2 Kings 17.41 observes even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

The so called, ‘greatest generation’ were the parents of the children who attended high school in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. These people became the parents of those who attended high school in the 1960’s to 1970’s.

The ‘greatest generation’ was considered such because of the selflessness by which they lived their life. They suffered much and paid much to make the life of their children better.

Yet they had one major failure. They worshiped hard work, self-reliance and the pursuit of a better life making that their goal or god. They were good people because they worked hard and did the right thing but having lived with so little and suffered so many hard ships they didn’t draw their children to the grace of God but to the need to work hard, save much and spend little.

Their children, the children of the 50’s-60’s had it pretty good. America was booming economically, culturally and educationally and they were the recipients of being in the middle of that boom. It was also declining spiritually, at least in terms of the Church’s influence in education, media and morality. Why?

The parents who worshiped hard work raised children who worshiped hard play. Those children then raised children who took their play to new levels of sexual deviance and drug abuse. Many would argue we are still in a free fall.

God is alive, therefore His Church is alive. The current crop of worshipers of God must learn from this history and change their lives accordingly.

The first command is for us to have no idols but to worship only God alone. This command is necessary because it eliminates compromise from our lives.

Compromised obedience to God is disobedience to God leading to the destruction of ourselves and our culture.

Loving God first means to work hard for the glory of God and not for personal gain. To love God first means to party hard with friends and family with grateful and thankful hearts at the goodness of God and the kindness He has shown us.

Hard work and good times are not a problem for God. They are commanded and encouraged by Him in the Bible.

Like all good things they cant be the goal of our lives.

Loving God and doing His will must be our first priority, desire and passion, then all these other things will be done properly with His blessing.