Misplaced priorities

Our lives are very often messed up because we make poor choices or the choices we make are in the wrong order. We place the most important activity as the first priority and place that at the top of our list. Most of the times many of us do that unconsciously and we do not think of its impact on our lives, and we keep going accomplishing whatever we wanted to do but in the wrong order.

Below is a chart for total structuring and different priorities  

(This may not be in the right order of priority; readers are supposed to prioritize)

For total structuring and some important activities are given below and this may not be in the right order. The readers are supposed to prioritize.

• Work, school
• Physical: exercise, health, diet, sleep
• Marriage: sex and intimacy, communication
• Other:
• Family: children and discipline
• Church: Bible, prayer, witness
• Finances: budgeting
• Social activities

How do we seek God’s will in our lives?

When we have a list of priorities this will really help us to assess our conflict and make the priorities right with the help of God. 

1.      As a believer in Christ Jesus, we have the huge privilege of God involving in every aspect of our life. In fact God wants to be part of in every decision making process, our moving, and new job and so on and so forth. So now we can prioritize based on the fact that God is very much involved, and we can make a list.

2.      Our job: all of us are equipped differently and it is our responsibility that we do our job well, and we bring glory and honor to His Name. So we need to cultivate the habit of talking to God, every day and this communion is called prayer.

3.      God is more bothered about our soul health and He wants us to bear fruit bountifully. So it is important that we realize that we have to have a life style that is pleasing to Him.

4.      When we put our focus on God, and acknowledge His presence and guidance in all areas of our life, we begin to have great confidence and security and the assurance of God with us all the time. This is a great blessing only for a believer in Jesus Christ.

5.      If we are married, where does our spouse fit in? What is the priority order?

How does 2 Peter 2:1-11; apply to our day to day life of walking with God?

 ¹Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

² Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
³ According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁹ But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
¹⁰ Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
¹¹ For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

·         One way the above Word of God could be exercised in our life would be to have an open heart and ask God to explore all areas of our life; hidden as well as exposed.

·         When sensitive areas of our lives are touched this could be painful; but trust God because He wants the best out of you. Slowly the Spirit of God is changing you inside out and conform you into His image and likeness. 

       Marriage is the first Divine Institution instituted by the Lord and this should be our priority. In today’s context the effect of Fall affects all of our marriage to a certain extent.        What are the steps one can take to protect our marriage, in a Fallen world where marriage between a male and a female are considered to be one of the other types of marriage? Very often one of the questions to be asked will be: when you prioritize which comes first my spouse or my job?

       Believers or non-believers make many decisions on a day to day life. The decsions we make hugely impact our lives for the better or for the worse in our marriage and family. How do we prioritize our life’s activities?

I am including an article below for further reading.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/837701

Website References:

        1. Misplaced Priority - My Spouse or My Job?

ezinearticles.com › Relationships › Marriage

2007-11-16 · My question to you today is what is your priority, your spouse or your job? Your pay check or your spouse's love? Acceptance by your colleagues at work or ...

        2. Misplaced priority | Business Standard

www.business-standard.com › Opinion › Editorial › Editorials

Indians are taught early that science is only a means to an end. All the bright young people who enter the "science stream" of various schools are told to have their ...

        3. Winter cycling misplaced ‘priority’ | Columnists ...

www.calgarysun.com/2012/10/08/winter-cycling-misplaced-priority

The good news is an extra 27 lane kilometres of road will be cleared sooner this winter. The bad news is the city isn’t doing it because of increased traffic volume ...

        4. Misplaced priority - Sify

www.sify.com › Finance › Default

2014-02-16 · Indians are taught early that science is only a means to an end. All the bright young people who enter the science stream of various schools are told to...

        5. A Misplaced Priority - MyDD

mydd.com/story/2009/9/28/14128/9031

The White House has announced that the President will travel to Copenhagen on Thursday in an effort to save Chicago's sagging bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Book references:

  1. Peter Scazzero. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2011.

  2. Goldenberg, I and H. Goldenberg. Family Therapy: An overview, 8^th Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole Publishing, 2007.

Other references:

1. Allender, Dan and Tremper Longman III. Intimate Allies. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House publishers, 1995.
2. Goldenberg, I and H. Goldenberg. Family Therapy: An overview, 8^th Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole Publishing, 2007.

3. Richardson, R.W. Family Ties that Bind. Vancouver B.C: International Self - Counsel Press Ltd, 1995.

4. Thomas Garry. Sacred Marriage, What if God designed marriage more to make us holy than to make us happy. Toronto: Harper Collins Canada, 2002.

5. Mary E.DeMuth. Author of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God, Authentic parenting in a postmodern culture, practical help for shaping your children’s hearts, minds, and souls. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2007.

6. William T. kirwan. Biblical Concepts for Christian Counseling, A case for integrating Psychology   and Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1984.

Recommended reading & resources:

7. Dr. Larry Crabb. Effective Biblical Counseling, How caring Christians can become capable counselors. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1977.

8. Everett L. Worthington JR. Hope-focused marriage counseling, Author of forgiving and reconciling, A Guide to brief therapy. Illinois: IVP Academic, Intervarsity Press, 2005.

9. Barkley, Russell & Robin, Arthur. Your Defiant Teen, 10 Steps to resolve conflict and rebuild your relationship. New York: A division of Guilford Publications, 2008.

10. David Furlong. Healing your family patterns, how to access the past to heal the present. London: Judy Piatkus (Publishers) Ltd, 1997.

For further reading:

1. Millard J. Erickson. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House: 1983-85, p. 947-1002. 

2. R.T. Kendall. Understanding Theology, Developing a Healthy Church in the 21^st Century. 1996, p. 357-364.

3. Jay E. Adams. A Theology of Christian Counseling, More than Redemption. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979, p.249-275.

4. Louis Berkhof. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996, p. 423-450.

5.  Robert P Lightner. Handbook of Evangelical Theology, Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1986, p.527-544.

6. Charles Ryrie. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1986, 1999, p.374-377.

7.  A. H. Strong. Systematic Theology. New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Co, 1907, p. 869-881.

8.  Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, p. 736-761; 840-850.

9. Steven W. Waterhouse. Not By Bread Alone, An Outlined Guide To Bible Doctrine. Amarillo: Westcliffe Press, 2007, p.188-191. 

10. John Theodore Muller, Th.D. Christian Dogmatics, A handbook of Doctrinal Theology for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen.  St. Louis, Mo: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p.384-386.  

11. Prayers To Move Your Mountains. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000.

12. John White. Parables, the Greatest Stories ever Told. Illinois: Inter varsity Press, 1988, 1999.

13. ESV Study Bible. English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois: Publishing ministry of Good News publishers, 2008.

14. The Matthew Henry Study Bible. King James Version. Iowa falls: World Bible Publishers, Inc. 1990.