Summary: Learning how to put the Lord first even in the tough times that we live in our world today. This message is about making changes and following the Lord more closely.

Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Amen?

Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.

“I will bless the Lord at all times.”

Have you ever heard that song?

It goes like this,

“I will bless the Lord at all times, He's good

I will bless the Lord at all times, He's good

I will bless the Lord at all times, He's good

He's good, so good, real good

Each and every day of my life

I'll bless the Lord for He's good.”

How do we do that?

With all that is going on in our world. Our days get a little frustrating with all that is happening here and in the community that we live in.

Ephesians 5:15-16 “15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.“

Things are tough out here in our world.

But through it all, He has a call on our lives.

You and I were made for a purpose. He has a vision for us that we need to hear and see in these troubled times.

Col. 3:23 “23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

You and I were placed where we are for a purpose.

In the community where we live.

In the place we work.

In the church we attend.

We are placed here to serve Him in some way.

He calls on us to;

“Come and follow me.”

Living and working for the Lord requires changes in all we do.

Our lifestyle must change.

Our attitudes must change.

Our purpose in our daily living style and attitude must change.

Amen?

We need to submit and start developing things in our lives for Him and His purpose for us.

You may be thinking, “Why do I have to change or submit myself? Things are pretty good right now.”

They may be but, maybe they could be better.

Making changes and serving Him by serving and loving others brings us closer to the real purpose of why we were created.

Genesis 2:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

The garden is where you and I live. Our city, our town, our neighborhood.

The daily 9 to 5 that we go through each day puts us in the process of all

of the things that we are called to do.

What do you need to remember to keep going?

It is simple.

You and I are alive today for a purpose.

He equips us to be able to handle the daily grind that we go through each day.

He gives us what we need each day to allow us to keep going as we journey through our daily walk.

“I will bless the Lord at all times”

That is what Jesus did while He was here on earth teaching the ways of the Lord.

When He was feeling overwhelmed, He went off and prayed. Sometimes it was for a short time, sometimes it was not.

Some problems that we face in life make it hard to concentrate on putting the Lord first in our lives.

You and I have many self-centered goals.

How much money can we make.

All of the clothes, shoes, sneakers and other things we need to wear because that is the style we are supposed to follow.

Our hair style. The cars we drive. Our Facebook account friends, and all of the other types of social media.

Life is hard.

There is too much stress in our daily living. Amen?

“I will bless the Lord at all times”

It is a habit that you and I need to get into on a regular basis.

We need to start our day by putting Him and His purpose for us first.

Not last.

Not, I will get to it.

I want to encourage you to get in the habit of starting the day by saying, “Good Morning Lord”

He will be happy to see you putting things first that belong there.

It is not going to make your day easier.

It can make it more bearable because you will be reminded that you are here for a purpose.

The only one who can tell us, you and I, what that is, is the Lord.

Some of us need to get out of our box that we have surrounding us and follow Him more closely in our daily life.

That requires change in our daily living by making a few or many changes in our lifestyle.

We may have to say “no” to some of the ways of the world and say “yes” to the things of the Lord more often.

Life can change if we follow the call faithfully and not hold back our lives in the ways of the world.

You and I cannot change overnight but we change our mornings by starting it off by putting Him first.

If you have fallen away in your walk with God or if you have never really made that commitment to have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, I want you consider taking that step now.

Let us all bow our heads.

Let us go to Him in prayer.