A. Putting God First

This objective has to be THE priority that drives all othes. Prioritizing a deep understanding of God’s will in every facet of life. This involves actively seeking His guidance through consistent and sincere prayer, studying and applying biblical wisdom, seeking counsel from mature Christians, and trusting the Holy Spirit’s leading. This aligns decisions with scriptural principles and fosters a lifestyle that reflects obedience and love for God. It’s important to recognize how this first objective drives all objectives and how how all other objectives are in support of this most primary of all primary objectives.

100 Questions for Contemplation

Foundation and Understanding

1. What does “putting God first” mean to me personally, in my practical daily routine or weekly planning sessions, beyond just the theological concept?
   • Matthew 6:33 - Jesus instructs us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This verse emphasizes that prioritizing God should come before all other concerns, including material needs.
   • Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” This passage reminds us that practical trust involves acknowledging God in all decisions, allowing divine wisdom rather than self-reliance to guide our planning and priorities.
2. How has my understanding of God’s primacy in my life evolved over time? How have I changed or grown? Have I even begun to change enough?
   • Philippians 3:12-14 - Paul acknowledges, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” This verse recognizes spiritual growth as an ongoing process rather than a completed achievement, encouraging continued striving toward spiritual maturity.
   • 2 Corinthians 3:18 - “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” This passage describes spiritual transformation as progressive and continuous, occurring as we maintain our focus on Christ.
3. What Biblical [or historical] figures exemplify putting God first OR possibly failing to put God first… and what can I learn from their good and bad examples?
   • Hebrews 11 - Often called the “faith hall of fame,” this chapter recounts numerous examples of biblical figures who demonstrated extraordinary faith despite difficult circumstances. These individuals prioritized God’s commands and promises over immediate comfort or conventional wisdom.
   • 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 - Paul explains that the failures of Israel in the wilderness “occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” This passage emphasizes the instructional value of negative examples in Scripture, showing the consequences of misplaced priorities.
4. When I Examen my daily schedule or attempt to understand where/why I drift off track, what does it reveal about my true priorities or my inadequacies in meeting my objectives, especially the objective of Putting God First?
   • Psalm 139:23-24 - “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This prayer invites divine scrutiny of one’s inner life, recognizing that self-examination often requires God’s help to reveal hidden motives and patterns.
   • Lamentations 3:40 - “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” This verse connects self-examination with repentance, suggesting that honest assessment of one’s life should lead to renewed commitment to God.
5. How do I discern between God’s will and my own desires when they seem aligned? Can I guard against my ego’s confirmation bias OR are humans condemned to the depravity of ego-driven desires that are not of the Kingdom of Heaven?
   • Romans 12:2 - “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This verse suggests that spiritual discernment develops through mind renewal, enabling believers to recognize God’s will even when it might resemble personal preferences.
   • 1 John 4:1 - “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” This passage calls for spiritual testing and discernment, acknowledging the possibility of deception even in seemingly spiritual matters.
6. How do I recognize when my desires are actually in conflict with God’s will? Is fasting or renunciation of comfort/convenience an aid or an impediment?
   • James 4:1-3 - “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” This passage identifies selfish desires as the source of conflicts, providing a lens through which to examine motivations that may oppose God’s will.
   • Matthew 6:16-18 - Jesus gives instructions on fasting, emphasizing sincerity and private devotion rather than public display. This suggests that spiritual disciplines like fasting can be valuable when practiced with pure motives, focusing on connection with God rather than external appearance.
7. What spiritual practices have most effectively helped me prioritize God in my life? Where have the shortfalls in my practice been? How do I prioritize the prioritization or repetition of what works?
   • 1 Timothy 4:7-8 - “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” This verse compares spiritual discipline to physical training, suggesting that consistent practice is necessary for growth in godliness.
   • Colossians 3:1-2 - “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” This passage emphasizes the importance of intentionally directing one’s thoughts and affections toward spiritual realities.
8. What does it mean to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength in practical terms? Again, does renunciation help this cause?
   • Mark 12:30 - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Jesus identifies this as the greatest commandment, indicating that devotion to God should engage every aspect of human existence—emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical.
   • Deuteronomy 6:5 - “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” This original commandment from the Torah establishes comprehensive love for God as foundational to the covenant relationship, calling for total devotion rather than compartmentalized religion.
9. How do I define success in my spiritual journey of putting God first? Faith is basically not amenable to quantization, but what kinds of other things or indications can I measure and track that help the cause of coaching me in my practice?
   • Galatians 5:22-23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” This passage provides observable qualities that emerge from spiritual growth, offering potential indicators of progress in one’s faith journey.
   • 2 Peter 1:5-8 - “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” This progressive list of virtues suggests spiritual development occurs in stages, with each quality building upon previous ones.
10. What Scripture passages most challenge me to examine my priorities? Do different arrays of suggested passages in support of questions help OR do they lead me off track?
    • Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” This verse emphasizes Scripture’s power to expose hidden motives and thoughts, challenging self-deception about priorities.
    • James 1:22-25 - “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” This passage warns against passive reception of Scripture without corresponding action, suggesting that true engagement with biblical truth should lead to transformed priorities and behavior.

Daily Rhythms and Practices

1. How do the first waking moments of my day reflect whether God is my priority? Why is getting up for my daily holy hour at 4 AM important to me? How do I keep it important? Why is keeping the Sabbath holy important to me, aside from it being one of the Ten Commandments?
   • Psalm 5:3 - “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” This verse establishes morning prayer as a biblical pattern, suggesting that giving God the first moments of the day demonstrates priority and expectant faith.
   • Exodus 20:8-11 - “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…” This commandment establishes regular sacred time as essential to covenant relationship with God, reflecting the Creator’s own pattern and providing rhythms of work and rest that acknowledge human limitations.
2. What practices could I implement and then better implement to revitalize, re-group, reorient my heart toward God throughout the day?
   • Psalm 119:164 - “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.” This verse models frequent, regular prayer throughout the day, suggesting that multiple intentional moments with God can maintain spiritual orientation amid daily activities.
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - “Pray continually.” This brief command encourages an ongoing conversation with God that transcends formal prayer times, suggesting that awareness of divine presence can permeate every aspect of daily life.
3. How can I better transform ordinary, routine activities and chores into opportunities for communion with God?
   • Colossians 3:17 - “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This verse sanctifies all activities when done with proper motivation and acknowledgment of God, eliminating the sacred/secular divide.
   • 1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This passage extends spiritual significance to even the most basic human activities, suggesting that intention and attitude transform mundane tasks into worship.
4. What distractions most commonly pull me away from God-centered focus? Why do ideas to even think about these distractions cross my mind? What is the root cause of these addictive behaviors? How do I cave in the melon of the personal demons driving thoughts of these distractions to enter my mind?
   • Hebrews 12:1-2 - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” This verse acknowledges the reality of spiritual hindrances and recommends both active rejection of distractions and positive focus on Christ.
   • 2 Corinthians 10:5 - “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This passage describes spiritual warfare occurring at the thought level, suggesting that disciplined thought-life is essential to spiritual victory.
5. Aside from my weekly and daily routines as dictated by my boilerplate schedule, how might I better tailor my specific weekly for each week and daily schedules for each day with unique priorities for that day to reflect God’s primacy?
   • Ephesians 5:15-16 - “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” This verse encourages intentional, strategic use of time based on spiritual wisdom, recognizing both opportunity and opposition in daily life.
   • Psalm 90:12 - “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” This prayer acknowledges human mortality and seeks divine help to use limited time wisely, suggesting that awareness of life’s brevity should inform daily priorities.
6. What would a “holy hour” look like [sound like, smell like, taste like, feel like] that truly puts God first in my life? In other words, what is the vision that I have for tomorrow’s holy hour, next week’s, next month’s, next year’s, five or ten year from now?
   • Matthew 6:6 - “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Jesus emphasizes private, intimate communion with God rather than public religious display, suggesting that authentic devotion thrives in personal, undistracted settings.
   • Habakkuk 2:2-3 - “Then the LORD replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.’” This passage demonstrates the value of recording divine communication and vision, suggesting that articulating spiritual goals creates clarity and accountability.
7. How can I better maintain awareness of God’s presence during mundane tasks?
   • Psalm 16:8 - “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” This verse describes constant awareness of divine presence as a source of stability, suggesting that practicing God-consciousness strengthens faith amid everyday circumstances.
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” These commands create a spiritual mindset that can be maintained throughout daily activities, suggesting that gratitude and conversation with God can infuse mundane moments.
8. What triggers cause me to forget God’s centrality in the midst of daily life?
   • Luke 8:14 - “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” In the parable of the sower, Jesus identifies specific distractions that impede spiritual growth: anxiety, materialism, and pleasure-seeking.
   • 1 Peter 5:8-9 - “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” This passage warns of spiritual opposition, suggesting that vigilance and resistance are necessary to maintain spiritual focus.
9. How can I better incorporate gratitude journaling as a practice that reinforces God’s primacy?- Psalm 50:23 - “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” This verse establishes thanksgiving as genuine worship that honors God, suggesting that deliberate gratitude practices are spiritually significant.
   • Colossians 3:15-17 - “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly… And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This passage weaves thankfulness throughout its instructions, suggesting gratitude as an essential element of spiritual life.
10. What little habits am I developing and improving that either support or hinder doing a better job of putting God first?
    • Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This passage frames the entirety of life as worship, suggesting that both physical actions and thought patterns can be aligned with or against divine priorities.
    • Hebrews 10:24-25 - “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” This verse emphasizes the importance of community habits for spiritual growth, suggesting that regular gathering with other believers reinforces commitment.

      Prayer and Communication

11. How has my prayer life reflected or failed to reflect God’s priority in my life?
    • Luke 5:16 - “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” This verse highlights Jesus’ regular prayer practice despite his busy ministry, establishing prayer as essential rather than optional in a God-centered life.
    • Matthew 6:5-8 - “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.” Jesus contrasts authentic prayer motivated by relationship with performative prayer motivated by human approval, suggesting that prayer quality reflects spiritual priorities.
12. What would it mean to pray without ceasing in my particular life situation?
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - “Pray continually.” This brief command suggests an ongoing conversation with God beyond formal prayer times, indicating that awareness of divine presence can permeate every aspect of daily life.
    • Romans 12:12 - “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” This verse places consistent prayer alongside other ongoing spiritual attitudes, suggesting that persistent communion with God sustains faith through changing circumstances.
13. How do I balance speaking and listening in my communication with God?
    • Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 - “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.” This passage cautions against thoughtless speech in God’s presence, prioritizing reverent listening over impulsive talking.
    • Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” This verse commands silence before God, suggesting that quiet contemplation of divine nature is itself a form of worship and communication.
14. What patterns in my prayer life need adjustment to better reflect God’s primacy?
    • Matthew 6:9-13 - Jesus provides the Lord’s Prayer as a model, beginning with God’s name, kingdom, and will before addressing personal needs, establishing divine priorities as the framework for all requests.
    • James 4:3 - “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” This verse identifies selfish motivation as an impediment to effective prayer, suggesting that aligned prayers reflect God’s purposes rather than self-gratification.
15. How do I respond when I feel God is silent despite my efforts to prioritize Him?
    • Psalm 22:1-2 - “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.” This psalm expresses honest anguish at divine silence while maintaining relationship (“my God”), modeling authentic faith amid spiritual struggle.
    • Job 23:8-10 - “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job describes the experience of seeking God and finding absence, yet maintains confidence in divine knowledge and purpose.
16. How can I make intercessory prayer a reflection of God’s priorities rather than just my concerns?
    • Ephesians 6:18 - “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” This verse connects prayer with the Spirit’s guidance and focuses on the community of believers, suggesting that Spirit-led intercession transcends personal preferences.
    • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 - “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” This passage prioritizes prayer for authorities and connects peaceful social conditions with gospel advancement, reflecting God’s salvation purposes.
17. What role does confession play in maintaining God as my first priority?
    • 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This verse establishes confession as the pathway to forgiveness and cleansing, suggesting that acknowledging disordered priorities enables spiritual restoration.
    • Psalm 32:5 - “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” The psalmist describes personal experience of confession and forgiveness, connecting honest self-disclosure with spiritual relief.
18. How do my prayers change when I truly put God’s will before my own?
    • Matthew 26:39 - “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” Jesus’s Gethsemane prayer expresses genuine desire while ultimately surrendering to divine purpose, modeling the tension and resolution of human and divine wills.
    • John 15:7 - “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Jesus connects answered prayer with abiding relationship and internalized scripture, suggesting that alignment with God’s revealed will shapes prayer desires.
19. What prevents me from being fully honest with God in prayer?
    • Psalm 139:1-4 - “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” This psalm acknowledges God’s complete knowledge of human thought and action, suggesting that pretense in prayer is both futile and unnecessary.
    • Hebrews 4:13 - “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” This verse emphasizes divine omniscience, suggesting that authentic prayer acknowledges rather than evades God’s complete knowledge.
20. How might my prayer life become more aligned with the examples in Scripture?
    • Acts 2:42 - “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This description of the early church establishes prayer as a central, communal discipline alongside other spiritual practices, suggesting that prayer flourishes in community context.
    • Ephesians 3:14-21 - Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians focuses on spiritual strengthening, comprehension of Christ’s love, and God’s glory rather than material concerns, providing a model of prayer that prioritizes spiritual transformation.

Scripture and Wisdom

1. How consistently do I engage with Scripture as a means of knowing God better?
   • Psalm 119:9-11 - “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” This passage connects scripture engagement with spiritual transformation, suggesting that internalized biblical truth guides ethical behavior.
   • Joshua 1:8 - “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” This divine instruction to Joshua emphasizes continuous engagement with scripture for both understanding and application, promising blessing through obedience.
2. What practices help me move beyond reading Scripture to living Scripture?
   • James 1:22 - “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” This verse warns against passive reception of scripture without corresponding action, suggesting that true engagement with biblical truth necessarily leads to transformed behavior.
   • Matthew 7:24-27 - Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount with the parable of two builders, establishing obedience to his teachings rather than mere hearing as the foundation of spiritual stability amid life’s challenges.
3. How do I discern which Scriptural principles apply to specific life situations?
   • Psalm 119:105 - “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” This metaphor depicts scripture as providing immediate, practical guidance for present steps rather than distant illumination, suggesting that biblical wisdom addresses concrete situations.
   • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This verse identifies specific ways scripture functions in believers’ lives, suggesting comprehensive application to character formation and practical service.
4. What Biblical wisdom have I been reluctant to apply in my life, and why?
   • James 1:23-25 - “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” This extended metaphor contrasts two approaches to scripture—casual exposure versus sustained engagement—suggesting that blessing comes through persistent attention and application.
   • Proverbs 3:7 - “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” This verse warns against intellectual pride that dismisses divine wisdom, suggesting that humility before God’s instruction is essential to spiritual health.
5. How do I balance knowledge about God with knowing God personally?
   • Philippians 3:8-10 - “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings.” Paul distinguishes between intellectual knowledge and relational knowledge, prioritizing intimate experiential knowledge of Christ above academic understanding or religious credentials.
   • John 17:3 - “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Jesus defines eternal life in terms of relationship rather than mere information, suggesting that theological knowledge serves the purpose of personal communion with God.
6. What Scripture passages challenge my current understanding of putting God first?
   • Luke 14:25-33 - “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” Jesus uses shocking comparative language to emphasize that devotion to him must supersede even the closest human attachments, challenging conventional ideas of balanced priorities.
   • Matthew 19:16-22 - The rich young ruler encounter shows Jesus identifying the specific obstacle to this individual’s spiritual growth—his wealth—and calling for its complete surrender, challenging the notion that discipleship can accommodate all previous attachments.
7. How do I approach difficult or challenging passages of Scripture that don’t align with my preferences?
   • 2 Timothy 4:3-4 - “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” This warning against preference-based theology suggests that authentic engagement with scripture must transcend personal comfort.
   • Isaiah 55:8-9 - “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” This declaration of divine transcendence establishes that human understanding is limited, suggesting that scripture should challenge rather than merely confirm existing perspectives.
8. What role does memorizing Scripture play in keeping God as my priority?
   • Psalm 119:11 - “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” This verse suggests that internalized scripture functions as an internal moral compass, guiding behavior through its presence in memory and conscience.
   • Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” This instruction emphasizes comprehensive integration of scripture into daily life, suggesting that divine words should pervade both individual consciousness and communal conversation.
9. How do I apply Biblical wisdom to decisions when Scripture doesn’t directly address my situation?
   • Proverbs 2:6 - “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” This verse identifies God as the ultimate source of wisdom, suggesting that prayer and relationship with God provide guidance beyond explicit biblical directives.
   • James 1:5 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” This promise encourages direct requests for divine wisdom, suggesting that God actively guides believers through specific situations not addressed in scripture.
10. What parts of Scripture do I tend to avoid, and what might this reveal about my priorities?
    • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” This comprehensive statement about biblical authority suggests that every portion of scripture serves spiritual purposes, even those that seem difficult or irrelevant.
    • Hebrews 4:12-13 - “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” This description of scripture’s penetrating power suggests that avoidance often indicates areas where divine truth threatens comfortable assumptions or behaviors.

Decision-Making and Discernment

1. What process do I use to ensure God is first in my major life decisions?
   • Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” This instruction contrasts self-reliance with divine guidance, suggesting that acknowledging God in every decision leads to clarity and direction.
   • James 1:5-8 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt…” This passage encourages prayer for wisdom with confident faith, suggesting that wavering undermines the decision-making process.
2. How do I discern God’s will when facing multiple good options?
   • Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice… Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This passage connects discernment with both consecration and mental transformation, suggesting that alignment with God’s purposes develops through ongoing spiritual formation.
   • Philippians 1:9-10 - “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Paul prays for love-infused discernment, suggesting that growing in love sharpens the ability to recognize God’s best among various options.
3. What role does the counsel of mature believers play in my discernment process?
   • Proverbs 11:14 - “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” This wisdom principle establishes the value of multiple perspectives in decision-making, suggesting that isolation increases vulnerability to error.
   • Proverbs 15:22 - “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” This verse reinforces the importance of seeking wisdom from others, suggesting that effective planning typically involves community input rather than individual judgment alone.
4. How do I recognize the Holy Spirit’s guidance in everyday decisions?
   • John 16:13 - “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” Jesus promises that the Spirit will communicate divine truth to believers, suggesting ongoing guidance rather than one-time direction.
   • Galatians 5:16-18 - “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.” Paul describes the inner conflict between spiritual and fleshly impulses, suggesting that Spirit-led decisions consistently oppose selfish desires.
5. When have I clearly chosen my will over God’s, and what were the consequences?
   • Jonah 1:1-3 - “The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.” Jonah’s story illustrates deliberate disobedience to divine direction and its negative consequences, suggesting that rejecting God’s will creates disorder rather than freedom.
   • Luke 15:11-32 - The parable of the prodigal son portrays the consequences of pursuing autonomous desires apart from the father’s guidance, yet also demonstrates the possibility of restoration after repentance.
6. How do I handle situations where putting God first seems to conflict with human expectations?
   • Acts 5:29 - “Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’” When religious authorities forbade preaching about Jesus, the apostles articulated a clear hierarchy of allegiance, establishing divine authority as superseding human authority.
   • Galatians 1:10 - “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul recognizes the fundamental incompatibility between seeking human approval and authentic service to Christ, suggesting that genuine faith often requires social courage.
7. What indicators help me know whether I’m truly seeking God’s will or justifying my own?
   • Jeremiah 17:9-10 - “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind.’” This passage acknowledges human capacity for self-deception, suggesting that genuine discernment requires divine insight into motivations.
   • 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 - “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” Paul recognizes the limitations of both external and internal judgment, suggesting that ultimate discernment belongs to God alone.
8. How do I balance prudent planning with trusting God’s providence?
   • Proverbs 16:9 - “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” This verse acknowledges both human responsibility in planning and divine sovereignty in outcomes, suggesting a balanced approach that includes both preparation and flexibility.
   • James 4:13-15 - “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” This passage critiques planning that assumes personal control of the future, suggesting that wise planning acknowledges contingency and divine permission.
9. What practices help me surrender control of outcomes to God?
   • Proverbs 16:3 - “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” This verse promises divine support for plans surrendered to God, suggesting that entrusting work to God enhances rather than diminishes its effectiveness.
   • Matthew 6:25-34 - Jesus teaches extensively about anxiety and trust, concluding with “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This instruction challenges preoccupation with future outcomes, suggesting that God-centered focus on present responsibilities reduces anxiety.
10. How do I respond when following God’s lead results in difficulty or suffering?
    • Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This assurance of divine purpose amid all circumstances suggests that difficulty can be integrated into God’s redemptive work rather than indicating abandonment.
    • 1 Peter 4:12-19 - “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ…” This passage reframes suffering as participation in Christ’s experience rather than divine punishment, suggesting that expected trials strengthen rather than undermine faith.

Relationships and Community

1. How do my closest relationships either support or hinder my priority of God?
   • 1 Corinthians 15:33 - “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” This warning acknowledges the profound influence of social relationships on personal values and behavior, suggesting that spiritual priorities can be eroded through unhealthy associations.
   • Proverbs 13:20 - “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” This principle establishes the developmental impact of chosen companions, suggesting that relationships with those who exhibit wisdom contribute to personal growth.
2. What changes might be needed in how I approach relationships to better reflect God’s primacy?
   • Matthew 10:37-38 - “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Jesus establishes a clear hierarchy of devotion with himself at the apex, suggesting that even the most sacred human relationships must be subordinated to divine commitment.
   • 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 - “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?” This instruction cautions against binding commitments with those of different faith orientations, suggesting that significant partnerships should share fundamental spiritual values.
3. How do I balance serving others with maintaining God as my ultimate priority?
   • Galatians 5:13-14 - “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This passage connects authentic freedom with loving service, suggesting that neighbor-love fulfills rather than compromises divine priorities.
   • Matthew 22:36-40 - Jesus identifies love for God as the greatest commandment and love for neighbor as the second, establishing a clear relationship between these loves without separating or opposing them.
4. What do I seek from human relationships that I should be seeking from God first?
   • Psalm 62:5-8 - “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” This expression of complete dependence on God for security and identity suggests that human relationships should complement rather than replace divine provision.
   • Jeremiah 17:5-8 - “This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD… But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.’” This stark contrast between human and divine dependence uses environmental metaphors to illustrate the consequences of each approach.
5. How do I discern which faith community best supports my commitment to put God first?
   • Hebrews 10:24-25 - “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” This instruction establishes mutual encouragement as a central purpose of Christian gathering, suggesting that healthy community stimulates spiritual growth.
   • Acts 2:42-47 - This description of the early church outlines key elements of vibrant community: teaching, fellowship, worship, prayer, generosity, and outreach, providing a model against which to evaluate contemporary expressions of church.
6. What qualities do I look for in spiritual mentors who can help me prioritize God?
   • 2 Timothy 2:2 - “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” Paul envisions a chain of discipleship transmission, suggesting that effective mentors not only embody the message but can also reproduce it in others.
   • Titus 2:7-8 - “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” Paul instructs Titus regarding exemplary leadership, suggesting that personal example powerfully complements verbal instruction.
7. How does my commitment to put God first manifest in how I treat difficult people?
   • Matthew 5:43-48 - “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Jesus explicitly extends love beyond natural affinity to include adversaries, suggesting that divine priorities transcend reciprocal relationship.
   • Romans 12:17-21 - “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This instruction establishes a distinctive response to hostility, suggesting that God’s primacy manifests in refusing the cycle of retaliation.
8. What boundaries do I need to establish or maintain to protect my relationship with God?
   • Matthew 18:8-9 - “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.” Using dramatic metaphor, Jesus emphasizes the importance of radical separation from influences that lead to sin, suggesting that spiritual health may require painful detachment.
   • 1 Corinthians 15:33 - “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” This warning acknowledges the profound influence of social relationships on personal values and behavior, suggesting the importance of selective association.
9. How do I communicate my commitment to putting God first without appearing judgmental?
   • Colossians 4:5-6 - “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” This instruction balances wisdom and grace in external relationships, suggesting that effective witness combines conviction with sensitivity.
   • 1 Peter 3:15-16 - “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” This guidance for faith conversations emphasizes both content and manner, suggesting that genuine respect accompanies firm conviction.
10. What responsibilities to others might I be neglecting by misunderstanding what it means to put God first?
    • James 1:27 - “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James defines authentic religion in terms of both moral purity and practical compassion, suggesting that devotion to God necessarily includes care for vulnerable people.
    • 1 John 3:17-18 - “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” This rhetorical question challenges disconnection between claimed faith and practical compassion, suggesting that genuine love for God manifests in tangible care for others.

Work and Vocation

1. How does my work either reflect or distract from God’s primacy in my life?
   • Colossians 3:23-24 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” This instruction reframes all work as service to God, suggesting that excellence and integrity in work reflect divine priorities.
   • Ephesians 6:5-9 - Paul addresses both servants and masters, establishing principles of sincere service and just leadership based on awareness of divine oversight, suggesting that workplace relationships should reflect spiritual values.
2. What would it look like to truly work “as unto the Lord” in my specific vocation?
   • Colossians 3:23-24 - “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” This instruction elevates all honest work to spiritual significance, suggesting that excellence, integrity, and wholehearted effort constitute worship regardless of the task.
   • 1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This comprehensive statement extends divine purpose to every action, suggesting that even mundane activities can be performed with sacred intention.
3. How do I balance excellence in my work with keeping God as my ultimate priority?
   • Proverbs 22:29 - “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” This observation affirms the value of vocational excellence and its natural rewards, suggesting that diligence honors rather than contradicts spiritual priorities.
   • Matthew 6:33 - “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus establishes divine kingdom as the primary pursuit, suggesting that other concerns find proper place when this hierarchy is maintained.
4. What false beliefs about success or achievement compete with putting God first?
   • Luke 12:15-21 - The parable of the rich fool illustrates the folly of defining success through material accumulation, with Jesus concluding: “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
   • 1 Timothy 6:6-10 - “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” This warning identifies financial ambition as spiritually dangerous, suggesting that material pursuit can displace faith commitment.
5. How might God be calling me to redefine productivity in light of His priorities?
   • Psalm 127:1-2 - “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain… In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.” This psalm contrasts human striving with divine provision, suggesting that productivity divorced from God’s purposes lacks lasting value.
   • Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus offers an alternative to exhausting performance, suggesting that alignment with divine purpose brings sustainable productivity rather than depletion.
6. What aspects of my professional life need to be surrendered more fully to God?
   • Proverbs 16:3 - “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” This promise suggests that professional success flows from surrender to divine purposes rather than independent achievement.
   • James 4:13-15 - “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” This passage critiques autonomous professional planning, suggesting that genuine success acknowledges dependence on divine permission.
7. How do I maintain integrity in my workplace as an expression of God’s primacy?
   • Proverbs 11:3 - “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” This principle connects moral consistency with positive outcomes, suggesting that integrity provides direction beyond immediate consequences.
   • Titus 2:7-8 - “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” Paul instructs Titus to exemplify integrity in both action and communication, suggesting that consistent character should permeate all professional interactions.
8. What opportunities do I have to reflect God’s character through my work?
   • Matthew 5:14-16 - “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Jesus establishes visible goodness as a witness to divine character, suggesting that exemplary work can direct attention to God.
   • 1 Peter 2:12 - “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” This instruction acknowledges potential opposition yet encourages visible goodness, suggesting that exemplary conduct can overcome prejudice and eventually honor God.
9. How do I handle situations where professional expectations seem to conflict with putting God first?
   • Daniel 1:8-16 - Daniel and his friends negotiate a creative alternative when royal food would compromise their religious commitments, suggesting that respectful engagement can sometimes identify solutions that honor both institutional authority and divine priorities.
   • Acts 5:29 - “Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’” When religious authorities forbade preaching about Jesus, the apostles articulated a clear hierarchy of allegiance, establishing divine authority as superseding human authority when direct conflict occurs.
10. What changes in my career path might better align with God’s calling and priorities?
    • Jeremiah 29:11-13 - “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’” This promise of divine purpose encourages confident seeking of God’s plans, suggesting that vocational direction emerges from relationship with God.
    • Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This passage connects discernment of divine will with both consecration and mental transformation, suggesting that career alignment develops through ongoing spiritual formation.
11. What idols have I allowed to compete with God for first place in my life?
    • Exodus 20:3 - “You shall have no other gods before me.” This first commandment establishes exclusive devotion to God as foundational to covenant relationship, suggesting that anything receiving ultimate loyalty constitutes idolatry.
    • 1 John 5:21 - “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” This brief concluding exhortation in a New Testament letter affirms the ongoing relevance of idolatry concerns, suggesting that even believers need vigilance against misplaced devotion.
12. How do comfort and convenience undermine my commitment to prioritize God?
    • Luke 9:23-25 - “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Jesus establishes self-denial rather than self-gratification as the pathway of discipleship, suggesting that comfort-seeking opposes authentic faith.
    • Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” This appeal frames the entirety of life as sacrificial offering, suggesting that convenience cannot be the primary value in a God-centered life.
13. What fears prevent me from fully surrendering certain areas to God’s control?
    • Isaiah 41:10 - “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” This promise addresses fear directly with divine presence and support, suggesting that awareness of God’s involvement diminishes anxiety about surrender.
    • 2 Timothy 1:7 - “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” This contrast between divinely-given and fear-based dispositions suggests that spiritual empowerment counteracts the paralysis of fear.
14. How does busyness function as a barrier to putting God first in my life?
    • Luke 10:38-42 - In the story of Martha and Mary, Jesus tells the busy hostess, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” This encounter validates focused attention on Jesus above productive activity, suggesting that even worthwhile tasks can displace the “better portion.”
    • Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” This command to stillness connects quiet contemplation with divine revelation, suggesting that constant activity inhibits spiritual perception.
15. What cultural influences most strongly pull me away from God-centered priorities?
    • Romans 12:2 - “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This instruction acknowledges the formative power of cultural patterns, suggesting that conscious resistance and mental renewal are necessary to maintain distinctive values.
    • 1 John 2:15-17 - “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” This passage identifies specific worldly values that oppose divine love, suggesting that cultural influences appeal to basic human vulnerabilities.
16. How do I recognize and address spiritual apathy when it arises?
    • Revelation 2:4-5 - “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” Christ’s rebuke to the Ephesian church identifies diminished love despite continued activity, suggesting that recognition of spiritual decline should prompt both repentance and renewed practice.
    • Hebrews 2:1 - “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” This warning uses nautical imagery to describe gradual, often imperceptible spiritual movement, suggesting that intentional attention counteracts natural drift.
17. What past disappointments make it difficult for me to trust God’s primacy?
    • Isaiah 55:8-9 - “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” This declaration of divine transcendence acknowledges the gap between human expectations and divine action, suggesting that disappointment often stems from limited perspective.
    • Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This assurance of divine purpose amid all circumstances suggests that disappointments can be integrated into God’s redemptive work rather than contradicting it.
18. How does my desire for control compete with surrendering to God’s will?
    • Proverbs 3:5-6 - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” This instruction contrasts self-reliance with divine guidance, suggesting that acknowledgment of human cognitive limitations enables trust.
    • Luke 22:42 - “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus’s Gethsemane prayer expresses genuine desire while ultimately surrendering to divine purpose, modeling the tension and resolution of human and divine wills.
19. What habits of thought undermine my intention to keep God first?
    • 2 Corinthians 10:5 - “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This military metaphor describes spiritual warfare occurring at the thought level, suggesting that disciplined thought-life is essential to spiritual victory.
    • Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” This instruction provides positive criteria for mental focus, suggesting that intentional attention to virtuous content shapes spiritual formation.
20. How do I respond to seasons of spiritual dryness while maintaining God as my priority?
    • Psalm 42:1-3 - “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” This lament expresses profound spiritual longing amid apparent divine absence, suggesting that honest articulation of thirst itself constitutes authentic worship.
    • Job 23:8-10 - “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job describes the experience of seeking God and finding absence, yet maintains confidence in divine knowledge and purpose.

Integration and Wholeness

1. How do I integrate spiritual priorities with physical and emotional needs?
   • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” This passage establishes the body as sacred space, suggesting that physical care constitutes spiritual stewardship rather than competing with it.
   • Proverbs 14:30 - “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” This wisdom saying connects emotional state with physical health, suggesting that spiritual virtues contribute to rather than oppose bodily wellbeing.
2. What does stewardship of my body look like as an expression of putting God first?
   • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” This passage establishes divine ownership of the physical body, suggesting that physical care reflects acknowledgment of both value and belonging.
   • Romans 12:1 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” This appeal frames the body as an instrument of worship, suggesting that physical existence should be oriented toward sacred purpose.
3. How do rest and Sabbath reflect my understanding of God’s primacy?
   • Exodus 20:8-11 - “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.” This commandment grounds regular sacred time in divine creation pattern, suggesting that human rest participates in rather than merely imitates divine rhythm.
   • Mark 2:27-28 - “Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” Jesus establishes Sabbath as beneficial provision rather than mere restriction, suggesting that rest serves human flourishing under divine lordship.
4. What aspects of my personality make putting God first particularly challenging?
   • Psalm 139:13-14 - “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This celebration of divine creation emphasizes God’s intimate involvement in human formation, suggesting that personality itself reflects divine craftsmanship.
   • Romans 12:3 - “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” This instruction encourages accurate self-assessment based on divine grace, suggesting that healthy self-knowledge neither inflates nor diminishes personal qualities.
5. How do I balance acknowledging my limitations with pursuing spiritual growth?
   • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Paul recounts divine response to persistent limitation, suggesting that weakness becomes opportunity for grace rather than obstacle to growth.
   • Philippians 3:12-14 - “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Paul acknowledges incomplete attainment while maintaining forward momentum, suggesting that realistic assessment enables rather than prevents continued progress.
6. What does emotional health look like when aligned with spiritual priorities?
   • Proverbs 4:23 - “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” This wisdom instruction identifies the heart as the source of life’s expression, suggesting that emotional vigilance fundamentally shapes behavior and character.
   • Philippians 4:6-7 - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This passage offers a pathway from anxiety to peace through prayer, suggesting that emotional stability flows from spiritual practice.
7. How do I practice putting God first in my financial decisions and stewardship?
   • Matthew 6:19-21 - “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus connects financial practices with heart orientation, suggesting that resource allocation reveals and reinforces spiritual priorities.
   • Malachi 3:10 - “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” This unusual divine invitation to testing addresses financial obedience specifically, suggesting that generosity activates rather than depletes provision.
8. What areas of my life still feel disconnected from my spiritual commitment?
   • James 1:22-25 - “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” This extended metaphor contrasts passive hearing with active response, suggesting that authentic faith manifests in behavioral transformation.
   • 1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This comprehensive statement extends divine purpose to every action, suggesting that no area of life falls outside spiritual significance.
9. How do I navigate seasons of life transition while maintaining God’s primacy?
   • Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 - “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” This poetic catalog of life’s contrasting seasons acknowledges the rhythmic nature of human experience, suggesting that change itself participates in divine design.
   • Isaiah 43:18-19 - “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” This prophetic word combines release of the past with attention to divine innovation, suggesting that transition offers opportunity for fresh spiritual perception.
10. What practices help me maintain an eternal perspective in temporal circumstances?
    • 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” This passage contrasts visible decline with invisible renewal, suggesting that focused attention on eternal realities reframes temporal experience.
    • Colossians 3:1-2 - “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” This instruction directs both affection and thought toward heavenly realities, suggesting that intentional mental focus shapes spiritual perception.

Legacy and Impact

1. How might my commitment to put God first influence others around me?
   • Matthew 5:13-16 - “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Jesus establishes visible goodness as witness to divine character, suggesting that authentic faith naturally influences surrounding community.
   • 1 Peter 2:12 - “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” This instruction acknowledges potential opposition yet encourages visible goodness, suggesting that exemplary conduct can overcome prejudice and eventually honor God.
2. What would I want others to say about how my life reflected God’s priority?
   • Proverbs 22:1 - “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” This wisdom saying establishes reputation as valuable asset, suggesting that legacy concerns appropriately influence present choices.
   • Acts 4:13 - “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” This observation about the apostles identifies their association with Jesus as the explanation for their extraordinary impact, suggesting that time with Christ visibly transforms ordinary people.
3. How do I balance urgency in spiritual matters with patience in God’s timing?
   • 2 Peter 3:8-9 - “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” This passage addresses divine timing from both cosmic and redemptive perspectives, suggesting that apparent delay serves salvific purpose.
   • Ecclesiastes 3:1 - “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” This opening to the poem of seasons acknowledges the rhythmic nature of human experience, suggesting that appropriate timing varies according to context.
4. What spiritual legacy am I currently building through my priorities?
   • Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” This foundational text establishes comprehensive transmission of faith across generations, suggesting that legacy requires both internalization and intentional communication.
   • Psalm 78:4-7 - “We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done… so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds…” This multigenerational vision establishes testimonial continuity as crucial for faith transmission, suggesting that legacy extends beyond immediate influence.
5. How do I share my faith in ways that authentically reflect God’s primacy in my life?
   • 1 Peter 3:15-16 - “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” This guidance for faith conversations emphasizes both content and manner, suggesting that genuine respect accompanies firm conviction.
   • Colossians 4:5-6 - “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” This instruction balances wisdom and grace in external relationships, suggesting that effective witness combines conviction with sensitivity.
6. What ministry or service flows naturally from my commitment to put God first?
   • Ephesians 2:10 - “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This verse connects divine craftsmanship with purposeful service, suggesting that ministry emerges from identity and fits individual design.
   • 1 Peter 4:10-11 - “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms… so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” This instruction connects gift stewardship with divine glory, suggesting that authentic service channels grace rather than merely expending personal resources.
7. How do I measure eternal impact rather than temporal success?
   • Matthew 6:19-21 - “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus contrasts perishable and imperishable investments, suggesting that genuine value transcends temporal measurements.
   • 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 - “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light… If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.” This metaphor of tested building materials suggests that eternal evaluation rather than immediate appearance reveals genuine value.
8. What sacrifices might God be asking me to make to better align with His priorities?
   • Luke 9:23-24 - “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Jesus establishes self-denial rather than self-fulfillment as the pathway of discipleship, suggesting that sacrifice paradoxically leads to genuine gain.
   • Romans 12:1 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” This appeal frames the entirety of life as sacrificial offering, suggesting that holistic surrender constitutes authentic worship.
9. How do I maintain hope and perseverance in the journey of putting God first?
   • Romans 5:3-5 - “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” This progression from suffering to hope establishes perseverance as a developmental process, suggesting that difficulty itself contributes to spiritual formation.
   • Hebrews 12:1-3 - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus… Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” This athletic metaphor emphasizes both the removal of impediments and focused attention on Christ, suggesting that perseverance requires both negative and positive components.
10. What next step is God inviting me to take to more fully make Him my priority?
    • James 4:8 - “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” This invitation to divine proximity combines approach with purification, suggesting that deeper relationship requires both positive movement toward God and removal of obstacles.
    • Philippians 3:12-14 - “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me… Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul describes spiritual growth as ongoing pursuit rather than completed achievement, suggesting that continual forward progress characterizes the mature believer.