Are You Putting the Wrong Things First? | Seek First the Kingdom || Matthew 6:33

0:27 You see, listen, values determine priorities, and priorities always determine success or failure. Values determine priorities, and priorities always determine success or failure. We're preaching through the Sermon on the Mount, living on the rock, building on the rock, and I want you to take God's Word now and turn to Matthew chapter 6, and we're going to look at a verse that we touched on last week, but, uh, did not have enough time, uh, to do it, uh, I think, proper justice. And we're going to look again in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

1:28 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. I want to speak to you today on this subject, the incredible power of proper priorities. The incredible power of proper priorities. Our Lord here is speaking about priorities. He's telling us what to put first. And he says, seek ye first the kingdom of God. Now if ever, ever a message were needed, this one is in this generation, in this day, in this age, and in this place. Ours is a nation and ours is a city of vanishing values and therefore pathetic priorities. You see, listen, values determine priorities and priorities always determine success or failure.

2:23 Values determine priorities and priorities always determine success or failure. We are a generation of misplaced priorities. Therefore, I want to speak to you about the incredible power of a proper priority. Our Lord said, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Now listen very carefully this morning because our Lord has a wonderful, wonderful truth for us. Here's the first thing I want you to see.

3:00 It's the preeminence of our Lord that is required. When the Bible says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, what does that mean? It means make the king supreme. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. IT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD. YOU ARE TO GIVE TO YOUR LORD PROPER PREEMINENCE. Turn, if you want to, or listen to me as I read Colossians chapter 1.

3:37 And I'm going to begin reading in verse 17. I think there's not a better commentary on what our Lord has to say than Colossians chapter 1 and verse 17. It speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is what the apostle Paul says of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. That means everything hangs together by the Lord Jesus Christ. He's, he's the glue of the galaxies. By him all things consist. Now listen to verse 18. And he, that is Jesus, is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. Now, that ought to be underscored in your Bible.

4:32 That's one of the key, key secrets of Christian living, that in all things Jesus Christ would have the preeminence. Now, notice verse 19, for it pleased the Father, it pleased the Father, that in him, in Jesus, should all fullness dwell. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. Now look up here and let me tell you something. In every life, in your life and in my life, someone or something has first place. Isn't that true? In everybody's life, in your life and in my life, someone or something has first place. DR. S.D. GORDON USED TO SAY, IN EVERYBODY'S LIFE THERE'S A THRONE.

5:29 AND HE USED TO SAY THAT EITHER CHRIST OR SELF IS ON THAT THRONE. NOW HE SAID IF SELF IS ON THAT THRONE, THEN CHRIST IS ON THE CROSS. BUT IF SELF IS ON THE CROSS, CHRIST IS ON THE THRONE. GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU IS THAT JESUS CHRIST NOT HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR LIFE. GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU IS NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST HAVE PROMINENCE IN YOUR LIFE. GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU IS THAT JESUS CHRIST HAVE, WHAT? PREEMINENCE IN YOUR LIFE. THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINENCE. THAT'S WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, AND JESUS SAID, we're to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Now you see, you want to understand what God is about? You want to unravel the mystery of history?

6:24 You want to cut the Gordian knot? The mystery of history is this, that it pleases the Father that in Jesus all fullness dwells. And everything that God does is for this reason. Why did God send the Holy Spirit to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ? Why is there going to be a final judgment that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I mean, everything that God does is that Jesus Christ will have the preeminence. And on what basis does he deserve and demand preeminence? Well, because of his deity. In verse 18 that I just read to you, it says this concerning the Lord Jesus, He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. I mean, he is the Lord. He is the Lord. He is God. It's not a Baptist preacher saying that you are to give him preeminence.

7:20 It is not, uh, uh, some denomination that requires preeminence. He is God because of his deity and because of his death. He died. The Bible says that he might redeem us. Now if he's God and if he died for us, Isn't it reasonable that he ought to have first place? Just say amen. I mean, if he is God and he died for us, is it not reasonable that he should have preeminence? I say to you, by every foul mouthful of spit they spat in his face, by every hair of his beard that they plucked from his cheeks, by every lash that they laid on his back, by the piercing of that crown of thorns, by those hellish nails that held him to the cross, by every drop of blood that fell to the ground, by the agony and the great heartbeat of the Lord Jesus Christ. He deserves preeminence in your life.

8:17 You are not your own. You're bought with a price. Therefore, you're to glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. That's the reason the apostle Paul had brought his life into a burning focus and had got proper priorities. and the apostle Paul said in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 13, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, one thing, one thing I do, for getting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Now Paul had just, Paul had learned a proper priority. That is that Jesus Christ is number one. The secret of true success in any realm, are you listening? The secret of true success in any realm is to bring your life into a burning focus.

9:14 Jesus Christ said, no man can serve two masters. The apostle James said, a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways. To be successful, you've got to narrow your interest. In your life, someone or something is going to be number one. The Bible says, Jesus says, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. That means where the king is supreme. People say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Friend, put all your eggs in one basket. And watch that basket. Listen, Jesus is L-O-R-D, Lord. Concentration is the secret of power in any realm. If you take water and put it in a channel, it becomes a mighty river. Just spread it out, it becomes a stagnant swamp. Everything, everything in your life ought to come under the heading of the Lordship of Christ. He must have preeminence in everything.

10:14 But you say, Pastor, I have a job. I've got, I've got to pay attention to my job. I have a family. I must pay attention to my family. I need rest. I need recreation. I NEED FRIENDS. I'VE GOT TO WATCH MY DIET. OF COURSE YOU DO. OF COURSE YOU DO. BUT WHY DO YOU DO THESE THINGS? ALL OF THESE THINGS MUST BECOME THE SERVANT OF YOUR MASTER GOAL. EVEN YOUR VACATION OUGHT TO MAKE YOU A BETTER CHRISTIAN, TO SERVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT IN EVERYTHING HE WOULD HAVE THE PREEMINENCE. THAT MEANS THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT CAN STAY IN YOUR LIFE AND THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO. YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID THERE IN FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER SIX VERSE 12? HE SAID, ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT. WHAT DOES THAT WORD EXPEDIENT MEAN IN THE WAY? IT'S JUST A BIG DOUBLE JOINTED WORD. THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT, WHAT WORD DO YOU HEAR IN THERE? EXPEDITION. WHAT IS AN EXPEDITION? AN EXPEDITION IS A TRIP. WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO ON A TRIP? YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE.

11:08 NOW WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS WHEN HE SAYS, ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT IS THIS, THAT I HAVE A GOAL. I'M GETTING TO THAT GOAL. NOW IF ANYTHING HINDERS ME FROM MY GOAL, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE LEGAL, IT might be lawful, if it keeps me from getting my goal, then it's got to go in my life. That means any friend, any pleasure, any sleep, any rest, any job, any ambition, any hobby, anything that keeps me from making Jesus Christ number one in my life, it's got to go. Anything, any job, any friend, any love, any hobby, any, any emotion that pushes me this way, it's got to stay. Everything has to serve my master goal that in everything Jesus Christ would have the preeminence. It pleased the Father, it pleased the Father that in Jesus all fullness should dwell and that he should have the preeminence. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Now have you done that? I say, have you done that? Have you come to the place where you have made Jesus Christ absolute, total Lord of your life? If you have not done that, if you've not done that, I don't think you have any right to call yourself a CHRISTIAN. JESUS SAID, WHY CALL YE ME LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT THE THINGS THAT I SAY? THE BIBLE SAYS, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED. NOW, DON'T TELL ME IT WON'T WORK IF YOU HAVEN'T TRIED IT. FIRST OF ALL, FRIEND, YOU MUST RECOGNIZE, YOU MUST RECOGNIZE HIS SOVEREIGN PREEMINENCE. YOU MUST YIELD TO THE FACT THAT THE KING IS SUPREME. THAT'S WHAT JESUS IS SAYING WHEN HE SAYS, SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS righteousness. Now, having done that, how is that going to work out in our practical lives? When we think of the sovereign demand of this priority, what are the sweeping dimensions of this priority? Well, let's just see if we can get practical. If, if, if Jesus Christ is number one in my life, if I'm seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, what's that going to mean to me day by day and week by week? Well, number one, it MEANS THAT I AM GOING TO GIVE HIM THE FIRST THOUGHT OF EVERY

13:14 DAY. I AM TO WAKE UP WITH HEAVEN ON MY MIND. I LOVE PSALM 5 VERSE 3, MY VOICE SHALT THOU HEAR IN THE MORNING, O LORD. IN THE MORNING WILL I DIRECT MY PRAYER UNTO THEE AND WILL LOOK UP. HMM. YOU OUGHT, WHEN YOU GET OUT OF BED, WHEN you open your eyes, the very first thought, as you seek first the kingdom of God, the very first thought ought to be your Lord. Rather than letting the alarm clock go off and you roll over and look at it and say, good Lord, it's morning. You ought to be able to say, good morning, Lord. I, I, I am awake and I'm going to live this life for you. I have developed a little habit I just simply call pacing myself. I don't know I've ever told you this in public, but I, I, I have, I do this. This is a habit every morning, almost every morning anyway, P-A-C-E. Do you know what P stands for? It says praise. I wake up, just open my eyes and praise the Lord. God, I give you glory. Praise. A, that's to abide. I say, Lord, I live in you. You live in me. I'm in you. You're in me. Your strength is my strength. C, that is control. Lord, I yield my life, therefore, to you. Whatever you want to do with me today, you can do it. E, I expect you to PACE. I just pace myself. That's the pace I want to live. I want to give God the very first thought when I roll out of the bed, on my way in to brush my teeth, I am pacing my life, praising my Lord, saying, I'm abiding in you. I'm under your control. I expect you to live your life through me today. In all things he has the preeminence, then he ought to have the first thought every morning. And then not only that, but you ought to give him the first day of the week. And then you ought to give him the first NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU OUGHT TO GIVE HIM THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK. DO YOU KNOW WHAT SUNDAY IS? IT IS NOT THE WEEKEND, IT IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AND IT BELONGS NOT TO MICOLOBE BUT TO JESUS CHRIST. ACTS CHAPTER 20 AND VERSE 7, UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, WHEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TOGETHER TO BREAK BREAD, PAUL PREACHED

15:21 UNTO THEM. FIRST CORINTHIANS 16 VERSE 2, UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE, THAT GOD, AS GOD HATH PROSPERED HIM. THAT IS, YOU TO BRING YOUR GIFTS TO GOD ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK. WE'RE TO COME TO CHURCH AND HONOR OUR LORD BECAUSE HE'S FIRST. HE HAS THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK. THE BIBLE SAYS IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 10 VERSE 25, WE'RE NOT TO FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLY OF OURSELVES TOGETHER AS THE MANNER OF SOME IS, BUT EXHORTING ONE ANOTHER. AND SO MUCH THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING, AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE END TIME, YOU NEED MORE AND MORE AND MORE TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD WITH THE PEOPLE of God, to hear the Word of God and to exhort one another on the first day of the week. Sunday is the Lord's Day. We've made it everything else. We've made it a time for football, baseball, fishing, uh, uh, motor car racing and all of the rest of it. Friends, Sunday needs to be set aside for Jesus Christ. It is the Lord's Day. It is not the Sabbath.

16:19 The Sabbath is Saturday. Sunday is the Lord's Day. What is the difference? All of the Old Testament Sabbath prophecies were summed up in the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon the first day of the week, Jesus rose from the dead. Upon the first day of the week, He first appeared to His disciples. Upon the first day of the week, the Holy Spirit descended upon the early church. Upon the first day of the week, the Apostle Paul preached to them. Upon the first day of the week, they received their offerings. And you need to give Jesus Christ preeminence and give him the first thought every day. And you need to give him the first day every week and reserve this day for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll tell you the third thing. You need to give him, friend, the first fruits of all your income. Proverbs chapter 3, Proverbs chapter 3, verses 9 and 10, Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.

17:16 That doesn't mean after you've paid your grocery bill and after you've paid the mortgage and after you've paid Sears and after you've done this and this and this, then you see what you have left to give to God. What a disgrace. What a disgrace. Suppose you invited me to your house and there's a lovely cake there and you give a piece to everybody else and then there's some crumbs on the plate and you say, that's what's left, pastor. That's for you. WE'RE GIVING GOD THE LEFTOVERS. WE'RE GIVING GOD THE CRUBS. WE GIVE THIS THING AND WE GIVE THIS THING AND WE PAY THAT BILL AND WE PAY THAT BILL. FRIEND, YOU HONOR GOD WITH THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL YOUR INCREASES. YOU TAKE GOD'S PART FIRST, FIRST, NOT SECOND, FIRST. HE IS YOUR SOVEREIGN LORD. HE DIED FOR YOU. THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR RECOGNIZING ALMIGHTY GOD. UH, JESUS SAID, SEEKHE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

18:10 YOU SAY, WELL, PASTOR, IF I DO THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH. THE REASON YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T DO THAT. JESUS SAID, YOU PUT ME FIRST, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. YOU'LL DO MORE WITH NINE-TENTS AND GOD AS A PARTNER THAN YOU'LL EVER DO WITH TEN-TENTS BY YOURSELF, MY DEAR FRIEND. SEEKHE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. THERE ARE THREE REASONS TO TITHE. THE LOWEST REASON IS IF YOU TITHE, YOU'LL PROSPER. A higher reason is there's the need of a lost world, but the highest reason is the honor and glory of your great God. There was no other need, and even if you didn't get blessed, just to give him the first fruits. I'm going to tell you something else. You need to give the Lord the first consideration in every decision. You don't make a decision without bringing it to God. Second Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 5, And this they did not as we hoped, BUT THEY FIRST GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES UNTO THE LORD AND UNTO US BY THE WILL OF GOD. WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO THE LORD, THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO FOLLOW OUT. YOUR CHOICE OF A JOB, A VACATION, A GIRLFRIEND, A BOYFRIEND, WHATEVER IT IS HAS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF CALVARY. MANY OF US WANT THE LORD IN OUR LIVES, BUT YOU KNOW HOW WE WANT THE LORD? WE WANT THE LORD AS A SPARE TIRE. FRIEND, HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE THE SPARE TIRE. HE'S THE STEERING wheel in your life. He's the control center in your life. He's not the emergency kit. He's, he, he is the, he is number one in your life. You're to give him the first devotion of your heart. You're to love him. You're to love him more than anybody or anything else. Anything you love more, serve more, or fear more than Almighty God is an idol. And idolatry, idolatry is the number one sin. Our Lord remonstrated with the church at Ephesus for this one thing. I'll tell you what it was.

20:01 They left their first love. He said to this church that was a wonderful church, a going, growing, glowing church, but he said this in, in Revelation chapter 2 verse 4, nevertheless I have this against you, you have left your first love. Do you know what first love is? Well, were you ever in love? Well, I can remember first love with Joyce. Uh, what an experience that was. I remember the first time I KISS JOYCE. WE WERE GREAT SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS. THE CHILLS WENT UP AND DOWN MY SPINE. UH, HER POPSICLE WAS LEAKING. SHE PUT HER ARM AROUND MY NECK. SERIOUSLY, I, I'VE KNOWN THIS GIRL SO LONG. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS THE TRUTH, NOT RHETORIC. THERE'S A GOD IN HEAVEN. I LOVE HER MORE TODAY THAN I EVER HAVE. NOW I'LL TELL YOU WHY, I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THE HONEYMOON HAS NOT ENDED. SHE'S MORE BEAUTIFUL TO ME AND MORE PLEASING TO ME TODAY than she ever was because I have not lost that first love.

20:56 Somebody says the honeymoon is that period of time between I do and you'd better. But friend, listen, Jesus said to this church, there's something wrong with you. Not that you don't love me, but you've left that glowing, burning, passionate love that you used to have. Do you remember how it was when you first got saved? Do you remember how? Friend, if you don't love Jesus Christ more today, you love him less. and if you don't love him more today than you did yesterday, you're living in sin. Every day with Jesus ought to be sweeter than the day before and he deserves, he demands first place in your devotion. Give him the first thought in the morning. Give him the first day of the week. Give him the first fruit of your income. Give him the first consideration in every decision. Give him the first devotion of your heart and of your life. One great preacher proposed to his wife this way.

21:54 He said to her, would you consider being second place in my life? Isn't that beautiful? I love that. Would you consider being second place in my life? You say, I don't want to be second place in anybody's life. If you're a smart woman, you want to be second place in a man's life because any man who loves Jesus Christ supremely will love you in a way that he could never love you any other way. Friend, he will love you with the love of God, and you ought to thank God for a man, a woman, that loves Jesus Christ more than anything else.

22:28 Now, what are we saying? We're saying this, this verse, this verse, this verse says, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. That means a wholehearted devotion to our Lord. And then it means there's some practical considerations. and then not only is there that principle and that practice, but friend, here is the promise. Now look at the promise. Go back and look at it. Verse 33, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. All these things. Most of us are in the thing business, aren't we? Our Lord said, don't worry about the things. This verse is the key to prosperity and this verse is the cure for worry. Modern Americans put things first and God second.

23:24 As I told you last week, we're to worship God, love people and use things. Most Americans love things, use people, and ignore God. And we wonder why we're in the condition that we're in. But our Lord says, if you will do this, if you will put me first, then I'm going to take care of your problems. Do you know what a worrier is? Primarily a worrier is a person who's put things first. That's all. A worrier is a person who puts things first. Now let's review just a little bit. Why did our Lord say not to worry? Look, if you will, here in chapter 6 and verse 25. Look at it. He says here, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought, that is, anxious thought, for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?

24:20 Now, what he's saying is, and verse 26, Behold the fowls of the air, they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. What our Lord is saying, put it down, number one, worry is needless. but then if, if worry is needless, then it is senseless. Verse 26, if God takes care of the birds and the flowers, isn't he going to take care of you? But not only is it needless and senseless, in verse 27, it is useless. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to a stature? That means his lifespan. You can worry yourself to death, but you can't worry yourself alive. IT IS FAITHLESS. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN VERSE 30, WHEREFORE IF GOD SO CLOTHED THE GRASS OF THE FIELD WHICH TODAY IS AND TOMORROW IS CAST INTO THE OVEN, SHALL I NOT MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH? IT IS FAITHLESS, AND THEREFORE IT IS EXCUSELESS. VERSE 31 AND 32, THEREFORE TAKE NO THOUGHTS, SAYING, WHAT SHALL WE EAT, OR WHAT SHALL WE DRINK, OR WHEREWITHAL SHALL WE BE CLOTHED? FOR AFTER ALL THESE THINGS DO THE GENTILES SEEK. YOU KNOW WHAT THE GENTILES WERE? THEY WERE THE PAGANS.

25:28 Worry is pagan, for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. You say, but wait a minute, pastor. Don't tell me not to worry. That doesn't do any good. Tell me how not to worry. All right, I will. Verse 33, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Worry is needless. Worry is senseless. Worry is FAITHLESS. WORRY IS EXCUSELESS. OH, FRIEND, WE ARE TO SEEK GOD, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. SOME YEARS AGO, AT BELLEVUE BAPTIST CHURCH, WE HAD AS A GUEST PETE MARAVICH. WELL, ANY OF YOU HERE WHEN PISTOL PETE CAME AND SPOKE? YEAH, A LOT OF YOU REMEMBER PISTOL PETE MARAVICH. I SUPPOSE ONE OF THE GREATEST, IF NOT TRULY THE GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYER WHO ever lived. Pistol Pete, he was an amazing guy. If you've ever watched the film clips of Pistol Pete Maravich, that guy could do anything with a basketball. I mean, he, he invented the moves that the pros are using now in the, in the college and high school students tried to emulate. He was the guy who, who taught people how to dribble behind their back and pass between their legs. He could make such amazing passes that many times not only would he catch the opposition off guard, but catch his own teammates off guard. Let me tell you what, what his average was in college. His average, 44 points. That's his average. That's not his high game. I mean, that's his average, Scotty, 44 points. He, in his day, he's the top scorer in all collegiate basketball, three-time All-American, 1970, the player of the year.

27:20 And he didn't stop when old Pistol Pete went into the pros. He, he was, he was an incredible player there. He, he, they averaged 31.1 points per game in a career that spanned 10 years. Pistol Pete Maravich played with a flair and with an intensity that had never been seen, in my estimation, on the basketball floor. I USED TO WATCH HIM. DO YOU KNOW WHY HE PLAYED BASKETBALL THAT WAY? IT WAS HIS LIFE. PISTOL PETE MAROVICH SAID, THIS ONE THING I DO. HE WENT TO BED WITH A BASKETBALL. HE TOLD ME ABOUT IT, SAID IN MY STUDY, WE TALKED ABOUT IT. BASKETBALL WAS HIS LIFE, BUT IT NEVER SATISFIED HIM. HIS LIFE SEEMED TO COME APART. HIS MOTHER COMMITTED SUICIDE.

28:24 PETE FELT RESPONSIBLE. HE BECAME A SOCIAL DRINKER. AND THEN HE BECAME A PROBLEM DRINKER, EVEN WHILE PLAYING BASKETBALL. HE HAD NO INNER PEACE. HE THOUGHT MAYBE IF, IF, IF I COULD WIN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, THEN I WOULD BE AT PEACE. MAYBE THAT WOULD BE IT. BUT HE NEVER WON THAT CHAMPIONSHIP. AND HE RETIRED AT 33, THE SAME AGE OUR LORD WAS WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED AND THE SAME AGE THAT ALEXANDER THE GREAT WAS WHEN HE'D CONQUERED THE WORLD. PISTOL PETE MARAVICH, AT 33, WHAT MANY CONSIDER TO BE THE GREATEST IN THE SPORT, NOW RETIRED, WAS ALMOST MORE THAN HE COULD TAKE. FOR 25 YEARS, BASKETBALL HAD BEEN HIS GOD AND IT NEVER MET THE NEED OF HIS HEART. SO PISTOL PETE BEGAN TO TURN TO OTHER THINGS, STRANGE THINGS, NEW AGESM, MYSTICISM, ASTROLOGY, SURVIVALISM, EVEN UFO'S. NOTHING LIKE THAT COULD MEET THE NEED OF HIS HEART. THEN THEN SOMEBODY TOLD HIM OF JESUS CHRIST, THAT OUR LORD LOVED HIM, DIED FOR HIM, ROSE FOR HIM, WANTED TO COME IN AND SATISFY HIM AND CHANGE HIS LIFE. AND PISTOL PETE TOLD ME HOW IN NOVEMBER 1982

29:58 WHEN HE COULD NOT SLEEP, HE ROLLED OUT OF BED, PUT HIS KNEES ON THE FLOOR, OPENED HIS HEART AND RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST AS CHRIST AS HIS LORD AND SAVIOR AND JESUS AND JESUS ALONE BECAME FIRST IN HIS LIFE. PISTOL PETE MARAVICH, LEARNED THE VERSE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE WENT TO COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE BILLY GRAHAM WAS SPEAKING IN A CRUSADE. PISTOL PETE MARAVICH GAVE HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE 35,000 PEOPLE. I WANT TO QUOTE TO YOU SAID. HE SAID, NEXT WEEK I WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME, BUT I WOULDN'T TRADE MY POSITION IN CHRIST FOR A THOUSAND NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS, FOR A THOUSAND HALL OF FAME RINGS, OR FOR A HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS. THAT'S WHAT PISTOL PETE MARAVICH SAID. NO LONGER WAS BASKETBALL NUMBER ONE.

31:06 JESUS CHRIST WAS NUMBER ONE. I REMEMBERED REJOICING WITH HIM AND PRAYING WITH HIM AND THANKING GOD AS I SAW THE BURNING INTENSITY OF THIS YOUNG MAN. THEN IT HAPPENS SO SUDDENLY. He was 40. OUT ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, JUST PLAYING WITH A FRIEND. HIS

31:31 FRIEND SAID TO HIM, PETE, HOW DO YOU FEEL? HE SAID, I NEVER FELT BETTER. AND THEN FELL TO THE FLOOR. IN WRITING PAIN, THEY CALLED AN AMBULANCE. FOR 50 MINUTES THEY TRIED TO REVIVE pistol Pete, but it was all over. 942, January the 5th, 1988.

32:00 He stepped into the presence of Jesus Christ and could look into the face of someone that he'd made number one. I'm so glad he didn't walk up to the throne dribbling a basketball, BASKETBALL, SAYING, LORD, WATCH THESE MOVES. I'M SO GLAD PISTOL PETE MAROVICH COULD SAY, LORD, I GOT IT SETTLED. I GAVE YOU MY HEART, MY LIFE, AND YOU, LORD, ARE NUMBER ONE. NOW LOOK AT ME, EVERYONE IN THIS BUILDING. IN EVERYBODY'S LIFE HERE TODAY, THERE IS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT IS NUMBER ONE. If Christ is number one, if He has the preeminence in your life, then Matthew chapter six, verse thirty-three, perhaps for you can be the greatest verse in all of the Bible.

33:09 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. But if you put things first and God second, You'll never discover the peace that I've discovered, that Pistol Pete discovered, and

33:31 that millions have discovered. Bow your heads in prayer. I WONDER TODAY HOW MANY WHILE HEADS ARE BOWED AND EYES ARE CLOSED COULD SAY, PASTOR, I HAVE REPENTED OF MY SIN. I HAVE TRUSTED JESUS CHRIST AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR. I AM SAVED AND I KNOW I'M SAVED AND I KNOW THAT IF I DIED TODAY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN. IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THAT TESTIMONY, WOULD YOU LIFT YOUR HAND, HOLD IT UP RIGHT NOW? THANK YOU. TAKE IT DOWN. NOW, FATHER, I WONDER TODAY, GOD IN THE NAME OF JESUS. LORD, I WANT TO PRAY FOR THESE WHO HAVE LIFTED THEIR HAND AND SAID THEY'RE NOT CERTAIN THAT THEY'RE SAVED. AND I PRAY GOD TODAY THAT THEY WILL SAY AN EVERLASTING YES

34:21 TO JESUS CHRIST. AND LORD, THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE HIM AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR TODAY, THAT SIN WOULD BE FORGIVEN, AND LORD, THE BURDEN OF SIN LIFTED, AND THE JOY OF JESUS AND THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY NEED WOULD BE PUT IN THEIR HEART. LORD, I PRAY FOR THESE TODAY WHO NEED TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST NUMBER ONE. LORD, WHO NEED TO REFOCUS ON HIM. HELP THEM TO DO THAT TODAY, TO MAKE THAT COMPLETE AND TOTAL SURRENDER TO HIM. AND LORD, FOR THESE PRECIOUS FRIENDS WHO NEED A CHURCH HOME, HELP THEM, LORD, Guide them and give them to us, I pray, in fellowship. Lord, the invitation now is in your hand. Show your right arm mighty today. In your name we pray. Amen.