Ever wondered who or what is ‘God’s Top Competitor’ in our lives? Well I have news for you; God really has no competition. But we create competitors for him in our self indulgent minds and hearts; hearts turned into stone as we seek out worldly pleasures. Of course, we allow him to visit our sacred spaces when life becomes unmanageable and unbearable in our various addictions and there seems to be no way out; and the foxhole prayers are continually answered daily. Outside of this, we live with His perceived competition, especially His ‘Top Competitor’ as the pilot in our lives and make God the co-pilot (remember that bumper sticker).

I am yet to see a Uhaul filled with ‘God’s Top Competitor’ buried with the deceased. As we accumulate wealth and toys and disregard the call of God in our lives, maybe we need to examine the role of ‘God’s Top Competitor’ in our lives. The Bible is littered with illustrations of our ancestors making God the second option, only to come to the realization through hurt and pain that there is no substitute for God. In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus tells the parable of ‘The Prodigal Son’ who abandoned his father in pursuit of perceived happiness. After he wasted all of his inheritance (God’s Top Competitor) and was abandoned by friends, he came to his senses and returned to his father’s house. His father embraced him and welcomed him back with no admonitions. As a matter of fact he threw a feast. Same way our Heavenly Father welcomes all of us back into his arms no matter what sin we may have committed. Luke 15:10 states,“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Remember God is greater than our sin, God is greater than our circumstances, God is the greatest being in our lives even though we try to give ourselves the credit. There is no one greater than Him. It is not our education, our family of origin, our intellect, our great looks or lack of it that gives us what we have. It is God and God only! God is the distributor of His ‘Top Competitor’. Deuteronomy 8:18 clearly spells it out, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” In 1 Corinthians 3:7 it states, “It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.”

You see, God has given us everything including ‘free will’ and boy have we messed that up, starting with our great ancestors Eve and Adam (more to come on this in a future blog). We go at all lengths to make subtle changes to what God has deliberately told us in our hearts to do. So many of us has twisted the word to suit our agendas to pursue ‘God’s Top Competitor’. In first 1 Timothy 6:10 it states that the love of God’s Top Competitor’ is the root of all evil. I can recall when I had my first glimpse of God and his faithfulness in my early walk as a Christian; when ‘God’s Top Competitor’ was in first place. I recall Dr. Allister Alexander of Daybreak Assembly Trinidad preaching on ‘Put God First.’ That was when it hit me, because God was my backup until then. But as I became more familiar with scripture, I saw even from the Old Testament that men of faith depended on and obeyed God’s word without reservations.

Look at Noah for example in Genesis 5. Noah did not place God’s instructions as a second option, although up to this time he had never seen ‘rain’ for the flood that God promised. In obedience, he built the ark out in the wilderness; the boonies. Not next to the Intercoastal, so just in case God did not deliver on his promise he could launch out into a cruise. He put God’s command first- in his heart and by his actions. God has no competition, and even the atheists, the agnostic, and even the evil one knows it. Matthew 6:24 states, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Who is your Master? Who or What has knocked God off the rightful pedestal and has become ‘God’s Top Competitor’ in your life? Have you figured it out as yet? You think about it! Amen!

Let us pray. This morning I thank you Lord for your forgiving nature and all that you have done in our lives. I pray for the families of those who are grieving the loss of loved ones whom you have called home. That you would wrap your arms around them and me in comfort because you are the Greatest Comforter. Saturate us with your anointing God, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Good morning universe!

Have a Blessed day in the Lord. You deserve it.

Until then, ‘nothing changes if nothing changes’ and ‘the same person will always use’.

From the desk of Andy Ansola