Embark on a transformative journey with me, Pastor Brandon, as we seek a deeper understanding of what it means to truly place God at the helm of our existence. In the heart of 1 Chronicles 17, we witness a pivotal moment in King David's life, an intimate portrayal of his quest to honor God which yields a profound divine revelation. The narrative unfolds into a powerful lesson about the paramount importance of acknowledging God's sovereignty in every facet of our lives, a message that resonates through the ages and speaks directly to the core of our being.
As we navigate the intricacies of our daily walk, we often stumble upon areas where God's presence seems overshadowed by worldly concerns—particularly our finances. In this episode, I delve into the sacred act of tithing, casting it not as a monetary obligation but as a heartfelt expression of worship and thanksgiving. Drawing inspiration from the scripture, notably 1 Chronicles 29:17, we conclude with a prayer for divine alignment, hoping to stir within you a yearning to invite the blessings that spring forth when we consciously choose to prioritize God in all our endeavors. Join me and experience the profound shifts that unfurl as we commit to this spiritual recalibration.
Embark on a transformative journey with me, Pastor Brandon, as we seek a deeper understanding of what it means to truly place God at the helm of our existence. In the heart of 1 Chronicles 17, we witness a pivotal moment in King David's life, an intimate portrayal of his quest to honor God which yields a profound divine revelation. The narrative unfolds into a powerful lesson about the paramount importance of acknowledging God's sovereignty in every facet of our lives, a message that resonates through the ages and speaks directly to the core of our being.
As we navigate the intricacies of our daily walk, we often stumble upon areas where God's presence seems overshadowed by worldly concerns—particularly our finances. In this episode, I delve into the sacred act of tithing, casting it not as a monetary obligation but as a heartfelt expression of worship and thanksgiving. Drawing inspiration from the scripture, notably 1 Chronicles 29:17, we conclude with a prayer for divine alignment, hoping to stir within you a yearning to invite the blessings that spring forth when we consciously choose to prioritize God in all our endeavors. Join me and experience the profound shifts that unfurl as we commit to this spiritual recalibration.
Well, everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. 1 Chronicles, chapter 17,. And today's title is Put God First and Watch what Happens. Put God First and Watch what Happens. There's something that I say a lot in marriage counseling that I've also had to learn myself. That seems counterintuitive, but it always works. We're going to get to that in just a moment, but, as alwaysuitive, but it always works. We're gonna get to that in just a moment. But, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to the youtube channel and the podcast. Make sure you're leaving us a five-star review on the podcast. Not only is it encouraging to us who make this, it's also encouraging to all those who are looking for a tribe, looking for a community of people where we can learn god's word one chapter at a time, and we would love to just tell more people about what's going on. Also, you can go to the Bible Breakdown Discussion at the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook. And the more we dig, man, the more we find, and today is one of those, and so, if you have your Bibles, you want to open up with me to 1 Chronicles, chapter 17. If you notice, what's been happening is as God's presence is filling the kingdom and the life of David more and more. David says something that is amazing and he wants to build a place for God, a place for God to dwell. When they were in the wilderness and in the early parts of all of that, in the time of the judges, god dwelled in tent. We know that the tent called the tabernacle of Moses and everybody else was building homes and all this kind of stuff. God's in tent and David's like no, my God deserves something more. And you got to see how truly his heart had turned to God. And watch what God does as a result. When you put God first, watch what happens. Let's read this and let's see what maybe God has to say to us today. God's Word says this 1 Chronicles 17, verse 1.
Speaker 1:
When David was settled in his palace, he summoned Nathan, the prophet. Look, david said I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, go log cabin, but the ark of the Lord'svenant is out there under a tent. Nathan replied to David hey, do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you. But that same night God said to Nathan Actually, go tell my servant David. This is what the Lord has declared. You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.
Speaker 1:
I have never lived in a house. From the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day, my home has always been in a tent, moving from one place to another in a tabernacle. Yet, no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to the Israelite leaders, the shepherds of my people. I have never asked them why haven't you built me a beautiful cedar house? Now go, say to my servant, david this is what the Lord of heaven's armies has declared. I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be a leader of my people, israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone. I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth. I will provide a homeland for my people, israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won't oppress them as they have done in the past. Starting from the time I have appointed judges to rule my people, israel, I will defeat all of your enemies. Furthermore, I declare that the Lord will build a house for you, a dynasty of kings, for when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up from one of your descendants one of your sons and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house, a temple, for me, and I will secure his throne forever. I will be his father and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever, for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.
Speaker 1:
So Nathan went back to the Lord and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision. Wow, basically, god is saying up till now, I've never asked for a house. So, in other words, there was no obligation. You didn't have to want to do this. You wanted to build me a house because of your love for me, and so, because of your love for me, watch what I'm going to do. And he just said you're going to have a lasting dynasty.
Speaker 1:
Verse 16 says this. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed. Who am I, o Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far. And now, o God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty. You speak as though I were someone very great. O Lord, god, what more can I say about you than about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like. For the sake of your servant, o Lord, and according to your will, you have done these great things and you have made them known. Oh Lord, there is none like you. We have never heard of another God like you. What other nation on earth is like your people, israel? What other nation, oh God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations that stood in their way. You chose Israel to be your very own people forever. And you, o Lord, became their God. And now, o Lord, I am your servant. Do as you have promised concerning me and my family. May it be a promise that will last forever, and may your name be established and honored forever, so that everyone will say the Lord of heaven's armies, the God of Israel is Israel's God, and may the house of your servant, david, continue before you forever. Oh my God, I have been bold enough to pray to you because you have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him, a dynasty of kings, for you are God, o Lord.
Speaker 1:
Wow, what an amazing back and forth. David said I want to honor God. He's been so good to me, I want to honor him. God was like that's awesome. That's awesome because I never asked for it, and the fact that you want to bless me well, that blesses me back. So look what I'm going to do for you. And then David's like but God, you're awesome. And then God's like no, david, you're awesome. And he's like but no, you're awesome. He's going back and forth and it's just this is great. And so the big idea here is put God first and watch what happens.
Speaker 1:
Can I tell you how many times and I've had to learn this the hard way myself I will sit with a couple and I will say to them, especially if they're struggling, and I will say you know what you need to do? And I'll look at the wife and I'll say wife, you need to insist that your husband become a man of God. Insist that he love God more than you. Insist that he spend time with God every day. And that lady looks at me like she's crazy. The problem is he don't spend enough time with me. The problem is, I don't think. I think he already loves all these other things more than he loves me. I want to be his number one. I go no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 1:
And then I look at him and I say man of God, speaking things that are not as though they were man of God. I need you to insist that that lady over there becomes a woman of God. You need to insist that she loves God more than she loves you and you need to insist that she spends time with God every single day. And he's like same thing hey, dude, look, blah, blah, blah. I said no because here's the thing when you put God first, watch what happens and I'll look at that lady and I will say if that man right there becomes a man of God and he starts putting his life in the right order and he starts loving God, you know what's going to happen God is going to start ordering his life and God is going to start making sure that you have a place of prominence in his life. And all this talking you're doing, all this talking and all this begging and pleading and threatening and all this it's not getting you anywhere. But when God becomes first, god can talk to your spouse better than you can. And then I watch what happens. It's not easy, it's not a perfect situation. It takes time. But you know what I start to notice? I start to notice that the more that man falls in love with God, the more that he starts to love his spouse, because, as he puts God first, watch what happens. And I've noticed that lady when she starts to fall in love with Jesus, she starts to look at that man and start going you know what? That ain't a half bad man right there. I like him, think he'll keep him, and it's amazing what happens.
Speaker 1:
I've talked to single people and I've said, hey look, I've been married a long time. I can talk to married people, but why don't you try it? Why don't you put God first? You stop searching and seeking and begging and pleading for that spouse and instead you become a spouse worth marrying. You get close to God, you do the right thing, you be a person of integrity and watch what happens, and I've seen it happen over and over again.
Speaker 1:
Somebody goes from I can't find any good girls out here, nobody. Blah, blah, blah, blah. All of a sudden they go, man, they everywhere. And I've seen that other thing around. I can't, there's no good men around here. They start putting Jesus first, watch what happens. I can see it. I've seen all kinds. I've seen small business leaders do this. I've seen students do this. I've seen so many people do this to the point that now I have absolutely no problem and complete confidence in telling you whatever you need in your life, put God first and watch what happens. Now that doesn't mean you don't have to do your part.
Speaker 1:
I'm talking to couples and I'm like hey look, dude, you need to stop being a jerk to your wife. Hey, lady, you need to stop being a jerk to your wife. Hey lady, you need to stop nagging your husband or whatever. Sometimes it's backwards, sometimes it's the way around. These things need to happen, but the primary thing is encourage your spouse to put God first. Single person, tell yourself I'm going to put God first, because when you do that, it is amazing how God starts to bless your life, starts to grow you in all these certain ways.
Speaker 1:
So if there's an area of your life where you're failing, give it a try. Ask yourself is God first in this area of my life, is God first? If he's not, I'm going to put God first and watch what happens. You know one other one I've seen this happen so many times is in the area of finances, where people struggle so much with their finances and I say, hey, are you honoring God in your finances? Are you giving to God faithfully the Bible talks about a tithe in Malachi, chapter three 10% of our income. We give it as an act of worship. We're not making a deal with God, right, god? You don't have to give me anything. I'm putting you first. You've blessed me. I'm giving a portion back to you as an act of worship and celebration. Do that and see what happens. I've seen it happen so many times, and so I want to ask you this question what area of your life are you failing? What area do you feel like you're failing? Is there a way you can purposely put God first? Put God first and watch what happens. Let's pray together.
Speaker 1:
God, thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that you're with us. You're for us in every way. I pray, god, that, as we put you first, it's going to be hard, it's going to be challenging. We're going to have to put our trust in you in ways that we maybe have never done before, but I pray that, as we do, you will make the difference. I celebrate you now In Jesus' name. We pray Amen, amen, what God's word says in 1 Chronicles 29, verse 17,. I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow at 1 Chronicles, chapter 18.