{"id":521,"date":"2009-09-02T01:16:33","date_gmt":"2009-09-02T01:16:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/?p=521"},"modified":"2025-12-19T08:51:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T08:51:20","slug":"seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Seek First The Kingdom of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>In the Bible in Matthew 6 vs 34 Jesus enjoins us not to worry about what we shall eat, drink or wear because only those who do not know God do that.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Matt 6:31\u201333<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cTherefore do not worry, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 32<\/sup> For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33<\/sup> But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (NKJV)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

God First<\/sup><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What I find fascinating is that this concept is applied in so many areas of our lives and in the Word of God. When more than anything else you put the work of God first \u2013 then all else follows naturally. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Ten Commandments<\/sup><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Regarding the Ten Commandments \u2013 all the commandments pivot on one main thing. LOVE! This however is not the be all and end all of being righteous.\u00a0 We are not righteous because we keep the law \u2013 we are made righteous by what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Rom 13:8-10<\/sup><\/strong> \u201c<\/sup>Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9<\/sup> For the commandments, \u201cYou shall not commit adultery,\u201d \u201cYou shall not murder,\u201d \u201cYou shall not steal,\u201d<\/em>\u201cYou shall not bear false witness,\u201d \u201cYou shall not covet,\u201d<\/em> and if there is<\/em> any other commandment, are all<\/em> summed up in this saying, namely,\u201cYou shall love your neighbour as yourself.\u201d<\/em> 10<\/sup> Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is<\/em> the fulfilment of the law. (NKJV) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As the Bible says in Romans 8:10-13 \u2013 that all commandments are summed up in one single command \u2013 to LOVE your neighbour as you love yourself. You see, when you uphold this one command, the rest are taken care of because no one who loves others would commit murder and adultery, steal or have evil desires. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Growing Spiritually<\/sup><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This concept also goes for making a conscious decision to grow spiritually. When you do this and take the first step towards this, e.g. spending time praying and reading the Word of God \u2013 watch all else fall into place. Consciously and unconsciously. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a thought. When you decide to begin to look after yourself physically \u2013 a lot of good habits which are in line with the Word of God will follow like magnets to steel. Let\u2019s say at the beginning of the year \u2013 as you do – you have a list of things that you want to rid your life of and those that you want to do more of. Things like to lose weight, keep fit, eat healthily, pray more, read the Bible more, spend quality time with your family, start that hobby, less waste of time etc. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In this case we will start with a jog or a brisk walk in the morning \u2013 say 30 minutes. (Yes you can make the time, say, wake up 45 minutes earlier.)<\/em> Besides it doesn\u2019t have to be in the morning but morning is best. During this walk you could use this time to pray as well as listen to the Word on-the-go on your walkman, iPod or CD player. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A few things are covered already – you\u2019re already getting into the habit of losing weight, keeping fit, praying and hearing\/reading the Word. You will find that your choices of the food that you eat changes and you\u2019re drinking a lot more water too \u2013 good news for your body. No one wants to lose weight on one hand and take it away with the other hand by eating unhealthily. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Because of the jog in the morning \u2013 you\u2019re more energetic, you get more done during the day. You\u2019re spending fewer hours in front of the TV watching stuff that you could do without. Basically \u2013 your mindset changes.<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Romans 12:2\u201d<\/sup><\/strong>And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what <\/span>is<\/em> that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now you\u2019re reading and hearing the Word of God more, you\u2019re praying more \u2013 you\u2019re getting to have a great relationship with God \u2013 you\u2019re maturing as a Christian, getting off baby milk – the list of possibilities is endless. Take care of the pennies and the pounds take care of themselves \u2013 the same concept applies.<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Habits<\/sup><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Do an activity over a long period of time and it soon becomes so much a part of you that you come to a point where you don\u2019t even have to think about it. Only that you want to do it and it\u2019s just a part of your life. Just like you take a bath before you go out daily, like you brush your teeth, like you have your breakfast, like to switch off the lights when you\u2019re ready for bed.<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Like-for-like activities follow each other. When you pick up a good habit you are then motivated to do others that will be good. Like magic some may say \u2013 not magic \u2013 it is a spiritual law just like gravity is a law of physics. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Will<\/sup><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

When you know the will of God for your life \u2013 the Word of God – you know that which belongs to you and how to get hold of it. The Word becomes flesh to you when you give and apply yourself to the Word of God. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Romans 12vs 1<\/sup><\/strong> \u201c<\/sup>I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is<\/em> your reasonable service. 2<\/sup> And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is<\/em> that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.\u201d (NKJV)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. This is taking you to a place of death to self. It\u2019s sad that a lot of us go through life not knowing not only what belongs to us but what we are capable of as sons and daughters of God. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Healing belongs to me according to Isaiah 53:5<\/strong> \u201c\u2026 He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our inequities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.\u201d<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Salvation belongs to me according to Romans 10:9 – 10 <\/strong>“<\/sup><\/span><\/span>That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.\u00a0 For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.<\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This is spiritual legal tender \u2013 a spiritually legal document. Use it to its fullness.<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Get me right \u2013 this is not about losing weight or about getting rid of some habits; it\u2019s about taking care of that part of your life which is important – that is <\/sup>seeking God<\/sup><\/strong> and His kingdom \u2013 and the rest will be taken care of. <\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 6:33<\/sup><\/strong>\u201c<\/sup>But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.\u201d <\/sup>(NKJV)<\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

faith<\/strong>in<\/span>practice<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

by faith morsi<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the Bible in Matthew 6 vs 34 Jesus enjoins us not to worry about what we shall eat, drink or wear because only those who do not know God do that. Matt 6:31\u201333 \u201cTherefore do not worry, saying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 32 For […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[255],"tags":[259,125,261,262,258,257,256,210,260],"class_list":{"0":"post-521","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-faith-in-practice","7":"tag-habit","8":"tag-love","9":"tag-love-your-neighbour","10":"tag-neighbour","11":"tag-spiritual-growth","12":"tag-ten-commandments","13":"tag-the-kingdom-of-god","14":"tag-will","15":"tag-worry","16":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=521"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17612,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions\/17612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.42ndgenerationfoundation.com\/achieversfaithdigest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}