2017-08-15 Put God first in your life 把神放第一位 (2)

Last time we started this topic of putting God first. Today, I’m gonna continue my message on “the benefits of putting God first.” 上周我們开始分享了“把神放在第一位”，今天，继续分享“把神放在第一位的益处”。

I have found that many new converts start to imagine how God is gonna bless them, since they have become Christians. 许多新信徒信主后，自然而然就开始想象神会怎样地祝福他们。Have you imagined this: “Will God give me a good job? Will God give me a beautiful wife? will God give me this and give me that, because He wants to bless me”.你有没有想过，“神会给我一份好工作吗？神会给我一个漂亮的妻子吗？神会给我們这个，神会给我那个，因为神一定想要祝福我的呀。

Yes, for sure I know that God wants to bless us. His loves us so much and wants to bless us in His faithfulness.没错，神绝对是想要祝福我们的，祂实在是爱我们，想要在祂的信实里祝福我们。So I’ll start with 1 When you put God first, the Lord provides.因此，今天的分享:1,当你把神放第一位，神就供应一切所需。

1，When you put God first, the Lord provides. 当你把神放第一位，神就供应一切所需。

Jesus tells us, “do not worry, saying ‘what shall I eat, or what shall I drink or what shall I wear? For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 主耶稣说：“不要忧虑说，吃什么？喝什么？穿什么？这都是外邦人所求的。你们需用的这一切东西，你们的天父是知道的。你们要先求祂的国和祂的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。”太6：31-33

When Jesus was on the earth, he set an example for us in that he sought first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and the Father provided whatever he needed. 当主耶稣来到地上，他为我们做了一个榜样，他先求神的国神的义，天父就供应他所需的一切。

God loves us and cares for us so much, When Jesus was resurrected from death, he appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias, 神何等爱我们，关心我们，当耶稣从死里复活后，在提比哩亚海向门徒显现时，do you know what Jesus asked his disciples? 他对门徒说了啥？“Children, do you have any fish?” “Do you have anything to eat?” “No” they answered him, “小子们，你们有鱼吗？”“你们有吃的吗？”门徒回答说，“没有！”。then Jesus provided them with a large number of fish, and fed them with fish and bread. 耶稣就给他们许多鱼，并且让他们吃鱼吃饼，吃饱了。

Can you see how God cares for us? Before you ask for what you need, He already knows! Jesus loves us, He doesn’t want our lives to be messed up by earthly worries. 看到神多么关心我们了吗？在我们还没有求以先，祂就知道了，祂不想我们因忧虑地上的事情，而搞砸我们的生命。

He is the Lord of ALL, and the Creator of ALL, He even could order ravens to feed his servant Elijah, when Elijah put God first in his life, and declared the word of God to the King Ahab who wanted to kill Elijah. 祂是一切的主，是一切的创造主。当以利亚向亚哈王宣告神的话，王就要杀他；这位先知把神放第一位，神甚至吩咐了乌鸦来养活他。

The bible tells us, “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 1 King 17:5” 经上说，王上17：6乌鸦早晚给他叨饼和肉来，他也喝那溪里的水。

I’m amazed at God’s marvellous work! Would you imagine that the ravens brought Elijah bread and meat but they didn’t eat or give them to their children to eat? 神的作为实在奇妙！你可以想象这个场景吗，乌鸦竟然自己不吃那饼和肉，也不给自己的雏鸟吃，而是叨给以利亚吃？Every morning and every evening they brought bread and meat to Elijah. 每天早晚，它们给以利亚叨饼和肉，Isn’t that amazing? 这太奇妙了吧？

I’m amazed at God’s power that He could even hold back the ravens’ instinct to eat the food and let them deliver the food to His servant first. That’s amazing.我惊奇神可以做这样的工，当祂仆人把祂放第一位，祂竟然使乌鸦抑制了自己的本能，自己不吃而让祂的仆人先吃，是不是很奇妙？That’s the power of the Almighty God who is the Creator of ALL. He is the unchangeable God. We know that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. 这就是创造主，全能神的大能，神永不改变。耶稣基督昨日、今日、一直到永远，是一样的。

He provisioned Elijah, He will also provision us, if we put Him first and set the Kingdom priorities in our lives, those things will be added to us as well. 我们若是像以利亚一样，把神放第一位，把神国需要放在我们生命中最优先位置，其他一切都要加给我们了。神怎样供应以利亚，也要怎样供应我们。

2, When put you God first, the Lord directs you.我们把神放第一位，神就指引我们。   

“In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (Proverbs 3:6 LIVING) 直译：在一切所行事上，把祂放第一位，祂必指引你的路，并使你所做的成就。箴3：6

Here it says if we put God first, in everything we do, and in every decision we make, we call on Jesus first, and seek His righteousness and His will, instead of looking for answers from someone else first, 这里说，若我们在做每件事、做每个决定时，若先寻求神，寻求祂的公义和旨意，而不是先去找人问，God will direct us, He will even use people to direct us. And It is God who alone can crown our efforts with success. 神就会引导我们，甚至差人来指点我们；唯有上帝，可以使我们所付出的得着成果。

Ecclesiastes 9:11It reveals a wise word to us, it says that the swift may not win the race, nor the strong win the battle; the wise and the brilliant may not earn money, nor the learned gain favour; but depends on time and chance.传道书9:11 这话开启智慧，它说跑的快的人未必赢，强壮的也未必打赢，聪明的也未必赚到钱，灵巧的也未必被喜悦，全在乎当时的时机。

Who controls time and chance? 谁掌管时机和机会呢？It’s God. 是神。It means that it’s useless for us to run faster than God. Putting God first is wisdom. 就是说，跑得比神快是没用的，把神放第一位才是智慧。In everything we do, even if we need to see a doctor, pray for His guidance, and ask for His direction, maybe He will heal us directly, or He will direct us to find a good doctor to help us. 我们所做的任何事，哪怕是看医生，你寻求他的指引，或许祂会直接医治你，或许祂指引你找到一位好医生，Because only He is our peace and healer. 唯有祂是平安，是医治者。

“Where should I go to study? where should I go to live? Where should I go to work”. “我要去哪里读书？我该住在哪里？我该找什么工作”Put God first. He will direct you, If He doesn’t answer, wait for Him patiently. Whoever waits for Him will never be put to shame.把神放第一位，祂会指示你。如果祂没有马上回答，就耐性等候祂，等候祂的必不至羞愧。

When my daughter was a second-year high school student, she asked me, “Mum, how do I pray that the Lord will direct me to where I should go to university?” 我女儿高中二年级时问我，“妈妈，我要怎么祷告神，神才会指示我该去哪里读大学呢？”I answered her, “Put God first in your life by offering your life to Him, then, ask God”我告诉她，“先把神放在第一位，把你的生命献给祂，然后再求问祂。”

She did, I believe that God accepted her offering of her life, and that night God directed her with a dream, in which Lincoln university interviewed her, 孩子照着做了 ，我相信神接受了她的献上，当晚她得了一个梦，梦中林肯大学面试了她，at that time, we were living in Asia and even I hadn’t heard about this university six months later, the dream came true, and last year she graduated from that university. 那时我们还在亚洲，我完全没有听说过这所大学，过了6个月，这梦就成就了；去年，她从这所大学毕业了。

In everything you do, put God first, every single day, I believe He has a plan for us, 在你一切所行的事上，把神放第一位；我相信每一天神对我们都有祂的计划。if we seek His will in everything we do, and wait for Him trusting His words, He will direct us.And our lives will become more meaningful and joyful, do you believe it? 我们若在每件事上寻求祂的旨意，信祂的话，等候祂，祂就会指引我们，我们的生命因此就会更喜乐 和有意义。你相信吗？

3, When you put God first, the Lord protects you. 把神放在第一位，神就保护我们。       

Now I’m gonna go back to the story of Elijah in 1 King 17, 让我回到列上17章以利亚的故事。you know, the nation of Israel in that period had fallen into sin and idolatry, because their King Ahab had married Jezebel and turned his faith from the living God to Jezebel’s false God - Baal, 那时候亚哈王娶了耶洗别，就拜了耶洗别的假神巴力，不忠心跟随神，使以色列国陷在犯罪和拜偶像中。

God sent his prophet Elijah to declare His judgment upon Ahab, Jezebel, and the Nation. So Elijah said, “there will be neither dew nor rain the next few years except at my word.” 神差了先知以利亚，向亚哈、耶洗别和全国宣告祂的审判。于是以利亚说，“我若不祷告，必不降露，不下雨。” Wow, it seemed that Elijah was being defiant in saying that! 哇！敢说这样的话，太目中无人了吧。Sometime a faithful man of God is crazy in man’s eyes. 有时候向神大有信心的人，在人看来有点疯狂。

So the king wanted to kill Elijah when he heard this bad news. 以色列王听到这个凶信，要杀以利亚。When the brook dried up because there had been no rain, God sent Elijah to Zarephath of Sidon to stay there, God arranged a widow to supply Elijah after the time when He had used the ravens to bring food to Elijah.因没有降雨，溪水干了后，神让以利亚去西顿的撒勒法，住在那里，并吩咐那里的一个寡妇供养他。

Let’s see v.10-11, “So he went to Zarephath, when he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘would you bring me a little water in jar so I may have a drink?” that was a reasonable request. 我们来看10-11节，以利亚就起身往撒勒法去。到了城门，见有一个寡妇在那里捡柴，以利亚呼叫她说：“求你用器皿取点水来给我喝。”（这是个合理要求。）

“As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’” Oh, that was hard. 她去取水的时候，以利亚呼叫她说：“求你拿点饼来给我。”（哇，这个要求好难。）Because she replied, “I don’t have any bread- only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat and die.” 因那寡妇说，“我指着永生耶和华你的神起誓，我没有饼，坛内只有一把面，瓶里只有一点油；我现在找两根柴，回家要为我和我儿子做饼；我们吃了，死就死吧。”

What a poor widow who had no food, no resources, no power, and even no hope for the future of her own life, whose only companion was her son.这寡妇穷到一个地步，没有吃的，没有储备，没有能力，也不知道怎么活下去，她唯一有的就是一个儿子；  but God had sent Elijah to go and ask her for his sustenance, so that his needs might be met. 神就差以利亚投奔这样一个人，让这穷寡妇给他吃给他喝。Can you see the difficulties? 你能想象这有多难吗？

It would have been much easier to say to Ahab that it wasn’t going to rain, than to say to the desperate widow to give food first to Elijah before she fed her only son. 让一个穷到快饿死的寡妇，把仅有的给独子的饼让出来给他吃，比对亚哈王说天不会降雨还难的多多了。It seems to be so cruel, if we just listen to the first part of His words, “First make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son, v.13” 13节，“只要先为我做一个小饼拿来给我，然后为你和你的儿子做饼。” 如果只听这前半段话，我们会想说：实在太残忍了！

Please think about it, in what a desperate situation the prophet Elijah who asked to feed him first? 想一下，在怎样的绝望的环境里，先知要寡妇先给他？The widow said, “I only have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug, I and my son may eat and die.” 这个寡妇说，我只有一把面，一点油，我和我儿子吃了，死就死吧。

The request seems to be so cruel,But God’s intention was not to harm this desperate widow, 这个要求看上去太残忍了,但神的心意不是要伤害一个快饿死的寡妇，God wanted to adjust her priorities from herself first to putting God first, then God was gonna show His rich glory and His amazing power of protection to them.神是要调整她的优先次序，要她把自己让出来，把神放第一位，神就要显出祂丰盛的荣耀，和保护的大能。

Afterwards, God elevated her knowledge of the glory of God. In the end of this chapter, the widow said, “now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your month is the truth.” 后来，神提升了寡妇对神荣耀的认识，这章最后，她说，“现在我知道你是神人，耶和华借你口所说的话是真的。”But beforehand, there was a big challenge of her faith. 但是，在此之前，她面临一个巨大的信心的考验。

The challenge for her was that she even didn’t know God’s will, from v.12 we see, she said to Elijah, “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” 这个考验是她根本就不知道神的旨意，12节说，“我指着永生耶和华 你的神起誓”，How did she know that if she put God first, she would receive benefits? 她怎能知道若她把神放第一位，会使她得益处？

God was gonna elevate her knowledge of the glory of God! V.14, “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.”神却使她认识祂的荣耀。14节说，“坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不短缺，直到耶和华使雨降在地上的日子。” How? She didn’t know. 怎么实现这话？她一点不知道。

But faith is beyond seeing and feeling.She obeyed the word of God by putting herself and her son last, but putting God first, obeying the word of God first, even taking a risk, that’s faith.但信心远超过眼见和感觉，她把自己和儿子放最后，把神的话放在第一位， 甚至冒险去遵行，这就是 信心。

Our faith must be shown by our actions. She overcame the fear of being imprisoned by the circumstances of her crisis, that she and her son might have died because she had first made the last bit of food for the man of God.我们的信心必须带出行动，她胜过了危险环境所带给她的恐惧，因为那剩下的最后一点食物，没有给自己和儿子，却给了神的仆人，他们自己有可能就死了。

Imagine, if we were her, what kind of voice might come to tempt us? 想一下，换做我们，我们会遇见怎样试探的声音？ (Self-pity): “O God, why do you allow such an unfair thing to happen to me? I’m so to be pitied ! My son and I are going to die” （自怜：）“神啊，怎么这么不公平啊？我和儿子都要死了，我们好可伶！” (Blaming and doubt): “Why do You still allow him to rob from me? it’s unfair” 责怪和怀疑：）“为什么你允许他来想抢我的东西？太不公平了。”

“Maybe this man is cheating me…” so we might have said to Elijah, “Why don’t you ask your God to fill the jar with flour first? Then I will believe you” (也许这人在骗我，于是我们可能对以利亚说，“为什么不叫你的神先把坛里的面撞满了，我才信你。” )

(Unforgiveness, anger and telling lies,) Our nature might have said to Elijah, “No, I don’t have any leftover to supply you.”（不饶恕，仇恨，说谎）然后我们的天然人，可能对以利亚说，“不行，我没有剩的，给不了你。”

Of course, it’s gonna be easier for us to be self-defensive and protect our own interests when we think we are in crisis, rather than seek the will of God and obey the word of God, and to put His will first in our circumstances. 实际上，人处在危机中，很容易自我保护，保护自己的利益，行自己的道路，而不是在环境中把神放第一位，寻求神的旨意并遵行神的话。

However, if we act in our own way, we will lose the opportunity to receive the marvellous benefit of putting God first like this poor widow. 然而行在自己的道路中，不是把神放第一位，就会失去像穷寡妇这样，得到神奇妙祝福的机会。

She said “yes” to Elijah and obeyed the word of God in her faith.她对以利亚说：yes，就凭着信心遵行了神的话。What a precious faith the poor widow displayed to us, although she didn’t really know God’s plan and His good will. 这穷寡妇向我们彰显的是何等宝贵的信心，尽管她根本就不知道神的计划和旨意。

Yet in the midst of her painful situation God was gonna show her the benefit and the great joy of putting God first! “for the jar of flour was not used up, and the jug of oil did not run dry.” 但在她极难的环境里，神却将把神放第一位的益处显明给她看，就是“坛内的面必不减少，瓶里的油必不短缺”，Hallelujah! That’s awesome! This widow experienced a miraculous sign in her desperate situation when she put God first. 哈利路亚！太棒了！当这寡妇在绝境中愿意把神放在前面，她经历了神迹。

Our God is powerfully enough to help us to overcome difficulties and perform miraculous signs, if we can put His word first in our hard time.若我们在困境中仍把祂放第一，神有足够的大能帮助我们胜过困境，并施行神迹。

4, When you put God first, no fear can seize you.把神放第一位，惧怕就不能控制你。

From v. 17-23, we learn that God is the only One who controls life, and He alone can raise the dead from death to life. 从17-23节里看到，我们看到神是掌管生命的主宰，只有祂可使死人复活。Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. John 11:25 ，约11:25耶稣说，“复活在我，生命也在我。信我的人虽然死了，也必复活。”

Fear can hinder us from trusting in God’s word to live! What do you still fear? 惧怕会拦阻我们在生活中信靠神。我们还在惧怕什么呢？Some people somehow fear staying alone or walking alone in the dark; 有人很怕独自一个人在黑的地方，或摸黑走路；some fear getting sick that they may suffer pain or lack money to get treatment; 有人很怕生病，因为怕痛，或没钱看病；Some may fear that they will be rejected and not accepted by people; some may fear death what else do still you fear? 有人怕被人拒绝怕被不接纳；有人怕死，还怕什么？

Go and serve. Learn from the poor widow’s faith, 去服事，去效法穷寡妇的信心，give to someone else rather than to yourself, 先给人再给自己，put God first rather than your own will, 把神摆第一位，而不是自己的意思，give to somebody else to meet his needs before your needs, 先满足别人的需要然后才满足自己的需要。

do you know why? Because by doing that the yoke and chains of being imprisoned by fear and worry can be broken. 知道为什么吗？因为这样，惧怕和担忧的重轭绳索就会脱落。The Bible says, there is no fear in love, Love is not self-seeking.圣经说，爱里没有惧怕，爱是不求自己的益处。Putting God first, even taking a risk, can break the yoke of being imprisoned by fear.就算冒险，把神放第一位，惧怕的捆索就会松脱。

Showing faith in the Lord is a way of receiving blessings. V. 13, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, BUT make me a small cake from it first, AND bring it to me; AND afterward make some for yourself and your son. 在主里面彰显你的信心，就得着祝福。13节说，“不要惧怕，可以照你说的去做吧。只要先为我做一个小饼拿来给我，然后为你和你的儿子做饼。”

Can you see the principle of receiving the benefit of the kingdom priority here? How to be in peace and not in fear? I have highlighted the words that explains the priority. 看到没有？摆对次序就是神国得祝福的法则。我们怎样得着平安不再惧怕？我在此把表示次序的词标出来：

Do not fear—BUT—AND ---AND, Do not fear---BUT put God first--AND give God first.—AND last is ourselves. 不要惧怕——只要——然后——再。不要惧怕，只要把神放第一位，然后先给神，再给自己。

If we do this in the Holy Spirit and His love, fear will lose its grip on us. 借着圣灵和祂的爱，惧怕就会脱落。If we put God first, God will fight for us.若我们把神放第一位，神就要为我们争战。Do not give your leftovers to the Lord, BUT give Him your first. 不要把剩下的给神，但把最好的给他。

Every morning when we wake up, give Him your first time and your first energy to Him. 每天早上醒来，把最初的时间和最好的精力给祂。You will reap great benefits from Him as He is the Lord of ALL. 你就要从祂那里得益处，祂是一切的主宰。

Our time, our talents, our plans, and our money, all sorts of things let’s prioritize who is going to have our first, Ourselves? Or God? If we put God first, He will work out abundance for us.我们的时间、我们的才能、计划、钱财，所有这些，让我们来重新规划， 这些东西当先属谁？若我们先给神，祂就要使我们丰裕。

Do you want the one who loves you to give you his leftovers? 你想你所爱的人把他剩下的、不要的给你吗？No, you want him to give you his good things. 绝不会，当然都会想他把好的给我们。God never gives us any leftovers, but gave up His Beloved Son’s life for us for the forgiveness of our sins. 神绝不会给我们剩下的，而是把爱子的性命给了我们，使罪得赦免。He has given us the best. How can we give Him our leftovers and dishonour Him? 祂把最好的给了我们。我们怎可以把剩下的给祂，来羞辱祂呢？

If you put God first in your life, you will receive more than enough.若你把神放第一，你会得着超过所求所想。If you put God first in your life, you will see his amazing work in your life.若你把神放第一，你将看见祂在你生命里的奇妙工作。

If you put God first in your life, no fear can seize you.若你把神放第一，没有惧怕可以控制住你。If you put God first, your life will be filled with testimonies of how God is real.若你把神放第一，你的生命里将充满神各种真实同在的见证。

If you put God first in your life, you will become a blessing to many, even your family members who are non-believers that will see salvation through you 若你把神放第一，你会成为很多人的祝福，你的不信家人要因你看见救恩。

If you put God fist in your life, your faith can be a supernatural pipe to overflow God’s amazing work to those around you. 若你把神放第一，你的信心将成为神奇妙工作的管道，将奇妙流向你身边的所有人。

If you put God first in your life, you will become noble vessel to be used in God’s kingdom and people will see light from you. 若你把神放第一，你将成为神国里贵重的器皿被神所用，人将从你见到光。