Today’s Life with the Hellfighters: Priority One

by Richard Burke,

President, Chipley Hellfighters

This week I’ve been ministering at the Sturgis South Dakota Motorcycle Rally. The best count they provided is that there is over 500,000 bikers in attendance. We’ve all got use to the lights and sound of the sirens of the fire trucks, ambulance, and police vehicles as they head to another emergency. But no matter how many times we’ve seen or heard them, most of us will still stop and watch from a distance as they pass by.

I feel as though the lights and sirens are blaring and saying to everyone, “

“PRIORITY ONE!” “PLEASE, YIELD, SOMEONE NEEDS HELP!”

We all understand that when emergency personnel, fire, police and ambulances are responding that they need to be recognized as PRIORITY ONE. Because, just a few minutes could be the difference between life or death for someone. Yes, those bright lights and sirens usually do accomplish their purpose. They demand and get our full attention. But, let’s face it, in life there are always many priorities. We usually wake up each morning and start thinking about our day, and trying to decide what is today’s priority?

But, if you will, let’s stop for a minute and look at today:

Have we considered or already planned out our list of priorities? What do they look like, or is it too early to tell because we’re still trying to organize our day?

Yes, this you can count on, in life there will continue to be priorities. But today as we think about our priorities, I believe as Christians we should make demonstrating Jesus’ love to others, “PRIORITY ONE.”

Matthew 6:33 Jesus says, “But seek YE first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

How can we seek the kingdom of God? Well, we can begin by setting up the right priorities in our own lives.

Priority One, First, we need to be praying and asking for a closer relationship with Christ. When we are closer to Christ, love is multiplied.

Priority One, allow our love for Christ to be our, PRIORITY ONE. Then begin each morning demonstrating the love of Christ through the actions of our daily lives. If we’re looking at people through the eyes of Christ, we’ll find that there are many around us who are hurting in many different ways. For them, it’s an emergency! They need the peace, love and care that Jesus can give!!!

Our love for Christ is like sirens and lights to those who need help. It gets their attention. Our love can make them stop and look.

Priority One, Make it a priority to allow someone who needs encouragement to interrupt your day. If we give them some of our valuable time and love, they’ll see Jesus in us.

Priority One, allow someone who needs a real heart felt prayer, to become a priority to us! Go by or call them, listen and I mean hear their need and then pray with them. Allow them to be a welcomed interruption to our routine day.

Priority One, allow someone who just needs to know someone cares become a priority. Let them know you care and God cares.

Priority One, begin today, boldly introducing the name of Jesus to others. Be like an emergency vehicle for God, sound out our love siren, and grab their attention. Minutes delayed in someone’s life could mean the difference between eternal life or eternal death.

For more information on the Chipley Hellfighters call 850-258-3046 or visit their Facebook page.