Let’s imagine you were baptized into Christ yesterday and today was your first day to see the sun rise as a Christian. You are certainly a babe in Christ. Satan is not pleased by your obedience to God, but this is probably a distant thought as you are feeling great. God has forgiven you of your sins and you are walking in the light.
1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
This passage is talking about you.
But now that you are a Christian it is important that you grow not only so you can withstand the schemes of the devil, but so that in your maturity to come you will bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
Therefore, the following is probably the NUMBER ONE principle you will learn. All else will fall in line behind this dominant principle.
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
And from this one verse I see four lessons:
We must seek.
We must be active. We must actively seek God’s will.
2. But what are we supposed to seek? God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
What does that mean?
Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
It means we must crucify ourselves. We must put our will away from us and seek God’s will every day of our lives.
It is not only believing in Jesus, but believing Jesus.
If he says this is the way to act or speak or think then we must accept it. It is the way.
When people see us it’s as if they are seeing Jesus living in us.
3. Seek FIRST.
This is not a time management principle. It doesn’t mean we must wake up and do this first and then we can do whatever we want.
This is a principle of government in our lives.
Everything we do must center around seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Every goal. Every project must be subordinate to our desire to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Illustration
Everything we do we do for a reason.
Ask someone in the world, why do you work?
“I want to make money.”
Why do you want to make money?
“I want to buy things.”
Why do you want to buy things?
“It makes me happy.”
Now we know what governs their life. They want to be happy. Or maybe they say they want to buy those things because everybody else has them. Then we would know the governing thing in their life is keeping ups with the folks around them.
What about me? Why do I go to work?
“Make money.”
Why do I want to make money?
“I want to provide for my family and their needs and have enough to share and help others in need.”
Why would I want to do that?
Because 1 Timothy 5:8 says I am to take care of my family and if I don’t I am worse than an unbeliever. And also because Ephesians 4:28 says I’m supposed to labor and work with my hands to share with those who have needs.
Why do I want to do this?
Because I desire the righteousness that God grants through an obedient faith.
Do you see the difference?
Both people are going to work. Both may be working really hard. Both may be doing a really good job. But only one is seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
4. We must not let anything distract us from seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.
As I mentioned earlier, Satan is not excited about your obedience and one of his most effective schemes is that of distraction. Satan does not care if you seek God’s kingdom and righteousness just as long as you don’t seek it FIRST.
Do not let him distract you!
There are all types of distractions, but here are a few from the teachings of Jesus:
Matthew 6:1
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
The honor and praises of men.
Of course, it is fine to receive praise from man for honoring and worshiping God, but if that is the reason why I do it then Jesus teaches that my righteousness is in vain.
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Material things.
God says serve me first and I’ll give you everything you need. If God blesses you with more than you need then that is fine, but do not get caught up in accumulating and hoarding things.
Because that is not seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness FIRST.
Matthew 6:25
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Obey God. He will take care of you. Satan wants you to worry and be afraid. Satan wants you to take things into your own hands. Instead we must work and trust God that He is faithful and will provide according to our work.
Matthew 6:34
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Do not allow yourself to become distracted by tomorrow, by the future. You will often hear people worrying about things that are afar off like retirement when reality is that even tomorrow is not promised.
We must think about eternity. What do I need to do right now today to go to heaven? If I get to tomorrow then I’ll think the same tomorrow.
This, of course, does not mean you should not have future plans, but it comes with an understanding that those plans are only if the Lord wills and right now today I must be governed by seeking FIRST God’s kingdom and righteousness.
Lastly,
IN ORDER TO DO ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRUST THE LORD.
Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
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Next week as we continue this series we will give consideration to the two greatest commands.