Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. INTRODUCTION To seek first his kingdom and his righteousness means to give him first place in your life. It means to turn to God first for help, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if you dont actively choose to give him first place in every area of your life. [Life Application SB] We are to make Him first and last and best in everything. We are to engage in no business, follow no pursuit, seek no pleasure, that would hinder the outworking of His righteousness in our character and life. Whatever we do is to be done heartily, as unto the Lord If we follow His example, His assurance to us is that all things needful in this life "shall be added." MB99 Make Christ first and last and best in everything. Constantly behold Him, and your love for Him will daily become deeper and stronger as it is submitted to the test of trial. AH106 Whatever our department of labor, be it housework or field work or intellectual pursuits, we may perform it to the glory of God so long as we make Christ first and last and best in everything. 5T459 COMMENTARY PEARL King George V wrote on the flyleaf of the Bible of a friend: "The secret of happiness is not to do what you like to do, but to learn to like what you have to do." Too many people think happiness is an elusive, will-o'-the-wisp thing to be found only by constant pursuit and relentless searching. But happiness is not an end in itself; it is the byproduct of something far greater. Jesus told His disciples: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). The "things" He spoke of were the basic needs of life: food, drink, clothes, shelter. He told us not to make these things the chief goal of our lives, but to "seek... the kingdom." There, if we will take it, is the secret of happiness: "Seek first the kingdom of God." How do we do this? By submitting ourselves without reserve to Jesus Christ as King of our lives every day. This is the path of true happiness. In what ways have you been trying to create happiness in your life? Ask God to redirect your efforts and to give you a heart that seeks his kingdom more than worldly pleasures. [Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham] COMMENTARY When Jesus said, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you, what things was He talking about? Well, He was talking about what youre going to eat, what youre going to wear - all the things that you care about. And God will take care of all these things if you put Him first. But what does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God? It means study the Bible, know what the Bible says about things, and do what the Bible tells you to do. One day as Jesus was talking with the disciples, Peter said to Him, See, we have left all and followed You (Mark 10:28 NKJV). Jesus then made a promise that also applies to us today: Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time - houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions - and in the age to come, eternal life (verses 29-30 NKJV). To loosely paraphrase, whatever you give up to follow Christ, God will replace it with something far better. It may be in this life - or it may not be. There will be tragedies, setbacks, and inexplicable things that happen to us and make no sense. But God promises that He will compensate. He will repay. He will make it up to us. And when we get to the afterlife, well see how true that really is. One day it all will be sorted out. It all will make sense. But until that day, our focus should be to walk closely with the Lord and put Him first. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] Do you want to know what's important to you? Its whatever you worry about most. Worry tells you what's important in your life. If you worry about it, it's important to you. If you don't worry about it, then either you've entrusted it to God, or it's not that important to you. Every time you start to worry, you should stop and turn the worry into a prayer. If you prayed about everything you worried about, you'd have a lot less to worry about. Worry won't change anything. But prayer can change everything! Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:32-33 NLT). When your priorities are right, God's answer is yes. He'll give you all you need if your first concern is to live for his kingdom. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] CLOSING THOUGHT The Four Monuments of Human Nature: Fortune, Fame, Power, Pleasure Built in clusters, making them appear formidable and acceptable. As the idols in ancient Athens, our society is saturated with them. FORTUNE. How neatly it fits our times! Its inscription at the base is bold: "Get rich." The figure in the statue is impressive - a hardworking young executive, a clever, diligent businessman unwilling to admit the greed behind his long hours and relentless drive. FAME. Another monument tailor-made for this twenty-first century. It reads: "Be famous." All its figures are bowing in worship of the popularity cult eagerly anticipating the day when their desire to be known, seen, quoted, applauded, and exalted will be satisfied. Young and old surround the superficial celebrity scene. POWER. Etched in the flesh of this human edifice are these words: "Take control." These figures are capitalizing on every opportunity to seize the reins of authority and race to the top regardless. PLEASURE. The fourth monument is perhaps the most familiar of all. Its message is straightforward: "Indulge yourself." If it looks good, grab it! If it tastes good, eat it drink it! If it feels good, do it! Conspicuous by its absence is the underlying philosophy of Jesus Christ. He's the One who taught the truth about being eternally rich through giving rather than getting. About serving others rather than ripping them off by looking out for number one. About surrendering rights rather than seizing control. About limiting your liberty out of love and saying "No" when the flesh pleads for "Yes." You know - the whole package wrapped up in one simple statement. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 No elaborate set of statues. No sculptures done in marble - not even an epitaph for the world to read. And when He died nobody cared because they were too busy building their own monuments. We still are. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.] LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE Matthew 6:33 - Put Jesus First and All These Things Will Be Added. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201002-0935.html YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT Most Important Decision in Life: http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: https://stepstopeace.org/ Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782 Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ Amazing Facts Bible Studies: http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study Guides: https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/ LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/ Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657 Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE