Am I putting God first in everything?

The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger—whom shall I fear? When evil men come to destroy me, they will stumble and fall! Yes, though a mighty army marches against me, my heart shall know no fear! I am confident that God will save me. The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. There I’ll be when troubles come. He will hide me. He will set me on a high rock out of reach of all my enemies. Then I will bring him sacrifices and sing his praises with much joy. Tell me what to do, O Lord, and make it plain because I am surrounded by waiting enemies. Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted, and courageous. Yes, wait, and he will help you. - Psalm 27:1-6,11,14 (Living Bible)

If you want favor with both God and man and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. - Proverbs 3:4-6 (Living Bible)

Most Christians are more than content to live out their lives surrounded by the trappings of our world rather than to risk losing them in becoming a radical Christian. A radical Christian (by my definition) is one who will put God first in all decisions, even when putting God first is costly. In the business world, this means putting God first, even when doing so costs money. That is true freedom - spiritual freedom - as opposed to business bondage. - Larry Burkett

Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. - Philippians 2:4-8 (The Message)

My parents instilled in me that the way to contentment in life was not in looking out for number one, or manipulating the circumstances of life to get my own way, or pursuing riches, all in a way that leaves behind a trail of collateral damage in the form of lives negatively impacted, but rather to choose JOY, with joy being an acronym for:
Jesus first
Others second
Yourself last

Would others testify that I live my life by choosing JOY?

Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now, I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear,
and while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
Silently now, I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere.
Open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now, I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me,
Spirit divine! - Clara Scott

Be Encouraged to put God first in ALL decisions and execute with JOY.

-Jeffrey Thornton