your hope, the reason for your song, your vision, your path, your guide, the fire in you heart, the wind that carries you through life and allows you to set sail, and most importantly He should be the reason for your life!

I would encourage you to examine yourself and see how you've prioritized God in your life and if He is not at the top of your list, put your all into working towards attaining Christ as the center of your life...don't just say 'good enough'. Don't allow complacency to overcome you.