Building One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.   I Thessalonians 5:11

Priorities Vol 1 No 6

Dear Friend,

After Jesus spent much of the previous night at the home of Simon and Andrew healing the people of the town of Capernaum, Mark reports:

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’” Mark 1:35-37*

If some people came looking for you and said, “Everyone is looking for you,” what would you do? My guess is you would say, “OK, what can I do for you?”

Yet, significantly, Jesus replies this way: “Let us go somewhere else!”

Incredible, isn’t it? Jesus walks away from those who sought Him.  Why?

Jesus went on to say, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” Mark 1:38* emphasis added

Jesus Christ knew His purposes and priorities. While remaining responsive to human needs out of compassion, he also was able to control his commitments so that he could accomplish the work for which he had been sent.

What purposes and priorities has God placed in your life? The human need around you is as infinite as it was around Jesus. Be clear about your own sense of purpose and priorities so that you may appropriately meet the needs of people around you while at the same time accomplishing the work God is giving you to do.

Joy to you – E. Stanley Ott

©Copyright 2018 E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the ESV

‍

BOA Notes Podcast 6: Priorities

Discussion Questions and Show Notes

Discussion Questions:

Jesus Christ knew His purposes and priorities. While remaining responsive to human needs out of compassion, he also was able to control his commitments so that he could accomplish the work for which he had been sent.

What priorities and “first things” has God placed in your life? What are they actually today – as evidenced by the time, energy, money and resource you give them – and what do you want them to be?

What holds you back from making your first things actually first and how will you changes your patterns of behavior to realign your life with your priorities?

Show Notes

A wonderful book on the matter of setting your guiding priorities:

Lord Make My Life a Miracle! Ray and Anne Ortlund

https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Make-My-Life-Miracle/dp/1440197172/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531163513&sr=1-1&keywords=Lord+make+my+life+a+miracle