January 7 - First Things First

JANUARY 7 - First Things First3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:9–10; Psalm 5; Matthew 4________________________________________“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” —Proverbs 3:9–10“For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” —Psalm 5:4“But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” —Matthew 4:4________________________________________It’s easy to give God the leftovers—of our time, our energy, our attention. We scroll for hours, binge-watch entire seasons, and then maybe pray for five minutes before bed—if we’re still awake. But in Proverbs 3:9, we’re challenged to give God our firstfruits—our best, not what’s left. Jesus modeled this in Matthew 4. When Satan tempted Him, Jesus didn’t try to argue or flex His power. He simply put God's Word first—quoting it as His ultimate source of strength. And in Psalm 5, we see that God isn't interested in being part of a life where evil or compromise is calling the shots. When we start our day—our thoughts, our choices, our everything—with God, we’re building lives that are full, not just busy.________________________________________THINK ABOUT IT1. God Deserves Your Best: Are you giving God the best part of your day, or just what’s leftover? What would it look like to put Him first in your schedule, your goals, and even your playlists?2. God's Word is Fuel: Jesus reminded Satan that life is about more than food—it’s about God’s truth. What lies are you believing that God’s Word can silence?3. Compromise Crowds Out God: Psalm 5:4 reminds us that evil and God can’t share the same space. Is there anything in your heart or habits that’s keeping God at a distance?________________________________________BOTTOM LINEPutting God first unlocks the fullness of life He’s designed for you.________________________________________PRAYERHeavenly Father, I want to give You my best, not my leftovers. Teach me how to honor You with my time, my thoughts, and everything I do. Help me crave Your Word more than anything else and keep my heart clean so You can dwell in it fully. I want to start every day with You and trust that You’ll fill my life with more than I could ever imagine. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.