The P s of Self Care Establishing Godly Priorities Dr. Kenneth W. Jones, Practical Living Ministry Priorities (God, Others Self Prepares you for Eternal Life)
Introduction: The P s of Self Care Prayer: Man is the being that prays (nepesh); Genesis 2:7 Praise provides strength and victory (Psalms 8:2) People (God made us relational which is where our strength comes from) Presence (Where you spend your time is where you find your life) Process (It s truly how you go about it) Power (Connection, Association, Authority) Purpose (People without purpose lose strength, restraint, and focus) Perspire (Exertion of Ministry) Pruning and Purging Strengthening our faith and requiring commitment Participation (Activities, Associations, Actions, and Alignment) Priorities (God, Others Self Prepares you for Eternal Life) Pursue Perfection (completeness or wholeness) (Hebrews 13:21; Matt 5:48) Patience (Endurance, Temperance) (1 st Tim 6:1; Hebrews 10:36) Peace (keeping your mind and hearts free from worry) (Philippians 4:7)
Review: Your God Given Identity Genesis 2:7 - And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Nepesh Total being of man spirit, soul, and body We are a Total being: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. We were made to look like God and act like God and be a part of His purpose
What Is Our True Self? Redeemed Self Due to fall, man s original Self became corrupted. His perfect being became reprobate experiencing sickness, emotional issues, uncontrollable desires, and his reprobate mind (devoid of the grace and spiritual influence of God) set on evil continually being Through the redemptive work of Christ, our true self is reborn through salvation experience as we are drawn by the Spirit, influenced by God s grace and made a new creation Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 4
So What Is Self Care Really? Biblically, Self Care is focused on our three part nature realizing that what affects us physically, affects us emotionally, and what affects us emotionally affects us spiritually and vice versa You can have a pure body, but a contaminated spirit; you can have a peaceful spirit, but still struggle emotionally. Sometimes it s all in the definitions Many are deceived by a deception of wording (i.e. spiritual formation, mind-body connection) God has ordained and provided principles for self care in His Word Beware of man s interventions, eastern mysticism, and sensual practices that may offer relief but never release leading to deliverance
Priority Defined Something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives Something considered before others or other things Weight: how we attach a value or importance to something Priorities are those things that we deem worthy of our attention or allow it guide our behavior Priorities are linked to our Values, Faith, & Expectations Priorities require considerations, planning, and evaluation Work God Family Self Care Ministry Status Worship
What Does This Mean? Without the proper spiritual mindset or renewed mind, your priorities will be shaped and governed by the world: (1 st John 2:14,15) Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. People with poor priorities oftentimes pursue the wrong things at the wrong times for the wrong purpose Proverbs 21:21: Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
What s Important To You? You can truly identify a person by their priorities Matthew 6:19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal To effectively lead in our home, church, community, and job - When our priorities are clear, our ability to lead others and to care for ourselves will also be clear Spiritual growth cannot take place if our priorities are not clear and well defined Lack of proper priorities can affect your peace of mind and even your physical status
Why Am I Teaching This? There is an old saying, If you don t plan to succeed, you plan to fail. I take it further by saying, don t accept the mindset of failing at all. Most people began to plan and to set priorities because they fear failing or they are failing. We should have the mindset, having faith in God that He will cause our efforts to be successful Israel left Egypt in prosperity, but because of wrong priorities, many perished in the desert. (Deuteronomy 25:15) God will provide for you and at the same time, He wants you to understand and establish your priorities In a world where there are so many competing desires, wants, needs and opportunities, it is important that everyone understands priority and purpose
Why Is This Message Important? Many people have really made a mess of their lives by having the wrong priorities in life. Mark 8:36 - For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? An unbalanced lifestyle can lead to disarray, lack of inspiration, and missing key opportunities Proverbs 11:1: A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight. Having right priorities and pursuing them is essential for our self care
Research Nearly 90 percent of Americans, according to the CIA World Factbook, identify themselves with a religion. But only 12 percent of American adults say faith is a top priority in their life, according to a new study released Monday by the Barna Group. Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/studyfew-americanssay-faith-is-top-priority-46045/#55jiq2wpvjsis5yp.99 I just don t want to act like one. I Just Don t See God as My Priority
Example: Meditate the Word Joshua 1:8 - This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. God established a priority: Meditate the Word, day and night God defines a process: observe to do what is written God also makes a promise: Prosperity and Success
Sometimes Our Priorities Are Off
Remember This Song Based On Scripture: Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus said this after he encouraged the disciples not to worry about worldly things. Christianity is a choice relating to focus and priorities. When you say, Jesus be Lord. What does that mean to you? Kingdom: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule; the kingdom over which God rules Jesus is saying, Put God s kingdom first - He will take care of the rest of these things! Is physical well-being a worthy object to which I will devote my life? Or, Can I trust God for my life and sustenance to the point that I will worry less and serve more?
For After All These Things do the Gentiles Seek What separates a Christian from a Non Believer should be what we seek after Psalms 27:4 - One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. This requires Trust in the Lord based upon serving God with our hearts and He gives us the desires of our hearts (Psalms 37:1-6) The World s mentality seeks after presents The true believer seeks after Presence
Scripture: Psalms 37 Psalms 37:1-5: FRET NOT yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness (that which is not upright or in right standing with God). 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. So many of us live our lives in want and in the pursuit of things destroying our selves in the process. God wants us to have faith that if we make Him our priority, He will give us the desires of our hearts We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world.
God Wants Us to be Blessed 3 John 1:2 - Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. God wants us to prosper spiritually and emotionally even as we prosper physically and financially And Be in Health This is more that just being healthy To be sound, to be well, to be in good health Christians whose knowledge are free from any mixture of error; to be uncorrupt; possessing uncorrupt doctrine One who keeps the graces and is strong (Titus 2:2) Grace refers to the work of the Spirit in the believer s life (charisma)
Questions That Determines Your Priorities: Where do I primarily spend my time & energies? Do I schedule time to pray and seek God? How Often do I attend fellowship at church? Where is the majority of my finances spent? Is God first in your relationships? Is God first in your recreational and entertainment pursuits? Do I understand God s purpose for me and my ministry assignment? If He is not Lord of All, then He is not Lord at All
Priorities: Having a Just Balance Deut 25:13-17: Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. 17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; Finding Balance in Your Life in the Following Areas: SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT FAMILY & FRIENDS PHYSICAL HEALTH CAREER & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HEALTH CARE FINANCES SELF DEVELOPMENT ENTERTAINMENT & FUN MINISTRY & PURSUING CALLING
Haggai: Consider Your Ways: A Message on Priorities Haggai 1:1-7 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built. 3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled (paneled) houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Haggai This was a message of priority: Put first things first. The Temple was the center for worshiping God. It represented the heart and soul of the Old Testament religion. But the people neglected it having moved into their paneled homes and began making excuses why they couldn t work on the temple It is easy to drift away from God's agenda to our own. It is easy to pursue selfish desires while ignoring God's priorities for our lives End Result: Because they failed to keep God and His temple as a priority, the people missed God's blessings. Because the people had pushed God out of the center, they suffered in every area.
How to Set Priorities Evaluate and Examine Your Efforts: Twice Haggai instructed the people, "Consider your ways" (1:5, 7.). The word consider means to give careful thought to. Lack of Evaluation and Examination leads to Excuses: We must take responsibility for our priorities or lack of Economy of Force- The principle of economy of force is a military term where we employ our efforts in the most effective way as possible and minimum effort towards less important activities Are my actions bringing glory to God? Why should the Temple be built? That God may be glorified. When God is not first we are indifferent to his glory and we live selfishly to promote ourselves and our own agenda Consider the following: Spirit Leading, Spiritual preference, Biblical Responsibility, Level of support and financial capability
Individual Godly Priorities: Husbands First Priority: Love God: Deuteronomy 6:5 - And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Second Priority: Love Your Wife (Ephesians 5:25-29) - A married man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church Third Priority: Teach Your Children Proverbs 22:6 Manage Your Household Work and support your family o 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 Serve in a Local Church: Service and ministry to others (Hebrews 10:25,26) 1 Thess 5:11: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Self Care comes from knowing and properly managing one s priorities using godly wisdom, discernment, and hearing the voice of the Spirit.
Individual Godly Priorities: Wives In Titus 2:3-5, Paul exhorts the older women to teach "young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." First Love: Love God & Seek the Kingdom first: Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 6:33 Second Priority: Love Your Husbands Third Priority: Love Their Children Fourth Priority: Live a life of discretion, purity and obedience to God and to her husband wives are to be subject to their own husbands. Like all other Christian wives, they are to "be subject to [their] own husbands, as to the Lord. For God has given Women a strategic position of influence and assistance to their husbands and their children, and they must let love dominate their influence and assistance. Look after the home, assist financially, and serve faithfully in the church Fifth Priority: Minister to God and to His servants; serve faithfully in the church These priorities must be taught! When Christians don t live in a Biblical, godly manner it means that the word of God may be blasphemed among the ungodly.
Must Priorities Always Be Linear? Married Spouse Children Household Management Finances Family Individual Prayer, Praise, and Meditation of Word Service to Others Ministry Moments Life Events Changes in lifestyle Job changes Travel Frequencies Ministry Self Events Emergencies Life Change Stages of Life Callings & Commitments Life Activities Job
Thoughts to Carry Over Where are you in your spiritual self care? What are your priorities? Does your priorities reflect your values, goals, and expectations? How do I ensure a just balance in my daily activities? Is Jesus truly Lord of my life? Priorities are not linear. There are several things to continue such as what is going on, changed expectations, or events
Exercising the D s of Early Self Care and Spiritual Development Dependence upon God Faith builds us up Discipleship disciplined lifestyle Deliverance freedom from bondage Devotion to God Strengthened in our praise, worship, and prayer Discernment Exercising godly judgment and observation to keep and protect oneself 27
R.E.S.T. Always Relationships fellowship; roles (spouse, father, son, etc); connected to God Exercise Physically: bodily exercise profits little; Spiritual: exercise spiritual senses Schedule- Redeem your time; Cease or manage all unnecessary activity; time=importance Trust that God will comfort, strengthen, restore, bless, and keep you