Putting God first — How can I do this?

TL;DR:

Putting God first means living to glorify Him in all areas of life, guided by love for Him and empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we put God first, life goes best.

The Bible attests to God as the sovereign King and Ruler over everything and everyone (Psalm 47:2–3; 1 Timothy 1:17). Scripture affirms that whatever God ordains will be done (Psalm 115:3; 135:6; Proverbs 16:9; Daniel 4:35; James 4:15). Though some live in rebellion against God, according to the Bible, God will ultimately be glorified by everyone, either in their salvation or condemnation (John 3:16–18; Romans 9:22–23). One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God (Philippians 2:9–11; Romans 14:11). But as many Bible passages show, salvation is not solely about spending eternity in heaven. When we put our faith in Christ, we begin a new life in Him on earth (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 10:10). Scripture indicates that those who receive Jesus by faith also receive the Holy Spirit (John 3:5–8; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14; Romans 8:9–11, 26; 1 John 3:24). Through the Holy Spirit working in us (Philippians 2:13), we can prioritize God in our lives. When we put God first, life goes best. When we put God first, we live out the kingdom values that reveal and glorify Him until the day He returns (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 2:9–11).

from the old testament

Nebuchadnezzar credited his status as ruler of Babylon to himself, rather than to God. After being brought low by God and repenting, he realized that “all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he [God] does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35). Putting God first aligns us with our sovereign God who knows how life goes best.

from the new testament

Jesus identified the “great and first commandment” as loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:36–38). Every part of our lives should be driven by the love of God, with the aim of glorifying Him.
We do not add Christ as an accessory of our lives, lest we learn on Judgment Day that Christ never knew us (Matthew 7:21–23).
Believers’ lives should testify to God’s preeminence in them. We do this by presenting our “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,” as the apostle Paul did (Romans 12:1–2).
God is first and preeminent, whether or not people decide to acknowledge that. Revelation 1:8 records the Lord’s description of Himself: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

implications for today

Harry S. Truman famously had a sign on his desk that read, “The buck stops here.” His point was simple: As the most significant leader in the nation, he had the ultimate decision-making power. Of course, his authority ultimately depended on voters and was constrained by Congress. But there is One whose power depends on no one, who, in fact, puts in place presidents, prime ministers, kings, and other authorities (Romans 13:1–7): Our Lord.

Believers’ lives should reflect God’s preeminence. This means living like Christ and for Christ (1 John 2:6). Christ prayed for his enemies (Luke 23:34), had compassion for others (Matthew 9:36), and sought the Father’s glory (John 8:50). So should we. While we can’t live the sinless life of Christ because of our sin nature (Romans 5:12), we can seek to live righteously by the power of the indwelling Spirit (2 Timothy 2:19; Romans 8:13; Ephesians 4:22–24). This means believers look different from the world. We work to live, rather than live to work. We may appreciate nice things, but our lives aren’t centered on gathering wealth. We live peaceably with others (Romans 12:18), and we aren’t status seekers. In other words, believers put God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). We know that one day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God (Philippians 2:9–11; Romans 14:11). When we put God first, life goes best. We experience His peace and provision, and we reflect His glory in a world that desperately needs Him (Matthew 5:16; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 2:9).

understand

Putting God first means glorifying Him in all areas of life.
Putting God first means caring what He thinks above all else.
Putting God first means prioritizing Him above all.

reflect

What areas of your life do you find hardest to surrender fully to God and why?
How can you prioritize seeking God’s kingdom first in your daily life?
What would need to change in your life to put God first?

engage

How does putting God first impact the way believers relate to wealth, status, success, and priorities?
What does it look like for a community of believers to live with God’s preeminence as their focus?
How can we encourage one another to remain faithful in putting God first?