Where Are Your Priorities?

We live in a day and age where everyone is "busy".  So busy, in fact, that nothing actually ever gets accomplished or done!  Take my son for example.  Too busy to do any chores around the house, too busy to work any overtime at work, too busy to go to college, too busy to actually have meaningful relationships.  All of his "time" is taken, there just is no room for anything that I might think is important or of value.  And I am "ancient", so I just do not understand.

What does he spend his time doing that leaves him so busy?  Well, he does work, he does spend a stupefying amount of time washing, waxing and polishing his POC Ford that although pretty, may not be running too much longer.  He does spend one Saturday a month with a human being fishing or "visiting".  The rest of the time is dedicated to playing computer games on the internet with his "friends" he will never actually meet.

Your time commitments might be a bit different, but I would be willing to bet that you are just as busy as he is - at everything except what is important in and to your life!  God is not going to reward you for being the best player at Halo or Warcraft, yet I know numerous Christian men and women whom are so wholly consumed with Warcraft that they can not hold a professional job!  Really?

Being busy, to any extent, is wholly a matter of choice.  Even if that busy state is the result of not wanting to say "No" to others, that is a choice as well!  We can so completely fill every moment of our lives to the point that there is no way to jam one more item in - and guess what - NONE of it will be in service to God or really matters - because that is not what God seeks for anyone!

Misplaced priorities is a problem in this day and age.  Too many temptations, too many ways to fill every second, and none of them serves any purpose other than to pass time - which would be better spent in prayer, study or with friends in fellowship (hint: fellowship is with other Christians).  The point is to reach the point where you can live each day for God, not yourself.

Mark 1:35 - 39

Learn to Put First Things First
Verses 21-34, Jesus was not having exactly a great day.  It was filled with people needing demons cast out, physical illnesses needing healing - ALL day long!  No one was giving Him a break!

And Jesus went out and prayed.

• Prayer is our spiritual breathing (one of Bill Bright's thoughts)
• You need to pray often
• You need to pray before its actual need!
• You need to have times everyday to pray
• You need to have places to pray
• Prayer feeds your spiritual, mental and emotional maturity

Seek God, Not Stuff!
Jesus is praying, people are still seeking Him desiring healing and freedom from demons.
We need to be thanking Him, praising Him, etc.

See The Urgent But Do The Essential
Faith based on observing miracles is the point of Jesus nor Christianity
Faith based on belief is ...

Jesus knew the needs of those present and seeking Him out.  But He also knew that something would/could never be finish or done.  There would always be physical needs, even after He left.
The urgent is not always the essential needing to be done.

God will stretch us.
We live within the tension between Security and Risk or :

• Stagnation <---- You ----> Growth

Security will never yield Growth
Nor will Risk lead to Stagnation

So, wrap up:
Prayer is to be number one in your life.  If it is not, then start praying! 
Prayer is your ability to communicate with God. 
Sure He know everything, but I think He likes to hear that we are understanding what He knows. 
I pray most when I drive, take a bath, use the "facilities" - anytime I am primarily alone and have quiet time.
Prayer is not a time for our never ending shopping list!  God will supply as He needs to support our needs - not our desires!  God will supply as He needs to support His projects, not your desired lifestyle.
Learn to be able to identify what is important in life!