The Right Priorities, Spiritual Gifts, Planning, Ezekiel 16: Unfaithful, by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy and Publishing by Stacy

Please see today's blog posting at: http://www.storiesbystacy.blogspot.com/ before you read this blog.

The Right Priorities and the Wrong Priorities
The definition of today's man or woman: Busy.
We are busy doing the things that don't really matter. Yet, we refuse to do the things that are right. Why is that? For instance: Do you spend one hour in the Word daily? And, do you pray and rejoice without ceasing all day and all night long? Or, try this one on for size: Do you always give thanks?
Yet, we'll get caught up on the computer, playing video games, looking at porn, dreaming about what life should be, think that busyness gives us value or self-worth.
Why is it our priorities are so fouled up and why is it we continue to feed them even though they are the wrong priorities?
If our priorities aren't based on Kingdom-thinking, or on heaven, then we're focused on the things that don't last. We are going against what God has in mind for us.
How do you know your priorities? What should matter to you? These are a couple of questions that might be in your mind right now.
What are priorities? A priority must take precedence and come first in your life. Nothing else should ever come in the way of it. Never, ever. Our priorities must be first our spiritual gifts and what God has called us to do. It can be the things you do in order to bring about a dream. It can be your life goals. It can be the daily necessities: work, eating, sleeping, cleaning, etc. A priority is that which is important to you.
If your priorities line up with the Word and what God wants from you, then you're focusing on the wrong priorities. Delete them from your life. Eliminate them.

Spiritual Gifts:
What are spiritual gifts? Read 1 Corinthians 12.

Planning:
Part of the Sin of Busyness means that our priorities are out of line. Part of busyness, wrong priorities, and a stressed-out life stems from either the lack of planning or poor planning. Make your life easier by planning and making sure you live out your priorities through proper previous planning. Don't plan as you go. Don't neglect your planner even one day. It will mean your priorities slip.

Purging the Things That Don't Matter:
Get rid of the things in your life that don't matter. Do it today. Focus mainly on the things of eternal consequence. Be single -minded in this area. God matters. The Word matters. When we die, none of us will say that we wish we had more on our plate, a busier schedule, or focused on the things that weren't a priority in our lives. So, stop living that way now.

Learn How to Say No
If asked to do something, you don't have to do it because you're Christian and that's what Christians do. In fact, it's usually wrong when we don't say no. When we say that we'll do something that is not a priority and is not a spiritual gift, we're getting in the way of someone else who's gift it is to do that activity. Just say no. An explanation is never owed. Just say no--unless it's your priority. It will free up your schedule and decrease your stress.

Ezekiel 16: Unfaithful
I'm working on writing a Bible study based on this topic and out unfaithfulness to God.

How are you? What's new? What's on your mind? Let me know.

Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy and Publishing by Stacy