G O P R

A strange picture?

The writer, Karl Lancey in his book ‘Marching Orders’ refers to this painting in a Berlin art gallery by German painter Adolf Menzel (1815-1905). It’s only partially finished. It is intended to show Fredrick the Great speaking with some of his generals before the Battle of Leuthen in 1757. Menzel painted the generals and the background, but left the king until last. He put an outline of Fredrick in charcoal, but died prior to finishing the painting.

Lancey comments: Many Christians come to the end of life without ever having put Christ into his proper place, centre stage.

What is the priority in your life and mine? Is the main thing serving our Master and Lord Jesus?

That great missionary to India, William Carey, became deeply concerned about the attitude of his son Felix. The young man, a professing Christian, had promised to become a missionary. But he broke his vow when he was appointed ambassador to Burma. Carey requested prayer for him: “Pray for Felix. He has degenerated into an ambassador of the British government when he should be serving the King of kings.”

The important point in our lives is surely to

G O P R  – Get Our Priorities Right

In years gone by people would say they were too tired to get up on a Sunday morning to go to church

but, amazingly, people will rise at any hour to indulge in what they fancy doing and today, with the attractions of sport on Sundays, shopping on Sundays etc., there’s so much to enjoy in the world(even when an hour is lost when the clock alters) and any desire to seek God and to worship him with other Christians gets pushed out.

Do you look forward to join with friends in worship and fellowship each Lord’s Day? King David certainly did. The Message paraphrase of Psalm 122:1, puts it like this: When they said, “Let’s go to the house of GOD,” my heart leaped for joy.

That speaks of excitement to be with God’s people in God’s house.

Let’s not be like Demas in the New Testament who had been a zealous co-worker with Paul, but of whom eventually Paul had to write: Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. (2 Tim 4:10). He’d totally lost his priorities, taking up once again the goals and opportunities of Thessalonian commerce.

It could happen to any of us if we underestimate the power and the hostility of Satan, who watches continuously to see opportunities to turn us back to the world. Let’s make sure we G O P R.

Steve Piggott

Elder

April 2016