Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you have competing values vying for your time?  Perhaps there are several things that are important that you want to do that are all at the same time.  How do you respond in such a situation?  How do you prioritize things that are important to you?  The key with competing values is to keep first things first.  When it comes to the things in our life that are of first importance we should not compromise for other competing values.  Paul reminds us of this in I Corinthians 15.  Let’s look at it together today

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Paul reminds us that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the most important truth for us to hold on to.  This was particularly important to the early church as they faced extreme persecution for their beliefs.  For us it is a good reminder about what is of first importance.  There are times in all of our lives when we have wrongly prioritized things.  Take some time today and examine your priorities.  Be reminded of Paul’s words and keep things of first importance first.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave