When other things take priority

Yesterday, July 31, 2007, a young man committed murder. He got in an argrument with his Dad and ended up killing his Mom with a 20 pound dumbbell. What could have set this young man off so? What could possibly make someone kill his mother by hitting her in the head with a heavy dumbbell?

The answer? He was watching a baseball game and his father complained he was making too much noise! When his mother tried to intervene in the fight - he ended up killing her.

How sad, how pitiful.

But how predictable. Predictable?

Yes. You see the Bible teacher several very important truths about reality.

One - our heart is deperately wicked! Many people believe that people are basically good. If you give them the things they need, food, clothing, education, etc., they will live and act in a good and moral manner. But the truth, waiting for anyone who reads the newspaper, watches TV, listens to the radio, observes life, or reads history - is that we are corrupt and depraved creatures in need of a savior.

Two - the devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy. There are plenty of people who believe that the Christian faith destroys happiness. Christians are just a bunch of do-gooders who want to make sure others aren't having any fun. But we know that sin and Satan do not bring happiness. Yes, sin may delight for a moment - but soon thereafter, the bitter consequences arrive.

Three - what you put first in your life, what you focus on, determines how you will live your life. It's not possible to focus your time, energy, thought, and wealth on one thing in life without dimishing your devotion to other things in life. We have to make choices. It appears that this young man had focused his life on sports - and everything else became less important.

Too often, those who claim to follow Christ, do not put Him first. Yes, they may come to church, go to Sunday School, and put something in the offering plate - but their life revolves around other things: school, kids, their work, sports, movies, hobbies, etc. Whenever Christ gets in the way of any of these pursuits, He is dropped like so much garbage.

My plea is this - don't wait until the bitter consequence your actions appear to make sure you have focused on the Savior. Put Jesus first and everything else will be in its proper place.

Pastor John