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It's Time to Put God First





The speed at which my life is passing has quickened as I've grown older.

Fifty. Ugh. It always seemed so old
But what is age? 
Just a number. 

Once you become an adult you're you. Then you're just you with a little more knowledge and wisdom (hopefully). Experience is the best teacher. Not just experiencing bucket list goals, but experiencing the burns, the overextending, the insults, the deception, the betrayal. All that life offers us.

As adults we strive to make the best life for our families that we can. We work the jobs, cook the meals, keep the house clean, and try to have an Instagram-worthy life.

But are we missing the goal? 

Before she was a Bible teacher and author, she was a Christian rock singer. Time mellowed her 80's synthesized beat and she yielded to worship ballads. A voice unlike any other at the time, I was a fan. In 1983 she released her second album, War of Love, and the last song has stayed in my head for decades. 

God Put a Fighter in Me

"My eyes may see the coming King in all His Majesty
In company all dressed in white
But meanwhile here at the world's dark end
The dragon draws the iron curtain 'round against the Light

And souls grow weary in this war of love
And seek their solace strolling down the sweet civilian ways
But meanwhile back at world's dark end
The nations see no future waiting for the serpent to strike

Where have all the Christian soldiers gone?
Where is the resistance, will no one be strong?
When will we stand up tall and straight,
Rise up and storm the gate?

How can we fail to get excited?
The battle is ours, why don't we fight it?
Battalions of darkness rise above me
But God put a fighter in me, put a fighter in me

We will sing songs of victory
We will arise and set men free
We will applaud your majesty
We will proclaim your kingdom come
We will announce the battle done
We will lift up the righteous one

Listen and you'll hear the sweetest sound you ever heard in England
It's the spirit blowing across the land
It's the voice of one who calls his bride to come and to be ready
Gentle as a dove, he comes with fire

Where have all the Christian soldiers gone?
Where is the resistance, will no one be strong?
When will we stand up tall and straight,
Rise up and storm the gate?

How can we fail to get excited?
The battle is ours, why don't we fight it?
Battalions of darkness rise above me
But God put a fighter in me, put a fighter in me

We will sing songs of victory
We will arise and set men free
We will applaud your majesty
We will proclaim your kingdom come
We will announce the battle done

We will lift up the righteous one"

The lines in bold have been what I've lingered on, repeating them and wondering, have Christians always been so....lazy?

Not all, mind you, but many. Even most. Christian in name only, but not in word or deed. No fruit. 

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

These are the things that should be evident in our lives if we call ourselves Christians. Being a Christian is more than just tweeting a Bible verse or putting a Christian tattoo on our bodies. Are we spending more time feeding the wants and needs of our flesh instead of the part that will last forever? 

As Christians we need to put our the desires of our flesh behind us and focus on honoring God with our minds, time, bodies, decisions, etc. We need to allow Him to have full reign. No more living for ourselves. We aren't guaranteed a day on this planet, in this body. We are guaranteed an eternity. Where we spend it depends on who we serve today. 

All we have is today. 

It's time to put God first.

Be the fighter that He wants you to be. Fight the flesh, die to yourself, find your identity and value in Him. Especially if you call yourself a Christian. 

I'd hate for you to be disappointed when you take your first breath in eternity. 

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