Why did Jesus insist we SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM with every waking breath?
Of course one reason is that what we think of "first” (regarding decisions, time, money, family, job, housing, hobbies, "down time” and such) reflects our PRIORITIES, our "god”. He’s a jealous God and will have NO other suitors before him taking our affection or attention.
Another Reason He calls us, and insists that we love Him with ALL of our heart, ALL of our soul, ALL of our mind, and ALL of our strength, seeking FIRST, PRIMARILY, PASSIONATELY, NO COMPROMISE or WAVERING …. the KINGDOM (the EXPRESSION of His Reign) is…..
He DESIGNED us, He MADE us.
And HE knows this about us:
If we aren’t seeking FIRST the KINGDOM [ i.e., loving others and actively seeking conversion and closeness to Jesus, ordering our time and finances and loves and relationships to reflect that HE owns them all]
and that we are only being TESTED by how we handle ”” what is not even ours, anyway,
HE KNEW THAT IF WE AREN’T OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES, ABANDONING SELF in favor of something and someOne WAYYYY larger than ourselves,
that our mind will TURN ON ITSELF, and EAT ITSELF, and perhaps others, also.
Our human mind is such that, apart for accepting our Higher Calling and Purpose in Jesus, it will turn to cannibalizing itself.
We will ponder, philosophize, judge or self-judge, lust, obsess, vice, wander, zone-out, withdraw, hate, dumb-down ourselves into nothingness ”” if we do not SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM. (James 1:14-15, James 3:13-4:8)
God’s Ways are Right and Good. :)
For us, for the world, for His Plan to Redeem, Buy Back, those who will bend their knees and be buried into Him, to rise to walk in Newness of Life, in His Body, His daily Life. (Rom.6:4-5, 1Cor.12:12-13:13)
Seek FIRST the KINGDOM and LIVE LIFE ABUNDANTLY!
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wow! was just thinking on this very topic this morning!
rdg
