Word First

PRAYER - "Pure Prayer" 

Unless you live isolated in a cave, somebody will eventually accuse you of impure motives. Job's friends stared at his suffering for seven days before commenting, but when they started talking, they were vicious. In times like those, only you and God knows the whole truth. Job knew his own heart. "My prayer is pure," he said. It doesn't matter what other people think about you or your prayer life. You and God know the truth. Pray on. 

Job 16:17 - "Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure."

PRINCIPALS - "Thorns and Death"

For Adam's sin, God cursed the ground to bring forth thorns and thistles. But there was more. Adam was sentenced to die and return to the dust from which he was created. Before he sinned, Adam might have lived forever. Now, life is hard. Then you die. The great hope is beyond the grave. Are you ready?

Genesis 3:19 - "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

PRINCIPLES - "False Accusations"

The three Hebrew children were accused before King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was accused before King Darius. Jesus Christ was accused before Pontius Pilate. None were guilty of any evil-doing, yet they were all sent to their deaths. In every case, they were delivered from death. Be careful not to be discouraged by the hurtful lies that people hurl against you. God knows the truth, and vengeance belongs to Him.

Matthew 5:11 - "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

PROPHECIES - "Canaan Land"

Abraham lived almost 2000 years before Christ. The land was Canaan. Many various tribes dwelled there, but God gave it to Abraham. The earth is the Lord's. He can give it to anyone He wants. Although 4000 years later, God will soon take the entire land by force.

Genesis 13:14-15 - "And the LORD said unto Abram, ...Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever."

Put the Word First

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

– Proverbs 4:5-6

Recently, God has been raising up ever-growing numbers of people who are hungry. Hungry to know their Lord in a deeper way. Hungry to serve Him—in pulpits, on mission fields, in homes, in office buildings and anywhere else He might choose to send them.

They are people who simply aren't content to find the path of least resistance and coast their way into heaven. No, they're determined to run the race...to run, as the apostle Paul said, to obtain the prize. Spiritually speaking, they are on the road to excellence.

Are you among them?

If so, I want to share four simple words that, I believe, will enable you to run the race like a winner.

Put the Word first.

Whether your goal is to be an excellent evangelist or a first-rate engineer in the service of the Lord, it is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God that will get you there.

Jesus said it this way: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

So commit yourself right now to do whatever it takes to totally saturate yourself with the Word of God. Use every available moment to read, study, listen to and meditate on it.

I know it won't be easy, but if you've made a definite decision to amount to something in the ministry of Jesus Christ and you are determined to take the Great Commission seriously, then be diligent. Put the Word first and there will surely be glorious victories ahead.