Seek First: The Disciples Priorities

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:31–33

As a child of God, know that it is your Father’s pleasure to meet all your needs. Jesus Himself tells us, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” But God does not want you to seek after things. He wants you to seek first His kingdom. And when you do that, all the things that you need will be added to you!

So your first priority every day is to seek His kingdom. The word “first” in verse 33 is the Greek word proton, which means “first in order or importance, holding the highest place in all our affections.” My friend, God wants us to seek first His kingdom, and all things will fall gloriously in place.

We are not to seek after things the way Gentiles do. The word “seek” in “the Gentiles seek” (verse 32) is the Greek word epizeteo. It means “to seek with all their might with much sweat or with much stress”. However, the way God wants us to “seek” in “seek first the kingdom of God” is the Greek word zeteo, which means “to hunger, to desire to worship.” It is simply a hungering, a desiring for the kingdom of God, without any labor or toil.

But what is the kingdom of God? Romans 14:17 tells us that it is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And the kingdom of God dwells within you because the Holy Spirit indwells you. So the kingdom of God is His righteousness, peace and joy in you.

Beloved, if you want to have peace and joy in the Holy Spirit flowing inside you, then seek every day to be conscious of your righteousness in Christ, not your own righteousness, but His righteousness given to you as a gift. Pursue Jesus first. Spend time with Him and listen to His Word. And when you do these things, you are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the things that you need will be added to you!

The Obedient Disciple

Obedience brings the blessing to your life. Deuteronomy 28:15 says: But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee....

Obedience opens the door to the blessings. Disobedience blocks the blessings and opens the door to a curse. I want to share with you four possible areas where you might have been disobedient, or four ways to get out of this rut.

1. Put God's Word First
Ask yourself, "Am I putting God first place in my life or have I let things become more important to me?" Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

God is not against us having things; He is against things having us. God wants to bless you beyond your wildest imaginations. But is your primary pursuit to know Him, to be more like Him? If God plays a secondary role in your life, then a door has been opened for Satan to come in and block God's blessings. If you are putting God first, then the door has been shut. Satan does not have the right to block your blessings.

2. Live a Godly Lifestyle
Are you living a godly lifestyle or have you accepted the world's standards for moral conduct? The Bible says, "...be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 11:45). How is your lifestyle? Is it pleasing to God? Is the Holy Spirit comfortable in your home, in your car, among your friends?

Our disregard for God's standards for moral behavior has everything to do with our blessings being blocked. You can't compromise God's standards and expect the blessings to flow. We must examine the shows we watch, the words of our mouth, the influences around us if we want to get out of the rut we're in. God will bless those who respect His guidelines for moral living.

3. Walk in Love
Are you walking in love or is there strife and unforgiveness in your heart? Jesus said in John 13:34:A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Blessings are blocked when we refuse to walk in love. No matter how difficult it might seem, no matter how many layers of flesh it may peel off of you: forgive. Stay out of strife. Get rid of bitterness. It is a blessing blocker. It will keep your life in a deep rut if you don't dig it out by faith and daily choose to forgive. It's never too late to begin the process of walking in love.

4. Honor God With Your Tithes
Are you honoring God with your tithes and your offerings, or are you robbing Him? Malachi 3:8,9 says: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse...
In other words, because you don't honor God with your tithes and offerings, your blessings have been blocked.

Are you in a financial rut? If so, then let's look at your giving. Are you giving God what belongs to Him? The proper attitude for tithing is to set it aside first. Don't pay everybody else and then if there is anything left over, bring it to God. Your money will go a lot further on ninety percent and giving God His ten percent than you keeping 100 percent for yourself. Trust me.

If you've discovered your life is in a rut, it's time to make the changes to get out. We have to take an inventory of our lives. Is God still first place in your life? Are you pursuing God with your whole heart, your whole strength, your whole being or have things and people become more important to you?

Are you walking in love or are you harboring strife and unforgiveness and bitterness? Are you living a lifestyle pleasing to God? Are you honoring God with your tithes and offerings? Go through the checklist of these four different things and be honest with yourself. It could be where disobedience lies. It could be the cause of the rut you've found yourself in.

Make whatever corrections you need to make. Ask God to forgive you. Say what David said in Psalm 67:1: "God be merciful unto us, and bless us...." We can ask God for forgiveness in these areas of disobedience and He will forgive us. The barriers will be removed. The cause for the curse will be removed and the blessings will flow. But we have to be consistent. You can do it.