Don't neglect God in your service to Him

I've been guilty of it and I've talked to tons of people who have done it: We get so busy WORKING FOR God, we neglect our own relationship WITH God. Its really easy to get so caught up with the work of God, we miss the one we are working for. We get so busy trying to connect people with God we neglect our own connection with God. We get so caught up with trying to find a message for others, we miss out on what God is speaking to us personally. We get so busy making sure the church is okay for others, we miss out on what God can do for us in corporate worship.

Here are some things I am doing (and starting to do) to make sure I keep my relationship with God vibrant:

1. Pray, praise and worship often by yourself
I'm not talking about Tuesday night prayer and Sunday morning worship. I mean personal Thursday morning worship on the ride to work or the prayer service Monday morning in your bedroom. Do the spiritual activities we tell others to do.

2. Read the Bible to get a word for you AND DON'T PREACH IT
Don't preach the word God has for you. Its for you. Let it take root, inspire and produce fruit in your own life. We should minister from our ABUNDANCE not our own supply. If you give all of your own food, then you will starve to death.Then, maybe after a year or 2 after its proven to be life giving for yourself - then preach it. Maybe. But don't give from your

3. Go to church somewhere else once in a whileSometimes its nearly impossible to BE the church when you are responsible for DOING church so that others can BE the church. (Take some time and dwell on that one.) For me its hard to get into worship when I have to make sure the tech, sound and room temperature are okay. Some I oversee directly. Others I oversee the people who do. So for my own refreshing, I go to church somewhere else once or twice a year. It gets me away from the grind and I can just get into worship and if the wrong words are on the screen, its not my problem. So freeing.

Remember, its about God FIRST then the people. Its like being on the airplane when those air masks come down; put your's on FIRST then help someone with their's.