What Jesus Did! - This First!

Don't worry and say, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' All the people that don't know God try to get these things.

Don't worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need these things. The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing the good things God wants you to do. Then all these other things you need will be given to you.
- Matthew 6:31-33 (ERV)

THOUGHT:

What's most important to you? Why is it important? Jesus emphasizes all throughout his ministry that three things are of supreme importance: loving God with all our heart, loving our neighbor, and seeking after God's Kingdom. If we do those things, everything else will fall into place; the hand of the Creator will be there helping each thing find its proper place.

He knows what we need. He has a plan for our lives. He will meet our needs. Does this mean things will be easy or always go well for us? No. If our hero was crucified on a cross, do you think we're less vulnerable? But God does assure his Kingdom seekers that we will ultimately get what we seek; we will share with the King in his Kingdom in all of his glory. In addition, in seeking after Kingdom values, we will bless those we love, we will have a redemptive influence on those around us, and we will have all that we really need in life.

PRAYER:

O gracious Father, help me keep my eyes focused on your Kingdom, my heart centered on you, my mind illuminated by your Word, and my spirit empowered and cleansed by your Spirit. Father, please forgive me when I am distracted by things that don't really matter. Use your Word, your Spirit, and your people to help call me back to a proper set of priorities. Please bless me as I make your Kingdom and your righteousness my consuming passion. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures:

We know that in everything God works for the good of those people that love him. These are the people God called (chose), because that was his plan. God knew those people before he made the world. And God decided that those people would be like his Son (Jesus).

Then Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. God planned for those people to be like his Son. And he called (chose) those people. God called those people and made them right with him. And God gave his glory to those people that he made right. - Romans 8:28-30

Some of you say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money." Listen! Think about this: You don't know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a fog. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away. So you should say, "If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that." - James 4:13-15

The thing I want and hope for is that I will not fail Christ in anything. I hope that I will have the courage now, like always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth. I want to do that if I die or if I live. I mean that to me the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be profit for me. - Philippians 1:20-21