ALTAR CALL: Put God first in your plans

THERE IS nothing wrong with putting systems in place for your family’s future. However, do not do this at the expense of putting God on the back burner. Put God first in all your plans. Some people put Him last in their lives, yet they want the best.
There was quiet reverence in the Church of the Nazarene in Ruby, St Philip, last Sunday when Reverend Dr Samuel Elcock stressed these points in a message titled When God Offsets Your Plans.
He took his message from the book of Haggai as he spoke about how the temple of God lay in ruins while the children of God were busy building their own houses. As a result they were promised famine and destruction for neglecting God’s work.
The pastor told his congregation that in an attempt to achieve their goals, people often put their education, financial planning and those things which would assure them a bright future before God, thereby giving God “no significant place in our plans”.
“We become self-centred and God is placed in the back. What is God saying about our plans?”
He continued: “Often in life we misunderstand the power of God and the fact that God is capable of messing up all our plans.
“We sometimes experience famine while others are prospering because we neglect the things of God. At times what we are calling blessings [God may well be saying that in time] they will become a curse.”
The Nazarene preacher asked: “Why do we come to church and are always in want? Why does my situation get worse even though I am praising God and I am sold out to Him?”
He noted it was because of the Jews’ disobedience that God sent them into exile, adding that God had told them to return home, find a place of worship and build back the temple. However, 17 years later, they had refused to finish it.
“God would have released them from the Babylonians if they had constructed His temple, but they started it and left it on pause.
“When some people are studying they put God last and refuse to attend church. Yet, they ask God to help them pass the very exams. The Jews put God on the back burner but wanted to be blessed. When God blesses you and you turn your back on Him, He has a right to take back the blessing. Yet, many times we blame the devil.”
Elcock pointed out that when God offsets individuals’ plans, it is because He has intervened in their lives and usually has the last say.
“God does not reward bad behaviour. He will hold back blessings from you until you have obeyed what He has asked you to do. He has the exclusive right to disrupt our lives when we fail to give Him first place.
“We must seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things will be added unto us,” Elcock said.
The 10:15 a.m. service was filled with worship in dance and praise, with some members spontaneously dancing their way into the aisle of the sanctuary.
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